What Fruits & Vegetables Can I Feed My French Bulldog?

French bulldogs are a favorite of everyone who sees them and apartment dwellers love them due to their small stature. These pups, typically under 28 pounds, can quickly pack on the pounds, though, and are prone to obesity if not fed a healthy diet. That's why it's important to feed your diminutive dog fiber-rich, low-calorie treats.

Fortunately, fruits and vegetables are a healthy part of a French bulldog diet and aren't high in fat and calories, making them an excellent reward or mix-in for your pup's meals. Not all fruits and veggies are safe for dogs, so you'll have to be careful what you feed your pup.

When choosing vegetables that dogs can eat, for your French bulldog, it's important to feed him only ones that are completely pup-safe. Generally, you can feed your dog raw vegetables, except for potatoes or sweet potatoes which should be steamed, boiled, or baked before being fed to your pup. That's because raw potatoes are in the nightshade family of plants and immature plants contain a toxin called solanine when they're raw, according to Dogster. Sweet potatoes aren't in the nightshade family but still shouldn't be fed raw because they may upset your pup's tummy.

From the variety of vegetables dogs can eat, most French bulldogs love the crunchy texture of raw green beans, carrots, celery, pumpkin, spinach, squash, and Brussels sprouts. These veggies contain lots of healthy vitamins and minerals for your pup, along with fiber to keep him regular as well, according to PetMD.

If you feed raw veggies to your dog and he experiences tummy upset, you may end up dealing with some unpleasant French bulldog farts. To help combat this issue, try steaming the vegetables first to make them easier for your pup to chew and digest.

Of the many fruits good for dogs, you'll have lots of healthy options to choose from when incorporating them into a French bulldog diet. Sliced pieces of apple, cantaloupe, honeydew, seedless watermelon, and banana are all good choices for dogs. Blueberries and raspberries are another good choice for dogs and come in convenient bite-sized bits, making them a ready-made treat.

If you want to feed seeded fruits like oranges to your pooch, make sure to remove the seeds and peel first before cutting the fruit into small pieces that are easy for your dog to eat. When it comes to pitted fruits like cherries and peaches, you can feed these to your dog only after completely removing the pit, which can be a dangerous choking hazard.

Fruits are a great addition to a French bulldog diet, but they do contain natural sugar, so you only want to feed them as a treat, not the main part of your pup's diet. Also, too much fruit can lead to tummy upset and unpleasant French bulldog farts.

Some fruits and vegetables that are safe for humans are unsafe for our canine companions. Vegetables in the allium family including onions, garlic, shallots, and chives are all poisonous to your French bulldog and should be avoided, recommends the Whole Dog Journal. They can cause anything from upset tummy issues to anemia if eaten in large quantities. Avocados are another vegetable to avoid because they contain persin, a toxin that can upset your Frenchie's tummy.

Steamed corn is a safe vegetable, but always feed it to your French bulldog scraped off the cob. The corn cob could become a choking hazard for your pooch. And note that some dogs are allergic to corn, so you may want to keep it to a minimum if you notice any signs of itchy skin or upset tummy after your pup eats corn.

Some fruits should be avoided; for example, don't feed your French bulldog grapes because they can cause kidney failure, warns the American Kennel Club. Fruits like pineapple are safe but always remove the rough outer peel which could scratch the inside of your little dog's mouth or cause an intestinal blockage.

When it comes to legumes like beans and peas, keep these vegetables to a minimum in your French bulldog's diet as there is some evidence they might cause health issues if given to bulldogs in large quantities, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The same goes for cooked potatoes fed in large quantities.

Dogs are omnivores like people, meaning they eat meats, fruits, and vegetables. The ideal French bulldog diet contains a combination of these ingredients, but you want to feed your Frenchie a diet that meets the nutritional standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Commercial diets that meet these standards will state this on the label. Remember to follow the feeding guidelines on the food for small-breed dogs between 25-and-30 pounds, according to the standards of the AKC.

According to Vetstreet, adding fruits and vegetables as a treat to your French bulldog's diet is a great way to keep her healthy, but always introduce them slowly. French bulldog farts can result from an overload of fruits and vegetables introduced too quickly in your Frenchie's diet. If you notice that your Frenchie has upset tummy issues, it may be time to cut back on the amount of fruits and vegetables you're feeding her.