Can French Bulldogs Eat Cantaloupe? See If It's Safe

French Bulldogs seem so, well, French it is hard to remember these dogs originally came from England.

French Bulldogs certainly have all the appreciation of fine cuisine of any Parisian and tasty, juicy cantaloupe is no exception!

Especially when the warm season rolls around and these mouth-watering melons pile up in local grocery stores, you may wonder if it is safe to give your Frenchie a bite of your cantaloupe melon.

We will explore all about feeding cantaloupe to a French Bulldog in this article.

Can French Bulldogs Eat Cantaloupe?

Happily, French Bulldogs can eat cantaloupe safely. When fed in moderation, this fruit has a number of health benefits in addition to its great taste. However, you should always remove both the inner seeds and the outer rind, separating the fruit from the rest, before feeding any cantaloupe to your Frenchie.

Watch a French Bulldog Gulp Down Fresh Cantaloupe

In this cute owner-made YouTube video, you can watch a French Bulldog enthusiastically chowing down on fresh, juicy cantaloupe.

You will likely notice right away how the owner makes sure to carefully prepare the cantaloupe before feeding it. Most importantly, the owner cuts the melon into bite-sized chunks that her dog can grasp, chew, and swallow safely and easily.

Is Cantaloupe Good for French Bulldogs?

As the American Kennel Club (AKC) explains, cantaloupe is actually a very good treat food for French Bulldogs and for dogs in general.

Here is an overview of the many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that cantaloupe can offer to your French Bulldog.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants can fight cell oxidation, which in turn can lead to more serious issues like canine cancer.

Dietary fiber

As Sunrise Veterinary Clinic explains, cantaloupe is a great source of beneficial dietary fiber.

Dietary fiber is an important regulator for the digestive and gastrointestinal systems and definitely aids in regular elimination.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is important to help your French Bulldog build muscles, including the heart muscle.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) also cites the vital importance of Vitamin B6 for producing glucose, regulating hormones, nervous system function, and more.

Niacin

Niacin is an important nutrient to help maintain healthy skin, nervous system, and gastrointestinal function.

Folate

Folate is a vital component of your dog's cardiovascular system and helping to make and maintain both red and white blood cells. It is also very important for periods of intense growth, such as during puppyhood.

Vitamin A

Also called beta-carotene, Vitamin A is essential to help your dog maintain sharp vision as well as healthy skin and coat.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant and is also a natural immune system strengthener.

Potassium

Potassium is an important electrolyte that helps cells absorb hydration and helps to regulate heart function.

Water

In addition to the high levels of beneficial insoluble dietary fiber cantaloupe has, this fruit is also very high in water.

This makes cantaloupe a very rehydrating fruit for dogs. Like dietary fiber, water is an essential component of maintaining healthy digestion and elimination functions.

Is Cantaloupe Safe for French Bulldogs?

Cantaloupe is safe for French Bulldogs, at least as a general rule.

In fact, many canine veterinarians will specifically add cantaloupe to the safe treats list for dogs simply because this fresh fruit has so many important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

However, the only way to truly know if a cantaloupe is safe for your particular French Bulldog is to give it a try.

Because more companion canines today seem to suffer from a sensitive stomach and food allergy issues, the smartest approach is to offer your French Bulldog one small cantaloupe chunk as a treat.

Wait 24 to 48 hours and observe your dog closely, looking for any signs that the cantaloupe is or is not well tolerated.

If you don't see any symptoms of a sensitive stomach or food allergies after 48 hours, offer another small chunk and wait. If this second test goes well, it is likely quite safe to add cantaloupe to your pup's regular treat food rotation.

Are There Any Risks to Feeding Cantaloupe to French Bulldogs?

There are three major risks to be aware of when feeding cantaloupe to your French Bulldog.

1. Seeds

The seeds are generally considered harmless to dogs in general, according to Citizen Canine dog kennel and boarding.

However, the American Kennel Club (AKC) disagrees, saying that for some dogs, feeding the densely packed seeds in the center of the cantaloupe may present a choking hazard.

This is definitely something to consider with a dog breed like the French Bulldog that has a much shorter muzzle and less space to chew and swallow than some larger dog breeds with longer muzzles.

So while there may not be a huge risk in feeding one or two cantaloupe seeds to your Frenchie, avoid feeding the whole mass of seeds to rule out a choking risk.

2. Rind

All veterinary experts agree that the cantaloupe rind should not be fed to dogs, regardless of size or muzzle type.

The Central California SPCA explains that the cantaloupe rind is simply too dense and hard for most dogs to chew or digest easily and it can cause gastrointestinal distress.

For smaller dog breeds like the French Bulldog, there is a further risk if your dog gets hold of any cantaloupe rind pieces – it can cause a choking hazard or internal obstruction if your dog does manage to swallow it.

This is especially true for short-muzzled French Bulldogs who often have special dietary needs.

The rind is very tough and fibrous, as it needs to be to protect the fruit as it ripens. But this is also why the rind is not designed to be eaten, nor is the green part just inside the rind.

For safety, only feed your French Bulldog the bright orange ripened fruit, which is soft and easy to grasp, chew, and swallow safely.

3. Portion control

Yet another concern many French Bulldog owners don't initially think about is the caloric content of treat foods. Natural whole foods like cantaloupe do deliver plenty of nutritional benefits, as you just learned about here earlier.

However, as Preventative Vet points out, for general purposes you should try to make treats no more than 10 percent of the daily caloric intake.

In other words, 90 percent of your French Bulldog's calories each day should come from a complete and balanced small breed canine food. The other 10 percent of calories can come from a variety of treats, including cantaloupe.

Cantaloupe, because it is so high in water, is not as calorically dense as some other fruits. According to Live Science, one cup of fresh ripe cantaloupe fruit has about 55 calories per serving.

Here, since you already know that treat calories should only represent about 10 percent of your dog's daily calorie intake, you can easily figure out how much cantaloupe you can offer your pup.

For example, if you have an active adult French Bulldog who is on a 500-calorie per day meal plan, just under a cup of fresh cantaloupe would be an acceptable treat food in your dog's regular treat rotation.

Now that you know the orange cantaloupe fruit is a safe and healthy treat for French Bulldogs, you can look forward to sharing these sweet melons with your pup this summer.