French Bulldog Pregnancy Guide for Frenchie Owners

There's no greater joy than knowing that your Frenchie will soon be a mom and like everything else you know about the French Bulldog and their uniqueness, getting a French Bulldog pregnant can be a bit difficult.

The Frenchie is a result of cross-breeding through artificial insemination. There are lots of things you should know about a pregnant French Bulldog and this guide will help you understand what is expected of you, the Frenchie owner.

1. Mating Process

Even if you bring two Frenchies of the opposite sex to mate, fertilization will hardly take place because Frenchies find it difficult to reproduce on their own, naturally. It is almost impossible for the male Frenchie to mount their females. We answered the question, Can French Bulldogs Mate on their Own, here.

The process of reproduction happens by artificial insemination where the semen (can be frozen semen) is inserted into the female Frenchie. This should happen during her heat period which comes every 6 months so that the semen can latch onto the egg effectively.

2. Gestation Period

The gestation period is the same as other dogs and can last within 8 weeks to 10 weeks but usually for a period of 9 weeks. During this time, you want to be careful about their behavior.

In the first week, she is going to experience some form of morning sickness as well as a small pink discharge, it is normal. Her nipples get swollen and her body gets big as the foetus forms in the belly. She can be aggressive on some occasions and other times can be really cool. It is advisable you keep the children away and avoid rubbing her belly.

3. Nutrition

You should pay more attention to her diet. Now is the time to increase her percentage of meat intake and stick to high-quality puppy food. Also, ensure that she is placed on an exercise routine. As she progresses in the pregnancy, you have to limit any over-exertion and rough activity

A healthy way to help your Frenchie through the pregnancy is to feed her in multiple small meals during the day. This would create more room space for her puppies and prevent stomachache and gases during delivery.

4. Delivery

Regular ultrasound should be carried out 3 weeks after mating, in order to find out the number of pups and its growth. The lesser the number, the higher the chances of survival of the puppies.

Most times the puppies are reproduced through C-Section due to the fact that the female Frenchie has a narrow hip and a small body so it is difficult to push out a Frenchie pup out of the birth canal considering its head size.

If the head gets stuck in the birth canal, the pup may not survive leaving the mother in a more delicate situation. So, it is better to choose C-Section rather than natural birth.

5. Post-Pup Birth

You should be excited about the successful delivery of the pups which makes you a proud grandpa or grandma. Ensure that you have the necessary arrangements to set up a cool cradle room for the pups when they arrive.

Make sure that the room is warm and get rid of external items that would injure them. Avoid by-products and concentrate more on healthy diet both for the mother and her pup. The female Frenchie should have adequate rest to recover from the pregnancy.

Essentially, if you are keen on knowing everything about the stages of French Bulldog’s pregnancy period, then here is a breakdown of the four stages of a Frenchie's pregnancy:

1. Proestrus Stage: It can be likened to a woman's menstrual cycle so don't panic when you see blood coming out of your French. It lasts up to 9 days.
2. Oestrus Stage: This is the heat period stage for insemination to take place.
3. Diestrus Stage: This is the pregnancy period which lasts for about 9 weeks, tentatively 8 to 10 weeks.
4. Anestrus Stage: This is the period after pregnancy which the Frenchie get to recover from the pregnancy.

Final thoughts…

This is another way to show your Frenchie all the love in the world and help her become a mother without any complication. Owning a French Bulldog comes with a lot of responsibilities and this is something you have to bear in mind when considering buying one. Also, avoid putting your Frenchie under the pressure of reproducing litters of pups on a regular because this could cause a huge toll on their bodies.