Types of Chihuahua Food
Chihuahuas are tiny dogs that require a small amount of food but the types of Chihuahua food should be well thought out. The nutritional content should be high to keep these little dogs in top condition.
Feeding a Chihuahua is simple if you stick to healthy, high quality choices. Making your own dog food might be the best option.
Different Types of Chihuahua Food
Feeding a Chihuahua a commercial brand or homemade food is a personal choice. Either way you need to ensure that your dog gets a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins as well as healthy fats.
- Which brand? Whatever brand you choose, make sure it is a quality dog food. The first ingredient on the packaging should be a high quality protein source such as meat. If the first ingredient listed is corn or wheat, look elsewhere.
- Wet or dry? Dry food in the form of kibbles is probably a better choice than the wet variety of commercial dog food. It helps keep the teeth clean by preventing plaque build-up.
- Homemade dog food. This is a good choice for any dog as long as it is balanced and made from fresh ingredients. It is not as difficult or as time consuming as it might seem. Plenty of protein and healthy fats need to be included. Do some research to make sure you incorporate all the necessary ingredients and avoid allergens from things like soy, corn and wheat.
What Not To Feed a Chihuahua
Chihuahuas are extremely small dogs, so overfeeding, as well as feeding the wrong types of Chihuahua food, can be a problem. They have a high metabolism and hypoglycemia can occur if they are not fed regularly and properly. Don’t feed them the following:
- Chocolate. This is not good for dogs in general and bad for Chihuahuas in particular.
- Raisins and grapes. These are toxic for dogs.
- Cooked chicken and pork bones. Bones can splinter and cause obstructions.
- Junk food. Junk food will spoil your dog’s appetite for real food and tax his small system.
- Artificial ingredients. A dog like a Chihuahua should have food that is as natural as possible.
- Xylitol, candy, dairy products, sugar, biscuits and baked goods. Although it is tempting to feed a dog these kinds of food because we may find them tasty, they are harmful for our furry pets and are not suitable types of Chihuahua food. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is triggered by consuming sugary food that spikes blood sugar.
- To treat or not to treat. Obesity is a real problem for dogs, especially Chihuahuas. They have fine bones and small joints which means that any excess weight causes a fair amount of stress. Extra food and treats are unnecessary if you feed your dog a balanced diet. Keep treats to a minimum.
When feeding a Chihuahua it is best to stick to simple choices and resist the temptation to feed unnatural, artificial ingredients. Anything that would affect a larger dog is going to be that much more lethal to a tiny one. The types of Chihuahua food you buy should be restricted to the best quality you can find.
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