The best dog food for a Bulldog
A Bulldog does not need an unusual diet, but two things about the breed make the choice worth a bit more thought than picking whatever is on the shelf: a low tolerance for exercise that makes weight easy to gain, and a digestive system that is more prone than most to wind and loose stools.
Feeding a Bulldog
A medium breed
An adult Bulldog typically weighs 23–25 kg, so a healthy Bulldog eats a moderate amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A medium breed is usually done growing at ~12 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 10–12 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
This breed tends to bolt its food
A food-motivated dog will empty a bowl in under a minute given the chance. A slow feeder or a puzzle bowl turns a meal back into something that takes time, and splitting the daily ration across two or three meals helps as well.
A shallow, wide bowl suits a flat face
A flat-faced dog cannot reach into a deep bowl without pressing its nose into the sides, which is uncomfortable and makes it gulp air. A shallow bowl, and food that does not have to be chased around it, is the easier arrangement.
How much should a Bulldog weigh?
Adult 23–25 kgfully grown at ~12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 3.5–3.8 kg | 15% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 5.8–6.3 kg | 25% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 11.5–12.5 kg | 50% |
| ~12 months | Fully grown | 23–25 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a medium breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Bulldog
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Bulldog's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
Burns Puppy Original Lamb & Rice
Complete Burns lamb and rice puppy food in a 2KG bag for up to 12 months
£14.99
Burns Puppy Junior Original Chicken Rice
A complete puppy and junior food with dried chicken 31% and controlled fat at 15%
From£14.99
Calories matter more than they do for most breeds
Bulldogs are not built for long exercise, and extra weight sits harder on a breed that already works hard to breathe. A food with sensible calorie density, fed to the pack's guidelines and adjusted against your dog's actual body condition rather than a fixed scoop, does more for a Bulldog's health than almost any other single choice.
If your Bulldog is carrying extra weight already, that is worth raising with your vet before changing food, since a proper weight-management plan looks at more than the bag on the shelf and a vet can check nothing else is going on first.
A digestive system worth being gentle with
Wind and loose stools come up often enough in Bulldogs that a lot of owners end up trying a sensitive-stomach or limited-ingredient food at some point, and it can genuinely help settle things for a dog whose gut reacts to a wide ingredient list.
Introduce any new food gradually over a week or so rather than swapping overnight, mixing increasing amounts of the new food into the old. A sudden switch is a common cause of the very symptoms a "gentler" food is meant to fix.
Kibble shape and eating speed
A flat face changes how a dog picks up and chews kibble, and some Bulldogs eat quickly and swallow more air than they should, which contributes to the wind the breed is known for. A slow feeder bowl is a cheap, simple way to slow that down without changing the food itself.
Wet food alongside dry, or dry food softened slightly with water, can also make meals easier for a Bulldog whose jaw shape makes crunching through very hard kibble less comfortable, particularly for older dogs starting to lose teeth.
Common questions
- Do Bulldogs need a sensitive-stomach food?
- Not automatically, but wind and loose stools are common enough in the breed that many owners find a sensitive-stomach or limited-ingredient food helps. Try one only after introducing it gradually, and speak to your vet if symptoms carry on regardless of the food.
- Why does my Bulldog get so much wind?
- It is partly the breed's flat face and eating speed, which lets in more air while eating, and partly a digestion that reacts more than most to a wide ingredient list. A slow feeder and a consistent, simple diet both help more often than not.
- How do I stop my Bulldog gaining weight?
- Feed to the pack's guidelines for your dog's actual weight rather than a fixed scoop, weigh treats into the daily total, and check in with your vet if you are unsure whether your dog is a healthy weight. Bulldogs put on weight easily because they exercise less than most breeds.
- Is wet or dry food better for a Bulldog?
- Neither is automatically better. Some Bulldogs manage dry kibble without issue, others do better with wet food or softened kibble because of how their jaw and airway are shaped. Watch how your own dog eats and adjust from there.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.