How To Care For Your French Bulldog Dry Nose (Home Remedies Included!)

Sniff, sniff. Is that a problem I smell? I wouldn’t know – because my nose is too dry!

That’s how your Frenchie would sound if they had a dry nose. I mean, If their nose were dry and they could speak.

So, why is your French Bulldog‘s nose dry?

Frenchies often have dry noses due to environmental issues like high temperatures or low humidity. Other things, such as allergies and dehydration, could cause this problem. Dealing with the root cause and applying moisturizer to your Frenchie’s nose will solve the issue in no time.

Manny, my Frenchie, loves to spend his day face-first in front of the heater when the temperature drops, so you better believe I had to deal with this issue in the past!

Does your Frenchie have a dry nose? Don’t worry! Here’s how to deal with one of the most common French Bulldog nose problems.

French Bulldog With a Dry Nose – Cause For Alarm?

A dry nose isn’t necessarily cause for alarm, but you want to deal with it soon. In fact, it’s a common health concern in Frenchies.

Think of it this way. You, me, and most humans see the world: everything gets through our eyes first. In contrast, dogs smell their way through the world!

That’s why it’s very important to let them sniff and smell as much as they want when they’re out for a walk (and that’s why your Frenchie will sniff and smell someone before they decide to trust them).

Now, imagine your eyes getting drier and drier up to the point your vision gets worse. You would solve that in a minute. That’s how French Bulldogs with a dry nose feel like!

So, dry noses are not that big of a deal – but it would be nice to have a quick fix for that.

Know The Nose: Crusty vs. Dry

A Frenchie’s dry nose is different from a French Bulldog‘s crusty nose. Dry means a little off, but crusty means the skin has dried and is peeling off.

It’s not the same thing!

• A dry nose often happens because of environmental issues. An allergy or sunburn could be the cause (I’ll explore many more in the section below).
• A crusty nose could be something different, often associated with nasal hyperkeratosis. It sounds severe – but it isn’t! It’s when protein overgrowth leads to a dry nose and, eventually, to a crusty nose.

Nobody knows what causes nasal hyperkeratosis, though you should talk to a vet to get the proper balm to deal with the issue.

Before you do that, make sure your Frenchie isn’t dealing with a dry nose because of something either you, your dog, or something else (like the sun) has done. Learn more below!

Why Is Your French Bulldog‘s Nose Dry?

A dozen things can cause a Frenchie’s dry nose. Hot and cold weather could be the culprits – but something as small as drinking water from a plastic bowl could be the issue, too. At the same time, not drinking enough water could be a problem.

Does that sound like a lot? Let’s break down each possible cause below.

• Allergens. Have you seen your furry friend sneezing more than usual? Something may be causing their allergies to act up. I’d recommend looking for anything new brought to your home. You may be using a new perfume or decided to switch doggy shampoo brands not so long ago. Food allergies could also cause trouble. Plastic allergies are very common, too!
• Dehydration. Dogs need to drink an ounce of water per pound of body weight. In other words, a 20-pound puppy should drink 20 ounces of water daily. If that doesn’t happen, they may suffer from a dry nose, among other symptoms, such as dry eyes and thick saliva. 
• Environment. Low humid weather can make your knees ache – the same way it can cause dogs to have a dry nose! It’s no cause for alarm, but you should have a moisturizer ready until things return to normal.
• Sleep. Frenchies are born couch potatoes! They need a good night’s sleep and a well-deserved nap (or five) to be healthy. However, dogs can’t lick their nose when dreaming about their favorite toy, so they may get a dry nose that way. Your French Bulldog will wake up, lick their nose, and fix the issue by themselves.
• Sunburn. Is it one of those scorching summer days? French Bulldogs can get sunburnt just like you – and their noses will dry when that happens. I recommend staying away from the sun during peak hours (to avoid sunburn and burning your Frenchie’s paws on hot pavement).
• Temperature. French Bulldogs get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Their noses suffer in both scenarios: hot weather can dry their noses – and cold weather, too! Winter is worse because indoor heating can dry their noses faster.

Remember to distinguish between a dry nose from environmental factors (such as the ones above) and a dry nose from disease. 

If you’re 100% sure it’s environmental, you can apply a moisturizer to your dog. Otherwise, you’re just masking the symptoms without treating the underlying problem.

What Can You Put On Your French Bulldog Dry Nose?

You can deal with your Frenchie’s dry nose in one of two ways. Buy a doggy nose balm, or go down the home remedy route. Either way is fine – as long as you know what you’re doing!

What would I do if my Frenchies had a dry nose? I’d ask my vet for the right balm or moisturizer from their shop. 

That way, you ensure your French Bulldog gets a tried-and-true way of fixing that issue.

But that may not be an option! You could spot your Frenchie’s dry nose late at night or during a holiday when the vet’s not working. 

That’s when home remedies save the day (and your dog’s nose).

Common Dry Nose Home Remedies For Frenchies

You can apply shea butter, coconut oil, or olive oil to your Frenchie’s nose to soothe their nose. Choose one – not all three.

Make sure you apply a little first, then increase the amount as time goes on. Otherwise, your Frenchie may lick too much coconut oil (for example) and get an upset stomach. 

We know how that story ends!

Keep in mind that oils and butter like the ones I mentioned above (and plenty of others, such as avocado oil, for example) will be on the ingredients list of many doggy moisturizers, so there’s nothing to worry about when using them.

How To Apply Balms And Home Remedies On Your Frenchie’s Nose

Put a little bit of balm or oil on your index finger and gently apply it to your dog’s nose. Don’t rub it in but tap on their nose, then do a light massage using circular motions to even things out.

You can use gloves to avoid having oily hands (though that’s not usually necessary).

Remember that every dog is different, so approach the situation how you see fit. 

Some Frenchies will have no issues with you touching their dry nose, while others will make a run for it as soon as they see your finger getting too close.

I’d say the first time could prove difficult. After that, your Frenchie will realize you have the key to unlock a pain-free nose!

What NOT To Do When Your Frenchie Has A Flaky Nose

I suggest staying away from certain products like baby oil or Vaseline, which may look like great options to moisturize a dog’s nose because many humans use it on themselves. 

These choices can do more harm than good for a French Bulldog.

Why is Vaseline harmful to Frenchies? Because they will lick their nose after you apply it, and the ingredients in Vaseline can cause stomach trouble.

That’s why most home remedies for a dry nose are things dogs can eat: a French Bulldog will eat anything you put in front of them – or on their nose.

Now that you know what not to do, let’s go through a 5-step guide to deal with your Frenchie’s dry nose.

How To Deal With Your Frenchie’s Dry Nose

Step 1: Pay Attention To Your Pup

You should always check your Frenchie for any issues when grooming them. 

Even if you’re not in charge of the bath department, you should routinely brush their teeth, check and clean their folds, and so on.

That’s a great time to check their nose up close. You’ll probably get kissed a lot in the process – but that’s a good thing!

Step 2: Check For Causes

A dry nose happens for multiple reasons. You have to find the one root cause.

I have gone over the two possible causes of a dry nose (environmental or disease) in the first half of the article.

Read that part, then come back to see the next steps. 

I’ll give you advice I haven’t given so far: list any recent changes and work your way backward. Has the weather changed lately? Have you changed dog food brands? And so on. 

That way, you can pick up on any environmental issues that may cause a dry nose.

Step 3: Visit The Vet

Should you visit the vet over a dry nose? I know I would!

But why would you do so over such a simple issue? Because you can’t know what’s truly going on! A dry nose could be just a dry nose – or a symptom of something else. 

At the same time, your vet can recommend the right balm or moisturizer for your French Bulldog. They can also okay any home remedy you may want to use, too. 

Step 4: Solve The Issue

You have already discovered what caused the dry nose and have the balm to help your furry friend with a nose in need. Time to solve the issue!

I’d do it like this. First, apply the balm, then deal with whatever caused the dry nose in the first place. That way, your Frenchie gets a much-needed solution, and you lay ground for the issue not to repeat itself.

Let’s say your French Bulldog is allergic to plastic. Apply the balm on their nose first, then get rid of any plastic they could chew or lick (like their plastic bowls – replace them with stainless steel or ceramic ones).

Step 5: Rinse And Repeat

Make sure you continue to pay attention to potential issues that may dry your dog’s nose.

Was it hot weather? Don’t sleep off during the winter – because your Frenchie will probably be face first in front of the heater. That will dry their nose in a second.

Other than that, continue to apply moisturizer whenever needed – and have a great time with your Frenchie!

What You Should Know

A French Bulldog dry nose is not cause for concern, but it’s something you want to deal with quickly. Finding the root cause (such as low humidity, hot weather, allergies, etc.) is the first step, often followed by applying moisturizer on a dog’s nose to soothe the symptoms. You should talk to a vet if your Frenchie shows signs of a dry nose to rule out potential problems.