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Tuesday, 5 January 2021
What is the best food for Chihuahua?
The Best Dog Foods for Chihuahuas
Few dogs pack as much personality into a 5-pound-package as Chihuahuas do! While these loaded balls of fury don’t need a greatquantityof food, they certainly require a high-qualityfood, to fuel their inner engines.
Keep your little bundle of bounce healthy and happy by feeding him the best food you can find. He’ll thank you, and you’ll feel better knowing that you’re feeding him a nutritious, well-balanced diet, chock full of the things a spunky little Chihuahua needs!
Best Dog Food For Chihuahuas: Quick Picks
Blue Buffalo Small Breed [Best Value]This grain-inclusive, budget-friendly recipe from Blue Buffalo is made for pint-sized palates, with chicken and chicken meal as the main ingredients, along with brown rice and oatmeal!
Wellness Core Small Breed[Best Grain-Free Chihuahua Food] This grain-free recipe from Wellness features deboned turkey, turkey meal, and chicken meal as the first ingredients for a pack of poultry protein! Plus, there’s no soy, wheat, corn, artificial flavors, preservatives or colors.
Canidae Pure Small Breed [Best Limited Ingredient Diet].This limited ingredient recipe is gentle on sensitive Chihuahua stomachs, with just 9 ingredients that bypass common allergens.
Wellness Complete Small Breed Senior [Best For Senior Chihuahuas] This small-breed senior dog recipe is the perfect fit for older Chihuahuas greying with grace.
Blue Buffalo Small Breed Puppy [Best for Chihuahuas Puppies] This Blue Buffalo formula is designed specifically with small breed puppies in mind, providing the right nutrients to help those little pups grow up right.
Read on to learn more about the specific dietary requirements of Chihuahuas. But, if you’re in a hurry, just check out the chart below to see our recommendations.
Chihuahua Health Problems and Their Dietary Implications
Chihuahuas, as explained by the AKC, are “generally a healthy breed,” and, like many other small breeds, they live very long lives, often exceeding 15 years or more.
While this is great news for owners, it presents a unique challenge: Because Chihuahuas live long lives, they are more susceptible to lifestyle-related health problems. Conditions like arthritis, diabetes and obesity often take many years to manifest, so breeds with shorter lifespans rarely suffer from them.
Several other health problems Chihuahuas face are congenital, but while these shouldn’t influence your dietary decisions, it is still important to provide your Chihuahua with a high-quality food, tailored specifically for treating those conditions that you may be able to delay or prevent.
Some of the most common health problems Chihuahuas experience include:
Chihuahuas often battle with skin- and coat-related conditions. Several of these conditions are hereditary, but many others – most notably food allergies – are strongly influenced by your dog’s diet. Look for foods with novel protein sources and no common allergens (corn, soy, milk, beef, poultry and wheat, among others).
Your Chihuahua is more likely to develop joint problems than most other small dogs are. While many such conditions, such as luxating patella (a dislocated knee cap), are hereditary; you may be able to prevent or reduce the severity of other joint-related conditions, such as arthritis, by selecting foods with chondroitin or glucosamine.
Some Chihuahuas suffer from a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosus – a condition in which a heart defect prevents blood from reaching the lungs as efficiently as it should. However, this is a congenital defect that doesn’t have any dietary implications; afflicted dogs require surgery.
Chihuahuas often suffer from dental disease. Fortunately, dental disease can often be prevented by brushing your dog’s teeth regularly and giving him teeth-cleaning treats. However, you should also feed him kibble, rather than wet or semi-moist dog foods, as it will help scrape his teeth clean with each meal.
Chihuahuas are also susceptible to a variety of eye disorders, including glaucoma, corneal dystrophy and lens luxation. However, these conditions are not likely to be associated with your dog’s diet.
Hypoglycemia frequently afflicts Chihuahuas, so many breeders advise pet parents to feed Chihuahuas small, frequent meals (3 to 4 times per day), or on an ad libitum basis (meaning that you keep a dish of food available at all times).
Characteristics of Good Chihuahua Food Recipes
Good Chihuahua foods have a number of common characteristics – be sure to select foods that meet the following criteria:
Opt for foods produced in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia or Western Europe. Because Chihuahuas are tiny little things, they have a very small margin for error when it comes to toxic ingredients. Accordingly, it’s really important to offer your Chihuahua the highest-quality food available, manufactured in a country with strict quality control standards.
Select smaller kibble for your pint-sized pup. Your Chihuahua may have strong jaws and sharp teeth, but he’s less likely to choke on or struggle with small sized kibble.
Opt for foods that list a meat as the first ingredient. Despite his tiny size, your Chihuahua retains most of the biological adaptations of his wolf ancestors – this means that while he’ll readily eat fruits, vegetables, and grains, what he really wants a meat-based diet!
Select food without artificial flavors, colors and other non-essential additives. While artificial flavors and colors may not be dangerous, they may trigger food allergies, and they provide no value to your pup. Leave these types of ingredients where they belong – in sugary breakfast cereals.
Avoid foods containing un-identified “mystery meats.” Meat meals and meat byproducts are not necessarily bad ingredients in dog foods (even if they seem a little gross to dog owners), but you should only accept the presence of those that are properly labelled. There is a big difference between chicken meal, for example, and “meat meal.”
Look for foods with added fatty acids. Because Chihuahuas are susceptible to food allergies and a number of skin conditions, it is wise to select foods rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, as they are thought to promote a healthy coat.
Don’t Skimp on Your Chihuahua’s Food: Economies of Scale
Before moving on to the best foods for Chihuahuas, it is important to recognize an important factor in your decision-making process: Dog food is a significant investment for any pet parent, but there is a big difference between the needs of a 120-pound Cane Corso and your 5-pound pint-sized pooch.
If you are purchasing dog food by the metric ton, every additional penny you spend per pound increases the total cost enormously; but if you are buying 10-pounds of food at a time, it isn’t a huge deal to spend another dollar-per-pound, to get the best food possible.
Essentially, since your little dog eats less food, you can (hopefully) afford to spend a bit extra on the high-quality stuff, compared to the owners of giant breeds that goes through bags of food on a weekly basis.
Just think of it this way: Spending 20% more on a $10 bag of dog food is hardly worthy of discussion (it would be just $2 more); but spending 20% more on an $100 bag of dog food ($20 more) is enough of a difference to give many dog owner’s pause.
How Much Should I Feed My Chihuahua?
The average adult Chihuahua needs somewhere around 200 Calories per day. Given that most dog foods have 300, 400 or 500 Calories per cup, you can tell that you will be feeding your beloved pup in fraction-of-a-cup-sized quantities. This means that you’ll probably want to opt for 5- and 10-pound bags of food, rather than 50-pound bags.
Since you don’t need to dish out huge bucks on giant bags of food, we suggest that you take advantage of your pup’s modest caloric needs, and splurge a little on his food. It won’t cost that much more to do so, and he’ll certainly appreciate your efforts.
How Often Should I Feed My Chihuahua?
We discussed this briefly above, but it’s worth mentioning again here – most breeders suggest owners feed Chihuahuas smaller, more frequent meals (around 3-4 times per day), or even on an ad libitum basis, which simply means always keeping a dish of food out for your pooch.
This unorthodox eating regiment is due to Chihuahuas’ susceptibility to canine hypoglycemia. We certainly don’t want you pup’s blood sugar to crash! If a more frequent eating arrangement isn’t possible, consult your vet about the possibility of canine medication or other supplements.
The 5 Best Foods for Chihuahuas
Some of the best foods for Chihuahuas are listed below. Any of these options should provide your pup with a nutritious and tasty treat at meal times.
1. Blue Buffalo Small Breed Adult Recipe
Blue Buffalo’s Small-Breed Adult recipe is packed with nutritious ingredients, rich in omega-3 fatty acid, and fortified with probiotics, making it one of the best options available for Chihuahuas.
Blue Buffalo Small Breed Adult
Deboned chicken and chicken meal are the first two listed ingredients in this protein-packed recipe
Made with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables to support immune function
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley...
PROS
Like most Blue Buffalo products, this recipe is nutritious and packed with important extras like glucosamine and probiotics. It’s also made with brown rice, making it a great option for those who don’t want a grain-free recipe.
CONS
Generally speaking, there weren’t many complaints about Blue Buffalo Small-Breed Recipe. A few dogs had trouble digesting it, and a handful didn’t find it palatable, but these types of issues occur with nearly every food on the market.
2. Fromm Gold Small Breed
Fromm manufacturers a number of high-quality dog foods, and because this recipe is designed to specifically meet the needs of small dogs, it is a great choice for many chihuahuas.
Fromm foods feature a number of unusual ingredients, such as cheese and celery, which help make it one of the most palatable dog foods on the market. It’s also full of protein and antioxidant-rich vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes. This recipe also contains several high-value carbohydrates, including whole barley and whole oats.
CONS
The biggest problem with Fromm Gold Small Breed Adult Dog Food is undoubtedly its price – this is a relatively expensive food. However, as is so often the case, you get what you pay for, and many owners are happy to pay premium prices for this food.
This Wellness food is a good option for Chihuahua owners that want a grain-free, all-natural diet at a reasonable price. Additionally, its small kibble size and caloric density are designed specifically for small breeds.
CONS
Some dogs appear to find the food unpalatable, but most owners report that their dog loves the food.
Made with premium meats, fruits, and vegetables, Blue Buffalo Small Breed Dog Food is a great option for puppy parents that demand high-quality ingredients, and don’t mind paying for them.
CONS
Like most other foods, there are scattered reports of dogs turning their nose up at this food. However, the vast majority of owners have found their dogs love the recipe.
Chicken, menhaden fish meal, peas, lentils, potatoes...
PROS
CANIDAE is an ideal choice for parents of Chihuahuas with food allergies, or simply those looking for a high-quality food, chock full of premium ingredients.
CONS
Because of the high fiber content of the food, some dogs become gassy and produce more waste after switching to CANIDAE dog food. However, with time, this usually passes.
What Can Chihuahua Puppies Eat?
It is important to note that the foods discussed above are not appropriate for young chihuahuas. Like all other breeds, chihuahuas have different nutritional requirements when they are young.
The most noteworthy way that puppy foods differ from adult foods relates to protein content. Adult dogs only require foods that contain 18% protein content, while growing puppies require foods that contain at least 22% protein content.
If you are in doubt, you can always look on the dog food’s label and see whether it is designed for “maintenance” (which means it is appropriate for healthy, non-pregnant adults) or “growth” (which means it’ll work for puppies as well as pregnant mothers).
However, there are also other important differences between foods designed for adults and puppies. For example, the amino acids and minerals puppies need differ from those that adults need.
So, you can’t assume a food is acceptable for puppies just because it has a lot of protein (as many of the foods discussed above have).
It has all of the traits that make Blue Buffalo’s Small Breed Adult recipe such a good choice, except that it is formulated specifically for small breed puppies.
Blue Buffalo Small Breed Puppy
Chicken, brown rice, and oatmeal recipe
Contains DHA and ARA (vital fatty acids found in mother’s milk) to support cognitive function & retinal health
No chicken by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives
For example, senior dogs often start to get a little chubby as their activity levels fall a bit, and they are also more likely to suffer from digestive issues and joint problems than their younger counterparts.
So, as your Chihuahua ages, you may want to consider switching to a good senior food. There are several acceptable options available, but we think that Wellness Complete Health Small Breed Senior Recipe is probably the ideal choice.
This US-made food is fortified with probiotics to help encourage proper digestion, glucosamine and chondroitin to promote joint health, and antioxidants to help keep your pet’s immune system operating at peak efficiency.
Pleasing Your Picky Pooch: What Do Chihuahuas Like to Eat?
Some Chihuahuas become quite picky over time, and it is occasionally challenging to find a food that tempts their taste buds. All of the previously recommended foods are largely regarded as tasty, but Chihuahuas are individuals, who exhibit wildly varying preferences.
There’s little you can do to ensure your dog will like a given food before simply trying it out and seeing how he reacts. But, there are a few things you can do to help make even the blandest foods more appealing:
Lightly moisten your pup’s food with a little water and then pop the dish in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up. Be careful not to get the food too hot, which could burn your little Chihuahua’s mouth and throat, so test the temperature with your finger before offering it to your dog.
Fat tastes good (shocking, I know), so add a tiny bit of shredded cheese or olive oil to your dog’s food. Don’t go overboard, as excessive amounts of dairy can cause digestive upset and oil is packed with calories – we’re talking about a teaspoon or so in either case.
Not Just for Chihuahuas: What Is the Best Dog Food for Small Dogs?
Note that Chihuahuas aren’t the only dogs that may benefit from the foods discussed above. Many other small and toy breeds have nutritional requirements that are similar to those of Chihuahuas.
Any of these foods would make a great staple for your charismatic little Chihuahua – just be sure that you take any special needs he may have into account before making your selection.
We’d love to know what our readers are feeding their Chihuahuas! Have you found an exceptional food that we missed on our list? Have you had any unfortunate experiences with these or other brands? Let us know in the comment section below.
