What are the Best Dog Foods for Chihuahuas?
As one of the smallest dog breeds, Chihuahuas have very specific nutritional needs that need to be taken into consideration when selecting the right dog food for your beloved pet. These loyal little lap dogs can live a long, healthy life with proper feeding and care!
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Breed Info
Breed Group:Toy | AKC Chihuahua Profile
Ideal Weight:Female Adult: 4 to 6 pounds
Male Adult: 4 to 5 pounds
Exercise Need:10 to 20 minutes per day
Breed Summary
Made famous across America by the “Taco Bell dog”, Gidget, Chihuahuas are known for being fiercely loyal – and often protective. Though their bark is much larger than their bite, Chihuahuas seem to not realize their own small size when defending themselves or their loved ones. Despite their small stature, most Chihuahuas have big hearts and personalities. Depending on individual temperament, dog owners are mixed on whether Chihuahuas are ideal for families with small children or not; but with proper socialization and plenty of care in a loving family, a Chihuahua can be your loyal and friendly companion for many years to come. These little lap dogs make the perfect pet for city living and apartment dwellers as they are perfectly content to snuggle up to their owners most of the day.
Physical Traits
Tiny body, erect ears, round head
Personality Traits
Energetic, loyal, friendly
Health Considerations
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As one of the smallest registered dog breeds, chihuahuas can experience a variety of health conditions common in toy dogs. Joint, eye, and dental problems are common due to the structure and stature of Chihuahuas’s tiny body, large eyes, and small skull. In addition, serious heart problems can develop over time and worsen with age. However, in general, chihuahuas have a very long lifespan - especially when compared to larger breeds. To ensure your family pet is with you for many years, it is important to provide your chihuahua with proper nutritional support at every stage of their life. Many health conditions can be prevented or even healed with the right diet including plenty of protein, antioxidants and other crucial vitamins.
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Dental Disease
Due to their small mouths, Chihuahuas are especially likely to experience dental problems, including bad breath, gum disease and infections, so we like to see these attributes in their food or treats. Learn more about how to take care of your dog's teeth.
Recommendations:
Puffy/crunch kibbles (bigger)・ Sodium hexametaphosphate・ Treats based on solubility, not hardness -
Eye Problems
Because of their large, protruding eyes, Chihuahuas are susceptible to many common eye conditions. We look to get these ingredients into their diets:
Recommendations:
Anthocyanins・ Astaxanthin・ Beta-carotene・ Carotenoids・ Glutathione・ Lutein・ Lycopene・ Omega-3 essential fatty acids・ Phytonutrients・ Vitamin A・ Vitamin C -
Heart Conditions
Chihuahuas can develop serious heart issues, such as patent ductus arteriosus and mitral valve disease, so to mitigate this risk their food should contain:
Recommendations:
Antioxidants・ Carnitine・ Complete protein・ Low sodium・ Omega-3 fatty acids・ Taurine -
Joint Issues
Like many smaller dog breeds, chihuahuas are highly susceptible to a condition of the kneecap, luxating patella, which can be partially prevented or helped with the following nutritional support:
Recommendations:
Antioxidants・ Chondroitin・ Glucosamine・ Green Mussel・ Methylsulfonymethane・ Omega-3 from Fish Oil・ Taurine・ Turmeric・ Vitamin E
Get a tailored nutrition profile for your dog
Our free nutritional assessment tool provides individualized recommendations based on your dog's breed characteristics, age, weight, body condition score, and activity level. It only takes 30 seconds to receive science-based insights to support your dog's lifelong health.
Are Fresh Food Diets Good for Chihuahuas?
Only if they’re properly balanced.
Many well-intentioned Chihuahuas parents spend a lot of time preparing meals at home, but health benefits are lost if meals aren’t properly portioned and balanced with all the nutrients dogs need. Recently, a few companies have done an excellent job ensuring accurate portions and nutrient balance by delivering pre-prepped fresh meals customized to the size and needs of your dog. Farmer’s Dog, Ollie and Nom Nom have each been approved by our nutrition team as delivering truly quality and well-balanced meals. They can be a little expensive (usually 3-4x more per day than kibble), but many find the added health benefits worth the cost. They do offer discounts to new customers, though, if you’d like to try one out.
Pros and Cons of Fresh Food Diets
✓ Diets balanced by Nutritionists・ ✓ Customized portions for weight control・ ✓ Superior digestive and immune health ・✕ More expensive than standard dog food
Foods We Recommend for Chihuahuas Puppies
How long do Chihuahuass need puppy food?
Until they're 7 to 10 months old.
Chihuahuas are very focused on growing, and how we feed them should help them do just that. Since they have so much growing to do, they need higher amounts of nutrients than adult dogs, especially proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and — don’t forget — water. It’s still important to not overfeed puppies, so make sure to portion food and keep treats to no more than 10% of their caloric intake. Since balance is so important, we recommend that your young Chihuahuas is eating food that is made just for puppies from a reputable brand.
Find the best nutritional start for your puppy
Our recommendation tool evaluates your puppy’s breed, age, growth stage, lifestyle, and health needs to identify a scientifically appropriate diet from over 10,000 options. Obtain personalized guidance to help support healthy development and lifelong wellness.
Foods We Recommend for Chihuahuas Adults
When should Chihuahuas start transitioning to adult food?
When they're 7 to 10 months old
From a nutrition standpoint, Chihuahuas become adults once they reach about 90% of their expected weight. Once adults, our two key nutrition goals are balance and maintenance. We want balance because a dog’s body is responsible for a lot of things, like digestion, fighting infection, keeping muscles strong, and chasing squirrels. These are all important tasks, so we want to make sure each body function gets its share of nutrients. We also need to maintain a healthy weight. Underfed dogs are at risk for malnourishment, and overfed dogs can become obese — both of which lead to even worse problems for a Chihuahua
Find the optimal nutrition plan for your adult dog
Our assessment analyzes your dog’s breed, age, lifestyle, and health considerations to recommend a scientifically selected diet from over 10,000 options. Personalized insights to help your dog thrive through adulthood.
Foods We Recommend for Chihuahuas Seniors
When should Chihuahuas start transitioning to senior food?
All dogs can age differently, but toy dogs like Chihuahuas can start to benefit from senior food around 10 to 12 years old
Ever watch kids running around the playground and wish you had that energy again? Yeah. Dogs get there, too. The metabolic processes in senior Chihuahuas slow down as they age, which often means they aren’t needing quite as many calories as they did in their prime. Smart dog food companies have formulated senior diets to ease up on calories but still help them feel full and give them adequate maintenance protein. Still, like humans, everybody is different. Sometimes older dogs need just as many calories, or more, depending on how their bodies progress. So keep a close eye on their body condition, and look for dog foods made for seniors.
Support your senior dog's health with targeted nutrition
Our assessment analyzes your dog’s breed, age, and health considerations to recommend a science-based diet from over 10,000 options. Help maintain mobility, cognitive health, and quality of life.
Affiliate Disclosure:
We do not accept money to recommend pet foods. However, we do receive referral fees from online retailers (such as Chewy or Amazon) on qualifying purchases. Our recommendations are neutral, and diet recommendations are made without considering whether we will receive a referral fee.