Best Dry Dog Food For Chihuahuas
The best Dry dog food for Chihuahuas will help keep them healthy and let them be the adorable pet we know and love. Chihuahuas have certain dietary requirements that must be met for them to have their best lives, which helps determine the best option.
There are several excellent dry dog food options available, but we have selected our favourites.
Best Dry Dog Food For Chihuahua Puppies
Puppies are delicate and the transition to adulthood needs special care and handling, especially with diet. The right dry dog food will set your dog on a path to health and active life, making the choice a delicate one. There are several dry food options that are ideal for puppies but we take a look at our favourites.
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Puppy
Hill’s Science is a renowned name in the pet industry and consistently delivers excellent food options. With a mission to improve the relationship between pets and owners, Hill’s Science provides an excellent diet.
This dry food is designed for puppies and meets all the requirements for a growing chihuahua, enabling them to rise to their potential. From the moment your dog is weaned till they are a year old, this is the perfect food to keep a chihuahua in good health.
Features
- Free of artificial flavours, colouring and preservatives
- Designed for dogs under a year old
- Made by nutritionists and pet care experts
Pros
- Chihuahuas can easily pick up and eat this kibble
- High-quality protein that promotes healthy and strong muscle gain
- It helps form strong bones and teeth
- Antioxidants help to boost the immune system
Cons
Main Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Cracked Pearled Barley, Pork Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, and Whole Grain Corn.
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food
This grain-free recipe is designed for small breeds and is perfect for Chihuahuas, up till they are a year old. Formulated to assist with cognitive development, Wellness CORE will help your dog reach its full potential.
An all-natural dry food, it is also free of fillers, and the protein comes from animal meats. Starting your dog with wellness CORE grain-free will ensure a healthy adulthood.
Features
- It is designed for whole-body health
- Smaller kibble size, ideal for small breeds
- It contains premium proteins and nutrient-rich superfoods
Pros
- The kibble is small enough for chihuahuas to pick up and swallow
- It is formulated to promote cognitive development
- Made in the USA with the finest globally sourced ingredients
- A tasty kibble that appeals even to picky dogs
Cons
- It may be too expensive
Main Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Chicken Fat, and Tomato Pomace.
Best Dry Dog Food For Adult Chihuahuas
Adult Chihuahuas are small but their size is deceptive, as they are active dogs and require lots of energy. As they are a picky breed, selecting dry dog food for an adult chihuahua can be demanding. To help make the process easier, we have selected our favourite dry fog foods for adult Chihuahuas.
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Chihuahua
Royal Canin has a reputation for creating dry dog food specific to breeds and the Chihuahuas are no exception. With a nutrient combination that is perfect for an adult Chihuahua, there is no better dr food option.
All your Chihuahuas needs are accounted for and met in each serving of this dog food, keeping your dog in perfect health. The transition to this dog food can start from 8 months, shortly before your dog is considered an adult.
Features
- It is designed specifically for Chihuahuas
- The ideal kibble for Chihuahuas over 8 months old
- It helps easily digestible
Pros
- Small kibble size is ideal for Chihuahuas to pick up and chew
- Its flavours are enticing and appealing to most Chihuahuas
- It is formulated to improve stool quality
- It helps improve skin and coat health
Cons
- Not all dogs like this food
Main Ingredients: Corn, chicken by-product meal, wheat gluten, oat groats, and brewers rice.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed Dry Dog Food
Blue Buffalo is dedicated to promoting health in every pet and each recipe is designed to this standard. Designed for small breed dogs, this is the perfect dry food choice for adult Chihuahuas and is sure to meet all nutritional needs.
A grain-free recipe, you can switch your Chihuahua to this dry food once they are over a year old.
Features
- The kibble is perfectly shaped for dogs with small jaws
- Free of artificial flavours, preservatives, wheat, soy, and corn
- Designed to meet the energy needs of dogs with a high demand
Pros
- It has a high protein content
- A nutrient-dense recipe, packed with antioxidants and vitamins
- Calcium and phosphorus promote stronger teeth and bones
- It aids with healthy muscle development
Cons
Main Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Pea Protein, Peas, and Tapioca Starch.
Best Dry Dog Food Senior Chihuahuas
Senior Chihuahuas are once again fragile, and diet is all the more important. With a weakening immune system and some genetic predispositions to certain illnesses, the need for health is greater at this stage.
The right diet will keep your senior Chihuahua healthy for as long as possible, even delaying ageing.
Hill’s Science Diet Adult 7+ Small Bites
An older dog has specific needs and that is what Hill’s Science Diet Adult 7+ Small Bites is designed to meet. Your ageing Chihuahua can remain in good health, and even get some much-needed energy from this dry food.
With nutritionists, scientists and several other experts contributing to this diet, your Chihuahua couldn’t be in better care. Additionally, your purchase of this dry food can also feed some dogs in homeless shelters.
Features
- Formulated especially for dogs over seven years old
- It is made with all-natural ingredients
- Made in the USA with ingredients sourced from all over the globe
Pros
- It meets all the needs of an ageing chihuahua
- Small kibble size is ideal for small dogs
- It is easily digestible and provides large amounts of energy
- It helps improve kidney and heart health
Cons
- Not all dogs like this product
Main Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn, and Whole Grain Sorghum.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Senior
As part of their dedication to improving the relationship between pets and their owners, Blue Buffalo provides this senior dog dry food. Senior dogs require a healthier diet than adults, as they are typically fragile and their immune systems are weakened.
This dry food is made with all-natural ingredients, and formulated to boost the immune system. It also provides much-needed energy to seniors to keep them active even beyond their active years. With natural fruits and vegetables, your senior Chihuahua is sure to love this food.
Features
- Free poultry by-products, soy, wheat and corn
- A rich healthy protein diet
- It is made with all-natural ingredients
Pros
- It is easily digestible
- Glucosamine helps improve joint health
- Packed with vitamins and minerals that improve immune system health
- It provides senior dogs with much-needed energy
Cons
- An expensive product
Main Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, and Oatmeal.
Best Dry Dog Food For Special Needs Chihuahuas
Some Chihuahuas have special needs and health conditions and promptly require a specialized diet. Each condition is unique and promptly requires a different dry food.
We take a look at some of the best dry dog food options for some of the most common special conditions associated with Chihuahuas.
Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach
Chihuahuas are a picky breed and many of them also have sensitive stomachs. Where sensitive stomachs are concerned, a specialized diet is needed for your dog to live a normal life. Hill’s Science produces the perfect dry food for small breed dogs with sensitive stomachs and this includes Chihuahuas.
Additionally, this dry food helps improve eye health, the immune system, digestive health, heart health and brain health. Not only will your dog live a normal life, but they will get several additional benefits and be the best version of themselves.
Features
- The balanced concentration of nutrients
- Prebiotic fibre promotes an optimal microbiome
- Formulated for toy breeds
Pros
- Veterinarians worldwide recommend this product
- An all-natural dry dog food
- The ideal diet for dogs with sensitive stomachs
- Made in the USA with ingredients sourced from around the globe
Main Ingredients: Chicken, Brewers Rice, Chicken Meal, Yellow Peas, and Cracked Pearled Barley.
Wellness Core Small Breed Healthy Weight
Chihuahuas are a small breed and typically don’t have much body weight, except in a few rare instances. While such cases are rare, some Chihuahuas can stand to lose some weight and healthy measures are your safest bet.
Wellness Core Small Breed Healthy Weight is designed to help your dog lose weight. Without starving your dog or resorting to other extreme measures, your dog can return to the deal weight. In the perfect weight bracket, your Chihuahua is more healthy and more active, every dog owner’s dream.
Features
- It is a non-GMO product
- Free of artificial preservatives
- Formulated for dogs that need to lose weight
Pros
- Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients
- Free of meat by-products and fillers
- Formulated to improve skin health
- A protein-rich diet
Cons
- It is an expensive product
Main Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal, Oatmeal, and Rice.
Do Chihuahuas Need Special Food?
Chihuahuas are one of the most sensitive dog breeds and need a specialised diet to remain in good health. Quality of the food is of the utmost importance to keep this toy breed healthy and looking as cute as you’d like. If your choice of food is sub-standard, then your chihuahua may face dietary issues including bloating, vomiting and diarrhoea. It is therefore best to opt for quality when selecting dry food for chihuahuas, even if it costs more.
The younger the chihuahua, the greater the need for a high-quality diet. Puppy chihuahuas are more sensitive and at a crucial point in their lives that determines what happens when they’re older.
Once the quality is met, you still have to worry about taste as chihuahuas are a picky breed. Opt for dry food that contains human-grade ingredients, or one that is designed to match the nutrients and taste of a raw diet.
What Food Can Chihuahuas Not Eat?
Chihuahuas cannot eat any foods from the onion family. Dogs in general should not eat onions or their substitutes in any form. While it is harmless to humans, it is highly toxic to dogs and can cause gastrointestinal irritation or damage the red blood cells.
It could take some time after consumption before any damage is noticeable and by then it may be too late.
Some of the other foods Chihuahuas cannot eat include macadamia nuts, avocados and cooked bones. Chocolates, alcohol and artificial sweeteners are also harmful to dogs, even in small quantities, and can be fatal in extreme cases. Avoid any foods containing these substances, or your dog could face serious health problems.
How Many Times A Chihuahua Should Eat?
A Chihuahua’s feeding requirements change with time, and the older they get, the less frequency is needed. An adult Chihuahua needs at least two meals daily, but three meals are also acceptable.
Puppies need to be fed up to six times daily, or as much as they want without risking obesity. Never feed a Chihuahua one meal daily, as they have small stomachs and faster metabolism. Chihuahuas also need a lot of energy, and multiple meals daily can help provide it.
Other factors can also determine how frequently you should feed your dog including medical conditions and pregnancy.
In some cases, your dog’s weight, or lack thereof can influence how many times a chihuahua should eat. It is best to consult a veterinarian before establishing a feeding schedule or altering the already existing one.
Conclusion: Best Dry Dog Food For Chihuahuas
With the right diet, you will get the best out of your Chihuahua. The best Dry dog foods also carry several other benefits including improving dental health.
At different stages, the dietary needs of Chihuahuas change, as should the dry food choice. In the end, you won’t have to deal with health problems or unpleasant issues with your Chihuahua.
