While they certainly aren’t the biggest of dog breeds French Bulldogs do have specific growth stages and characteristics that go along with those stages. Knowing these stages and characteristics can help you to determine how big your Frenchie will be when they finally reach adulthood. It might also help you to determine their personality and other physical traits.
In this article, we’ll take a look at all of the factors that affect French Bulldogs as they grow from puppies into adults. When you’re done you’ll have a much better idea about how they mature and grow. Enjoy!
There are seven stages of French bulldog growth. The first stage begins at birth and the seventh stage of growth ends at 18 months. At the end of the seventh stage a French bulldog is done growing.
How Many Months Does it Take for French Bulldogs to Grow?
While it takes about two years for a French bulldog to fully mature and “fill-in”, they usually reach their full size between the ages of nine and twelve months old.
One thing to keep in mind is that their size is determined by the height of the withers and the length from the base of their neck to their buttocks. So while it only will take about a year for your Frenchie to grow to full size, they will still put on some weight and bulk up until they fully mature at about two years old.
What’s the Growth Rate by Pounds Per Month for both Males and Females?
Frankly, the difference in weight between male and female French bulldogs is nominal. When they are adults the weight differential between male and female Frenchies is only about 3 to 5 pounds, with the males being the bigger of the two.
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Females French Bulldogs
Female French bulldogs grow at a little less than a pound a week, on average, and at the end of their first 3 months should weigh somewhere between 7.5 and 12 pounds.
Between 3 and 6 months that growth slows down a bit. The average French bulldog female weighs between 13.5 and 22 pounds at the end of her first 6 months of life. That’s about 0.8 pounds pr week.
Their growth slows even more between 6 months and their first year of life. By 12 months old your female Frenchie will weigh between 17.5 pounds and 29 pounds, on average. That’s a growth rate per week of about 0.2 pounds.
Male French Bulldogs
Male Frenchies average a little bit more than a pound of growth per week and thus at the end of their first 3 months should weigh between 8.5 and 13 pounds.
Between 3 and 6 months, just like females, that growth slows down a bit. The average French bulldog male weighs between 15.5 and 24 pounds at the end of his first 6 months of life. That’s about 0.9 pounds pr week.
Their growth, just like females, slows even more between 6 months and their first year of life so that by 12 months old your male Frenchie will weigh between 19.5 pounds and 30 pounds, on average. That’s a growth rate per week of about 0.3 pounds.
Of course, all of these numbers are just speculative and averages. Some French bulldogs will grow a little faster and end up a little bigger and vice versa.
At Months 1 Through 18 What Growth Characteristics can a French Bulldog Owner Expect, including Weight, Physical Traits, and Personality?
Like their rate of growth the numbers and factors that we will discuss (below) are subject to change from one French bulldog pup to the next. With that being said, let’s take a look at the age and main development areas and characteristics your French bulldog pup will go through in their first 18 months of life. We’ll take a look at them through the lens of the 7 Stages they go through.
7 Stages of French Bulldog Growth
Stage 1
Stage one is from birth to about three weeks. This is when your French bulldog will learn how to crawl and all of their “sense organs” will begin developing. That includes eyes, nose, ears, paws (touch), and tongue (taste). Their weight will be about 3 pounds at the end of Stage 1.
Stage 2
Stage two is from 3 to 4 weeks and is a time of rapid sensory development. Also, your French bulldog puppy will want to avoid any sudden changes and exposure to strange people or other animals. Their weight will be about 4 pounds at the end of Stage 2.
Stage 3
Stage three is a critical time for social development between 4 weeks and 7 weeks. It is during this time that your French bulldog will learn how to socialize with its mother and also learn how to behave well with other dogs. Their weight will be between 5 to 7 pounds at the end of Stage 3.
Stage 4
Between eight weeks and three months is when your Frenchy will learn rapidly about everything in its world. They also will become much more independent and form the human bonds that will be significant in their life. Their weight will be about 6 to 9 pounds at the end of Stage 4.
Stage 5
During stage five, which is from 3 to 4 months, your French bulldog will become very independent. It is during this time that you must be firm with them so that they develop a well-balanced personality. Their weight will be about 9 to 12 pounds at the end of Stage 5.
Stage 6
During stage six is when your Frenchie will begin to demonstrate dominance traits and also start teething. This is between month 4 and month 6 and they will need a variety of chew toys during this stage so that they don’t chew things they aren’t supposed to. Their weight will be about 14 to 18 pounds at the end of Stage 6.
Stage 7
It can be said that your French bulldog will learn something new every day during the 6 to 18 months of stage seven. This is a critical period for their social adjustment as they step into adulthood. Their weight will be between 19 to 30 pounds at the end of Stage 7, depending on whether they are male or female.
What Are The Major Factors of Growth in French bulldogs?
Several factors influence the height and weight your French bulldog will reach as an adult, including genetics, their growing environment, and the type of food they are fed. The first, as with all dog breeds, are the genetic factors that are given to your French bulldog puppy from its mother and father. After that, the most important factor is your French bulldog puppy’s environment. For example, French bulldog pups that breastfeed and eat well during their first few weeks of life will usually grow faster and end up being a bit larger.
Another factor is what kind of kibble your puppy gets after that are weaned from their mother. Nutritious and well-balanced food will help them grow bigger and faster. Pups that receive low-calorie kibble or nutritionally void kibble will usually grow slower and be smaller. Overfeeding during this time can cause obesity and other health problems.
Is it Possible to Estimate How Big a French Bulldog Will Get While it’s Still a Puppy?
Not really, no. The fact is, French bulldogs are very small dogs, to begin with, and trying to figure out how large they will be as adults using their tiny paws as a guide is difficult at best. There’s never been a chart to do this, for example.
One method that you can use is to look at their height and weight between the time that they are 14 and 16 weeks of age and then double that. This isn’t an exact science either, to be sure, but it gives you a better prediction of what their possible size and weight will be then simply using their paws.
Is it Possible to Safely Help your French bulldog Grow Bigger?
Yes and no. Unless you were to give your puppy growth hormones, which are unsafe, they will grow to be a specific size and stay that way. You can help them to become more muscular which, technically, will make them a bit bigger. To do this you should give them a well-balanced kibble and let them eat as much as they want, ensuring that they get plenty of daily exercise so that they don’t become obese. You can also supplement their diet with high-protein foods like eggs and yogurt, which will help build muscle.
Also, as we mentioned earlier, the more breastmilk and regular feeding that your French bulldog gets as a puppy, the more likely that they will end up being a bigger adult.
Is it Possible to Safely Help your French Bulldog Grow Less?
Just as with growing more, there’s no way to ensure that your French bulldog puppy grows less. You can, however, ensure that they do not become too muscular or become obese. Again, a well-balanced kibble will help them to grow at a normal rate and normal size. Do not overfeed them and make sure that they get regular exercise. If a smaller French bulldog is what you desire, you can always pick one of the smaller puppies from a particular litter. The smaller they are as a puppy, the smaller they will likely be as an adult.
Which Grow Faster: Male or Female French Bulldogs?
Male French bulldogs are typically larger than female French bulldogs. In the first few weeks of their lives, the males will grow faster than the females but, around stage 3, their rate of growth equals out.
Closing Thoughts
French bulldogs are a wonderful breed and one of the smaller breeds no doubt. Hopefully, this article has given you the information that you seek about how they grow and when. If you have more questions, need advice, or would like to leave a nice comment, please do so in the space provided, and best of luck with your French bulldog!
Here are some of my favorite Dog and Bulldog Products
Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful for your dog and bulldog questions. Here are some products I like that I hope you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, and I am compensated for referring traffic. But in all honesty, these are the exact product that I use or recommend to everyone.
Food For Bulldogs: Royal Canin Bulldog was the dog food our breeder recommended for our bulldog with a bit of canned pumpkin added for each meal to give a bit of extra fiber
Poo Bags: For poo bags we use Greener Walker poop bags. We have used them for over a year without having a single leak. Also, these bags are made to be friendlier for the environment.
Wrinkle Cleaning Wipes: We use Huggies natural care fragrance free baby wipes to clean out our bulldog’s wrinkles. They are good for sensitive skin which bulldogs are known to have.
Durable Dog Bed: I can’t begin to tell you how many dog beds we have gone through as many fall apart over time. Without a doubt, the most durable one I have found is PetFusion Ultimate Dog Bed. I love this dog bed because it has an outer liner which can be replaced if it gets too beat up.
To see all our most up-to-date product recommendations, check out this resource that I made for you!
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