Chihuahua falls under the category of toy dog breed due to its small size. It is a very loyal and protective dog breed that makes a great family companion. If you have bought a Chihuahua to add to the family, you should know about its feeding methods and diets. For a healthy dog, you need to feed them healthy food either it is homemade or commercial food.

In this article, you will learn about diets of your Chihuahua and what to feed them, what to avoid giving them and how much to feed them.

Diets of Chihuahua

While feeding your Chihuahua, always look for the nutrition contain in the food. A balanced diet leads to healthy and happy dog.

Protein: Protein is an important nutrient to build muscles, tissues, bones, and other nerves of the body. A Chihuahua puppy should have 29% of protein and an adult should have 18% of protein on their diet.

Fat: Fat plays an important role in giving energy to our lively Chihuahua. It also contribute to their shiny, silky coat and strong bones. omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acid should be on their diet. They need around 5-7 percent of fat daily.

Water: Water is very essential on your Chihuahua diet’s. 50-60% of their body is made of up of water and in puppy it is 80%. Research has shown that toy breed are more prone to bladder stone. So it is very important for the health of your pup that you always put a clean bowl of water by its side.

How Much to Feed Chihuahua?

Feeding Chihuahua depends on their age and their activity. If your Chihuahua is 3-6 months old, he needs 3-4 meals a day as it is in a developing stage. 3-4 small meals a day will be enough for their proper growth of muscles and other body and mind development. A newborn puppy needs to feed on its mother’s milk every 2 hours.

As your Chihuahua gets into adulthood, 2 meals a day is all they need. They should be fed in the interval of 8-12 hours. Any hour more can cause nausea due to excessive acid in the stomach. Always feed at the same time so your dog does not get confused and lose appetite. Increase the portion of the meal according to the activity your dog is engaged in daily.

Chihuahua eating from plate
Chihuahua eating from plate.
Image Source: Chihuahua Wardrobe

Dog Food for Chihuahua

There are many commercially manufactured dog food you can find and they are everywhere with hundreds of brands. However, it is very confusing to choose the best from all those brands out there. You have to look for the ingredient, nutrition contained in the packet. Avoid food that has sugar, too much salt, and coloring on the food as it will have a bad effect on the health of your pooch.

Here are some of the list of dog food that is best for your Chihuahua.

  • Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dog Food
  • Blue Buffalo Blue Life Protection Toy Breed Dog Food
  • Taste of The Wild Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
  • Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food

Best Supplements for Chihuahua

If your Chihuahua is not getting a complete nutrient from its diet, it should be given supplements to fulfill the nutritional needs. However, do not feed your dog any supplements if it is getting a balanced diet. Following are the common supplement that your dog needs.

  • Probiotics
  • Antioxidants
  • Fish Oil
  • Glucosamine
  • Vitamins

Human Food Chihuahua Can and Cannot Eat

Everyone loves to give some piece of food from their plate to their pooch. While some foods are not toxic and might even contribute to your dog’s health, some are highly poisonous and should never be fed to your pup.

Chihuahua eating noodle with its master
Chihuahua eating noodle with its master.
Image Source: www.reference.com

Can Eat

Cannot Eat

  • Grapes and Raisins
  • Chocolate
  • Too much salt
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Lime

Why is Your Chihuahua Not Eating?

Sometimes you find your dog not eating properly or at all as they do regularly. It may be due to various reasons. Some of the common reasons are explained below.

  • Your Chihuahua might be having an upset stomach which is why it has lost appetite. It may be because of something it has eaten or some due to some disease. Take your dog to a vet for a proper check-up to diagnose what is causing the upset stomach.
  • The other reason for your Chihuahua not eating might be due to a change in its routine. Dogs know their daily routine and if the time for their meal is changed, they get confused. Therefore, feed them at the same time daily.
  • A recent vaccination is also another reason for your dog not eating properly. Sometimes, some medications have side effects that make your Chihuahua lose appetite.

Visit Doglime for more dog breed information and their feeding methods.

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