Category: <span>Dry food</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.

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

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!

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

Dry food

How to store dry dog food and why you…

May 16, 2019November 19, 2021
by Louise Kirby

How you store dry dog food could make your chi chi ill!

Dry dog food (kibble) is still a highly popular way of feeding a dog. Owners like the convenience of scooping out a handful and dropping it in a bowl. It’s also super convenient if you free feed your dog (let them graze and eat when they like) while you’re at work or out for the day.

When you have a small dog like a chihuahua, a bag of dry dog food can last a long time. And most owners keep it in the kitchen cupboard and just open a bag of food and scoop it out until it’s gone.

Why we shouldn’t be doing this!

When you buy a bag of dry dog food or kibble it will be contained within a heavyweight paper bag or a box. However, the moment you open the bag, oxygen, moisture, mites and mould spores start to degrade the quality of the food. This can ruin the food quickly as well as reduce its shelf life. One way to avoid that could be by using reusable packaging for other products like cosmetics, dry food, etc.

According to Steve Brown author of ‘Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet’, several unhealthy things start to happen to the food once oxygen and moisture enters the equation.

Oxidation of fats

With continual exposure to air the fragile fats (Omega 3s) will start to turn rancid. This doesn’t just make the food ‘not as good for your dog’, it actually becomes bad. Continual consumption of rancid fats has been shown to contribute to many chronic canine health problems.

Micronutrients degrade

By the time you get to the bottom of the bag, the vitamin content of the food will have degraded considerably. Stored at room temperature Vitamins A, C, and B6 will have lost much of their effectiveness.

Mould and mycotoxins

When the bag of dry dog food is left open to the air, especially if it’s stored in a humid kitchen, it can grow mould. The waste products of this mould (mycotoxins) are extremely bad for your dog and have been linked to long-term health issues and cancer. These mycotoxins can kill a dog by suppressing the immune system and damaging organs.

Bugs and mites

A whole host of unpleasant mites and bugs thrive on dry dog food. The carcasses of the storage mites can cause allergic reactions in sensitive dogs. If you can’t control the pests, you may need the services of an exterminator from a Roanoke pest control company to get rid of the infestation and thereby protect your dogs.

Shelf life

The shelf life dates on the packet will refer to the bag unopened. Once it’s been opened it should be stored correctly and consumed within 7 days.

How to keep dry dog food at its best

Never buy a bag of food that has been torn.
Don’t decant the food into another container it aerates the kibble.
Keep it in its original bag and then make sure the top is rolled down tight.
Store in an airtight container.
Keep big bags in the freezer
Buy smaller bags if you can, especially for a small dog that is going to take ages to use it up.

Don’t feed it to your dog and throw it away if:

It looks moist
It has changed colour
It smells rancid like paint
It’s been open more than a week

It’s also a good idea not to force your dog to eat it. If she turns her nose up it could be because she can smell it’s off.

There are other health issues associated with feeding dry dog food like itchy skin, loose stools, gloopy ears & eyes and weight gain

anal glands

Everything you need to know about dog poo

October 7, 2018January 11, 2021
by Louise Kirby

Let’s talk about dog poo

If you have a dog or two you spend a lot of time talking about dog poo. If you have chihuahuas you spend a lot of time picking up poo. Maybe you even have to hire a dog poop pickup service to deal with the demand every day.

How your dog’s poo looks is a good barometer of their health. So, taking time out to have a look at dog poo may sound disgusting, but it’s an important part of keeping your chihuahua healthy and picking up any niggling health issues.

Generally, your dog will poo just after eating a meal, the stool should be firm and chocolate brown in colour. It is going to be a bit smelly but not so overpowering that it makes you gag.

This nice poo has taken some achieving. Mika has had long term food intolerance that have caused soft stools and anal gland issues.

All dogs get bouts of diarrhoea, often because they have eaten something that has upset their gut. The odd bout is to be expected and most often won’t need vet intervention. Read how to deal with diarrhoea.

How much your chihuahua poos is going to be related directly to how much food they have digested and how much has passed through as waste. People who feed raw are very proud of how small their dog poos are. This is because there is very little waste from raw food. While feeding raw is considered by many to be a superior food, there can be a downside to super tiny poop.

Anal Glands

Anal glands are two small sacs of fluid that sit inside your dog’s anus, when he defecates, the stool should express the sacs and release the fluid. This gives your dog’s poo it’s signature scent. However, if the poo is too small or too soft to do the job then issues with anal glands can develop. Read: Why anal glands are a pain in the arse.

Worms

Doing a visual check on your dog’s poo is also a good way to see if your dog has picked up worms. If you can see any tiny white dots or anything wiggling around, then you probably need to worm your dog. However, don’t rely on this visual to be an indicator of worms. Run regular faecal tests.

Sloppy

Permanently soft poo is an indicator that something is wrong in the gut. Your chihuahua may have a food intolerance or allergy to something he is eating. Resolving this is important as food intolerance can lead to leaky gut syndrome, cause other itchy skin conditions, problems with ears and add to tear staining. But, one of the main issues with soft stools, is again anal glands. Soft dog poo will not express the sacs which can then fill up and get infected.

Sloppy poo could also be a sign that you are overfeeding your dog, re-look at the amount you are feeding and start weighing it out rather than just chucking it in the bowl.

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Dry

Dog poo should not be over hard and difficult to pass. Constipation is an indicator that your dog is eating too much insoluble fibre and you need to adjust his diet. Don’t give your chihuahua large lumps of raw veggies to chew on. People often do because they want to help clean their chihuahuas teeth. But dogs can’t digest raw veggies. To feed raw veggies to your dog, you must start the digestive process and pulverise or grate them to break down the cellulose. He may also have a bowel obstruction, so if constipation goes on for more than a couple of days then speak to your vet.

Yellow

Yellow poo can mean the food has passed too quickly through the gut to pick up any bile. (It’s the bile that makes it go brown). It can also be an indicator of other health problems such as pancreatitis or liver disease.

Change your dog’s diet to something better quality and if his poo does not turn brown then speak to the vet.

Orange or Grey poo

Can be a sign of liver or gall bladder issues, speak to your vet.

Black tarry sticky poo

Black sticky poo can be the sign that blood is present. This could be from bouts of colitis or an upper GI bleed. If your dog is passing these kinds of poos, then speak to your vet.

Mucus

You can expect to see some mucus on a stool from time to time, but if this is a regular occurrence or the mucus is red this could mean your chihuahuas gut is inflamed and severely irritated. Put your dog onto a bland diet of chicken or turkey and pumpkin and if it does not settle then speak to your vet. If your chihuahua has had a nasty bout of diarrhoea, then try making a healing bone broth.

Your dog’s poo will tell you pretty much everything you need to know about your chihuahua’s health. It’s not glamorous but it is important to understand what you are looking at before you flush it down the loo.

anal glands

Free feeding Vs meal feeding your chihuahua

September 16, 2018September 29, 2022
by Louise Kirby

How you feed your dog is something that dog owners are passionate about. What, when and how much are some of the main questions that come into the blog. One hot debate is free feeding or set meal times.

Free feeding Vs meal feeding

Here is a quick rundown of the concepts.

Free Feeding is when you leave food down all day and your chi can help himself. Meal feeding is a set meal time at regular times of day. Adult dogs need two meals a day and puppies will need 3. Puppies also need food that is higher in calories until they are at least a year. (This differs for different dogs, so check with your vet)

Free Feeding Pros

Cons of free feeding

You can only feed dry foods that won’t spoil (or will it)
You don’t know how much your dog has eaten
Food may get eaten by cats
It can be harder to toilet train a puppy (eating will make them want to poop)
Greedy dogs like mine, will overeat and get fat
‘Pet Guide’ suggests that free fed dogs are less food motivated and this can make them harder to train.

Meal feeding pros

It is easier to monitor and control how much your chihuahua eats
You can feed fresh or wet foods
Dogs that resource guard can be fed separately
You can spot if your dog is off food and possibly unwell
It is easier to tailor meals to your dog’s nutritional needs

Meal feeding cons

It requires you to stick to schedule and can tie you down (you must get back for the dogs or arrange someone to go in and feed them)
It is easier to overfeed, chihuahuas are easy to overfeed as they are so small. Just slightly too much can pile on the weight.
Your chi inhales the food because he feels pressured to eat. (Competition eating)

Tailored meals

Meal feeding is the way forward for us, we home cook a lot of the time and like to tailor our food. We have a mixed bunch of chihuahuas and they all have different nutritional needs.

Minnie is a young and unspayed (at time of writing) and needs more calories than a spayed female. But she is also greedy and on a weight reduction programme.

Arlo, the puppy (18 weeks at time of writing) needs more calories and gets three meals a day.

Mika is an older neutered male. He needs less food than a complete dog. He is also prone to anal gland issues. Meal feeding gives us the opportunity to add a bulking agent to his food. This helps by creating larger, firmer stools that will express the glands as he poops.

Add in my own supplements

With meal feeding and using wet food, it’s easier to add in supplements. I have a couple that I use all the time. Calm-K9 as it contains L-tryptophan which has a calming action and helps reduce random barking. It also supports the gut and firms up stools which helps with anal gland issues. Read more about anal glands here. Not having to go to the vet every month is saving me a fortune.

10%OFFSUPERSAVER

I put this in to help with teeth cleaning. I add it in daily to their food for the day. Seaweed makes plaque fall off teeth and helps aid cleaner teeth. Read more about how to clean your chihuahua’s teeth without brushing.

Picky eaters

We have a lot of chihuahua owners who worry that their chis are not eating enough, often they are eating more than you think, but free feeding makes it harder to monitor. Here is some more on dealing with a picky eater.

Also, if you have a tiny chihuahua prone to hypoglycaemia making sure they have eaten regularly is vital. These chis often require smaller more regular meals during the day.

In the end, you must do what works for your family and your dogs. There is no definite right and wrong.

But there is a movement away from dry dog foods that are high in carbs and contain fillers. If you are free feeding dry food make sure you research and get the best one for your chihuahua. Read why you must stop feeding carbs to your dog.

About the author

Louise Kirby

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Allergies

Why you must stop feeding grain & carbohydrate to…

April 10, 2018June 28, 2022
by Louise Kirby

Grain & carbohydrate is making your chihuahua fat!

One of the main culprits for causing your chihuahua to get fat is grain & carbohydrate in their diet. Both these ingredients are present in kibble (dry dog food). For years the pet food industry has been adding these cheap filler ingredients to dry dog food to make them cheaper to produce.

It would be an error to think that the large brands at the top are better quality, some of these brands have a terrible line up of fillers and cheap ingredients. There are some good quality dry foods available, but you need to read the ingredients very carefully.

Grain free is better?

Well, it’s not worse, but before you rush out and buy expensive designer bags of grain free dry dog food understand that any kibble requires starch for the cooking process. Starch is a carbohydrate that will turn to unwanted sugar your chihuahua can’t process. This starch will appear on the packet as tapioca and pea starch, among others. Dogs don’t need either grain, rice or carbs (starch) in their diet, as well as making your dog fat it also causes an issue called ‘Leaky Gut Syndrome’.

What is leaky gut?

There is a membrane, that acts like a sieve, in your dog’s gut (and yours) that allows tiny parts of appropriate nutrients to pass through into the bloodstream. This membrane (mucosa) also acts as a barrier to stop toxins and particles that are not required from getting through.

Feeding your dog inappropriate food puts this membrane under stress and it becomes inflamed and the holes become enlarged. The gut then ‘leaks’ larger particles and undigested food into the bloodstream.

Your dog’s immune system will see these particles as invaders which will in turn trigger an immune response and an allergy is born!

Obviously, you can’t see leaky gut syndrome, but chances are that you will be seeing the result in the form of:

itchy skin
yeast infections
ear infections
gloopy eyes
obesity
swollen joints

So, if your chihuahua is suffering from continual scratching, paw licking or ear infections the chances are the grain and carbohydrate in his diet is causing an allergy or yeast infection.

If your chihuahua is not showing any visible signs of intolerance to grain or starch, don’t relaxed and assume everything is OK. Feeding grain and carbs will be putting your dog’s liver and organs under strain laying the foundations for future serious illness.

Your dog is a carnivore not omnivore

Pet food manufacturers like to tell you that dogs are omnivores but the fact is your cute little chihuahua is a carnivore not an omnivore or herbivore. If you are not sure what the difference is:

Carnivores eat meat and have sharp pointy teeth for tearing and eating flesh, no flat molars for grinding plant matter.

Herbivores are set up with the correct teeth for grinding plant matter and saliva that helps digestion by breaking down the cellulose.

Omnivore can eat both and has both sharp teeth for tearing, flat molars for grinding and the saliva that will help digest meat protein and plant matter.

Dogs do eat veggies & fruit

It is true that dogs eat vegetable and plant matter, in the wild this would be the partly digested in the stomach of their kill. They are also scavengers and would eat plants and fruit in times of food shortages. They can survive on plant matter only, but don’t thrive.

Veggies and fruit do play a part in the nutritional balance of your dog’s diet and can help holistically with worms and parasite control. But dogs are unable to digest lumps of raw vegetables and it will sit in their gut and cause wind and stomach ache. This is because they don’t have the molars to grind them up or the enzymes in their saliva to break down the cellulose. Also, large lumps of tough fibrous plant matter like broccoli stalks can cause a blockage. So, serve them cooked and pulverised and in the correct proportions to their protein intake. (10%)

Never rely on plant matter to provide your dog with the correct calcium levels or plant oils for omega 3, dogs are unable to convert them into a usable form. This is why you should never feed your dog a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Basic takeaway about grain & carbohydrate

Grain & carbohydrate (starch) found in poor commercial dog food is making your dog fat, itchy and is laying the foundations for serious illness in the future. It also contributes to bad teeth and gum disease.

It may feel more expensive to feed your chihuahua home cooked or good quality wet and home cooking is more time consuming and you have to make sure it contains all the nutrients that your dog needs, but you should think about the offset of future vet bills and the trauma of your chihuahua being ill.

About the author

Allergies

How to spot a yeast infection in your chihuahua.

October 10, 2017March 8, 2018
by Louise Kirby

How to spot a yeast infection in your chihuahua.

Is your dog itching and scratching or suffering with continual ear infections or gloopy eyes? You could be battling an undiagnosed yeast infection.

The most common yeast infection in your dog is Yeast Dermatitis caused by overgrowth of the ‘Malassezia’ or Candida species of yeast which is present in the skin, ears and gooey parts of your dog.

The symptoms of a yeast infection can be:

Itchy scaly skin
Changes in the colour of the skin. Red or pink in the early stages black & grey in chronic conditions.
Funky smell even after washing
Greasy skin & dandruff
Swelling and hot spots
Hair loss
Drooling if the infection is in the mouth.

You may notice you dog shaking his head, rubbing himself against the furniture, or excessively licking or scratching an area to relieve the itching.

Yeast is a naturally occurring fungus on your dog’s skin, and is part of the natural flora. They live happily in colonies on the skin and in the gut. Problems occur when the natural order of things is disturbed, maybe through medicines, chemicals or diet, and the yeast colonies can grow out of control.

How to prevent Yeast infections

#1Diet

A major contributor to out of control yeast is sugar. Yeast loves sugar and needs it to grow. But assuming you are not feeding your dog sweets, how is the extra sugar getting in to cause this disruption?

The answer is starch. Starch is found in abundance processed dog foods. It’s needed as part of the cooking process in dry dog food and will also naturally occur in some ingredients such as; grains, corns, potatoes and peas.

Dogs don’t need grain in their food’ and it can contribute to a host of health problems. Read 5 reasons not to feed kibble to your dog.

So, if you are feeding your dog kibble (dry dog food), even grain free types, you will be inadvertently feeding your dog the sugar that a yeast infection needs to bloom.

According to Dogs Naturally Magazine

In the wild, the foods your dog’s ancestors ate (as well as the foods that our human ancestors ate), contained about 4% starch.

Most commercial pet foods have ten times that amount! Even grain-free foods are usually full of potatoes, sweet potatoes or tapioca and have just as much starch as other kibbles.

#2 Antibiotics

Avoid antibiotic use if you can, like in humans, antibiotics can upset the flora balance in the gut and cause a yeast infection. Think penicillin’s free gift of thrush!

#3 Chemicals

Cut down on chemical treatments for fleas and worms as they put the immune system under pressure. You can support the control of fleas and worms with natural products and superfoods. Read about superfoods to keep your dog free from worms.

#4 Prebiotics

Feed your dog prebiotic and probiotics which can be brought as pastes and supplements. You could also feed a none dairy kefir or fermented veggies.

Treatment

Fight an infection topically with neem oil. Neem Oil has an antibacterial, anti fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. A little neem oil goes a long way, I mix with some coconut oil when applying. This will also add the benefits of coconut oil to the balm. We use neem oil for everything!

Melt some in a pot and apply 2-3 times a day. Read Neem Oil for dogs.

Apple cider vinegar is another wonder ingredient that sooth an itchy dog. Dilute it 50/50 with warm water and spray it on your dog. You can also add a teaspoon to your dog’s drinking water.

Take away:

So, if you suspect a yeast infection or your dog suffers from continual ear infections, sticky eyes and has constant itchy skin:
Change your dog’s diet from processed foods to raw or home cooked.
Support your dog’s gut with prebiotics and probiotics.
Use more natural ways to support flea and worm control.

If at any time you are worried about your dog’s health consult with your vet.

You can buy neem oil from Ekoneem here. But a reader from the blog suggested that Asda sell it at a good price as well.

No links on this page are affiliate. We recommend these products because we use them ourselves.

Dry food

Understanding Dog Food Labels

August 30, 2017March 3, 2021
by Louise Kirby

A Guide to Understanding Dog Food Labels

Understanding dog food labels can be tricky and getting to the bottom of what we are actually feeding our dogs can need some nifty detective work.

To start with all dog food should be complete and balanced and must meet the minimum nutritional levels established by European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) UK & Europe and AAFCO for the USA.

But this doesn’t guarantee that all food that is listed as complete and balanced is the same quality. Ingredients vary within these guidelines. It can be difficult to decipher what is contained in the food you are buying and price is no guarantee of quality.

As most of us might have noticed, pet foods are directly manufactured in particular warehouses under strict hygiene conditions. There are two types of pet foods- dry and wet food. It is therefore important that manufacturers take adequate measures such as using the right industrial equipment (like an Industrial Vibratory Conveyor, for example), the right packaging, and free of toxins that could be harmful to the pets. As consumers, we take our cues from the front of the packet, and manufacturers know this. Wording, images, and colour pallet are designed to give us ideas about the food, from scientific-looking to wholesome and hand-produced. But it is the ingredients that are the main event, this is what is going to affect the well-being of your dog. That is why it is critical to have a food packaging label that includes all of the ingredient information along with all of the dos and don’ts. And, because the majority of these dog food items come in jars and a variety of other shapes and sizes, the companies might need to turn to roll labels printing companies such as LabelProfi.

7 Key Points to Look For

When you are reading down the list of ingredients the order things appear in are important.

#1 Ingredients are listed in order of their weight, so the main ingredient should be listed first.

#2 If the packet displays a juicy chicken on the front then the percentage of that ingredient must be shown.

#3 If an ingredient is listed as chicken or rabbit for example then it must be chicken or rabbit flesh (and some bone).

#4 If it is listed as ‘chicken meal’ (reconstituted meat from rendering). It also must have been chicken flesh. There is some debate over the quality of meat meal as a protein source. Some manufactures make a point of not using it, but some dietitians suggest it is perfectly acceptable.

#5 If listed as meat & animal derivatives it might give the percentage of the main event meat for example rabbit 5%, but you will not know what the remain meat is or what part of the animal it was.

#6 For vegetables & grains, if they are listed as their names then they must be the actual product and not a by-product. (for by-product assume left-over). For example, wheat and not wheat husks.

#7 If the term cereal is used it can cover a broad selection of products or their by-products, wheat husks or vegetable by-products. However, in the interest of balance ‘allaboutdogfood.co.uk suggest that the words ‘cereal’ could be used to hide a secret recipe and may not indicate low grade products.

But Kate Bendix ‘myitchydog.com’ is not so forgiving and makes the point that owners who are trying to avoid wheat for their dogs would not be able to work out what the actual ingredients are and this could be aggravating allergies.

Understanding what is in your dog food is a complicated issue and this is done on purpose. This post is only a basic introduction to understanding dog food labels. But beware some of the ‘high end’ dry dog foods that you would expect to be able to trust can be the worst culprits for low grade ingredients.

Choose food where:

#1 The meat (protein) is specific and form the major part of the ingredients. In general, you would expect the meat content to be around 60-70%

#2 You should be able to see from the ingredient list what the grains and vegetables are. Go for no grains.

#3 Oils and fats should give you a source and minerals should give you a quantity.

#4 Sugars are not required and additional protein is better if meat based. Not soy.

I hope this quick guide gives you some help choosing good dog food. Always look at the back of the packet regardless of who is selling it to you. A lot of pet shop instore training about nutrition is provided by the dog food manufacture and therefore going to be bias to products. Vets are a business and sell products and some of the worst dry kibbles is on sale at the vets.

As consumers, we need to savvy up and have the confidence to understand what we are looking at and make good choices for our dogs.

Sources

https://www.businesscompanion.info
The Dog Diet Greg Martinez
Top Dog Kate Bendix