Dachshunds might be small dogs but Doxies can have big appetites.
These Sausage Dogs are a common breed to find in big cities around the world, whether you live in New York, Los Angeles, London or Paris.
Dachshunds require a balanced and complete diet just like any other dog irrespective of their unique stature.
These German dogs are prone to back issues so ensuring they’re an acceptable weight is vital in order not to put unnecessary strain on their bodies.
Whether your Doxie is no longer interested in eating dry food or wet food, or you’re looking for a fresh alternative to traditional options, you may want to consider a dog food delivery subscription.
These companies tailor their freshly prepared meals to your dog’s specific requirements to ensure their needs are met.
In this article, we’re going to look at the best dog food for Dachshunds.
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Best Dog Food For Dachshunds
Nom Nom offer four different recipes (Photo: Nom Nom)
Dachshunds love to eat just like any other dog irrespective of their size. Whether you’re feeding your Doxie dry food or wet food, you need to make sure they’re getting all the necessary minerals and vitamins. It’s a good idea to thoroughly inspect the labels to see what goes into your dog’s food.
Having grown tired of feeding my dogs traditional dry food, I decided to look for a fresh and healthier alternative. After all, I go to great steps to ensure the food I consume is of the highest standard, so why shouldn’t I take the same duty of care when it comes to my dogs?
Dog food delivery companies create fresh meals using restaurant-quality ingredients. They tailor your canine’s meals to meet their specific requirements based upon the information inputted in the questionnaire at the start of the sign-up process.
Most providers of this service will have a range of different recipes available to satisfy the taste buds of dogs who might have allergies to certain protein sources. It can also help to keep picky pups guessing at mealtime.
These fresh meals are frozen to retain the minerals and nutrients before they’re shipped direct to your doorstep. The meals are contained in pre portioned packaging or come with a customised scooper so you won’t need to worry about overfeeding your Dachshund. All you need to do is take the meal out of the fridge and serve to your dog. It’s that easy!
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
For our British readers, we rate Butternut Box and Tails as two of the leading providers of this service in the UK.
RELATED: The five leading dog food delivery companies in the UK
Sample subscription plan
So you’re interested but you want to learn a little more. Well we’ve used our imaginary Dachshund called “Doxie” to give you an idea of the price of the service.
We signed up “Doxie”, who is a three-year old miniature Dachshund weighing 10 pounds. We opted for two different recipes – beef and pork – to give Doxie some variety.
Based upon the the above information, the owner of Doxie can expect to pay an estimated $19.80 per week for these healthy meals.
Are There Coupon Codes Or Discount?
You can’t beat a good offer so we reached out to some leading dog food delivery companies to request a coupon code or discount.
Nom Nom have a special offer for helloBARK! readers so if you want to try Nom Nom for your Doxie, 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 Doxie 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 Dachshund owners say
So you’re thinking about checking out a dog food delivery company but you’d like to hear a little more from a Dachshund owner. Well we’ve uncovered a review of Nom Nom by a Doxie owner called Absar Mohammed.
She has a miniature Dachshund called Skye who was a picky eater but struggled with her weight.
It came to the point where she was having liver issues because of her weight. I wanted her to get healthier, and didn’t want her to have problems. I tried so many different brands. Many brands I thought were good but turned out to be not so great.
Absar switched Skye on Nom Nom’s meals and the mini Doxie hasn’t looked back after getting a handle on her weight.
She instantly fell in love. I’ve never seen her so excited to eat her own food. Other people’s food, yes, but not her own. Her weight has gone down. She’s lighter and her energy is different. She runs more, she’s active more, she’s awake more. She used to sleep a lot, but now she’s actually up more and more active, more vocal and wanting to play.
Dog Food Delivery Companies
Feeding your dog a balanced and healthy diet is important (Photo: Nom Nom)
If you’re new to the dog food delivery concept, you’re not alone. A lot of dog owners are still unaware such an option exists.
These companies started to appear in the USA around five or six years ago. With the shift in attitudes towards are own diet as we try to eat fresh and healthy ingredients, there was a desire amongst dog owners to protect their dog’s health by finding natural and nutritious meals.
The dog food delivery companies source USDA-quality meat to act as the chief protein source in their meals. They use fresh fruit and vegetables to compliment the meat to create dog meals that are of the highest quality.
By getting the input of veterinary nutritionists in the creation of their recipes, these companies ensure that all your Dachshund’s mineral and vitamin requirements are met. The meals are balanced and complete.
If you’re worried about overfeeding your overweight Doxie, you won’t need to worry. The meals come in pre portioned packaging or with a customised scooper. You’ll know exactly how much to feed your Dachshund. You’ve just got to resist the temptation to give them more as you see their excitement at mealtime rekindled.
I made the switch to a dog food delivery company for my Alaskan Klee Kai – and I haven’t looked back. They were fussy at mealtime which led to health issues when I fed them traditional dog food options such as kibble. However, they love their freshly prepared meals. I’m continuously staggered by how quickly eat their food now, having seen how picky they used to be.
Reasons to try dog food delivery companies
If you’re thinking about giving a dog food delivery service a try, here are some of the reasons to think about taking the plunge.
• Freshly prepared meals – The most appealing aspect of this service is the fresh meals. Pet parents want peace of mind knowing that they’re feeding their dog the best possible ingredients. If you wouldn’t eat it, why should your dog?
• Customised to your dog – Unlike other types of dog food, these meals are prepared with your pooch in mind. So the meals are tailored to your dog’s age, breed, body type and activity level. You can also inform a dog food company of potential allergies to certain types of food.
• Variety of recipes – If you’ve got picky eaters like me, you’ll know how important important variety is. Although my dogs love their meals, I keep them guessing by rotating three different recipes so they’re always excited at mealtime.
• Formulated by experts – This all sounds great but who are the people behind the creation of the recipes? Well these companies use experts who have plenty of experience in dog nutrition. So you can be rest assured your dog is getting all the minerals and vitamins needed to maintain their health.
• Portion control – When you see your dog motivated at mealtime again, you may be tempted to give them an extra helping of their nutritious food. These companies use pre-portioned packaging or a customised scooper to ensure you won’t overfeed because that would be counterproductive!
• Motivated dogs at meal time – If you’ve got a dog that’s lost interest in their food, this could be the change needed to rekindle their interest in their grub. In our experience, these meals have transformed my dogs’ eating habits as well as other dogs who have reviewed these meals on our behalf.
• Efficient and reliable deliveries – You won’t have to stress about organising deliveries. It’s all easy to do on their website. If you do miss a delivery, these use appropriate packaging to ensure the integrity of the meals.
• Flexible subscription plans – If you want to give these fresh dog meals a try but you don’t want to be tied into a long-term plan, most companies offer a flexible plan where you can pause or cancel at any time.
Any negatives?
In order to provide you with a balanced article, we have to touch upon some negatives.
If you’re thinking about feeding your Dachshund the meals, you’ll need to ensure you’ve got sufficient freezer space. Most of the meal containers will need to be stored in the freezer, with two or three containers going in the fridge to serve fresh that day or the following day. Depending on the size of your freezer, space could be at a premium! A small price to pay for a happy Doxie!
These meals don’t come cheap! These companies provide a premium service so you’ll have to dig a little deeper into your pockets. However, in the long run, you could have a happier and healthier pup. I know based upon my experience, I’ve had less health issues with my dogs since switching to these meals so I believe it’s worth the investment.
Dachshunds
Dachshunds are active dogs that were initially bred to scent, chase and flush out badgers and other burrow animals. They were developed in Germany. In fact, their earliest ancestors originated in the 15th century.
These early Doxies were refined in the 18th and 19th century. The breed standard was created in 1879 before the first German Dachshund Club was created in 1888.
The first Dachshunds arrived in the USA in the 1880s before they were granted status by the American Kennel Club in 1885. The AKC rank these Sausage Dogs as the 12th most popular breed in the USA.
Dachshunds appearance and size
Standard Dachshunds are usually eight to nine inches tall and miniature Dachshunds are 5 to 6 inches tall. The standard variety can weigh between 16 and 32 pounds, while the miniature Doxies are usually 11 pounds and under.
Dachshunds exercise requirements
Dachshunds are active dogs that like to go for regular walks and have some play time. A few short walks a day will suffice. Wag Walking recommend 60 minutes of activity a day to meet a Doxie’s activity needs.
Their long backs are prone to injury so Dachshund owners need to ensure their dog isn’t jumping from high places or climbing up a lot if steps.
Dachshunds health
Dachshunds are prone to some health problems. The number one issue tends to be Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). This is a hereditary problem that affects their backs. As a Doxie ages, their discs in their back can lose their flexibility, which results in a susceptibility to back problems. Of course, trauma to the back can also cause the problem.
Anything else to consider?
We suggest speaking to your vet before you switch your Dachshund to a new diet. If you decide to go ahead and sign up to a dog food delivery company, they’ll usually provide a guideline to gradually introduce their new food into their diet. If you switch too fast, you could cause a tummy upset or diarrhea.
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
Dachshund come in two sizes: standard and miniature (Photo: Adobe Stock)
We’ve reached the end of our article on the best dog food for Dachshunds.
We truly believe in the merits of these fresh dog meals delivered right to your doorstep.
They use human-grade ingredients to feed your dog, while removing the hassle and stress of worrying about preparing meals for your pooch.
Using pre portioned packaging or customised scoopers and containers, you’ll never have to worry about overfeeding your dog again.
