Do French Bulldogs Shed Much Hair?

If you follow any celebrities on Instagram, you’ve most likely seen them posing with their cute French Bulldog. And it’s no wonder they’re one of the most favored breeds by celebrities – they’re adorable! And maybe you’ve been considering getting one for yourself.

But one question remains that needs answering: do French Bulldogs shed much hair?

Yes, they do shed, but not a lot. Their single coat, short fur, and small size ensure they won’t be leaving fur all around your house. As long as you groom them frequently and with the proper brushes, they should have a shiny, healthy coat for you to admire and love!

Let’s take a deeper look into where these pooches came from, what their coat is like, and how you can keep them well groomed to reduce shedding as much as possible!

About French Bulldogs

French Bulldogs are a relatively small dog breed, and they’re easily recognizable by their characteristically oversized ears.

These pooches stand anywhere from a mere 11 to 13 inches tall, and they generally never weigh more than a measly 28 pounds.

These pups can trace their history back to the 1800s and the appropriately-named English Toy Bulldogs, given that they’re descendants (and a smaller version ) of the original English Bulldog.

Basically, during the Industrial Revolution, many lace-makers were having to leave their home country of England and resettle in other countries as a result of their shops closing. Lots of these emigrants decided to move to France with their families and, of course, their dogs.

After a while, the French started breeding these dogs with their local Ratters, which is how we have the adorable French Bulldog today!

Frenchies are a friendly breed that, generally speaking, are pretty calm. In fact, they don’t even need a ton of exercise – an occasional walk will usually do.

However, some owners claim that their pups will randomly get in the mood to start running laps around the house, so they can definitely have a bit of excess energy to burn.

French Bulldogs aren’t very strong swimmers, so if you have a pool, you’ll want to exercise caution. And if you can’t stand snoring, you might want to pass up these pooches, too, because they’re known to be loud snorers.

What Is Their Coat Like?

French Bulldogs have a short, smooth, fine coat.

They come in many different colors, too:

• White
• Cream
• Tan
• Multi-colored (ie. black and white, tan and white, etc)

If you’ve been looking on the internet and have been confused as to whether French Bulldogs have a single or double coat, you’re not alone. There are multiple different answers online and different sources that support each side.

In reality, most French Bulldogs have a single coat. But there are, however, a few breeds – like brindled breeds – that do have a double coat.

So, that’s where the source of confusion comes from.

It can be quite tricky to distinguish between the type of coat your dog has, but knowing this can help you know what to expect when it comes to grooming. Basically, if your French Bulldog has a double coat, you will need to spend some extra time brushing.

You may also notice more of an uptick in shedding during spring and fall if you have a double-coated variety, as seasonal shedding is common among double-coated dogs.

One trick to help you identify the type of coat is by running your hands through their fur. If you feel two different textures (i.e., course, rough fur on top and soft, wool-like fur closer to their skin), then your dog probably has a double coat.

French Bulldog Shedding

French Bulldogs are a moderate shedding breed. So they do shed some hair, but not as much as a high shedding breed, like a Bernese Mountain Dog, for example.

Their short coat and their small size mean they have less fur than some bigger dog breeds, but even small short-haired breeds shed.

And as I just mentioned, if you have a breed of Frenchie that has a double coat, you might notice an uptick in shedding during the spring and fall. 

This is called seasonal shedding, and it’s when they shed their undercoat. So, if you notice any excess fur floating around during those times, don’t worry, this may be completely normal.

That said, sudden, patchy, or generally excessive shedding can be caused by a health issue, so if you have any concerns at all, speak to your veterinarian.

Grooming Your French Bulldog

French Bulldogs are easy to groom.

There are a couple of factors that go into grooming a French Bulldog. The first would be to choose the right grooming brush, which is a bristle brush or rubber brush for this dog.

Since they have short fur, you don’t want to use a hard, heavy-duty brush or one with excessively long bristles. This is because it won’t feel very good on your dog’s skin. And because they have sensitive skin, using the wrong brush might irritate them.

Softer brushes, like the ones made of silicone, are going to be better because they’ll be much softer. You’ll want to brush them at least once a week, too, but you could always up that to two or three times a week if you’re noticing heavier shedding.

Bathing once or twice a month can help, too.

Not only can this help their coat stay healthy and prevent shedding, but it will also help keep their sensitive skin from breaking out in itchy rashes. This is particularly true for French Bulldogs because they are snub-nosed animals with lots of loose, flappy skin. So it’s important to clean around the skin wrinkles carefully when bathing.

Are French Bulldogs Hypoallergenic?

No, French Bulldogs aren’t hypoallergenic. But really, no dog truly is. Some dogs are just better for those with allergies than others, and these are typically the dogs that shed less.

With that being said, Frenchies may be more tolerable for those with allergies because they shed so little, their hair is short, and they’re a very small breed.

Reducing Shedding

There are numerous ways you can reduce the shedding of a French Bulldog.

First and foremost, giving your dog a good quality, well-balanced diet will keep their coat looking healthy and prevent some amount of shedding because if they get all their nutrients, their coat will be healthy and strong!

Aside from that, it mostly comes down to proper grooming, especially brushing. Brushing several times a week with a bristle brush or rubber brush and bathing once or twice a month with a proper dog shampoo can make all the difference.

These are not difficult things to do but, with consistency, they can help you get the shedding under control while making sure your dog’s coat is optimal.

For more tips, check out our complete shedding guide.

Conclusion

French Bulldogs do shed a little bit, but nowhere near as much as dogs like the Bernese Mountain dog, Labrador, or German Shepherd, for example.

As long as you keep up on maintaining the grooming and health of your French Bulldogs coat, you should not notice excessive shedding.

French Bulldogs may not be the lowest-shedding dogs in the world, but the amount of shedding that they do, coupled with their small size, won’t leave fur all over your household.