Chihuahuas are one of the smallest dog breeds in the world.
While these companion canines may be tiny, they still require a complete and balanced diet like any dog.
The national symbol of Mexico, Chihuahuas are small dogs with big personalities.
The American Kennel Club write on their website that Chihuahuas need a high-quality dog food appropriate to your Chi’s age.
Chihuahuas are prone to weight issues that can be result of overfeeding in some cases.
Therefore, you’ll need to keep a close eye on the calorie intake of your little Chi.
If you’ve been feeding your Chihuahua dry food but you want to make a change, you may want to consider a new way of feeding your little dog.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at the best dog food for Chihuahuas.
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Best Dog Food For Chihuahuas
Nom Nom offer four different recipes (Photo: Nom Nom)
Chihuahuas need a balanced, complete and healthy diet just like any other dog breed. Whether you’re buying your dog food at the store or making home cooked meals, you need to ensure your Chi is getting the right nutrients and vitamins.
Understandably, a lot of dog owners feed their pups traditional options that are commonplace at the supermarket. However, you may be surprised to learn what goes into some of the traditional dog food brands. They’re not necessarily the healthiest option.
In my experience, dog food delivery companies provide a fantastic fresh alternative. They use restaurant-quality ingredients responsibly sourced to customise meals to each individual dog.
You’ll be required to enter your dog’s key details to allow the dog food delivery company tailor their meals to your precious pet’s specific needs. You can choose from a variety of recipes whether your dog prefers beef, chicken, lamb or fish.
My Alaskan Klee Kai are notoriously picky with sensitive tummies. It was a constant challenge to get them to finish their meals until I made the switch to a dog food delivery company. I haven’t looked back and their stomach problems have disappeared. They’re always motivated at mealtime as soon as the fridge opens and their meals appear.
I’m confident that dog food delivery companies can revolutionise the way you feed your Chihuahua. Whether your Chi needs to lose a few pounds or put on some weight, these companies have you covered. The meals are customised to your Chihuahua’s requirements and they’re usually pre portioned so you won’t have to worry about overfeeding.
Having reviewed some of the leading companies in the industry, I rate Nom Nom and Ollie as two of the best options within the dog food delivery market.
RELATED: The eight best dog food delivery companies
Alternatively, if you live in the UK and you want to make the switch to a dog food delivery company, we’ve also got some options we recommend.
RELATED: The five leading dog food delivery companies in the UK
Sample subscription plan
I visited a leading dog food delivery company’s website to see what Chihuahua owners can expect to pay should they sign up for their meals.
Using my imaginary Chihuahua called Chi, I went through the simple sign up process. I was asked for Chi’s breed, weight, age, body type and activity level.
Based upon Chi being a three-year old six pound Chihuahua, I was quoted $15.37 a week for a mixture of their beef and pork recipes.
Are There Coupon Codes Or Discount?
So you’re thinking about signing up to a dog food delivery company, but you’re interested in a discount on your first order? No problem.
Nom Nom have a special offer for helloBARK! readers so if you want to try Nom Nom for your Chihuahua, you can avail of a 50 per cent discount off your first order by clicking this link.
Our readers can get 50% off their first order from Ollie when using the coupon code “HELLOBARK” at checkout. To avail of this offer, click this link and use the “HELLOBARK” discount code.
In the UK, Butternut Box will give Chi owners who want to try their service a huge discount off their first order. New customers can get 50% off their first and their second Butternut Box order by clicking here.
What Chihuahua owners say
If you’re still unconvinced, I researched some customer reviews from Chihuahua owners of some of the leading dog food delivery companies.
Zizi (12) and Zeus (9) are two senior toy Chihuahua owners who had lost their appetites and energy. Sound familiar? Their mom Keisha made the decision to try Nom Nom after Zizi stopped eating her kibble food.
Immediately after her first feeding, it was like new life came into her. She perked up immediately. It was like they were brand new dogs.
Indeed, Zizi rolled back the years and was puppy-like once more after sticking with Nom Nom’s meals.
Zizi is still able to run around, she has her energy back. She’ll walk upstairs—before she had trouble and now she does it easily. She acts like my puppy some days. I thought they were going to be horrible last days with Zizi. But that has not been the case. She still has good days and bad days, but she mostly has good days. I feel like your food has extended the life of my pets.
RELATED: The eight best dog food delivery companies
Dog Food Delivery Companies
Freshly cooked dog meals delivered to your door (Photo: Nom Nom)
Dog food delivery companies are a relatively new concept that have emerged in the past four or five years.
After some initial scepticism, they’ve grown in popularity largely due to their success when it comes to transforming the lives of dogs.
These companies only use fresh and healthy ingredients to ensure your beloved pooch is ingesting the best possible food. After all, if we wouldn’t eat it, why should we expect our dogs to do so?
Sometimes it can be easy to accidentally overfeed your dog. You won’t have to worry about this as these meals are formulated by veterinarian experts. The dog food is tailored to your dog so the portions have been measured appropriately.
Unlike kibble which can be difficult to chew for senior dogs such as Zizi and Zeus mentioned above, these meals are less demanding on the teeth.
In our experience, dog food delivery companies are usually happy to take into account any allergies or health concerns your dog may have.
My Alaskan Klee Kai used to have sensitive tummies which resulted in a lot of acid reflux and a lot of sleepless nights. However, this is no longer a problem. Switching to these freshly prepared meals has transformed their behaviour at mealtime, energy levels for our daily runs or walks and the health issues are a thing of the past.
I’ve got more time to relax with my dogs given these meals are already pre portioned. All I’ve got to do is defrost their meals, rip the package and serve straight into their dog bowls.
Reasons to try dog food delivery companies
So you’re considering signing up to a dog food delivery company but you still have a couple of reservations. Here are my reasons to give it a try:
• Freshly prepared meals – We’ve seen a huge shift towards fresh, healthy and organic meals over the past five or six years. While this is a concern that we think about in our daily lives, lots of dog owners are keen to ensure their canines are eating just as healthy as they are. Dog food delivery companies only use the very best ingredients in their recipes, so there are no additives or nasties.
• Customised to your dog – Whether your Chihuahua is underweight or overweight, these companies will tailor their meals to your Chihuahua. You need to enter some key details about your Chi to help their algorithm formulate a meal plan for your pooch. Once the weight is put on or lost, you can adjust the details that you entered to ensure the pendulum doesn’t swing the other way.
• Variety of recipes – My Alaskan Klee Kai are notoriously picky so I decided to select a few recipes to keep them guessing. This can work extremely well if you’ve got dogs like mine who have a tendency to grow bored. Most dog food delivery companies with have three or four different recipes to select from.
• Formulated by experts – This all sounds great but who creates these recipes, you could be thinking. Well dog food delivery companies usually have a team of experts from within the veterinary industry who formulate the meals. By doing so, they ensure all your dog’s mineral and vitamin needs are met.
• Portion control – You’ll never need to fuss at mealtime again – at least where your dog’s meals are concerned. The meals come in pre portioned packets or you’ll be given a customised scooper to ensure you don’t overfeed your dog.
• Motivated dogs at meal time – There’s nothing worse than seeing your pup not eating their meals. It can create a lot of worry and stress, especially if your pet is already looking lethargic or is prone to health issues. In our experience – and speaking to other customers – their dogs were transformed at mealtime after making the switch to dog food delivery companies.
• Efficient and reliable deliveries – You won’t have to worry about deliveries. These companies will offer customers a flexible delivery plan, so you can select a slot that suits you.
• Flexible subscription plans – Signing up to one of these subscription plans isn’t cheap. However, they’re usually flexible and you pay on a monthly basis so you’re not tied into a long-term plan.
Any negatives?
While there are lots of positives, there are some potential negatives that we must point out.
When you receive your first delivery, some of the packaging can go into the fridge to stay chill before serving. However, the rest of the meals will need to be put into your freezer. This could be a challenge if you’ve got a small freezer. However, you could select fortnightly deliveries rather than monthly deliveries to free up room.
Another consideration is the price. These meals aren’t cheap. You’ll have to pay a premium price for this dog food delivery service. However, in my experience, I saved money in the long run by having happy and healthier dogs.
Chihuahuas
Cream long haired chihuahua walks on embankment in big city (Photo: Adobe Stock)
Chihuahuas are a small dog breed that are considered companion dogs.
These tiny canines are native to Mexico. European explorers encountered the ancestors of the breed along with the Aztecs in the 1500s. Americans who travelled to the state of Chihuahua recorded meeting a lot of small dogs in this region in the 1800s.
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The first Chihuahua dog was registered with the American Kennel Club in 1908. Initially a rare breed, these little dogs have become increasingly popular in the 20th and 21st century.
In fact, the American Kennel Club rank the Chihuahua as the 33rd most popular breed in the USA.
Chihuahuas appearance and size
Chihuahuas are tiny dogs – they’re usually between five and eight inches tall. They don’t weigh more than six pounds.
Chihuahuas exercise requirements
This Mexican breed have low to moderate exercise needs. They’ll enjoy some playtime in your apartment or home. Alternatively, a trip to the dog park – especially if there is a small dog section – could do the trick.
The AKC suggest short and slow walks to keep your Chihuahua in good weight and condition. However, they add that overexerting your Chi can be detrimental.
According to WAG Walking, Chihuahuas need around 30 minutes of exercise a day.
Chihuahuas health
Chihuahuas are usually healthy dogs – but they do have some genetic issues that can affect members of the breed.
Therefore, Chi owners should be aware of these conditions and the potential symptoms. These include Hydrocephalus, Hypoglycemia, Heart problems, Lung problems, Patellar luxation and Idiopathic epilepsy.
The AKC recommend checking with your breeder whether they’ve done the necessary health screenings before bringing home your pup.
Chihuahuas have a life expectancy ranging from 14 to 16 years.
Anything else to consider?
It’s not a good idea to make a complete switch to a new type of dog food immediately. You could risk digestive or stomach problems, or diarrhea if you don’t make a gradual transition. Most dog food delivery companies will provide a guideline on how to make the switch to their food.
This article does not constitute expert advice and we recommend contacting your vet if you have any concerns or issues. You can also reach out to the company you’re thinking about subscribing to as they’ll usually have experts on hand to offer advice.
In conclusion
Venus the Chihuahua (Photo: venusafrodite_ / Instagram)
We’ve reached the end of our feature on the best dog food for Chihuahuas.
If you’re looking for a fresh and healthy alternative to the dog food that you’ve been giving your dog, a dog food delivery company could be the answer.
Whether you’ve got a Chihuahua who needs to put on some weight upon the recommendation of the vet, could do with shedding a few pounds or has lost interest in mealtime, these meals could be a great alternative to traditional dog food options.
