When will my French Bulldog stop growing?

The Short Answer is:

By the age of nine to twelve months, a French Bulldog reaches close to its maximum weight and height. After 12 to 14 months of age, they are considered fully grown, but they may continue to gain muscle until two years of age.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “When will my French Bulldog stop growing?“.

The problem is that when we start worrying about our French Bulldog things in our minds can spiral out of control and before we know it we are in deep trouble.

The growth rate of dogs varies like that of humans. 

Every puppy experiences different types of growth and the ones I want to focus on here are height weight and sexual maturity.

Height

Approximately one year is required for the French Bulldog to reach its full height. Generally males and females are the same height and measure about 12 inches or 30 centimeters.  

Weight

It is after they reach their full height that their bodies begin to fill out adding muscle and bulk to their frame. 

By the age of two Frenchies reach their maximum weight. 

Males and females tend to weigh between 22- 28 pounds while females weigh 20- 26 pounds on average.

Sexual Maturity 

About 9 months after birth a Frenchie reaches sexual maturity. 

Between the ages of 6 months and 9 months a female Frenchie will start her first season

In the absence of spaying she will continue to have periods every six months or so although a very regular and predictable pattern may take several years to develop.

Comparing these numbers to those of other breeds how do they compare?

Growth stages and rates of the French Bulldog 

When a French bulldog is growing up it goes through a few key stages. 

I will outline 5 stages in order to simplify things. 

French Bulldog litters typically contain three pups although a large litter may contain seven pups. 

Cesarean sections are the most common method of delivering Frenchie puppies. 

Stage 1: Weeks 1-3

During the first three weeks of a puppys life it is completely dependent on its mother. 

Totally blind with their eyes closed they only have two instincts: to find their mothers breast and to suck from it. Having no teeth they are totally dependent on their mother. 

Oh and they can make a lot of noise- for something as small as they are. 

Their bodies cannot maintain their own heat so they must stay close to their mother to stay warm.

Whenever possible humans should only interact briefly with puppies (measured in seconds and minutes) and should be limited to immediate family. 

Stage 2: Weeks 4- 8

As the puppies grow they become independent. It is possible for them to be weaned off milk and onto solid food to venture much farther away from their mother and to develop their play skills with their mother and littermates. 

They begin to develop their social skills- how to interact with others and what is and isnot acceptable.

Their interaction with humans also plays a crucial role in their social development. 

You should ask your family and friends to bring their kids so that your puppies can get used to being handled by a wide range of people.

In addition to simple one-word commands such as sit and down the puppies may also respond to some simple one-word commands but do not expect too much as their attention span is extremely short. 

It is important to visit and handle them a few times a week but not all at once

A human parents joy during these few weeks is immense. The second stage is so enjoyable after the nerve-wracking first three weeks because of how vulnerable the puppies are. 

Puppies are very mobile demanding and noisy.

Do you have a feeding schedule? No matter how well-prepared you are it is utter chaos.

Puppies begin housebreaking by learning to poop and wee on newspaper rather than anywhere else but do not get your hopes up as it will take months for them to master this skill.

After stage 2 the puppies are mature enough to leave their mother and go to their new homes.

Stage 3: 8-12 weeks

At the same time that the puppies are becoming more responsive and braver many of them will suddenly hit a brick wall of fear. 

They suddenly become fazed by situations that did not bother them a few weeks ago. No worries this is a natural development. Nature is taming their boundless enthusiasm and teaching (a little caution).

At the same time you will notice significant improvements in the way they react to people other animals or other dogs.

However these responses are very fleeting.

During this stage a puppys milk teeth begin to form and biting could become a serious issue. 

Stage 4: 3 months to 6 months

During this period puppies will find out where they belong in the household in the pack.

By pushing any boundaries that stand in its way it will achieve its goals! 

It should learn where its limits are from a patient and gentle “human parent” and if you have other dogs from them.

During this stage your baby is teething and chewing a lot- so do not leave anything of value or danger around. 

How come my French Bulldog does not grow? Five things to keep in mind

The following items should ease your mind if you’re worried that your Frenchie isnot growing enough.

Firstly a French Bulldog goes through phases in which it does not grow and then periods in which it undergoes growth spurts up until the age of about 18 months.

Its natural for that to happen. 

The second thing you can do to put your mind at ease is to contact the breeder. 

Your parents may be able to tell you how big they were at different stages of their growth when they owned the dog you own. 

Thirdly let me dispel a few myths about stunted growth. 

In the first place you cannot stunt your Frenchies growth by over-exercising it. 

It is possible to overexert a dog that is physically immature and damage some of its joints but it would not stunt its growth. 

Fourthly if you had your French Bulldog spayed or neutered and are now blaming yourself for affecting its growth then stop. 

The physical size of a dog is unaffected by spaying or neutering. 

There are three reasons why your French Bulldog might not be growing.

These include malnutrition internal parasites and liver shunts

The fifth factor is malnutrition

In short you are providing your dog with insufficient quality or quantity of food. 

For your French Bulldogs growth use the following quantities as a rough guide. 

Buy the best food you can afford when it comes to quality. 

Check the label to see if the food contains. 

Parasites within the body

There is one parasite that can stunt the growth of your puppy and that is the roundworm.

There are other parasites as well including tapeworms hookworms and whipworms but the roundworm is the main cause of stunted growth.

It is possible for puppies to become infected with roundworms in many ways. First of all if their mother is infected puppies can become infected by sucking her milk. 

The second way to become infected is by sniffing or eating feces. 

These worms live inside the intestinal tract and if enough of them are present they will starve puppies of vital nutrients thus stunting their growth. 

Potbellies and lots of diarrhea are things to look out for.

Last but not least roundworms are not picky- they infect many mammals including dogs cats and humans.

In addition this parasite can be passed between dogs and humans so handwashing is very important.

It goes without saying that you will need to take your pet to the veterinarian for treatment. 

Liver Shunt

Your veterinarian will need to see you immediately if you have this condition. When the liver of a puppy does not function a liver shunt occurs. 

Puppys liver does not begin to function independently until it reaches the late stages of pregnancy- up until this point the mothers liver does all the work.

A liver shunt occurs when the blood vessel that was doing the job of the liver up until this point does not shut down (and kick starts its functioning) and instead continues to do so. 

A puppys growth is affected when powerful toxins bypass the liver and do not get cleaned. 

Weight calculator

If your concerns continue you can make a few rough calculations to see if 

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.