What to feed a Chihuahua, how many times a day, list of dry food

Chihuahuas are the smallest dogs in the world, their live weight in adulthood ranges from 0.5 to 3 kilograms. The metabolic rate of miniature dogs is higher than that of pets of large and medium breeds. Therefore, Chihuahua dogs require a special approach to the composition of food, the frequency of meals, and the size of the daily portion.

I will tell you how and what is best to feed puppies of different ages and adult pets, what they can and cannot give. You will learn how to determine your dog's need for ready-made food and natural products.

Feeding by month

It is recommended to buy a puppy when he is 3, or even better, 4 months old. By this time, the breeder has time to get all the vaccinations, the baby is accustomed to the tray, and acquires communication skills with people and relatives. Breeders begin complementary feeding at three weeks of age . After weaning, the babies are transferred to ready-made puppy food or a diet made from natural products. It doesn't matter which feeding method you choose for your puppy. Find out what his previous owners fed him and try not to change his diet for the first two weeks .

Find out from the breeder what type of breed you are purchasing and what live weight to expect from a mature pet. The table shows the live weight standards for dogs of different types.

Monitor food intake based on the puppy's body weight. A reasonable solution is to use ready-made food intended for dogs of a given breed and age. Breeders wean puppies at thirty-three days of age and begin feeding them at three weeks. If you practice feeding prepared foods, then use starter feed for lactating bitches and small breed puppies. When your pet is two months old, switch to Junior food. Adolescents older than 8 months should be switched to the diet of adult dogs.

Feeding puppies with natural products requires special knowledge and skills. Please note that three-month-old Chihuahua cubs begin to change their teeth, so you need to use special feeding. The puppy stops growing when it reaches eight months of age. If you plan to prepare your pet's food yourself, skip to the "Feeding Natural Food" section.

Benefit or harm

The benefits of bananas are undeniable, because they contain a number of substances important for the body:

potassium is needed for normal functioning of the heart and muscles;
manganese for cell development;
copper is involved in hematopoiesis;
vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that regulates the immune system, protects the body from viruses and bacteria and accelerates wound healing;
vitamin B6 regulates most processes in the body;
fiber guarantees good digestion;
amino acids are essential for normal development.

The abundance of natural sugars and carbohydrates makes bananas a source of energy for dogs, but they should not be consumed in excess. Initially, dogs were predators and only after a close acquaintance with humans did their stomachs begin to accept plant foods on an equal basis with animals. A large amount of any fruit causes the risk of obesity, allergies, constipation or indigestion.

How many times a day to feed

The frequency of feeding a Chihuahua in the first months of life, like dogs of other breeds, is 6 meals per day. It is necessary to distribute the feeding regimen so that the intervals between meals are the same. You should not skip feeding, it can be harmful to your health. From 60 to 120 days, owners treat their pets 5 times a day. From four to six months, reduce the frequency of feedings to four. From six months to 12 months, adolescents are given food 3 times, and adult animals - 2 times.

Miniature dogs love to eat, get carried away, and gain excess weight. Monitoring live weight according to the standards of each of the four varieties of the breed does not always give a correct idea of compliance with the growth rate to the standard. The division into types is conditional, so monitor the process of growth and development of the puppy according to fatness categories according to the attached diagram.

It is advisable to achieve average condition, which is indicated by the number 3. For growing pets, a temporary reduction in condition to level 2 is allowed. What to do when the dog has gained excess weight? If you reduce the portion, your pet will develop a voracious appetite and begin begging. Chihuahuas know how to pity their owner. Therefore, resort to another technique. If you reduce the one-time feeding, saturation will still occur, only the dog will ask to eat earlier than prescribed by the regime. Therefore, reduce your serving size. As a result, the number of feedings can be increased by 1 or 2. However, the total volume will not change, the pet will get used to the new feeding regimen. The effectiveness of fractional feeding is enhanced when it is combined with an increase in the duration of walking.

When the puppy reaches five months of age, the number of meals is reduced to three. If after six months the dog’s body condition does not exceed rating 3, then transfer it to feeding 2 times a day . Otherwise, the pet is fed three times a day.

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How to protect yourself from obesity?

This issue should be taken very seriously when caring for your animal. Chihuahua is a breed with a tendency to be overweight. To prevent the occurrence of this disease, follow the general rules.

These dogs love to eat, and some of them cannot control their satiety. Free access to food is unacceptable.
Feeding is carried out strictly according to the clock. To avoid malnutrition and oversaturation, do not break the schedule and stick to the established regime.
Do not feed your dog from the communal table.

Older dogs are more likely to suffer from obesity, and this is quite natural, since many physiological changes occur at this time. Older dogs are less active and their metabolic rate is significantly reduced. It is very sad when obesity appears in young dogs due to overeating and mistakes of their owners.

Most owners do not realize that obesity entails a whole list of concomitant diseases: arthritis, tracheal collapse, inflammation of the ligaments and tenosynovitis, diabetes, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and kidneys, musculoskeletal system, respiratory tract and dislocations of the kneecaps. These diseases pose a great threat to such a small and fragile dog breed.

Recommendations for dry food

Dry food for Chihuahuas has the following advantages over wet canned food and food that you have prepared from natural products:

Super premium food is balanced in all nutritional components.
Dry food does not spoil, so no harm will happen if you pour pellets into the feeder and leave for a long time.
The shelf life of croquettes after opening the package is 40 days. Wet canned food is good for 36 hours if stored in the refrigerator.

Starter for puppies up to 2 months.
I recommend the following brands of dry food for Chihuahuas:

1st Choice;
Orijen;
Acana;
GO! ;
Royal Canin;
Eukanuba;
Ontario;
Grandorf.

Food for Chihuahuas from Royal Canin.
Special food for Chihuahuas is produced only by Royal Canin. Other manufacturers make food for miniature and small breed dogs. The feed mixture is enriched with dietary fiber, which prevents the formation of plaque, and components that reduce the odor of feces. Using premium or lower grade food will lead to illness in your pet. The diet of prepared food can be varied with vegetables and fruits.

How to create a diet?

To ensure a complete and balanced diet, follow the percentage ratio: 36% of all food is meat.

16% of all food is dairy products.
10% of all food is fish.
14% of all food is cereals.
15% of all food is vegetables.
9% of all food is fruit.

Sample daily menu for an adult dog

Breakfast. 8.00 - 10.00. Boiled meat (or offal) or steamed trout with zucchini.
Dinner. 15.00 - 16.00. Kefir, cottage cheese or 2 quail eggs.
Dinner. 19.00 - 20.00. Buckwheat porridge with carrots, half an apple.

Make sure that your four-legged friend's diet alternates protein foods (fish, meat, eggs, cheese) with cereals, vegetables and fruits every day. So, for example, when choosing meat for the morning, you should provide your dog with vegetables, fruits and grains for lunch and dinner. The next day, choose fish with vegetables for breakfast, and for lunch and dinner, give dairy products, fruits, and porridge. Remember, fruits and vegetables, cereals should be included in every day, and meat, fish and dairy products are the basis of nutrition. Cereals are carbohydrates; too frequent consumption can lead to metabolic disorders.

Dry food norm

Feeding standards for Chihuahuas and larger dogs are not the same . Directories indicate that per 1 kg of live weight a dog requires from 5 to 8 g of dry food, on average 6.5 per day. A dog weighing 10 kg needs 65 g of dry food per day. A service dog will need more food in cold weather; a couch potato, who is walked for 15 minutes a day, will need less. However, the relationship between live weight and feed intake is calculated using the formula. Metabolic mass is taken into account: a large animal needs less feed per unit of weight than a small animal. If an adult dog weighing 10 kg needs 6.5 g of granules, then a pet weighing 3 kg needs 9; a half-kilogram baby is 14 g. The food requirements of a two-month-old puppy are approximately 2 times higher than those of a pet that has finished growing.

Let's calculate how many dry pellets a Chihuahua with a planned adult live weight of 2 kg needs. Calculations show that an adult pet needs 10 g of dry food per 1 kg of live weight. We assume that the food needs of a six-month-old puppy and a one-and-a-half-year-old dog are the same. From the table of live weight standards, which is located above, it can be seen that the weight of a two-month-old puppy is approximately 0.5; four-month - 1.5; six month old - 2.0 kg. The approximate requirement for 2 months is 0.8*10*2=16 g; in 4 - 1.5*10*1.5 =22.5; at 6 - 2*10*1=20 g. Despite the continuing growth, feed consumption stabilizes by 5-6 months of age . The Chihuahua does not live in a kennel and is not used as a service dog. Therefore, for a pet spending an hour or more in the cold, add 1-2 g of kibble.

If you feed a two month old puppy 6; four-month old 5, six-month old three times a day, one serving will be 2.5; 4.5; 6.7 g. Do not combine dry kibble with natural food. Croquettes are made by extrusion, which performs part of the digestive functions. Ready-made food is absorbed faster than natural food; different groups of enzymes are involved in digestion, which is why nutritional disorders occur.

Nutrition for a nursing bitch

In the first week after giving birth, a pregnant mother is given tea with milk and honey to enhance lactation. Feeding, as before, is carried out 4 - 5 times a day. Dried apricots and prunes are especially useful during this period. After weaning the puppies, the diet is slowly reduced and returned to the usual amount of food.

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.

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Minerals and vitamins for Chihuahuas

Vitamins and microelements must be present in the body of any animal. They are not only for people, but also for pets, so it is very important to regulate their regular intake. Even a simple pet store can tell you exactly what you can feed a Chihuahua, but often sellers do not know the nuances of feeding a particular breed. Absolutely all dog breeders are well aware of the brands of dog food, which are always plentiful not only in pet stores, but also in any supermarkets. Dry food is simply necessary for dogs of this breed, but in moderation, otherwise your pet will be constipated.

Dry food is a storehouse of minerals and vitamins for an animal, so it should be included in dog food regularly, but in moderation, not too much. The daily intake of such dry food for this breed of dog should be limited to a small amount that fits in a woman’s palm.

There is no need to save on dry food, since only high-quality and expensive food can contain all the easily digestible nutrients. Before you start feeding your Chihuahua this food, you should definitely study the entire range of products available at the pet store. In such stores you can see on average about a dozen, and sometimes even more, items. It is recommended to study the composition very carefully in order to personally verify the presence of useful components. A dog needs zinc, calcium, vitamins A, D, B. First of all, this is the key to strong bones, well-developed muscles, healthy coat and teeth.

Some people often ask the question of how to properly feed a Chihuahua. The fact is that in this matter this breed of dog is not much different from others. They should be fed strictly at the same time. Overfeeding is not allowed. A healthy dog should not have a belly. The ribs should be clearly palpable. This breed of dog is very prone to overeating. Excess weight is an extreme load on the animal's heart, which in the future can lead to its death.

Each owner individually decides for himself what exactly and how to feed the Chihuahua, based on the preferences of his beloved pet. Do not forget that this breed of dog has a very good metabolism, and with excellent functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, your pet should go to the toilet at least twice a day.

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.

What food to feed a Chihuahua with health problems

If a Chihuahua’s digestive system is acting up, gastritis, colitis, general lethargy, diarrhea or vomiting have developed, then you need to reconsider your pet’s diet. What should a Chihuahua eat at home if its health is impaired? In such a situation, the dog needs to be given plenty of drink, warm tea, and cottage cheese for food. If symptoms persist, your pet should be taken to the veterinarian. He will prescribe a diet, prescribe medications and vitamins.

Refusal to eat: possible reasons

From time to time, Chihuahuas refuse to eat for no apparent reason. Sometimes this is just a whim, since the pet is used to eating from the table, but in some cases they arrange fasting days for themselves. Pets often stop eating due to hormonal imbalances and pregnancy. Males lose their appetite during mating and when they sense the presence of an individual of the opposite sex in an interesting position (heat).

Animals often go hungry due to stress. However, most often the reason for refusal is illness. Dogs are susceptible to eye diseases, digestive system disorders, fever and other diseases.

What to do if a sad pet refuses to eat

Home comfort, proper care, balanced nutrition and walks - all this will make decorative, miniature Chihuahua dogs happy. These sensitive pets with fearless hearts will forever become attached to a kind owner who cares about their health.