Principles of feeding Chihuahuas at home: general recommendations and reviews from owners

Chihuahua dogs are popular due to their small stature, cute appearance and friendly character. The size of a pet greatly simplifies caring for it, however, due to the characteristics of the body, such animals need proper and balanced nutrition. It is very important to carefully monitor that nothing unnecessary gets into your pet’s diet, because some foods can lead to serious consequences. At the same time, it is necessary to provide the dog with enough trace elements and proteins so that it can live a long and happy life.

General principles of feeding Chihuahuas

The Chihuahua is an excellent companion that makes the life of its owners more colorful and fun. The quality of life of a dwarf dog directly depends on the products included in its diet. To ensure your pet develops well and enjoys good health, follow a few rules:

• Always have your daily meal in the same place;
• Serve food at room temperature (not hot or frozen);
• Do not feed your dog food intended for people;
• remove the bowl after eating;
• do not feed your Chihuahua after 19:00;
• provide constant access to clean water;
• When feeding using the traditional method, serve only freshly prepared food.

Problems

It's also worth considering some of the nutritional issues your pet may be experiencing.

Doesn't eat well

Let's highlight several reasons why Chihuahuas don't eat well.:

• the dog overeats and is fed very often;
• the dog does not like the diet;
• forced to eat;
• she experiences pain, there are pathologies in the body;
• uncomfortable conditions.

If you have already identified the cause, then you should move on to solving the problem:

1. Don't force your Chihuahua to eat. Don't add extra food to her bowl if there is already another one in there. Give your dog the food he likes.
2. Stick to a routine. Feed an adult dog 2 times a day.
3. Provide a comfortable environment for the dog so that it is not disturbed from eating and drinking.
4. Contact your veterinarian for help.

Refuses food

Reasons why a dog is hungry:

• She is stressed, perhaps upset about something.
• Unusual conditions, for example, different food, a new bowl, an unpleasant smell from the bowl, people.
• The dog became seriously ill, had a fever and pain.

What to do:

1. We create comfortable conditions for your pet.
2. We change the bowl and eat.
3. We measure the temperature and look for the source of pain. To do this, we probe the dog’s body with our fingers. With her reaction she will be able to show the place where it hurts.

Rules for feeding puppies

It is very important for Chihuahua puppy owners to adhere to the following rules:

• do not include prohibited foods on your dog’s menu;
• do not mix different types of food in one bowl;
• create a diet that includes easily digestible foods.

When a puppy is taken away from its mother and siblings, it becomes stressed. In order not to aggravate the pet’s depressive state, in the first two weeks it is necessary to feed it in the same way as the breeders did.

Pros and cons of natural food

In addition to a varied menu and the absence of harmful preservatives, flavorings, flavor enhancers and dyes, a natural diet has a number of other advantages:

• the owner of the Chihuahua can independently choose products, assessing their quality and freshness;
• all micro- and macroelements of natural origin necessary for the proper development of a dog;
• natural products are easier to digest;
• If an allergic reaction to a certain product occurs, it can be replaced with another without changing the main diet.

In addition, natural nutrition allows you to save significantly if you purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables and alternate beef with chicken.

However, this diet also has its disadvantages.:

• You cannot cook several days in advance - stale food loses its beneficial components and can lead to poisoning;
• it is necessary to give the dog additional vitamins and minerals;
• creating a balanced menu will require time and certain knowledge;
• For people accustomed to traveling with a dog, natural feeding poses a problem and inconvenience.

Feeding a dog with natural products is convenient for less busy people who have the opportunity and desire to cook for their pet every day.

Authorized Products

A balanced diet necessary for the proper development of a Chihuahua should consist of 60% protein of animal origin, 30% of cereals, vegetables and fruits and 10% of fermented milk products.

The pet menu should definitely include:

• boiled and chopped lean meat - veal, beef, turkey, chicken;
• buckwheat, oatmeal and millet porridge;
• steamed or raw vegetables and fruits;
• low-fat fermented milk products - cottage cheese, yogurt, yogurt, kefir, sour cream, cheese.

Also, the natural diet should contain:

• boiled sea fish, rich in vitamins A, D, B – once a week;
• boiled eggs for shiny coat - every 3-4 days;
• offal as an alternative to meat, but a maximum of 2 times a week, otherwise vomiting and diarrhea are possible;
• crackers or bread to develop chewing muscles and clean teeth;
• vegetable oils as an additional source of fats.

You will also need to take an additional vitamin-mineral complex.

List of things that are strictly contraindicated

In addition, Chihuahuas should not be fed raisins, grapes, radishes, cabbage, canned food, and the consumption of tea, coffee, and alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

Feeding your dog prohibited foods leads to problems with the gastrointestinal tract, teeth and liver..

Feeding Chihuahua puppies by age

Representatives of the dwarf breed grow up very quickly - by 12 months they become full-fledged adults. In the first year of life, it is very important for puppies to receive a sufficient amount of vitamins and microelements for the proper formation of the skeleton and general development of the body. Within three weeks after birth, babies receive everything they need along with mother's milk, after which other foods can be gradually introduced into their diet. Let's take a closer look at what food can be added to the menu of Chihuahua puppies, depending on their age.

• 3-4 weeks. Three weeks after birth, the dogs are not yet weaned from their mother, but they are already starting to feed them low-fat boiled meat and cottage cheese. After another week, babies are allowed to give boiled cereals such as rice, buckwheat and semolina. When puppies are one month old, light soups based on chicken or fish broth are introduced into the diet. When a little Chihuahua has been weaned from its mother, you can include goat's milk with egg yolk in its menu.
• 2-3 months. At this age, puppies accept fermented milk products such as kefir, fermented baked milk and yogurt well. The diet is supplemented with porridge dishes with meat in a 50/50 percentage of ingredients. The daily food intake at three months is 30 grams, at 4 months – 45 grams.
• 4-5 months. At this age, the Chihuahua’s body stops absorbing fresh milk, so it is completely excluded from the menu. If you decide to continue feeding your baby natural food, the portions must be increased to 60 grams per day. You can start adding vegetables to traditional dishes. If you plan to feed your pet dry food in the future, it's time to start accustoming your dog to this diet. It is best to give your baby canned food or dry puppy food, slightly soaked in warm water.
• 6-8 months. Over a period of six months to 8 months, the daily volume of feed is increased from 60 to 90 grams. The majority of portions (at least 50%) should be lean meat. You can add apples and bananas, crushed to a pulp, to your diet.
• 9-12 months. At this age, young Chihuahuas can be completely switched to an adult diet, but it is important to control the amount of calories in food. Up to 10 months, puppies continue to actively grow, so their portions should contain about 100 kcal. Older dogs are no longer growing as actively, and excess calories can lead to excess weight. For this reason, the daily diet of a young dog aged 10 to 12 months should contain no more than 40 kcal.

Allowed and healthy products

Naturally, the list is huge, I don’t see the point in listing all the products, but I’ll touch on the main ones that you can pamper your pet with, and are available in almost every home:

• Vegetables:
  carrots, cabbage, pumpkin, cucumber, tomato.
• Fruits and berries:
  green apple, melon, cranberry, watermelon, banana, raspberry, strawberry, wild strawberry, papaya (without peel and seeds), blueberries, gooseberries, dried apricots, currants, pear, tangerines, oranges.
• Cereals:
  buckwheat, rice, millet. Barley, rolled oats, oatmeal and semolina are practically not absorbed by the body, and can provoke intestinal volvulus. The richest porridge in minerals and easily digestible by the Chihuahua’s digestive system is buckwheat!
• Dairy products:
  cottage cheese, unleavened hard cheese, kefir, sour cream.

Fresh berries, fruits, vegetables and dairy products are served as treats in reasonable quantities and not often.

Cereals and vegetables are often used as a side dish when feeding natural foods. From vegetables, you can prepare a stew with pieces of lean (lean) meat, seasoned with sour cream or a small amount of olive oil. From cereals - porridge with meat or sea fish fillet. Vegetables can also be given raw as a light snack between meals. The optimal percentage of meat product in relation to the side dish: 60% meat versus 40% side dish. Salting and seasoning is prohibited!

Vary the menu if you feed your Chihuahua natural food to achieve maximum balance in the diet. It may be necessary to add specialized vitamin supplements (complexes) to food, but without recommendations and consultation with a veterinarian, independent initiative is inappropriate.

Daily diet for puppies

Dishes for a young Chihuahua should contain the following elements: proteins of plant or animal origin, carbohydrates and fats. If the owners have chosen a traditional diet as a permanent feeding method, the dog must be given additional vitamins. Supplements are introduced into the menu only in strict dosages, because their excess can lead to a deterioration in the pet’s condition. Be sure to discuss the need for vitamin supplements with your veterinarian.

The number of meals per day depends on your Chihuahua puppy's activity, weight, and metabolism. The standard diet according to the pet’s age is as follows:

• up to 3 weeks – newborns are fed by the mother;
• from 3 weeks to 2 months – puppies are still fed by their mother, but they should have additional food available 24/7;
• from 2 to 3 months – meals 5-6 times a day;
• from 3 to 6 months – feeding 3-4 times a day;
• from six months to 12 months – meals 2-3 times a day.

As soon as the pet turns one year old, it needs to be fed no more than twice a day. In this case, between the first and second meals, the dog can be treated with a small amount of treats.

What type of food to choose

Both feeding options are acceptable. But each of them has advantages and disadvantages.

Pros of dry food:

1. It's quick and easy. I opened the bag, poured in some food, and the puppy ate. Many people don't have time to prepare food for dogs.
2. The best food for Chihuahuas contains all the necessary vitamins and microelements. That is, the owner will not have to buy additional drugs at the veterinary pharmacy.
3. This format is convenient on the go. Of course, this is most relevant for those traveling with a dog. But many people prefer to entrust their pet to friends or relatives during vacation. And it’s much easier to give the puppy away along with a bag of food. It is unlikely that anyone will take responsibility for an animal that needs to be fed according to a special menu.
4. There are super-premium foods designed specifically for Chihuahuas. They were created taking into account the characteristics of breed diseases.
5. The food gets rid of tartar. And for Chihuahua dogs this is one of the most common problems.

Feeding your Chihuahua natural food also has advantages:

1. The owner can independently choose the highest quality and freshest products for his pet.
2. Feeding natural food means diversifying your pet’s diet. And for the picky people this is important.
3. This food does not contain preservatives or dyes, unlike ready-made dog food.

When choosing the type of food, the owner should be guided by the amount of free time and financial capabilities.

Important. It is impossible to keep an animal on mixed feeding. This is a serious burden on the digestive system.

Diet for an adult dog

The diet of an adult dog can be of two types: dry and traditional. The first method is to feed the pet dry food and canned food - such a diet already includes all trace elements and vitamins, and also does not take much time from the owner to prepare. The second method involves preparing natural dishes for the animal, takes more time and requires supplementing the menu with vitamins. The advantage of a traditional diet is that your pet will definitely not get tired of the same type of food, like dry food.

The following natural products can be given to an adult Chihuahua dog:

• raw chicken, beef and other types of lean meat;
• offal (liver, kidneys, heart);
• lean fish;
• boiled cereals (rice, buckwheat, semolina);
• dairy products;
• vegetables;
• vegetable oil (as part of dishes).

Toxic, harmful and dangerous products

It is very important to never feed your Chihuahua the following foods for objective reasons and veterinary indications:

• chocolate, candy, cookies and caffeinated products;
• onions and peppers (including bell peppers);
• salt and sugar, including products containing them;
• legumes: peas, beans, peanuts, lentils and others;
• pasta;
• alcoholic and carbonated drinks;
• bones (especially tubular ones);
• seeds and seeds of any fruit;
• raisins and prunes;
• grape;
• avocado;
• pomegranate;
• cherry;
• mushrooms;
• broccoli;
• nutmeg and macadamia.

!

Milk is not a dangerous or toxic product, but it can cause a runny nose and stomach upset. It is advisable to pamper with boiled milk, cooled to room temperature.

What can you give besides dry food?

During adolescence, when the Chihuahua's baby teeth fall out, bone-strengthening supplements can be included in the diet - fish oil, brewer's yeast and bone meal. There are also special dietary recommendations for male and female Chihuahuas.

For males. Male Chihuahuas need a lot of protein in order to be able to reproduce. To do this, the menu for male pets must include chicken eggs, fish, vegetable oil and vitamin A. Lack of calcium and lack of mineral trace elements in food can lead to the animal developing paralysis.

For bitches. The menu for girls of the dwarf dog breed must be adjusted during pregnancy and feeding of the puppies. To be able to bear full-fledged offspring, the animal needs additional calories and vitamins. Bitches often turn their noses up when they get bored of a certain food. If such a situation arises, it is necessary to reduce the calorie content of portions, reduce the number of treats and walk the dog in the fresh air more often.

What to feed a Chihuahua during pregnancy and after birth

Pregnant dogs require large amounts of calcium. Therefore, it is worth focusing on cottage cheese, cheeses and sea fish. Also during pregnancy, supplements with vitamins A, B1, D, E are useful. Raw meat and yolks are introduced into the diet in increased doses.

A week before the puppies are born, the distribution of dry food may not be limited. And fish and meat should be excluded completely. Chihuahuas are susceptible to eclampsia. This is a disease associated with an excess of animal protein, which causes death in 80% of cases.

In the first 7 days after birth, nursing mothers benefit from tea with honey and milk, as it enhances lactation. Main meal intake – 4–5 times a day. Porridge, boiled meat, vegetables, fruits and cottage cheese are suitable. But food is also acceptable.

After separation from the puppies, the diet is reduced. This is necessary to stop lactation. Within a week, the dog should be returned to its normal feeding regimen.

The main thing in a dog’s diet is a routine and a balanced diet, not the portion size.

It is important to take the Chihuahua’s diet seriously and provide your pet with all the necessary nutrients and vitamins so that it remains active and healthy for as long as possible.

Traditional dishes for adults

A natural diet is definitely a great way to keep your pet healthy and happy. It is important to remember that the traditional menu must include vitamins and mineral supplements.

Example menu for one day:

• first meal – boiled cereal with vegetables and lean fish;
• second meal - boiled vegetables and raw meat.

Example of a weekly diet for a Chihuahua:

• Monday – raw rabbit meat, boiled rice, fermented baked milk and boiled cauliflower;
• Tuesday – boiled hake, boiled egg, millet porridge and apple puree;
• Wednesday – boiled buckwheat and pollock, yogurt, chopped raw carrots;
• Thursday - beef, semolina porridge, banana puree and boiled pumpkin;
• Friday – chopped offal, stewed carrots and applesauce;
• Saturday – chopped kidneys, fermented baked milk, boiled rice, vegetable oil and boiled zucchini;
• Sunday – raw chicken, oatmeal, cottage cheese and peach puree.

An adult pet is fed twice a day, so the daily food intake is divided into two meals. The break between the first and second feeding should be about 12 hours. Dinner should be served no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Mini food features

If you get a mini Chihuahua, then be prepared to feed your pet strictly on a schedule. By not following the schedule, you increase the risk of poisoning, intestinal blockage, loss of strength and other troubles in your pet’s body.

The diet of mini Chihuahuas is almost no different from the diet of regular Chihuahuas. Their diet also consists of cereals, meat, vegetables, and sometimes you can add finely chopped greens. Do not indulge your pet with sweets , because this breed has a tendency to become obese.

If your pet does not finish all the food from the bowl, and he is not sick or experiencing any problems, then you should reduce the amount of food served to him.

If there is a need to revise the type of food, then you need to replace some foods with others very carefully, gradually.

Using our recommendations, you can easily determine what kind of food you will use. By choosing an individual diet for your pet, you are taking care of his health. Remember that a healthy dog ​​is a happy dog !

Helpful tips for creating a traditional menu for an adult dog

When choosing a traditional feeding method, adhere to the following rules:

• do not make minced meat products - it is better to serve meat and offal chopped into pieces;
• Grind hard vegetables on a coarse grater;
• do not serve boiled bones – raw ones are better accepted by the dog’s body;
• include some fermented milk products in your menu every day;
• Boil porridge in meat or vegetable broth;
• Cook semolina porridge in low-fat milk.

Foods that can be given to toy dogs:

• cereals - oatmeal, rice and buckwheat, cooked in broth in a ratio of 1:3, as well as semolina porridge in milk or water;
• fish – capelin, hake, cod and boiled sea bass;
• vegetables - zucchini, carrots and pumpkin, boiled or stewed with the addition of vegetable oil.

How to protect yourself from obesity?

This issue should be taken very seriously when caring for your animal. Chihuahua is a breed with a tendency to be overweight. To prevent the occurrence of this disease, follow the general rules.

1. These dogs love to eat, and some of them cannot control their satiety. Free access to food is unacceptable.
2. Feeding is carried out strictly according to the clock. To avoid malnutrition and oversaturation, do not break the schedule and stick to the established regime.
3. Do not feed your dog from the communal table.

Older dogs are more likely to suffer from obesity, and this is quite natural, since many physiological changes occur at this time. Older dogs are less active and their metabolic rate is significantly reduced. It is very sad when obesity appears in young dogs due to overeating and mistakes of their owners.

Most owners do not realize that obesity entails a whole list of concomitant diseases: arthritis, tracheal collapse, inflammation of the ligaments and tenosynovitis, diabetes, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and kidneys, musculoskeletal system, respiratory tract and dislocations of the kneecaps. These diseases pose a great threat to such a small and fragile dog breed.

Chihuahua's favorite food

Despite the fact that representatives of the dwarf breed are ready at any moment to eat everything that falls from the table to the floor, they have their own favorite treats. Such treats include meat, cheese, dried fruits and rye cookies. Many pets also enjoy eating bones and lean fish. Daily food intake for an adult dog

The daily standard for Chihuahuas aged 1-7 years is from 35 to 45 kcal per kilogram of weight, depending on the animal's lifestyle and metabolism. For dogs over eight years old, the daily food intake is about 30 kcal per 1 kg of weight. Animals over 10 years old are already considered elderly - their metabolic process slows down, so they are fed only once a day.

During the day, you can periodically treat your pet with treats, for example, give a piece of apple, a bone or rye cookies.

Ready-made dog food

Recommendations for choosing the right food for your pet:

1. Chihuahuas can be fed both dry and wet food. The main thing is that the package is marked “food for small breeds” or “food for toy breeds”. This is not a marketing gimmick. Food for large dogs is higher in calories, and consumption of such a product by a baby is fraught with obesity. An example of a suitable food is Royal Canin Mini. The price for a package weighing 800 g in Moscow will be about 400 rubles.
2. The best dry food for Chihuahuas should be either premium or super premium. Cheap analogues are made from soy, dyes and meat waste. High-quality food contains meat, cereals, vegetables, eggs, etc. In general, everything that a particular breed needs.
3. It is worth remembering the age of the pet. A puppy needs vitamins, an older dog needs maintenance supplements. Therefore, good food for Chihuahuas should be labeled accordingly.
4. The physiological characteristics of a particular puppy are also important. Plain food is not suitable for an animal with a sensitive stomach.
5. It is necessary to pamper your pet with wet canned food. This diversifies the diet, and dogs love them. However, it is worth remembering that you cannot mix canned food and food. It would be better to alternate them. In addition, canned food spoils quickly. Therefore, it is better to buy a small jar and give away the entire contents.

Using this calculator, you can find out the daily food intake depending on the condition, activity level and weight of your pet. Read more.

Diet menu

Chihuahuas are prone to obesity, which leads to poor health and decreased activity of their four-legged friend. If you become overweight, be sure to contact your veterinarian to create a diet menu. A diet for a plump dog looks something like this:

• the total amount of daily food is reduced by 15-20%;
• treats are replaced with vegetables;
• reduce the calorie content of dishes;
• cereals are cooked only in vegetable broth;
• change the usual dry food to low-calorie varieties.

Prohibited Products

Please pay special attention that these foods should not be given to Chihuahuas! For them it is poison!

1. Carbonated drinks.
2. Alcohol.
3. Caffeine.
4. Hop.
5. Pork.
6. Sausage.
7. Canned food.
8. Tubular bones.
9. Legumes.
10. Plum pits.
11. Apricot kernels.
12. Peach pits.
13. Walnut.
14. Nutmeg.
15. Macadamia.
16. Avocado.
17. Raisin.
18. Grape.
19. Pepper.
20. Sugar, any sweets, candies, chocolate.
21. Salt, salty.
22. Spicy.
23. Smoked.
24. Roast.
25. Pickled.
26. Puddings, cakes, baked desserts.
27. Mushrooms.
28. Condiments, herbs, spices, mustard.
29. Onions, onion powder.
30. Potato tops.
31. Rhubarb leaves.
32. Tomato tops.
33. Yeast mixture, flour, cookies, buns, bread.
34. Pasta.
35. Ice cream.

Diet for pets prone to allergies

Common allergens include chicken, eggs, seafood and red vegetables. The cause of problems is not only traditional dishes, but also dry food that contains the listed components. If signs of an allergic reaction appear in pets eating according to the traditional method, they are transferred to a diet consisting of turkey and rabbit meat, rice, zucchini and cabbage. If your four-legged friend is allergic to dry food, you need to replace it with a hypoallergenic variety.

How to give straight food correctly?

Take a closer look at your pet, what foods he likes best, what he doesn’t eat, and based on his individual characteristics, create a feeding diet. Keep in mind that it must be balanced.

Add vitamins and minerals. Create a diet and strictly follow it .

Why you should accustom your pet to natural food:

• all useful elements are absorbed by the dog much better from natural food than from prepared food;
• this will help avoid allergies to components from ready-made food;
• The Chihuahua itself will prefer the natural one.

What is possible?

The pet can eat dry food, canned food, as well as natural food.

Forbidden foods

It is very important for Chihuahua dogs that their diet is correct and balanced.

Therefore, you should not allow your pet to consume the following :

1. Any raw meat. Only boiled or at least scalded with boiling water is allowed. As for pork, it is prohibited to give it in any form, either raw or boiled. Eating meat can cause worms.
2. Various confectionery products. These include: sweets, pastries, cakes, etc. Consuming them can cause digestive problems in the dog, as well as destruction of tooth enamel and the development of tearing.
3. Beware of fatty, fried, smoked and spicy foods. This food is harmful not only for animals of any breed, but also for humans.
4. Be careful with milk. It turns out that in some dog breeds it provokes a laxative effect; by the way, these breeds also include Chihuahuas.
5. Eliminate all river fish and pollock from your pet’s diet.
6. Legumes, sausages and canned goods.
7. Nuts, especially walnuts.

Can I give my dog ​​fruit and vegetable juices?

This is an excellent solution for the animal, especially if the dog refuses to eat in the heat. The juice must be exclusively live, real, and not artificial, from a cardboard box.

Keep the orange juice or lemonade for yourself. A vegetable mix - pumpkin, spinach, carrots - slightly diluted with boiled water is suitable for a dog. The best fruit is apple, without sugar. You will provide the animal with the necessary vitamins. In hot weather, this is important; the animal’s body spends a lot of energy fighting unfavorable environmental conditions. It needs to be supported and nourished.

Apple juice in a small amount and diluted with water for an older dog will be an excellent opportunity to cleanse the liver and “revitalize” the gallbladder. Carrot juice is an excellent diuretic, suitable for animals with kidney problems. Just don’t give too much to pets suffering from urolithiasis. Just a couple of spoons diluted with water.

Tap water or bottled

In hot weather, every pet should have unlimited access to water. The main thing is that it is clean, at moderate room temperature. Cold water can cause an undesirable reaction in the gastrointestinal tract, especially if the animal is older or suffers from cholecystitis or pancreatitis.

The best thing is filtered water without chlorine, spring water. Non-mineral, bottled will work well. The main thing is that there is no gas in it. It is not advisable to pour water from the tap; in extreme cases, you can boil it and cool it.

Don't forget about nutritional supplements and vitamins

However, if you are wondering what to feed a 2-month-old Chihuahua puppy, even with a balanced diet, you should not forget about vitamins and healthy nutritional supplements.

First of all, the problem of calcium and iodine deficiency should be solved. The first solution is simple - one crushed calcium gluconate tablet is added to the diet. To obtain iodine, it is best to use seaweed - boiled or soaked in boiling water. You can add a drop of vitamin D to the food - it is sold in pharmacies and is inexpensive.

Finally, to strengthen the immune system and support health, you can give a quarter spoon of honey diluted in warm (but not hot!) water.

What should be included in the diet?

The daily menu of an adult dog should contain natural products containing useful substances, microelements, and vitamins necessary to ensure the normal functioning of the body. Your Chihuahua's diet should include:

• dietary meat after heat treatment;
• cereals in the form of porridges (buckwheat, corn, rice, rolled oats);
• raw, stewed, boiled vegetables;
• some fruits.

Periodically, other natural ingredients are added to the food - offal (kidneys, liver, heart), boiled chicken meat, boiled sea fish without bones, egg products (omelet).

A lack of calcium in the body makes the dog's bone tissue extremely fragile and brittle, which often ends in fractures of the limbs. Therefore, the animal must definitely eat food containing calcium.

Could you be allergic to them?

Food allergies to fruits in dogs are common. It is difficult to guess what it will manifest itself into; you will have to act by trial and error. If the animal begins to itch, rashes appear on the skin, the nose, eyes, and tips of the paws turn red - this is an allergy. Need to:

1. Give an antihistamine.
2. Reduce feeding to neutral, already proven feeding.
3. Show it to a veterinarian to clarify the diagnosis.

An allergic reaction can be persistent, lasting 2-3 days. All this time the dog needs a diet.

What to feed your dog - give him tea

Black tea is completely undesirable for dogs, just like coffee. It is a poison for animals because it contains caffeine.

Dogs should not be given coffee or black tea.

But herbal tea - chamomile, dill - is simply an excellent option. Helps digestion, relieves tension in the nervous system, cleanses the kidneys.

Herbal tea is especially suitable for an older dog, because in the heat, proper salt metabolism in the body is important for it. Dill water will help provide it. In addition, it is no secret that in old age everyone’s character deteriorates - both people and animals. Chamomile will help you relax and calm down a little. After all, heat is unpleasant for the animal, it suffers and therefore gets irritated.

Healthy berries

Berries are another acceptable and healthy treat. However, among them there are also varieties that pose a danger.

Sweet cherry pits contain cyanide and can become stuck in the throat if swallowed.

What berries can be included in your diet in moderation:

1. One of the first summer berries is strawberries. Serves as a source of fiber and vitamin C.
2. Blueberries are useful for antioxidants, vitamins A, E, K. This berry is often included in high-end industrial specialized feeds.
3. Raspberries have anti-inflammatory properties. May be useful for older animals. It is also rich in vitamin C.
4. Rowan has no contraindications and is a good source of microelements. Contains essential organic acids and pectin. There is more provitamin A in its ripe berries than in some vegetables, for example, carrots. It is advisable to get used to this berry from a young age.

Refusal to eat: possible reasons

Dogs often refuse to eat. This happens for various reasons. It is very important to distinguish manipulation and cunning inherent in small dogs from a situation requiring medical intervention.

Refusal of food often occurs due to the owner’s habit of pampering their pet with treats from the table. The animal becomes capricious, demanding, constantly begs for food from the owner, and gets used to forbidden food.

Sometimes dogs arrange fasting days for themselves. Often pets refuse food due to heat, hormonal changes during estrus or pregnancy. Males lose their appetite during the mating period or when they feel the close presence of an estrous individual of the opposite sex. The reason for refusal to eat may be stress associated with a change of place of residence or separation from the owner.

But if your little pet becomes lethargic, then develops a fever, or, conversely, experiences hypothermia; he is feverish; he developed discharge from the nose, eyes, ears, repeated vomiting, and bleeding; feces have acquired a putrid, fetid odor; a strong rumbling appeared in the tummy, and the stool became frequent and liquid, the problem is serious. There is no need to hope that everything will come to its senses on its own. In such cases, urgent intervention by a veterinarian is necessary.

The well-being of a pet largely depends on how attentive the owner is to him. Proper care and good nutrition are the basis for the health and excellent mood of your Chihuahua. Regardless of what food you feed your pet, the products must be fresh and of the best quality. Love and care will make your dog’s life long and happy, allowing him to remain active and good-natured until his last days.