Feeding Chihuahuas the right amount and type of food is essential to keep them healthy, happy and full of energy. It helps to prevent obesity and avoid other health issues. This breed is a very sensitive breed so, always be careful in choosing food for both meals and snacks because it will directly affect your dog’s health status.
Since Chihuahua have small bodies, they can easily become overweight. Too much food can lead to obesity, which causes many health issues. On the other hand if you don’t feed enough food it can cause nutritional deficiency and welcome to many health problems.
How much should a Chihuahua eat? If you also have the same question then you are at the right place. You will find all the answers to your questions.
What should a Chihuahua eat?🥝
Chihuahuas should eat a complete, nutritional balanced diet that is made for dogs. Your dogs diet is depend on its situation (eg. medical history). Your Chihuahua must avoid specific food if he has a specific medical condition, just like in humans. So, consult your vet for the best diet of your Chihuahuas.
The ideal goal is to feed your dog a certain amount of food that doesn’t let them lose or gain weight.
How much should a Chihuahua eat?🥗
Calories: The right amount of food which you provide your dog depends on their calories requirements.
This can change on a daily basis, and depends on the dog’s activity level, exact age, health status and even the weather (they eat more in winter).
Generally the caloric requirements of a puppy is around 50 calories per pound of body weight. And for adult Chihuahuas it should be 35 to 40 calories per pound of body weight.
Measured food: The right serving size is also depending on which type of food is given (chicken vs beef, wet vs dry, high quality or moderate, etc.). But you can expect they eat very small amounts of food compared to large dogs.
Chihuahuas that are in size between 4 to 10 pounds should eat around ½ to 1 and ⅓ cups per day.
As you know that this is a very small breed of dogs that needs high quality food but not a lot. Some Chihuahuas eat over 2 cups per day, and those dogs tend to be larger than standard size.
Mosly, the feeding guideline is mentioned on packing dogs food. It’s very helpful because it is determined by both weight and age.
The Importance of a Nutritious, Balanced Diet🥯
To keep your dog healthy, offer the best food. The quality food will affect the muscles maintenance and energy levels. The dog’s skin and coat health, organ and immune system are linked with the dog’s diet. Diseases like heart disease, canine diabetes, and some forms of cancer also depend on diet.
That food should be avoided which have ingredients that are linked with particular behavioral issues such as hyperactivity.
Additionally, an allergic food to ingredients or additives can cause many issues like itching, hives, rash, hot spots and digestive problems.
If a Chihuahua consumes quality food it can spot easily because they have the shiny coat, energy levels are good, eyes are shiny, no skin issues and the dog is simply thriving.
Best food to feed a Chihuahua🥜
When you think about what to feed a Chihuahua there are many options to choose from dry food, wet food, and a raw diet. Every food has its own benefits and drawbacks, the best choice is always your dog’s specific needs, your personal preference and your lifestyle.
No matter which option, a high quality and balanced diet is very important. Here we are going to discuss some option foods for Chihuahuas that will fulfill your dog’s nutritional needs.
Wet food🍣
Wet food is very tasty food for dogs and easy to eat for Chihuahuas. Some dogs have dental problems and wet food is the best choice for them. It is also helpful in hydration of dogs because it has high water content. However wet food is more costly than dry food because if once opened then no long shelf.
Dry food 🍳
Dry food is also a good option for many dog owners. It has a longer shelf life because it’s easy to store. It can maintain a dog’s dental health by decreasing plaque build up. But some dogs do not much like dry food more than wet food.
Raw food🥩
Raw food also can be an attractive option for Chihuahuas. Raw food including uncooked meat, bones, vegetables and fruits. Raw food supporters say that it’s a more natural diet for dogs. However, to make it nutritionally balanced it needs careful preparation. If not handled properly raw diet can cause risk of bacterial contamination.
How much should we feed to a Chihuahua puppy?🍱
Puppies’ dietary needs are different from adult dogs; they need to be fed more frequently. Because puppies have more dietary requirements than adults, as their joints and bones are developing.
Puppies have different dietary requirements than adult dogs because of growth and developments.
Your Chihuahua puppy must be fed high quality food with 22.5% protein content. Puppies have fast metabolism so they need 3-4 meals per day to start.
Follow this guideline for Chihuahua puppy:
- 2 – 4 months old: 4 to 6 meals per day
- 4 – 6 months old: 3 to 5 meals per day
- 6 – 8 months old: 3 to 4 meals per day
- Over 8 months old: 2 to 3 meals per day
Like adult dogs you should feed the amount of food based on your puppies weight, age, activity level and how many treats they have received each day.
Always be careful to avoid overfeeding your puppy because in growing age more weight leads to more risk of obesity as an adult.
How many treats should we feed to a Chihuahua?🍈
It’s a general rule that treats should be 10% of adult Chihuahuas total daily calorie intake. This helps to know that the more calories are driven from nutrients and a balanced diet with extra rewards or occasional treats.
Low calories treats are great for Chihuahuas you can give them more rewards without adding more calories. Keep in mind that choosing nutritious, high quality treats that contribute to your dog’s overall diet. Always keeping in mind moderation is key.
Foods that are toxic to Chihuahua🥦
Some common human food that are toxic to dog:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Leeks
- Chives
- Chocolate
- Grapes (also grape jelly and grape juice)
- Raisins
- Currants (also currant jelly)
- Wild Mushrooms
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Cherries
- Any food (or drink) with caffeine
- Leaves and other parts of tomato plant, bell pepper plant, avocado plant, and eggplant plant
- Yeast dough
- Milk is not toxic, but can lead to stomach upset.
Final Words
Feeding Chihuahuas the right amount and type of food is essential to keep them healthy, happy and full of energy. It helps to prevent obesity and avoid other health issues. This breed is a very sensitive breed so, always be careful in choosing food for both meals and snacks because it will directly affect your dog’s health status.
Since Chihuahua have small bodies, they can easily become overweight. Too much food can lead to obesity, which causes many health issues. On the other hand if you don’t feed enough food it can cause nutritional deficiency and welcome to many health problems.
The amount of food your Chihuahua should eat is determined by some factors including age, weight, natural metabolism, treat intake each day, activity level and other health concerns.
The ideal goal is to feed your dog a certain amount of food that doesn’t let them lose or gain weight.
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