Category: <span>Feeding</span>

Chihuahua arthritis, what can I do?

September 29, 2022September 29, 2022
by Louise Kirby

How can I help with chihuahua arthritis? A case study.

A question came into the office about how to help a chi chi who is struggling with arthritis and was it Ok to feed a salmon oil supplement.

Question: I’ve got a 9 yr old and a 3 yr old Chihuahua rat terrier and chi jack russell. We’ve battled an overweight problem with my 9yr old. I know it’s the extra weight on her but she’s struggling with her weight and she’s got arthritis. I’ve recently added salmon oil to her dry food. Only in the mornings I feed them about 1/4 cup of food and about 1tsp drizzle of the salmon oil over her food. My question is is that ok to feed her this. Is the salmon oil safe? It does seem to have helped her.

Chihuahua arthritis is a common problem so I thought I would answer it as a case study for everyone to read.

Answer: I’m sorry your chi chi is struggling with arthritis. What a shame for her.

Yes, it is a good idea to give her a good quality fish oil as this will certainly help. But you can go much further using food as medicine.

Your chi is not old as they can live to be 20, but in her current condition she is looking at spending her senior years in pain, which is a shame.

Weight control

If she was my dog this is what I would do:

Getting her weight down is essential, as this is putting his joints, spine, and internal organs under pressure. Being overweight takes around 4 years of a dog’s life.

First you need to establish what is correct weight should be and feed her around 3% of this. This is his total daily food allowance. Everything you feed comes out of this total.

For example, if your chihuahua’s correct weight is 6lb or 2.7 kgs then the daily food intake should be about 81 grams a day in total.

Dry food is causing chronic illness in dogs

Move away from dry or processed food if this is what you are feeding her as it’s the carbohydrates and starch in this food that will be contributing to the extra weight. Dogs have zero need for carbs and should get most of their food from healthy fats and protein in the form of fresh meat, eggs, organ meat, fish, and oily fish with low GI veg.

Dry food is also very low protein and made from poor-quality cheap ingredients. The cooking methods used kill any natural fats and minerals. Factory produced vitamins and minerals are added at the end of the process.

Dry food and poor-quality diets are one of the main reasons dogs become ill, they cause inflammation and inflammation is the root cause of most chronic illness. Certainly, arthritis will fall into this bracket.

Feed a fresh diet

Start to feed her a fresh diet, either a good quality raw food or a cooked food that has not been ultra-processed. You could look at home cooking and this is a good option but there will be some supplements that you must add in, like calcium and taurine. These are available online.

If you decide on raw, and this would be best, you can mix raw and cooked food, like chicken for treats and training. (Some people believe you can’t, but this is not correct)

Change her diet slowly, to give the gut a chance to adapt to a higher protein offering. You may need to swap over gradually around 10-20% a day. You can help this process by adding a good quality probiotic. Dr Mercola do a good one and we always have a pot in the house.

Mixing up the food

Work out how much food she needs a day and add into this total a lightly fried egg cooked in coconut oil keep the yolk soft. (You can feed a raw egg, I prefer to lightly cook mine). Feed twice a week as part of her breakfast. Add a tablespoon of kefir daily as this helps the gut biome. You can also feed a half a small sardine that has been packed in spring water, I give my dogs this twice a week. (The bones are soft enough for your dog to eat)

These additions are included in their daily food allowance.

Turmeric for the inflammation

You can also add some turmeric, turmeric is a miracle cure for inflammation, you could mix this into the kefir. The dose is around ¼ tsp per 10Lbs of body weight. Feed daily.

What not to feed

Don’t feed any shop bought treats. Food is food to a dog; they don’t know if it’s a ‘Lily’s Kitchen cranberry sausage’ or a bit of chicken. Treats are full of rubbish and with a small dog like a chihuahua they don’t have room for the extra calories. If you want to take food out with you on a walk, just put some of their daily food allowance aside as chicken or boiled pork mince and use this.

Don’t feed lots of raw vegetables, Dogs do need some veggies in their diet, but they can’t easily digest big lumps of raw veggies and it can cause tummy ache.

Never feed your dog either a vegetarian or vegan diet as these are not species appropriate.

Don’t feed rice as this is also not species appropriate and can contain toxins that create inflammation.

Exercise

Your chi needs exercise, but if she is in pain then keep it appropriate. Don’t overwalk her. Rather than take her out on long rambles play some games in the garden over the day.

Rest and healing

Also make sure she gets plenty of undisturbed rest so the parasympathetic nervous system gets a chance to help heal. A good nap in the day is essential.

Why fresh food is best

Fresh food is as essential for dogs as it is for people. It contains natural vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that are required to maintain a healthy gut biome. A strong balanced gut biome will defend your dog against illness and senior decline.

It is an error to believe that dry food or processed food is all we need to feed our dogs and this food is somehow ‘complete’. It is very far from nutritionally appropriate and contains some ingredients that harm our pets.

You can join us in Chihuahua School (opening soon) and we will be covering diet and nutrition in detail.

Hope this helps and let me know how you get on.

Behaviour

No need for senior decline in chihuahuas

May 24, 2022August 1, 2022
by Louise Kirby

We all want our dogs to live forever and chihuahuas are blessed with a longer lifespan than most dogs. Chihuahuas can easily live until they are 16 and some have happily made it to past 20 years old. Which is well over 100 in human years. But there is a difference between living to a ripe old age and passing away a happy old dog and living to be old and aging badly, beset with health issues that are the result of senior decline.

Obviously, there will be changes in our dogs as they get older but there really isn’t the need for our dogs senior decline mentally and physically to the point when days are full of confusion and pain.

It’s all about gut biome

How can we ensure our dogs become senior without the senior decline that dogs often suffer? Scientists, nutritionists, and vets are doing a lot of work around aging in dogs. The link between gut biome and brain health is astounding. Gut microbiome are the microbes that live in the intestines. The gut biome is so influential that it’s being called a ‘second brain’. Having a healthy, balanced microbiome is essential for our health and it’s the same for our dogs.

Turn back you dogs aging brain

It is possible to restore your dog’s the ageing brain by making some simple changes to your dog’s diet and fitness regime. What this means for us as dog owners is it’s never too late to make positive changes to our dog’s wellbeing and overall health and turn back the clock and help them grow into a healthy old age.

How to stop senior decline

Stop feeding kibble and over processed dog food like pouches of slimy jelly that contain a substance similar to antifreeze to keep it soft. Kibble or dry food is not a species appropriate food. Kibble is full of carbs and fillers and generally have a low protein offering and does not contain enough moisture essential for digestion. Because of the way it’s cooked it is a ‘dead’ food and synthetic vitamins and minerals must be added. It is so far away from the ‘balanced’ diet that vets and the petfood industry want us to believe. Kibble is the worst thing that has happened to dog health and is responsible for a wide range of illnesses including obesity and tooth decay.

Feed your dog a range of fresh foods that are rich in antioxidants. Muscle meat and organ meat, Raw is preferable either home-made or brought if it’s good quality. If you can’t feed raw look at a high-quality semi moist food. Dogs need fat and protein, they don’t need carbs. Research what goes into a homemade diet so you are feeding a balanced meal. If you’re not feeding bones then you will need to add calcium in the form of ground egg shells. Never feed the same meat everyday.

Make sure your dog gets additional eggs, cooked or raw. (Not the shell). 2-3 a week

Add in some oily fish (sardines packed in water but not tuna or raw salmon). Around half a sardine per 4.5Kg of dog.

Add some superfood veggies like sprouting broccoli to their dinner as a topper or give them instead of ‘treats’. While low GI veggies are helpful to a dog they must never be more than 18% of their daily food allowance.

Add a tablespoon of Kefir (1 tlbs per 4.5 kg) to their dinner daily.

Stop feeding treats. These are full of rubbish and don’t have any kind of nutritional profile. Chihuahuas are small and treats can take up a big part of their daily food allowance. Food is food to a dog so use their dinner for training.

Get appropriate exercise and have a fitness regime in place. A little sensible exercise every day will help halt senior decline. But don’t assume more is better and over walk your dog as this can fill their bucket and make them reactive.

Keep them at their correct weight. Being obese can cost a dog 4 years of its life. If your dog is overweight, you don’t need prescription diet food from the vet. Just weigh their daily food and make sure you feed them for the weight they should be. An adult dog that has been nurtured needs around 3% of their bodyweight. A complete dog (one that has not been spayed or neutered can eat more). Speak to your vet who will advise what your chihuahua should weigh.

Cut back on the vaccinations, if your dog has had a booster every year, they never need another one. Over vaccination is harmful for your dog and expensive for you. If you live in the US, the rabies vaccination for small dogs is causing a lot of controversy. Have a look at this website. Protect the Pets http://www.protectthepets.com

Summary

In summary freed a range of fresh food, get sensible exercise, cut out the rubbish treats and keep weight stable, get plenty of real rest and reduce the stress. Seems obvious really.

chihuahua agression

Scatter feeding can calm your chihuahua

November 10, 2021May 9, 2022
by Louise Kirby

What is scatter feeding?

If you have never heard of scatter feeding it’s a very simple process of throwing a proportion of your dog’s daily food allowance over the grass. They then must root about for it. It really is as simple as that.

Why is scatter feeding a good idea?

Dogs are scavengers by nature, it’s hardwired into their DNA. If they were wild, they would spend the day hunting and scavenging for their next meal. Being given food direct into their bowl every morning and every evening seems ideal, but in fact it does them a disservice and can be bad for their mental health. Working for food is part of a dog’s nature, it even has a name, ‘contrafreeloading’. Think how much they enjoy chewing a bone or nagging on a hoof.

Scatter feeding can calm your chihuahua

Scatter feeding is a calming activity, dogs enjoy the process of snuffling around in the grass and eating what they find, so if your chihuahua is a bit reactive and stressed then this simple activity can help calm them down. It also has the added benefit of helping them become calmer in the environment. So, if they are normally running the fence or barking at pigeons, scatter feeding gives them a new focus and brings down their arousal level, making them feel less stressed outdoors.

It’s also extremely useful if you have visitors coming and your chihuahuas normally charge the front door in a barking frenzy. Get your visitors to give you a moment to chuck some food on the grass before they come in the door, and your chihuahua will have something to do while your visitors come in.

If you don’t have a garden, you can improvise, indoors you can use a snuffle mat or roll out some fake grass and sprinkle some of their food onto that. If the weather is nice then take them to the park and eat alfresco, scatter feed on the grass. I do this with Arlo who can be a bit worried by the environment. It calms him down, brings down his arousal level making him less likely to be worried by everything he sees and therefore less likely to bark at it.

What sort of food can you use?

Use their dinner rather than treats, this way you can be generous and make it a real experience for them and they won’t get fat. It’s best with a semi moist food. You can use dry as well but remember to take some water if you are out. Raw is more problematic, but because we are solution based, you could freeze it or dehydrate it. However, you can successfully mix raw and cooked food so maybe for this exercise boil some pork mince.

When to do it

People tend to feed their dogs twice a day sometimes once. (For a small dog like a chihuahua I recommend twice a day). I often do a small scatter feed first thing in the morning and let them go hunt for it while I get myself a cup of tea. As I mentioned above, I will use this method to calm them down if visitors are arriving or if I think they are a bit bored and need some fresh air.

One of the main worries my clients have about scatter feeding is how to gauge how much their dog has eaten. If you only have one dog, then this is easy to manage. Weigh out their daily food allowance and you will know how much your dog has eaten. If you have a multi dog household reduce each dog’s daily food allowance by the approximate grams they have snuffled on the grass.

I am quite strict about how much I feed my dogs and always weigh out their daily food allowance and this notion did worry me for a while. But just keep an eye on your chihuahua, then if you feel they need it, adjust how much they eat up or down. If your chihuahua is overweight read this.

My chihuahua gives up

This can be a thing if your chihuahua is a princess and very used to being given everything. So, the first step is to avoid feeding them treats, treats put them off their dinner, makes them fat and can make them lazy. Grow the scatter area gradually, so in the beginning only throw the food over a small area, as they get more skilled at it you can scatter further afield.

Give it a try and let me know in the comments how it went.

Louise Kirby

My name is Louise Kirby and I’m a freelance writer and certified Pro Dog Trainer. I adore and train all breeds but have a special interest in chihuahuas and their rehabilitation. Chihuahuas are awesome little dogs, spunky, full of joy, loyal and tenacious. But some present with behaviours that make them a challenge to manage. I’m on a mission to restore the relationship between owners and their dogs. To help you get back the dog you always dreamed of. That’s why dog training is a happiness project!

Feeding

You want to home cook for your chihuahua!

September 30, 2021November 10, 2021
by Louise Kirby

If you want to home cook for your chihuahua, you are going to need to be brave. Without a doubt, you will get criticism from your vet and from people who prefer processed dog food.

Home cooking can be a viable alternative to buying processed food and surly, using fresh ingredients has got to be better than food that’s got preservatives added, right?

The reason vets and canine health professionals are so against home cooking is that many diets are not balanced and not well put together. Some diets are so poor that owners are depriving their dogs of the essential vitamins and minerals they need to keep them healthy. There are a lot of people who just feed their dog chicken meat and a few veggies, and while there is nothing wrong with either ingredient, this is not a good long-term diet.

Another issue you have is people often believe that if a food is OK for a human then it’s Ok for their dog and that’s just not the case. There’s a long list of things that your dog can’t eat. Rice is big on the list of things that people like to feed their dogs, when actually rice is not a suitable food at all and can contribute to leaky gut syndrome.

Good reasons to home cook

One of the best reasons to home cook for your chihuahua is control over the ingredients and the ability to curate your dogs meal to suite any dietary issues like IBD or pancreatitis. Having more control also means less fillers and carbs and a higher protein content. You dog needs fat and protein to thrive, they do get some benefit from veggies but not as much as people like to think.

Do you have a dog with allergies? The chances are they are eating something that doesn’t agree with them. Dry dog food would be the top of the list here, even the stuff that’s meant for dogs with allergies. Most allergies will start in the gut. Being able to switch your chihuahua out to a novel protein like pork and white fish is very helpful, and then you can work on eliminating the food that is causing the problem. (Pork & fish on it’s own would not be a long-term diet answer but is a helpful short-term solution)

Does home cooking help with weight control?

Getting involved with counting calories for your dog is rabbit hole that you may not want to go down. Dogs need fat in their diet and leaving it out can be harmful. Rather than try and curate a low fat diet go with weighing food out to suite their correct body weight. Most dogs are overweight because of dry food, too many treats and vague feeding instructions mean they are overfed. If your chihuahua is overweight this article may be helpful.

Is home cooking cheaper?

Yes and no, buying the ingredients may be cheaper at the till, but putting it all together is time consuming. We have five dogs and home cooking for my lot is a significant investment of time, I still do it, but not as much. I have found a good quality moist dog food that they all like and this is what they get most of the time.

You also need to take into account the supplements you must add into their food.

This list is essential and should go into all meals. I have linked to places you can buy the products.

This list is advisable and can be curated to site your dogs needs.

This is what I am using at the moment and it goes into shop brought and home cooked food.

(Some of these links are affiliate links and if you use them I earn a few pence so thank you in advance for helping me keep it all going!)

Plaque or seaweed supplement to help keep teeth clean.

Complete probiotics. I don’t add this to every meal, I add it to Macy’s once or twice a week because she is poop eater and this helps stop it. It is also good to keep in stock in case of tummy upsets and seems to help with tear staining.

Calming supplements.

I use the Calm K9 for the younger ones as it promotes a healthy gut biome and does help them stay in a calmer frame of mind and makes them easier to train.

Then Calm K9 senior for Mika who is 10. This stuff is a little pricey but because chihuahuas are small they don’t need a lot and it lasts for ages. The senior version has made a massive difference to Mika. It supports cognitive health and gut biome and seems to have helped reduce anal gland issues.

What must go into home cooked food

Like humans dogs need a variety of different proteins, just feeding one meat every meal is not a good idea, especially if it’s chicken which is an inflammatory meat. (don’t eliminate it, just mix it up)

They need

A main meat like ground lamb, beef, pork or chicken on rotation
White fish and oily fish on rotation
Lightly cooked veggies on rotation
Eggs once or twice a week
Offal, Liver, kidney and heart meat. (This should only be about 10% of yours chihuahua diet as the vitamin A content will be high)
The essential list of supplements
A curated list of supplements suited to your dogs lifestage.

Home cooking is not that straight forward but,

While home cooking has its advantages it’s not as straightforward as you first think. It certainly isn’t a case of just dropping some cooked chicken breast in a bowl. But it is very satisfying to do and can have health benefits for your chihuahua.

But once you have all your proportions and supplements sorted and in place it becomes so much easier. If you would like to know more about home cooking for your chihuahua please fill in the pop up. I am filming a cooking course and would love to keep you in the loop.

barking

Is your chihuahua ‘action-prompting’ you?

September 28, 2021January 18, 2022
by Louise Kirby

If your chihuahua nudges you, paws you or barks at you to keep doing something they want this is called action-prompting. On the face of it, giving you a little nudge with their nose to keep to stoking them seems harmless enough but this behaviour can escalate into continual barking to throw the ball or play with them. This action-prompting behaviour can become annoying if you are trying to read or worse if you are working from home and in the middle of a work call.

If you have a chihuahua puppy, action-prompting may look like mouthing or biting or nipping at clothes to get you to play.

If action prompting behaviour is causing a problem in your house this road map will help you get it under control and divert your chihuahua to a calmer state.

The action-prompting road map.

Action prompting is when your dog ‘prompts’ you for interaction.

Nudging
Barking
Dropping a toy
Nipping
Jumping

Often this is because your chihuahua is in a more excited headspace than is appropriate to you are the environment. For example, they will drop a toy at your feet while you are working, trying to read, or just doing something that doesn’t involve them.

Why ignoring it is not a good idea

Conventional training suggests that you ignore action prompting, but this can be hard if their chosen behavior is barking, and you are working. Ignoring can also lead to frustration in the dog and they may up their game to nipping and biting to get a reaction. While they are doing they are going to be getting more and more excited and less able to calm down.

Meet the dog halfway

We are going to re-direct the dog to a more calming activity, thus avoiding an escalation of the behavior and frustration in the dog. Eventually the dog will learn that action prompting does not yield the desired results and the behavior will reduce.

Figure of 8s

Figure of 8s is a calming walk that involves walking your dog around in a quiet figure of 8. This action has a meditative effect and will help your chihuahua calm down. Using a double ended lead and a two point harness makes this easier.

Direct to boundary

Boundary training is when your dog is directed to an area where sit until directed to leave, a raised bed is often used or a crate. The boundary is always an area of calm and often your dog will settle down for a sleep or be given a long chew.

Settle down with a Kong

Feeding you dog in a Kong is very helpful as it gives you chihuahua lots of fun and engagement trying to dig the food out. Rather than give your dog all their daily food allowance in the bowl in the morning spread it out and use it during the day. Think of food as currency and spend it to give your chihuahua something to do over the day.

Calm road walk on two-point lead

If your chihuahua is able to walk outside without becoming over excited, then a calm road walk can help put them in a better head space.

Settle down with a hoof or long-term chew

When we talk about long-term chews we don’t mean anything you are going to buy from the supermarket. That includes dental sticks which are often full of empty calories and rubbish, or plastic bones that are meat flavoured. Think about using a hoof, raw bones (remove the marrow), pigs ears or something natural. Avoid rawhide as this can cause stomach upset.

Scatter feeding

Scatter feeding is another great way to feed your chihuahua and get fantastic value from their dinner. It is simply getting some of their daily food allowance and scattering on the grass. Your dog will really enjoy hunting and snuffling about for it. If you don’t have a garden then think about a snuffle mat. See Minnie in the video enjoying her snuffle mat. The act of hunting and snuffling for their food is very calming and hardwired into their psyche. Dogs are natural scavengers and this is a natural behaviour for them it’s even got a name, contrafreeloading. It is much better for your dogs mental health to work for their food.

Plan for it

If your dog is an action prompter, then plan for it. Have things ready so the behavior can be dealt with in the moment.

Have the dog on a soft harness so you can do 8s
Frozen Kong ready to hand out
Long term chews ready to go (not anything from a supermarket packet)
Boundary training in place

Louise Kirby

Dry food

Feed your chihuahua a fried egg!

September 27, 2021November 10, 2021
by Louise Kirby

Fry an egg once a week for your chihuahua!

Once a week I get the frying pan out and cook a fried egg for my chihuahuas. I tell my dog training clients to do the same and often get a quizzical raised eyebrow.

Why is good to feed your chihuahua a fried egg

Eggs are little power packs of top-quality protein and omega 3s. Eggs are packed with high quality protein and are bursting with essential amino and fatty acids. They contain an array of vitamins including A and B12, they also have folate, iron, selenium, and riboflavin. The benefits to your dog will be strong teeth, bones, and a shiny coat.

If your chihuahua is on a kibble-based diet, then it will provide a useful boost in protein and vitamins and minerals from a source food. Vitamins and minerals in dry food are synthetic as the source ones will be killed off in the cooking process. It will also be an enjoyable break from a very bland eating regime for your dog.

Get the frying pan out

Why is it better to lightly fry rather than scramble? Eggs contain long chain fatty acids that are delicate in nature. Keeping them complete for as long as possible is better nutritionally. The trick is to lightly fry your egg keeping the yolk runny thus preserving the LCFAs.

What should you cook them in.

The good news for people and dogs is that eggs don’t absorb much fat in the cooking process, but it’s still important to make sure they are good in good oils and fats. I tend to use either organic rapeseed or coconut oil. Using a nonstick pan will also help use less fat.

How to serve them.

I tend to chop them up in their morning food. I will fry the eggs aiming for 1 small egg per dog. I have their daily food in a pot then once the eggs are cooked, I chop them in. Then I weigh their food out, so the egg is included in their daily food allowance and is not an extra.

Is it OK to feed raw eggs?

Yes, if you feed your dog the whole egg and not just egg whites. (Egg whites contain avidin, an enzyme that prevents absorption of biotin in the body.) The yolk balances this out. But cooking them will make them slightly more digestible and you will be killing of pathogens and reduces the risk of salmonella.

Can they eat the shells?

Egg shells mainly calcium carbonate, a very calcium rich compound which is also very easily absorbed. This will give your dog a very high dose of calcium in one hit. Getting the calcium balance correct for your dog can be tricky and is especially important for a puppy. Too much or too little can have health implications. If you are feeding a commercial dog food, then avoid feeding the eggshells on a regular basis as the calcium will have been worked out for you and you may upset the balance.

However, if your home cooking for your dog then you will need to add ground eggshell to make sure they are getting sufficient calcium, but this is another blog post.

Louise Kirby

Dry food

Help! I have an overweight chihuahua

February 28, 2021June 13, 2022
by Louise Kirby

How to tackle an overweight chihuahua

It’s easy to overfeed a chihuahua because they are so small, just a few grams too much food and you have an overweight chihuahua. So if your chi is a bit on the chubby side don’t beat yourself up too much. Just as long as you’re ready to tackle it.

Obesity amongst dogs is a growing issue and a lot of the problem is down to dry food, not weighing out food portions and feeding treats. Being overweight can have lasting health consequences for all dogs like: heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.

Being too heavy may put pressure on an existing luxating patella. It can also aggravate problems with anal glands because, if the glands are covered in fat, they will not easily express.

Evidence it contribute to canine cancers

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests over the longer-term, being overweight can contribute to cancers.

Food motivated

Some chihuahuas are highly food motivated and will scavenge relentlessly. Minnie is one of the greediest dog’s ever and is an expert at hoovering up scraps and crumbs. Keeping her weight under control requires diligence, we monitor her weight regularly.

It can be a daunting task to try and get an overweight chihuahua back into shape, especially if bad habit have crept up on you, but getting them back down to slinky chi chi is not as hard as it feels.

Shift in thinking

It requires a shift of thinking, and owners need to realise that the treat or little extra that you give them because you love them, could be shortening their life, contributing to poor health and huge vet bills. The reality is, we all need to toughen up. Instead of using food to show affection play a game, give a belly rub or go out for a walk.

No need for diet food

The good news is it’s easier than you think to get your chihuahua back into shape, and you don’t need to buy expensive prescription foods to get weight under control. Just feed the correct amount of regular food for their weight. Diet food from the vet’s is often unpalatable, expensive muck made from the worst ingredients.

Food is food to a dog

Here is another big shift in thinking. Food is food to a dog. They lick their bums, eat horse poop and cat vomit so they aren’t that fussy. My point is here, if you’re training your dog, use their daily food. Hold 20-30% back from their breakfast and dish it out over the day as training rewards. They really aren’t going to turn their nose up and stalk off in a huff because it’s not a Lily’s Kitchen mini apple and pork sausage. When you add up the cost of some of these treats they are costing you £35 per kilo!

However while food is food to a dog, that doesn’t mean feed them any old grub. Understanding what you are feeding your dog is important. Stay away from food filled with fillers, rice and grain. You want something high protein and preferably not dry.

Get everyone on board

It goes without saying that good habits start from puppy hood and it requires the whole family to cooperate.

Key essentials to dealing with an overweight chihuahua

First of all, it’s a good idea to have only one person responsible for feeding.
No one gives the dogs treats, and if training treats are being used then it must come out of your chihuahua’s daily food allowance.
Keep the dogs away from the table when the family are eating, teach them to go and lie down or put them into another room. The sad face as they watch you eat is very effective at getting titbits.
Weighing out food rather than just chucking in the bowl is key. Especially as feeding guidelines on commercial dog food are often so vague. Knowing the amount you are feeding will help you make measured adjustments.
Write down and record weight and the amount you are feeding.
Weigh your dog on a regular basis. If he starts to put on weight, then you can reduce the amount you are feeding down by a few grams. Just a 10gm reduction in her food helped Minnie lose 500g and get down to her target weight of 4.8kg
Feed for the weight your dog should be not the weight they are now.

How to tell if your chi is overweight

Vets use a table of body condition to assess if a dog is overweight or malnourished, looking at where your chihuahua is on the scale will give you a good idea of how overweight they may be. For instance:

Does your chi have a pot belly?
Can you see his waist or tuck? (The part that goes in after the ribs)
Are their ribs easy to feel under their fur? If they are cushioned and you need to dig for them, then he is carrying extra fat.

But if you are not sure ask your vet. Most vets are keen for dogs to lose weight and will be happy to help.

How you feed is important.

There are two main ways people feed their dogs. Meal feeding and free feeding.

Free feeding is when you put down the food and your chihuahua can eat when he likes. But, if you have cats who can be partial to dog food, or more than one dog it can be difficult to monitor who is eating what.

Meal feeding is when your chi is given dinner at set times. This does make it much easier to monitor the amount. Both methods have pros and cons. You can read more about this here.

But if your chihuahua is on a diet, then it’s better to go with meal feeding as you can monitor exactly what is being eaten. You can still kong feed or scatter feed if you are working on calming strategies with your chihuahua. Meal feeding also works better if you have multiple dogs and are feeding wet food.

What to feed your chihuahua

Feed the best quality food you can afford, but the other side of the coin is expensive doesn’t mean quality. In general stay away from dried food. Even mixes made for chihuahuas as this is just marketing nonsense. These premium priced science looking products are often made from the least desirable ingredients. Learning how to read food labels is helpful. Read more about understanding food labels here. Just don’t be taken in by the label on the front. They have little to do with what is actually in the tin or packet.

Dog’s don’t need rice, grain or food with carbohydrates. They do need a range of high quality protein and fat, from meat (red & white) fish (white & oily) eggs, offal and heart.

Vegetables do play some part in a dogs diet, but not nearly as much as people like to think. Any veggies you feed your dog should be cooked or grated and never given in raw lumps as they can cause upset belly or even a blockage. Veggies should only ever form 10-20% of your dogs daily food.

Food delivery for dogs is now very popular with several companies offering comparable services. Semi moist fresh food is also becoming popular. There are also some good quality canned foods, Butchers and Cannagan spring to mind.

Life stage

Dogs need different amounts of food depending on their life stage.

For example, a complete dog male or female will need to eat more than a neutered dog. An older dog will need to eat less than a young dog. A puppy can need 10% of their body weight. If you are not sure then ask your vet, they will be happy to help.

Avoid some of the online calculators that tell you how much to feed your dog and how much they should weigh. I have looked at a few and the information has been very suspect. If in doubt ask your vet.

Take away

Stop or significantly reduce treats.
Weigh your dog so you can plot progress.
Weigh out food
Feed for her ideal weight not her current weight.

About the author

Louise Kirby

Feeding

How to Clean your chihuahua’s teeth without brushing

February 25, 2021January 25, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Chihuahuas are prone to tooth decay because they have small mouths and their teeth are very close together making them a food trap. Brushing your dog’s teeth every day is the best way to keep your chihuahua’s teeth clean but it’s not always possible.

Not cleaning your chihuahua’s teeth can lead to some surprising problems, apart from tooth decay and bad breath a statistical link has been shown between gum disease and heart problems.

If you clean your dog’s teeth every day then you have it cracked, but it’s notoriously difficult to clean a chihuahua’s teeth if they’re not feeling the love.

Dental chews & sticks

There are a huge variety of different dental chews and sticks on the market that suggest they will help clean your dog’s teeth. They may help a bit but what concerns me is the calorie content of these products. To a large dog, the calorie count is not much but for a chi, it can seriously add extra low-quality calories that they just don’t need. I generally give these a miss or I haven’t found one I like yet. Maybe, I need to look for chews with low-calorie, something like pig ears for dogs, which are made from all-natural pork that’s free from any added hormones, steroids, or antibiotics.

Raw bones

Raw bones are very good for teeth cleaning, all that chewing and nibbling meat gives the teeth the equivalent of a good flossing. Scraping away tartar and polishing the teeth as your chihuahua crunches and gnaws. Also, your chi will get extra calcium phosphorus & magnesium.

It is important to give your chi the right bones to avoid broken teeth. The research we have done suggests lamb or goat bones are best. Cow shanks might be too hard and too big for your chi to manage.

Never cook the bones as this makes them brittle and splinter.

If you are giving bone with marrow in then it’s a good idea to scrap the majority of the marrow out. Marrow is basically fat and while very tasty for your chihuahua, too much is likely to cause an unhappy bottom. I would scrape most of it out and just leave enough to keep it interesting.

If you have more than one chihuahua you are also likely to get ‘Game of Bones’, where one steals the others and then all sorts of shenanigans ensue. Leave the bones down for a while then remove them after about 20 minutes. If you chihuahua is reluctant to give it up, then exchange it for something else like a treat.

Kibble (avoid)

Some dog foods will suggest they have teeth cleaning properties. And when you look at it you can see why some owners believe this is true. They are abrasive and rub the teeth when eaten. But kibble is full of carbohydrate which turns to sugar. Like for humans, sugar is going to rot teeth. Dogs don’t need any carbohydrate and can’t process sugar. Avoid.

Raw veggies (avoid)

People love the idea of giving raw vegetables to their dog. Often based on the notion that if it’s good for people, then it must be good for a dog. But, dogs are not geared up for raw veggies. They don’t have the correct teeth to grind down the cellulose or the correct enzymes in their saliva to start the digestion processes. Cows and other herbivores eat with a grinding motion. Dogs are carnivores (not omnivores that dog food manufactures would like you to believe) they are geared up for gulping and digesting lumps of fat and protein in the gut. Lumps of raw veg can sit in the gut and cause belly ache or if you’re really unlucky a blockage. If you are going to feed veggies to your dog then cook or grate them first.

Frozen chicken wings

A lot of people give their dogs frozen chicken wings to gnaw on. It will have the same effect as giving raw bones. Chicken wings might be easier for a smaller chi to manage. My feeling is frozen might be less messy that fresh. Remember to take the calories of the meat into their daily allowance.

Always supervise your dog with any bones.

Antlers

It’s the abrasive action of chewing the antler that makes them work for teeth cleaning. Minnie absolutely loves them, Mika not so much. He only likes the political advantage of taking Minnie’s and holding it to ransom! I have read that some people soak the antler in chicken broth to make it more appealing and to soften it. An antler is expensive, a small one can be 7.00 – 9.00 but they do last a long time. The downside of antlers is the possibility of broken teeth. Some vets are dead against them for this reason. I run them through the band saw so Minnie can get at the inside.

Coconut oil & neem oil

Coconut oil and neem oil are super good for cleaning your dog’s teeth, they both contain natural anti-bacterial properties which kills the bacteria that causes tooth decay. If you can, rub it into your dog’s teeth and gums, or coat their favourite chew toys. I had a go at rubbing it into Mika’s teeth fully expecting to get bitten and surprise surprise it went OK. We now have a funny little spikey ball toy that you can put a couple of treats in and then coat the ball in coconut oil. Read more about neem oil here.
(Neem oil is a must have cupboard staple and not just used for teeth cleaning. It can be used for fleas, cuts, stings and skin issues. I always have some in the cupboard.)

Kelp seaweed

This is my favourite and easy to use. Kelp Seaweed seems to be another undervalued superfood that is rich in Iodine, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium. It is much more readily available and is available as a supplements. Just add some to their nosh. I have been adding seaweed to their food for a few years now and touchwood Mika had his teeth cleaned at the vets this year and had no extractions. He is 10 now.

Feeding it to your dog will help reduce tartar build-up on her teeth and provide a host of other health benefits. It is easily available as a powder which can be sprinkled over your dog’s food. Read 42 reasons to put seaweed in your dog’s diet

Get this for fresh breath and clean teeth!

A-OK9 Plaque-K9. This is my absolute favourite at the moment. So far I haven’t come across anything better and I thoroughly recommend it. It has added herbes and makes the breath smell sooo much sweeter. We’ve been using it for a few months now and all the chi chis breath is better and their teeth cleaner. At £37.00 it’s a feels expensive, but it lasts for ages and is still a lot cheaper than going in for a teeth clean. I love it so much we’ve become A-OK9 partners. Check it out here.

Teeth cleaning at the dentist

Getting your teeth cleaned at the vet is very expensive. My regular vet quoted me around 400 plus to clean Mikas teeth last year. But you can shop around. Your vet does not own you and you’re not tied to them. I came across an introductory offer at a local chain of vets that was a third of the price. I got them done there. Frankly if my regular vet wanted to be pissy about it I can take my business to any number of vets. You need to do the best you can for your dog. I have five chi chis and vet bills can take their toll.

About the author

Louise Kirby

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Feeding

How to heal and manage your chihuahua’s IBS

October 12, 2019September 29, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Get your chihuahua’s IBS under control

Getting your chihuahua’s IBS under control can take some time. Symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) can be like the symptoms of IBD (Inflammatory bowel disease). Both cause diarrhoea or constipation, abdominal bloating & pain and possible vomiting.

The difference is IBS tends to be intermittent and will flare up then go away and IBD is a chronic condition and will be something that you are managing daily. IBD is the next stage of IBS.

The diagnosis of IBS should be made after a series of other conditions have been tested for and ruled out. You vet is likely to check for:

Worms
Tumours
Bacterial infections
Colitis

The GI tract is a major part of your dog’s immune system so it’s important to get your chihuahua’s IBS under control as poor digestion and GI inflammation can lead to other secondary infections. They are also going to be suffering from nutritional deficiencies as much of what they eat isn’t going to be absorbed in the normal way.

It’s very frustrating and heart wrenching to watch your dog struggling with IBS, knowing they feel wretched and under the weather. Trying to find something to feed them that isn’t going to end in a bout of stinging diarrhoea.

Bland diet

The first thing your vet may suggest is getting your chihuahua’s IBS under control by feeding a bland diet. When Mika suffers a bout, we go with boiled, minced pork and pumpkin. Make sure this is pure pumpkin and not the sweetened pie filler. In the UK the only place I have found tinned pumpkin all year round is Waitrose. If you can’t serve pumpkin, then try sweet potatoes instead. Not all dogs can tolerate pumpkin and, in some cases, it can have the opposite effect.

Some people suggest chicken and rice, but white chicken meat can be the cause of inflammation as it is high in Omega 6. If you are feeding a lot of chicken balance it with some white fish. Rice is indigestible for dogs and can add to leaky gut issues.

Probiotic can help your dog’s IBS

Add a good probiotic to the diet. The GI tract is lined with good bacteria that aids digestion and keeps the tract healthy. When your dog’s gut has become inflamed the good bacteria can be missing leaving the gut undernourished and unprotected from invading toxins.

According to ‘Probiotics for dogs’ 80% of your dog’s immune function relies on a healthy gut.

A probiotic will help the gut replace the flora and re-balance the micro biome. You can buy probiotics for dogs online or your vets as a past or powder.

Adding a good probiotic daily will help reduce flare-ups. Don’t feed human probiotics to your dog.

Novel Protein

A novel protein is a meat that your dog hasn’t eaten before, therefore is unlikely to cause intolerances and cause a flare up of your dog’s IBS.

We have introduced pork into Mika’s diet and tend to stay away from chicken and keep beef to minimum.

You don’t often see pork as a dog food, not because there’s any reason they can’t eat pork, it’s just more expensive than chicken or beef.

Other novel proteins could be rabbit, ostrich or you could go for fish. But if you are feeding salmon, never feed it raw to your dog.

Home cooking

Chances are if your dog has IBS or IBD then you may end up home cooking. If this is the path you choose it is essential that the diet is balanced. A balanced diet will contain a range of proteins from different meat and include muscle meat (heart), organ meat, (liver and kidney, only 10% of daily intake should be liver) fish (oily and white) and eggs, some cooked vegetables and will certainly need additional calcium, fish oil and brewer’s yeast added in daily to their food. Research it thoroughly from good source.

Never assume that if something is good for a person it will be equally good for your dog. This is not the case as dogs process foods very differently to humans. ‘It works for us so it must work for my dog’ is the error made by people who are feeding vegetarian diets to dogs. If you are feeding a vegetarian diet to your dog, then stop it and feed them a species appropriate diet. Dogs are carnivores and need to eat meat to stay healthy. Soy is not a replacement protein for meat and is not good for dogs at all.

CBD oil

There seems to be a lot of buzz around the use of dog cbd products. We have used it successfully with our dogs from time to time. Some research does suggest that CBD oil is proving useful when treating IBS and IBD. It is supposed to be able to help pets who suffer from separation anxiety as well. You can read more about CBD oil for dogs here. Just remember if you are considering giving your dog CBD products then it is vital that you do plenty of research first. Not all natural remedies are suitable for all dogs so it is important to proceed with caution. Plus, there are so many different types of dog CBD products out there nowadays that it is important to compare as many options as possible. Ultimately, if, after speaking to a vet you decide to try giving your dog some CBD then it is important that you monitor your pet to make sure they do not experience any side effects.

Fibre

Introduce a fibre into is diet. We have had a lot of success with Psyllium husk powder. You can get it from the Grape Tree in the UK and anywhere online. It has the added advantage of bulking up stools as well so can help with anal glands. Dogs who have a history of soft stools and diarrhoea may well end up with anal gland issues as well.

You can also try adding ground dark leafy vegetables, but make sure they are cooked. Veggies shouldn’t be more than 20% of your dog’s daily intake. We only add 10% as more will upset Mika’s stomach. You may have to experiment with this to get it right for your chihuahua.

You can also add ACV (apple cider vinegar) daily to their food but introduce it gradually. You can read more about feeding ACV in this article.

Eliminate stress

There are lots of reasons why your chihuahua may be experiencing stress. It’s not always obvious as the signs of it are not at all times visible to us. However, if there is a sudden change in its behavior, there could be a possibility it is stressed. In that case, you can help ease their problem a little by giving them CBD For Dog Anxiety or a similar pet-friendly solution.

While it could be a good option to provide instant relief, it is important to figure out the root cause of what is causing them stress. It can be caused by lack of exercise, boredom, separation anxiety, too much noise, poor training choices like pet correctors, E-collars, shouting, tin rattling and other adverses training methods. I can understand why people use them as chihuahuas can be frustratingly barky. But these training methods will most definitely be causing your dog stress. You can find out more about how to train your chihuahua not to bark so much here.

You may also find a bout of IBS flares up during firework season, house moves and any major disruptions.

Raw diet

You must acknowledge the contribution that feeding a raw diet has made to dog health. Consider shop brought raw food like any dog food you might buy and check the ingredients. A poorly balanced raw diet is just as bad as a poorly balanced tinned food.

Managing your chihuahua’s IBS will be a matter of trial and error. Finding a meal system that works for them and keeps them healthy. Be mindful that during a flare up your dog will already not be absorbing all the nutrients from his daily food intake. Don’t compound this by feeding a badly balanced diet.

Allergies

Apple cider vinegar for dogs. Is it really that…

August 15, 2019May 31, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Apple Cider Vinegar for dogs

Apple cider vinegar for dogs has become very trendy and it seems to be an all-round good guy with lots of health benefits for everyone, including our chihuahuas. I’ve had reason to investigate it a bit more because Minnie has started her seasonal itchy skin issues and if it is allowed to escalate, she will start to chew and pull out her fur. I was looking for alternatives to chemicals and long-term medication.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is just apples and water. I’ve read different accounts of its nutritional value. Some saying it is rich in vitamins & minerals with others saying there are only trace amounts to be found. Everyone agrees it is rich in potassium.

The apples and water have been allowed to ferment until it turns into acetic acid which is the main component of vinegar. It is this acetic acid that gives the ACV it’s health benefits.

Like everything there are different qualities of ACV and you need to look for raw, unpasteurised vinegar that contain the ‘mother culture’.

The ‘mother culture’ floats around giving it a cloudy appearance. It is this mother culture that contains good bacteria, enzymes, pectin, proteins and minerals. If the liquid is clear, then it has likely been pasteurised and won’t contain this important addition.

Is Apple Cider Vinegar for dogs really helpful?

There does seem to be some actual research suggesting that, yes, apple cider vinegar can help dogs with a variety of health issues.

It can help regulate insulin
Be used to alleviate joint pain
Help with digestive issues by encouraging good gut bacteria
Relieve itchy skin complaints by taking it internally and using topically in a 50/50 solution as a rinse or spray.
Alleviate gunky ears and stinky ‘corn chip’ paws by killing the yeast that causes this.
Help clean teeth by stopping plaque forming
Repels ticks and fleas by making blood more acidic and using it as a topical spray

There are some wild and outrageous claims online about how ACV can cure cancer. I would take this with a massive pinch of salt and in the interest of balance there are some who don’t agree that ACV should be given to dogs at all, suggesting it can throw out a dog’s PH levels so it’s always important to do some proper research.

How much AVC should you give a chihuahua?

Like anything it’s important not to overdose and get over excited using ACV. Overdose can lead to vomiting and long-term overuse can damage teeth and bones. A small dog dose is about one teaspoon daily, if your chihuahua is tiny then I would halve it. Watch for any adverse reactions and if your chihuahua vomits stop using it.

Has it worked for Minnie?

Minnie has flea allergy dermatitis, a flea only needs to wink at her, and it will send her into crisis. Then a vicious cycle of chewing begins until she has painful hotspots and bald patches.

I had applied a wash of neem oil to help sooth her skin and kill any fleas that might be present. We are huge neem oil fans, but it has downsides in that it stinks and makes her fur look awful. Plus having to keep applying it is a drag.

So, I put a teaspoon in her dinner not really expecting much but that night there was visibly less chewing, and scratching and we all got some sleep.

In the interest of a fair test, I didn’t put any more neem oil on her and continued with the ACV. I’ve got to say so far, I’m very impressed. At time of writing we are four days in, and she has stopped mauling herself.

I could be imagining it, but her tear staining seems less noticeable as well.

This does make me wonder if some of her skin issues could be yeast based. But hey she’s stopped eating herself and that is a real result.