Parenting a puppy means you have to think so much before feeding him anything. Isn’t it? Questions such as: How much should Chihuahuas eat? What are the feeding guidelines? How much to feed a Chihuahua puppy?
To clear your clouds of doubts, we have done some good footwork regarding the Chihuahua feeding tips. Plus, also prepared a Chihuahua feeding chart, which will help you to understand how you have to feed your tiny one.
The Chihuahua feeding guide which we have prepared is bifurcated as per the life stage, and weight. It will give you the appropriate ratio of food and calorie, that needs to be fed to your furry pal for giving him a healthy and happy life.
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How Much to Feed a Chihuahua Puppy-Feeding Chart
Well, for the first two weeks, Chihuahua puppies will only be having their mother’s milk. Once they reach the fourth week, you can introduce them to puppy-formulated food. Make sure it is enriched with all the essential nutrients that require for the better development of the body. Your Chihuahua puppy will be at the growing stage, and he will need proper food with an appropriate calorie intake ratio.
To guide you better, we have a Chihuahua puppy feeding chart PDF, which is bifurcated as per life stage, and weight. You can refer to it and according to your puppy, you can simply select the food ratio and calorie ratio.
Let me explain to you with an example, your younger Chihuahua puppy whose weight is around 0.5 to 1 kg, will be needing 30 grams of food daily, and the calorie intake should be around 210 kcal per day. As he will grow and reaches the older puppy stage, his weight will also increase and so his energy level. Accordingly, you have to change the feeding proportion by looking Chihuahua puppy feeding guide.
Note:- It is advisable to take your Chihuahua puppy to the vet clinic, and make sure you regularly keep a track of his health. Because during puppyhood his body will change many times, and accordingly his semi-solid food should be selected for feeding.
Tip:- To find out how much to feed a puppy pug in a day, you can read our feeding blog on pug puppies.
Adult Chihuahua Feeding Proportion
When your Chihuahua turns one year old, he reaches adulthood, and his body weight, energy level, and immune system boost up. So, to match all his body requirements, it is recommended to switch from puppy-formulated food to adult dog food. Which his body actually requires for better development.
Along with the switching of food, their feeding chart also varies. So, for your preference, we have attached a Chihuahua feeding guide for an adult one as per their weight, and activity level.
Like, it’s not mandatory that the same breed with the same age will be fed equally. No, if your adult Chihuahua weighs around 4 to 5 kg and is moderately active by nature. It is recommended to feed him 90 grams of food daily with 421 kcal per day.
But, if your Chi is not an active one and only likes to chill on the couch. Then you need to cut down the feeding ratio. Because without any physical activity if you will keep feeding him, it will lead to obesity issues and other severe health issues in the future.
Read Next: Guide to Cockapoo feeding chart!
Senior Chihuahua Feeding Proportion
As your Chihuahua reaches the senior hood, your responsibility increases. This is because a seniority zone means a hub of diseases. Where there are chances that your pup’s body might get encounter severe health issues. Especially, if their feeding habit were not maintained properly. They need a sufficient intake of protein, vitamins, and minerals to boost their immune system, keep joints strong, and help in easy digestion.
We have prepared a feeding chart for senior Chihuahua, which is bifurcated in weight and life stage-wise. You can refer to that for the correct amount of feeding.
Your Chihuahua reaches the senior hood with a weight of 5 to 6 kg and is moderately active by nature. In such a case, we recommend you feed him 72 grams of food on a daily basis, and the calorie intake ratio should be around 376 kcal per day. According to his weight, and health scenario, his feeding ratio will vary.
Note:- We recommend you consult the vet regarding switching dog food. He is in seniority, so there is a possibility, adult food won’t be able to match the body’s requirements.
Chihuahua Feeding Tips
It’s important to provide your Chihuahua with a balanced meal. It not only helps them to live a happy and healthy life. But, also prevents them from facing many health issues. It can be a tricky task to select an appropriate food and fix the feeding schedule. But, once, it’s done, your chihuahua will be receiving the correct amount of food and nutrients on time.
Now, let’s quickly explore the major factors. Such as nutritional needs, weight considerations, meal frequency, and foods to avoid. All these will also help you in feeding correctly to your furry pal.
1. Nutritional Needs
Just like other breeds, Chi also requires a balanced meal enriched with essential nutrients. Such as protein, carbohydrates, phosphorus, vitamin, and minerals. In addition, make sure high-quality food needs to be fed to the Chihuahua because they have sensitive stomachs. If low-quality food is fed to them, it can lead to diet-related health issues.
Furthermore, high-quality food not only prevents health issues. But, also helps to boost the energy level, maintain the muscles, and improve the skin and coat of your furry pal.
According to your Chi’s weight, and age, you can follow the feeding chart. It will help you to keep a track of your pup’s food and calorie intake ratio. Eventually, all these efforts will be seen in his health, and he will live a happy life.
2. Weight Consideration
Chihuahuas are prone to obesity, you need to be very careful while feeding your furry pal. This is because if your pup overeats, or you keep on feeding him a meal and treats, it can lead to severe health issues. It’s important to first check his weight, and according follow the feeding guide for a positive outcome.
If you want to check by touching his body whether your Chi has gained weight. All you need to do is to notice his ribs, spine, and tummy. If you can easily see it, that means your pup is at an ideal weight, and vice-versa.
We recommend you follow the Chihuahua feeding chart carefully and keep an eye on your pup. This is because they love to eat and if given a chance they can overfeed themselves, which will lead to health issues in the future.
3. Meal Frequency
Just following the feeding chart won’t be effective. First, you have to fix the meal frequency of your furry pal. In other words, focus on the food proportion and time you are feeding your Chihuahua and maintain that schedule. It will automatically help you feed him the correct amount of food at the right time.
For instance, Chihuahua puppies need to be fed thrice or four times a day, which means their per-day food ratio is divided into three or four equal intervals. This helps you not only keep a track of his meal frequency, but also his calorie intake ratio. Like, younger Chihuahua needs to take 125 kcal per day for better development of their body.
4. Foods to Avoid
Before feeding your Chihuahua, it is important to look after the ingredients, and whether it is suitable for their body. This is because there are certain food/ ingredients, which is not recommended to feed your Chihuahua, which can lead to health issues.
Here, are the list of ingredients/food that should be avoided while feeding your Chihuahua.
- Soy
- Wheat Gluten
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Chocolate
- Apple seeds, Cherry seeds
- Peach pits, Apricot pits
- Onion/Garlic
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Hops
- Macadamia Nuts
- Xylitol
It is advisable to not add any of the above ingredients to your Chihuahua diet. Follow the Chihuahua feeding chart, according to his age and weight, and feed him well. It will help you to always prevent your Chi from encountering any health issues in the future.
You can also check out our other feeding blogs: Border Collie puppy feeding guide UK, and How much should a Cocker Spaniel eat in a day?
FAQs
Why is my Chihuahua always hungry?
One of the possible reasons could be that your Chihuahua might be suffering from any phycological issue, such as stress. Or medical issues where his body is not getting sufficient nutrients for better development. So, he is demanding food to meet his body’s requirements. It is recommended to feed your Chihuahua the correct amount of food.
How can I help my Chihuahua lose weight?
To help your Chihuahua get back into his shape, it’s important to change their diet schedule and make him participate in physical activities. This will help his body to burn unwanted fat, and give a positive impact on metabolism, which further helps in easy digestion.
How much exercise does my Chihuahua need?
Well, these tiny breeds require short walks a day, along with some fun activities are more than enough. We recommend splitting her walking schedule into two intervals so that they can explore more. So, carrying out daily physical activity helps them to stay happy and healthy.
How much to feed a Chihuahua puppy?
Chihuahua puppies are at their growing stage, they will be requiring more food to meet their energy level. You should feed your Chihuahua puppy at least thrice or four times a day for better development of their body. In addition, make sure that you are feeding a small proportion as per their weight because they have a tendency to overeat. Plus, always feed high-quality puppy-formulated food, which will give them a healthy diet.
Well, It’s a Wrap!
Hopefully, now, you have got all your answers related to how much should a Chihuahua eat, how a Chihuahua feeding chart will help you in feeding him correctly, etc.
Just remember the key points like, the same breed doesn’t mean their feeding proportion will also be the same. If you are parenting a Chihuahua puppy, their food ratio will vary with the adult and senior Chihuahua feeding guidelines. Because Chihuahua puppies are at the growing stage, and so they will be required more food for the development of their body.
Apart from looking at the Chihuahua feeding chart UK, it’s also important to keep in mind that their feeding also depends upon the factors. Such as nutritional needs, weight considerations, meal frequency, and food to avoid. So, you don’t let your tiny friend overfeed themselves, which eventually will create issues for him only such as obesity, abdominal pain, etc.
You are welcome to download our PDF of a Chihuahua feeding chart, which will help you in the future, without having to browse every time.
