This is a common cry for help that comes into the blog on a regular basis.  If you are pulling your hair out because your chihuahua is a picky eater then here is a ten step plan to help you get dinner time back under control. 

Change in behaviour?

First: is this a change in behaviour? If your chihuahua used to love his food, then suddenly has stopped eating and is refusing everything, a trip to the vet is in order. He may be ill and need attention. Look for signs that your dog is in pain.

The most obvious reason your chi chi is a picky eater is that he doesn’t like the food you’re giving him. But, chances are, if you are reading this then you have already tried about 6 different brands of wet and dry food and are tearing your hair out worrying that your dog is not getting the nourishment he needs.

First, you need to relax a bit, even if your chihuahua is a picky eater, no healthy animal is going to willingly starve themselves to death. If your chihuahua is bouncing around barking at everything then he is in no immediate danger. But that doesn’t mean you don’t want to change the feeding regime, so you have a better idea of what your dog is actually eating.

How big is your chihuahua?

How big your chi is will guide how much he needs to eat. If neutered or spayed (dogs that have been de-sexed will need fewer calories), how active your dog is and any medication he may be on. Your vet should be happy to provide this information. 

Over feeding and the health of your chihuahua

Most dog owners inadvertently overfeed their dogs. It is difficult not to as the instructions on dog food packets are often vague and, at the time of writing manufacturers are not required to put the calorie content of their food on the packet. If you dog does soft poops at night then it is a sure sign that he is being overfed. Also if poops are greasy looking then there is too much fat in their diet. find out more about perfect poop here. 

Changed perceptions

I think also, there is a danger that dog owners have changed their perception of what is an acceptable body aesthetic for their dog, fearing criticism if their dog appears to be too thin, when in most cases some rib definition is desirable. I am always getting criticised over Arlo and how thin he is. But he’s a string bean, that’s who he is. Trying to stuff more food down him just upsets his stomach. 

How much is too much?

A very tiny chihuahua, who has been spayed, may only need 150 calories a day, if you split this up over three meals then each meal is only 50 calories. This is nothing to the average human eye, a small treat or table scrap could contain all the calories your dog needs for that meal. But I would stay away from calories and work with the amount of grams for his size. It’s easier to work with. 

What to do if your chihuahua is a picky eater

#1: Find out how many grams of food you dog need for their correct body weight. Knowing how much to feed your chihuahua is key to working out how much they are eating.

#2: Change to a dog food that you can weigh and commit to weighing their food out for each meal.  This is essential. Buy a scales if you need to. 

#3: Don’t be too predictable and mix up the feeding routine. Try kong feeding or take his food out with you when you go for a walk and feed as rewards for games and recall training. It doesn’t matter how they get their grub after all and research does show that dogs like to work for their food.

#4: Stop feeding treats and feed their dinner as rewards. See 3. To your dog, food is food. A single dog treat contains lots of calories. Plus they are super expensive and don’t contain a balanced meal. If you feed raw then swap out some of the raw for a cooked food you can handle.

#5: Goes without saying, stop any table scraps you are giving your chihuahua.

#6: if you are out for a walk introduce a meal when you get home. It will appeal to your chihuahua’s instinct that he has been out on a hunt and is eating his catch. If they still don’t eat then see 3 & 4

#7: Stop fussing: If you keep introducing different foods every time your chihuahua turns his nose up then you are making life hard for yourself and turning your chihuahua into a diva.

#8: More stop fussing: Standing over your dog or following him around with the food bowl will not encourage him to eat it just cause stress. Never watch your dog eat.

#9: Relax: If your chihuahua picks up tension around feeding time he is going to wonder what is going on and start to feel  worried as well. 

#10: Stop worrying: The takeaway from this is to stop worrying, the chances are your chihuahua is eating more than you think. You just need to pinpoint where his food is coming from and get it under control.

#11: Consider your dogs mental state, are they stressed and anxious, because this is a bigger subject I have written about this here with some games to help you overcome it.

Please not these guidelines are for healthy dogs, if you are trying to rehabilitate a rescue or nurse a dog back to health then please work with your vet or local dog nutritionist for tailored advice.

Further reading: Reasons to stop feeding kibble