You’ve got yourself that beautiful French Bulldog puppy.

You consider yourself lucky to have that playful furball grow up in your household.

But as your Frenchie grows up, you begin to ask: what age should you spay a French Bulldog?

Spaying a French Bulldog should be done between 6 or 12 months.

It could be done slightly earlier or later based on the veterinarian’s instructions.

Spaying offers many health benefits, making it a very common procedure.

If you want in-depth details on spaying.

Like what is it?

When to do it?

What to expect after it?

Then stay with us.

What is Spaying a French Bulldog?

Spaying, also known as sterilization or neutering, is a surgical procedure that prevents the dog from being able to reproduce.

It’s considered a major operation. That’s why it’s done under general anesthesia since it needs the dog to be completely still.

The veterinarian would safely remove the reproductive organs in your French Bulldog whether it’s a male or a female.

In male Frenchies, the vet removes the testicles and their related structures. In females, however, the procedure is a bit more involving.

Female Frenchies get their ovaries and the uterus removed completely in what’s known as an ovariohysterectomy.

This surgery causes minor discomfort to your Frenchies. However, all the symptoms will gradually go away within one week.

During that week, the Frenchie will have a big urge to lick the surgery site. This might cause infections and inflammations.

Elizabethan collars or (E-collars) are plastic or fiber hoods that your vet will prescribe for your Frenchie. This collar will prevent your Frenchie from reaching down to the surgery site.

What Age Should You Spay a French Bulldog?

The ideal age is often determined by a few factors. Some of these factors include the dog’s health, weight, behavior, and environment.

That being said, the usual age for spaying Frenchies ranges between 6 to 12 months.

Spaying could be done before 6 months, but that increases the risk of having hip dysplasia; a condition where the hips aren’t formed properly.

In female Frenchies, the vets aim to spay the female right before her first heat.

That increases her chances of getting all the benefits of spaying (which we’re about to discuss.)

While staying in the recommended spaying range is preferred; spaying could still be done on older dogs.

They might have a few more side effects, but it’s still better than no spaying at all.

What Are the Benefits of Spaying French Bulldogs?

Spaying your Frenchie will lead to some health benefits and behavioral benefits.

However, it won’t affect their personality, playfulness, loyalty, or affection.

Health Benefits

Female Frenchies who are spayed will get a healthier life overall.

Because the uterus gets removed, you can forget about uterine infections.

Furthermore, the risk of breast tumors is reduced.

This is especially helpful in French Bulldogs because their breed is notorious for having quite the list of health issues.

As for male Frenchies; they get a reduced risk of prostate-related problems.

Additionally, the testicular cancer problem is entirely prevented.

Behavioral Benefits

The most annoying thing Frenchies do when they want to mate is urinating.

During breeding seasons, female Frenchies go to heat for a few days every three weeks.

In that time, they will try to attract male Frenchies by yowling most of the time and urinating all over the house.

Spaying eliminates this problem.

As for male Frenchies; the urge to find a mate could cause even more issues.

Besides urinating everywhere, males would go to extreme measures to find a mate.

The biggest concern is trying to leave the house.

That could cause traffic injuries, fights with other males, and aggressively attacking smaller animals.

If your male Frenchie fails to leave the house, he could release his frustration on you by aggressive playing, barking, and biting.

A spayed male Frenchie could still try to get out of the house if he’s bored, but he won’t be so eager to do so.

Additionally, you could say bye-bye to marking territories by peeing and aggressive behavior.

What Are the Side Effects of Spaying French Bulldogs?

Unfortunately, no good comes without bad. Spaying may offer a lot of benefits, but there are a few disadvantages to it.

Knee Problems

Spaying large dogs before their bone formation completes can lead to knee issues.

Removing the reproductive organs reduces the amount of growth hormone in the body.

This hormone is the main reason why our muscles, bones, and tendons grow.

When that is disrupted, extra pressure is applied to the joints.

The knees are the main affected joints because they carry the whole body of your Frenchie.

Reduced Metabolism

Without going too much into science; metabolism is how fast bodies consume food to produce energy.

An individual with a slow metabolism tends to be overweight.

That doesn’t mean that spaying causes obesity in Frenchies.

But when your pups are spayed, you should keep an eye on their food intake and their exercise.

If their bodies burn slower now, you have to compensate with healthier food and more workout.

Urinary Incontinence

When your Frenchie loses control over their bladder, they’re labeled as having urinary incontinence.

It means that your Frenchie may accidentally empty some or all of their urine at any given time.

Spaying French Bulldogs in middle or old ages could lead to urinary incompetence. Luckily, it’s not very common.

Should You Spay Your French Bulldog?

If you plan to breed your Frenchies, then you won’t spay them for sure.

As for having them as house pets; it will always be controversial whether you should or shouldn’t spay your pets.

We won’t be discussing morals and personal points of view. These are everlastingly different.

However, from the medical point of view, spaying at the recommended age offers a healthier life with a much better behavior of your Frenchies.

The pros also outweigh the possible cons.

So, we can safely say that scientifically speaking, spaying is recommended.

That’s It!

So, at what age should you spray French Bulldogs?

We recommend doing it anywhere between 6 to 12 months.

Your veterinarian should help you pinpoint exactly when you should do it.

Spaying will help your Frenchies have a healthier life while making them easier to look after.

Spaying also prevents constant urination and fussy behavior.

This is why it’s a common practice in the United States.