How to Feed Dog Food to a Chihuahua
For a Chihuahua, dog food is usually still the best staple, because it contains the nutrients pet dogs need. If the dog does not like to eat dog food, owners often try several practical methods.
1. Mix several dog foods. When buying dog food, some owners purchase small amounts of different brands and mix them together so the flavor becomes richer. This can make the dog more interested than eating only one type. However, this method works best when started early. Once a dog becomes picky, it may stop being effective.
2. Mix human food with dog food. This is also common, because when people eat, pet dogs often come over and beg. If owners use this method, they must avoid giving food that is too salty or otherwise unsafe for dogs. Ideally, human food and dog food should be mixed in about a 1:1 ratio so the dog feels satisfied while nutrition remains relatively balanced.
3. Mix jerky or yogurt with dog food. Jerky and yogurt can also improve acceptance of dog food. Some dogs eventually learn to pick out only the tasty parts and spit out the kibble, but overall these additives can still help many dogs eat better.
These methods are worth trying. If a Chihuahua brings happiness to your life, it deserves careful feeding and good care.
How Many Meals a Day Does a Chihuahua Need?
Before three months of age, a Chihuahua puppy's digestive system is still underdeveloped and delicate. The dog food should be fully softened before feeding. It is usually best to feed four times a day, about 20 grams each time. As the puppy grows, the amount of dog food can be increased gradually, but not too much at once.
Because Chihuahuas digest quickly, small frequent meals help keep them active throughout the day.
Very young Chihuahua puppies should not be fed hard dry kibble directly. Dry dog food can expand to several times its original size after absorbing water. Puppies often swallow food without chewing it thoroughly and depend heavily on stomach fluids for digestion. That makes improperly fed dry food risky.
Do Not Feed Dry Kibble Directly to Chihuahua Puppies
Many newly purchased young Chihuahua puppies that die from diarrhea actually die from dehydration caused by digestive trouble. People sometimes assume the problem was simply getting cold, but cold is often only a trigger. An important underlying cause can be feeding compressed dry kibble incorrectly.
Owners often think they are giving only a very small amount of dry dog food, but the puppy still seems hungry. Out of affection, they want the puppy to eat more and stay full while they are away at work. Unfortunately, this can become the first step toward a life-threatening problem.
Once eaten, dry kibble absorbs water and expands. A puppy may not drink enough, may then go to sleep, become chilled, and stop moving well. Meanwhile the food continues swelling inside the stomach. Because the digestive glands of a recently weaned puppy are not yet fully developed, the food may become difficult to handle. The abdomen can gradually distend, and then diarrhea may begin. As the intestinal lining is damaged, pathogenic bacteria can invade, causing repeated diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and in severe cases black bloody stool. Without timely treatment, the puppy may die very quickly.
Even diseases such as parvovirus or distemper are sometimes not the first problem, but rather are triggered after diarrhea starts from incorrect feeding. Many people overlook the danger of improperly feeding dry kibble.
To prevent diarrhea in puppies, diet must come first. Avoid feeding compressed dry kibble directly. Soak the dog food in hot water, much like preparing instant noodles, and wait until it is fully expanded before feeding. After a meal, do not allow large amounts of cold water or excessive exercise. Cold weather is often the trigger that worsens diarrhea, so puppies should be kept warm with blankets or thicker clothing when temperatures drop.
Puppies between two and three months old are best fed four times a day, with about 20 grams of fully soaked dog food each meal. Only after about six months can they slowly begin eating harder dry food, and even then the amount should be increased gradually. Feeding to about eighty percent fullness is usually more suitable.
If diarrhea occurs, food should be stopped for several hours. After that, sugar-salt water or an oral rehydration solution may be given in small amounts, and the puppy must not be deprived of water. A warm water bag can be used over the abdomen to help relieve gas, and owners should keep the puppy warm at night. If home care does not bring improvement within about six hours, the puppy should be taken to a veterinary hospital immediately, because in severe cases time truly means life.