Other prohibited products
It is not forbidden for a dog to be given only lean boiled pork.
List of prohibited foods for feeding dogs, except pork:
- alcoholic drinks;
- grape;
- mushrooms;
- potato;
- bones;
- cat food;
- onions (raw and boiled);
- raw eggs;
- yeast dough;
- nuts;
- butter;
- sugar-containing products.
Types of food
Natural nutrition
A very logical question: what is feeding a Chihuahua? Today, there are three main types of feeding Chihuahuas: natural homemade food, dry food for Chihuahuas, and canned wet food.
In order to prepare your own meals and feed them home-made natural food, you must have certain skills and experience, that is, provide proper nutrition for your Chihuahua.
Remember that your dog should not eat meat, poultry or eggs raw. They must be boiled first to protect the animal from infection with salmonella, helminths and other parasites.
Natural foods can also include foods such as beef kidneys, tripe, liver, and so on. However, it is better to use them as rarely as possible. But seafood, and especially fish, can be given safely in any quantity.
What kind of meat can be given to dogs
Offal can be used for feeding: sublingual part, cheeks, tails, peritoneum, offal, trachea, heart, udder
Dog breeders advise feeding your pets the following types of meat:
- Aged beef. It contains a sufficient amount of vitamins and amino acids. An alternative could be lamb. This product is used in the manufacture of many dry foods.
- Horse meat. This product is digestible better than beef. In addition, the meat of this animal does not cause allergic reactions. However, you should not give it to dogs every day.
- Rabbit meat. The first time you need to give a small piece of meat, otherwise the dog may develop an allergy.
- Chicken. Meat must undergo heat treatment. The raw product may contain salmonella. In addition, chicken is an allergen for many dogs.
The pet's health is in the hands of the owner, so it is important to carefully plan the pet's diet. When creating a menu, you need to choose high-quality meat and give it to your dog only after processing.
Portion, g | ||
Small (Yorkshire Terrier) | Calculation: 1 tbsp. spoon per 0.5 kg of weight. | 50% protein (beef, turkey, chicken, sea fish), 25% boiled cereals, 25% fruits, vegetables. A small amount of fermented milk products is also added. |
Medium (like) | 400-500 | The composition changes according to the season: in summer protein decreases and fiber increases, in winter - vice versa. Total amount: 40% - protein (fatty meat excluded), 40% - carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, cereals), 20% - fats and healthy treats (nuts, tendons, large bones). Problems with the gastrointestinal tract will be caused by excessive consumption of peas, potatoes, and corn. |
Large (German Shepherd) | 750 | Depends on lifestyle: for active breeds, additional carbohydrates are introduced, for pets they are reduced to prevent weight gain and obesity. Average indicators: 50% protein (boiled meat, offal, egg, cottage cheese), 30% carbohydrates, 20% animal or vegetable fats |
What not to feed
We figured out what natural products the diet of miniature dogs consists of. And now I will explain what foods should not be given to pets and why:
- Table leftovers contain spices, fats that have been heat-treated, smoked foods, and table salt. Such products cause digestive upsets or allergic reactions.
- The tubular bones of an adult bird split lengthwise and injure the intestines.
- Grass legumes – soybeans or peas contain anti-nutrients.
- By-products cause digestive disorders in small dogs.
- Milk: contains lactose; dogs older than 4 months do not produce the enzyme to break down milk sugar.
- Confectionery products, sweets, and yeast baked bread cause fermentation processes and increase blood glucose levels. The body removes excess sugars by converting them into fats. Sweets are broken down in the mouth cavity, fermented into organic acids that destroy tooth enamel.
- Boiled potatoes contain easily digestible starch, which is converted into fat.
- Raw river fish contains the enzyme Thiaminase, which destroys vitamin B1, causing skin lesions and joint diseases. Raw sea fish contains helminth larvae and trimethylamine oxide, which binds iron and causes anemia.
- Raw eggs contain Avidin, which destroys vitamin H. The coat becomes brittle and dull.
I will answer questions in the comments.
Rating of the best ready-made food
All pets love to eat tasty food and eat a lot. But if the owner can accurately determine the portion of a Chihuahua, then choosing food is a whole science.
Today on the market you can find dog food from different manufacturers.
Having tested the food, dog experts divided the “drying” into the following categories:
- economy;
- premium;
- super premium;
- holistic.
Cheap products from popular brands:
- Pedigree;
- Darling;
- Chappi;
Premium:
- Purina Dog Chow;
- Purina Pro Plan;
- Advance.
Same class, but higher quality:
- Pronature Original;
- Royal Canin;
- Hills;
- Happy dog;
- ANF.
Super premium foods include:
- Nutra Gold;
- Belcando;
- Bosch;
- Eagle Pack.
The highest quality mixtures from holistic manufacturers:
- Nature Holistic;
- Wellness;
- Taste of the Wild;
- NOW;
- Orijen;
- Innova;
- ;
- Chicken Soup;
- Canidae;
Chihuahua is an active dog. Holistic or super premium nutrition is more suitable for her.
The dangers and benefits of pork
Pig meat, like any other product, has its disadvantages and advantages.
Reasons to refuse:
- raw product (not only piglets, but also other species) should not be given to dogs without preliminary heat treatment, there is a risk of infection with parasites, in this case it is greatest;
- with constant use will lead to obesity and other dangerous diseases;
- in dogs with liver disease will cause exacerbation and deterioration of the condition;
- high cholesterol content (70 mg per 100 g of product) negatively affects the heart and blood vessels.
Pork is rich in nutrients:
- fluorine, magnesium, zinc, cobalt, amino acid lysine;
- complex of B vitamins: B1 – heart and gastrointestinal tract, B2 – vision, B6 – liver, heart, nervous system, B12 – skin, coat;
- protein (20 g per 100 g of product);
- Pork heart has the highest content of the sulfur-containing amino acid – taurine.
Feeding with natural food
Followers of natural food need to acquire skills in balancing their diet and cooking. If dry food contains 90% dry matter, then natural products contain from 20 to 35%. Therefore, difficulties arise with standardization, which are resolved empirically. On average, 1 g of dry granules corresponds in nutritional value to 3 g of wet canned food or natural food. To provide a feed mixture of mineral products with minerals and vitamins, it is necessary to use feed additives .
Wet food should not be left: if your pet has not finished eating, give it 15 minutes to think about it, then throw it away. It is not very convenient to prepare natural products for future use. It is stored in the refrigerator and left at room temperature before feeding to keep the food warm. Heat treatment destroys vitamins, leads to denaturation of proteins, and provokes the synthesis of carcinogens from fats, so do not heat natural food.
The diet for Chihuahuas consists of the following components:
- Lean meat is the basis, up to 60% of the natural diet by weight. Raw meat is the most valuable. Dog breeders prefer to use a product scalded with boiling water or boiled, since parasite larvae and pathogenic microbes settle on the muscle fibers. When cooked, valuable proteins - albumins - pass into the broth. Therefore, zealous owners use a decoction to prepare porridges from oatmeal, buckwheat or millet. The most popular meat products for small dogs are beef, veal, turkey, and chicken. You can replace some meat products with boiled fish.
- Porridge should not make up more than 15% of the diet weight. Cereals are a source of starch, which the body uses for energy purposes. Cereals are poor in protein and are of low quality. Wheat and corn glutens cause an allergic response.
- Vegetables and fruits are introduced in quantities of up to 15% of the weight of the feed mixture. Plant products are given raw, boiled or baked. A slice of watermelon, melon or pear is a treat that will not harm your pet.
- Fermented milk products contain complete proteins, so they are given in amounts of up to 10% of the diet weight. Cottage cheese or kefir should not be mixed with other foods, but given separately at one of the feedings. Therefore, fermented milk products are used for young puppies.
- Vegetable oils are essential for healthy skin and beautiful coat. For small dogs, flaxseed oil is considered the most useful, since it contains essential fatty acids in an optimal ratio.
- Boiled chicken egg yolk is fed once a week or 1/7 of it daily.
Watch the video:
Feeding your Chihuahua dry food
A good alternative to natural products are high-quality ready-made super premium dry dog food. It is important to choose one feed manufacturer, and it should be sold everywhere in your area. A change in food supply and being forced to try other foods will negatively affect the health of the Chihuahua.
Dry food for decorative dogs should be moistened with hot boiled water and cooled to room temperature before eating. At the same time, soaked food cannot be stored for more than 10 minutes or reused.
What is possible
You can give almost any sea fish, except pollock. Pollock can cause stones to form inside the kidneys of small dogs. But be careful with the bones, you must first remove them yourself.
In order for the baby to receive the right amount of carbohydrates, it is necessary to give porridge from cereals, you can give pasta, you can feed the Chihuahua with bread sometimes. And to replenish the calcium balance, be sure to provide dairy products.
For dairy products, give preference to kefir, fermented baked milk, and sour cream. It is better to choose low-fat kefir. Cheese is a fatty product, it can be given on rare occasions and is best used as a treat.
Vegetables should also not be served raw. They must first be cleaned, grated or stewed for a short time. The most useful is carrots. You can prepare this delicacy: mix grated carrots and a teaspoon of sour cream.
This mix will not leave your pet indifferent. You can also give fruits; bananas and apples are very popular among four-legged animals. It is better to give fruits in the form of soft puree.
Feed
Soft food is distinguished by the fact that it contains a balanced amount of elements that are necessary for the normal development of dogs.
You can choose the right food option depending on the age and health of your pet. The feed portion is also calculated taking into account these indicators.
If you don’t want to rack your brains about dividing food into portions, you can purchase one-time ready-made bags that are designed for one serving.
If the purchased Chihuahua puppy is your first pet and you are just starting to try yourself as a dog breeder, then consider the types of canned food available.
Modern manufacturers offer two types of feed of this type: holistic and cheap options.
Recommendation from experienced dog owners:
It's not worth saving. The more expensive the food, the better its composition, the healthier it is for dogs and the more natural its ingredients. However, there is no need to go to another city for super-premium segment feed. Buy what is available in stores.
Some dog breeders consider the disadvantages of feeding homemade natural products and canned food to be the need to wash dishes after eating. But when eating dry food there is no such problem. Dry food can be moistened with water to make it softer and small dogs can chew it. Also, when feeding dry food, you need to place a bowl of water near the bowl of food.
What not to feed a Chihuahua dog
Many owners believe that if a product is useful for humans, then it will be an excellent source of necessary substances and compounds for Chihuahuas. Actually this is not true. There are a number of foods that are very beneficial for the human body, but which can be harmful to a dog.
Let's look at what you shouldn't feed your Chihuahua:
Nuts. This includes any nuts: cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, absolutely everything. The reason for this is the high phosphorus content. It can lead to the formation of bladder stones. In addition, phosphorus leaches calcium from animal bones and makes them brittle.
Onion. Eating raw onions can cause anemia in your Chihuahua dog. Of all dogs, only hunting dogs are able to digest onions normally, without negative consequences for the body.
Legumes. They provoke severe flatulence and can stimulate the appearance of spasms.
Pepper. Frequent consumption of bell pepper significantly increases the risk of developing gastritis in people.
Candies, cookies and other sweet products. There is probably no person in the world who would be absolutely indifferent to sweets.
In the same way, the little tomboys under discussion are not averse to indulging in sweets; they eat them with pleasure. However, this can cause them to develop type 2 diabetes and become overweight. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the intake of sugar.
Smoked, salted, fried foods. All of the above is very harmful to the human body, and for dogs it is doubly harmful.
Eating smoked meats, fried foods and pickles can lead to disruptions in the functioning of the digestive system of your four-legged friends.
Fresh cow milk. As adults, pets cannot tolerate cow's milk; they cannot digest it properly. In this regard, they often experience diarrhea and flatulence after drinking fresh milk. This list is a possible source of pathologies.
Chihuahua food
Many owners are interested in whether it is possible to increase the portion, whether this will not be enough for the Chihuahua.
If your pet is hyperactive, or is just developing and is younger than eight months, then the daily dose of food can be increased. This is not all you need to know about feeding Chihuahuas.
Thus, if the total weight of the dog is about one and a half to two kilograms, then during one day he needs to be fed about one hundred and fifty grams of food and no more.
Of the total amount of incoming products, two thirds should be protein compounds, protein products, and only one part should be of plant origin.
Useful photo and video
You can learn more about the recommendations by watching our video. The instructions will help you understand the intricacies of the Chihuahua breed and its nutrition.
Nutrition for Chihuahua puppies
However, during breastfeeding it is necessary to change the diet of the nursing mother and significantly increase the proportion of substances that contain calcium. They must leave at least one third part.
The daily dose is divided into several meals. As a rule, for a Chihuahua, eating twice a day is quite enough. To ensure your pet’s digestive system works smoothly and without fighting, teach him to eat at the same time.
It is best to feed them once in the morning and once in the evening. You can have light snacks throughout the day. For example, treat him with a vein bone.
Composition and prices
Economy class food is made from cheap and low-quality raw materials. As a rule, its base consists of soybeans, by-products or waste from food plants and factories. Unfortunately, there are no vitamins here. The purchase will cost from 78 to 112 rubles/kg.
Premium isn't perfect either. Preservatives, odor and taste enhancers are added to the food. All these additives are unnatural and are waste and by-products. The cost varies between 200-400 rubles. for 1 kg.
Super premium food contains pieces of meat, grains, eggs, and healthy vitamins. The price depends on the brand and ranges from 350 to 800 rubles/kg.
This is interesting: 10 best super-premium dog foods
In the holistic line, all compositions are balanced separately for each breed. Price – 700-1500 rub./kg.