Proper feeding is the source of your pet's longevity!
Russian toy Elaida – “Light Breakfast” – Go to the photo album page
Like any owner of a miniature dog, you want your pet to grow up healthy and full of energy. And in order for your Chihuahua or Toy Terrier to feel good, you need to feed it a balanced diet that provides all the needs of a growing and developing body. What to feed - dry food or home-made food - is up to you: there is no unanimity among experts on this issue. Each method has its pros and cons, but we will talk about them later. In this article we will tell you about the rules that must be followed when feeding your pet homemade food. What should a small dog's table be like? Let's find out...
What is the difference between food for small breeds and regular food?
Keeping small and miniature breeds imposes certain nutritional requirements on the dog owner. Specialized food for decorative dogs is created specifically based on the characteristics of their body.
Since the metabolism of such dogs occurs much faster, they need more high-calorie food of high quality. In such feeds it is easy to calculate the daily and one-time consumption rates, which is difficult to do with home-made feed. If a small dog regularly overeats, this can lead to dire consequences.
A decorative dog puppy grows faster and reaches sexual maturity earlier than its relatives of larger breeds. Puppies' food should be more nutritious and high in calories.
How to feed one-week-old puppies without a bitch?
There are times when small puppies have to be fed on their own. The owner will need to carefully follow the rules of artificial feeding. Their health depends on what to feed babies. You should prepare for the fact that you will have to feed often - every 2 hours, without breaks for a night's rest.
There are several ways to feed a small puppy without a bitch:
- It is recommended to buy milk sold in powdered form in veterinary stores. The components of this product are close to the composition of dog milk. There are also high-quality finished products on the market, for example, the Royal Canin 8 in 1 mixture
- At home, you can make food for puppies - a mixture of goat and cow's milk. You need to additionally add to it (per one liter): 3 yolks, a pinch of salt, ¼ teaspoon of liquid vitamins, 1 teaspoon of corn oil. Before feeding, this mixture should be heated to a temperature of 35 degrees and soldered using a bottle with a nipple.
Babies should be fed this mixture until they are three weeks old. Next, the owners are interested in what to feed the small puppies . After this, regular food is gradually introduced into the diet. First, the baby is fed porridge cooked in milk - buckwheat, rice, oatmeal. From the age of one month, you can introduce meat minced in a meat grinder into complementary foods.
Any new product is added gradually, over several days. Failure to do this may cause your dog to experience gastrointestinal upset or an allergic reaction.
Composition of food for small breeds of dogs
Feeds for small breeds vary in the quality of raw materials. The most affordable, but not very useful, are in the economy class line. Frequent consumption of such foods can harm the dog. They include bone meal, offal, various meat production waste, grain and other low-quality components. To ensure that dogs eat it, various flavorings and additives are included.
High-quality food includes only natural products that humans eat. This is natural poultry and animal meat, fish meat, vegetables, herbs, fruits, and sometimes cereals. Such food should not contain GMOs, dyes or other chemicals.
Holistic food has the highest class. These are the best quality and most expensive feeds. They consist of 100% natural products. They are produced using selected poultry meat, beef or dietary lamb with a small addition of eggs, vegetables, fruits and cereals. They can contain up to 80% meat products. They contain no waste, by-products or dietary supplements. For small dogs this is very important.
Next come super-premium and premium food. They contain at least 50% meat, no meat production waste (tails, bones, heads, etc.), or harmful additives. Such food is completely balanced, natural, safe and suitable for feeding all year round. You can easily adjust the serving size. Small granules promote rapid absorption of food.
Food for small dogs can include any high-quality lean meat (except pork), sea fish, vegetables, eggs, rice, oats, herbs, berries, fruits, etc.
RAW power system
Another popular method of feeding domestic dogs is RAW, which is also based on natural raw food. Unlike the BARF system, this method involves feeding the animal meat not in a cut state, but in the form of a carcass or half-carcass. The meat should have bone and blood. There is a taboo on foods that have undergone heat treatment, as well as on chopped bones.
The RAW diet includes offal and sea fish, preferably whole and fresh. But dairy products, eggs, vegetables and fruits are completely excluded from the daily menu of a dog eating according to the RAW system.
By the way, RAW and BARF nutrition is inappropriate for feeding dogs of decorative breeds, since their body is not adapted to assimilate food familiar to predators in the wild.
Types of food for decorative dogs
As a rule, a manufacturer of high-quality food divides its line for small breeds into different types, depending on age, health status and preference.
Many luxury food manufacturers create diets:
- for decorative dog puppies;
- for active small dogs;
- for small older dogs;
- for sterilized animals;
- for animals suffering from various diseases and allergies.
Read also: 15 best dog clothing brands from AliExpress
Foods are also divided into dry and wet.
Regularity of feeding
The regularity of feeding a Chihuahua or Russian Toy directly depends on the age of the dog. Veterinarians are unanimous in their opinion that it is best to feed a small dog puppy according to the following scheme:
- 1-2 months - 6 times a day;
- 2-3 months - 5 times a day;
- 3-4 months - 4 times a day;
- 4-10 months - 3 times a day;
- 10-18 months - 2 times a day.
From one and a half years old, a small dog can be fed once a day. However, this should not be done if your pet has problems with the gastrointestinal tract or liver. An acceptable option is the one where the dog has two feedings per day.
The best holistic diets
By-products are not included in such feed. For some manufacturers, the meat component reaches 80%. Such feed contains an optimal balance of substances and is consumed very economically.
Savarra for small breeds
Compound:
The menu of this brand of food may include large quantities of poultry meat (turkey, duck), beef, various vegetables, vitamins and minerals.
Pros:
It does not contain chicken, wheat, or corn. The food is considered hypoallergenic. Its high energy value allows for minimizing feed consumption.
Minuses:
The percentage of ingredients is not indicated. High price.
Grandorf
Compound:
The food contains more than 60% meat ingredients (poultry, veal, lamb, rabbit), sea fish. Various fruit and vegetable inclusions. Contains up to 18% fat.
Pros:
Made from high-quality natural products (wheat grain and chicken, sugar and other harmful inclusions are excluded). Does not cause allergies. Very nutritious. Suitable for active dogs.
Minuses:
Old and sedentary dogs gain weight quickly.
Now fresh
Compound:
Poultry (except chicken), salmon, fresh fruits, berries and vegetables (peas, lentils, pumpkin, seaweed, carrots), vitamins and microelements
Pros:
This food contains the optimal balance of all trace elements. Suitable for all small dogs, incl. elderly and prone to obesity. Does not contain grains. Contains iodine, vitamins, Omega acids and other microelements.
Minuses:
No
Go!
Compound:
Selected poultry (except chicken), beef, salmon, various fruits and vegetables, healthy herbs, minerals and vitamins.
Pros:
It is perfectly digestible and does not cause digestive problems. A large amount of vitamins. Suitable for small animals of any age.
Minuses:
Price.
Pro plan Duo Delice series
Compound:
50% - natural meat (mainly duck), 36% - fruits and vegetables; 14% - herbs, spices, fats, vitamins and minerals.
Pros:
Excellent hypoallergenic balanced food, does not cause digestive problems. Small granule size.
Minuses:
No.
Belcando series FINEST CROC
Compound:
28% - dry poultry meat (duck); 17% - rice or oats; duck fat, flour 5% ocean herring flour; 4% - duck liver, as well as brewer's yeast, egg powder; herbs (nettle, centaury, gentian root, chamomile, fennel, yucca extract, etc.
Pros:
Does not contain wheat or soy. Helps strengthen bones and improves immunity. Small dogs and their puppies eating this food are healthier and more susceptible to disease.
Minuses:
Small assortment.
Landor
Compound:
Lamb, duck fat, rice, salmon, vegetables, brewer's yeast, vitamins and minerals.
Pros:
The balanced menu is suitable for both active young and older small dogs, as well as animals in need of a diet. The menu was created with cancer prevention in mind. Good price.
Minuses:
Small assortment.
Wolfsblut
Compound:
Turkey, pumpkin, turkey fat, parsnips, peas, tomatoes, aromatic herbs, berries, elderberries, chokeberries, medicinal herbs (nettle, dandelion, hawthorn, ginseng and Yucca extracts).
Pros:
Does not contain grains, genetically modified plants, does not cause allergies, improves immunity. Small granules.
Minuses:
High percentage of protein (30%) and fat (17%), although the food is considered optimally balanced with a low fat content.
ONE&ONLY
Compound:
Dietary rabbit or turkey meat (65%), rice, oats, vegetables, herbs, minerals, vitamins and trace elements.
Pros:
Excellent food for small dogs of all ages, does not cause digestive problems.
Minuses:
No
What you can and cannot feed your dog: list of products
Since most dog breeders choose a natural type of diet for feeding, let’s consider what foods should be included in a pet’s daily menu and what should not be given to animals, even sometimes.
Healthy foods for dogs:
• meat, poultry;
• offal; • chicken and quail eggs; • cereal porridge (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, barley); • fresh vegetables; • greenery; • unsweetened berries and fruits as a tasty treat; • fermented milk products with a small percentage of fat content; • pumpkin, olive, flax oil; • bran; • raw bones (except tubular ones); • sea fish (no more than 1-2 times a week). What you should not feed dogs: • bakery products; • sweet pastries; • pasta; • it is undesirable to feed fatty meat; • pickles and preserves are prohibited; • mushrooms; • fried foods; • corn and semolina (poorly digestible); • soy products; • grapes; • garlic, onions; • spices should not be given. To keep your dog healthy, physically strong, and live for many years in your home, create for it a healthy and balanced diet of high-quality, fresh food. If you choose ready-made industrial feeds for feeding, give preference to products of proper quality. Remember: your pet's health is in your hands!
The best super-premium food
Such diets include up to 50-60% high quality meat products. This can be poultry, lean lamb, beef, sea fish, and eggs. Cereals must be of high quality without GMOs. For small popular breeds it is the best option.
Read also TOP 10 Rating of the best dog food in 2022 (by quality)
Advance
Compound:
26% meat ingredients (including 17% lamb), beets, corn, animal and fish oil.
Pros:
Nutritionally balanced for all ages of small animals.
Minuses:
Contains corn.
Brit
Compound:
50% boneless chicken meat, chicken fat, cereals, apples, herbs, vitamins and microelements.
Pros:
The food is made exclusively from natural and easily digestible ingredients. No soy used. Does not cause allergies. Small granules.
Minuses:
No
1st Choice
Compound:
Contains 30% chicken meat, brown rice, green tea extract, chicory, yeast, vitamins and microelements.
Pros:
Does not cause allergies, does not contain soy or chemical additives. There are various menu options.
Minuses:
No
Farmina ND
Compound:
26% natural and 25% or more dry lamb meat, powdered eggs, potatoes, herring, dried vegetables (carrots, peas), vitamins and microelements, dried blueberries and apples, brewer's yeast and medicinal herbs (calendula).
Pros:
Prevents the development of diabetes, does not cause allergies, as it does not contain cereals, chicken and soy. Small granules. Contains medicinal herbs that promote immunity stability. Does not cause obesity in sedentary dogs.
Minuses:
No
Now fresh
Compound:
Fresh turkey, salmon, duck, vegetable oil, fresh fruits and berries, pumpkin, spinach, peas, kelp, carrots, lentils.
Pros:
Harmless, optimally balanced food. It contains boneless poultry pulp and salmon fillet. Without hormones and preservatives, does not contain grain. Does not cause allergies. Reasonable price. Ideal for mini dogs, since the granules do not exceed 7 mm.
Minuses:
No
Acana
Compound:
60% chicken and flounder, fresh eggs, 40% fruits, herbs and vegetables, does not contain grains or potatoes.
Pros:
An optimal balance of natural high-quality products is suitable for dogs of all ages, does not cause allergies, affordable pricing. Convenient multi-weight packaging.
Minuses:
No
Bosch
Compound:
25% chicken, 5% lamb, millet, powdered eggs, corn, poultry meal, chicken and fish oil, peas, yeast, trace elements and vitamins.
Pros:
Large selection of menus for different breeds and ages. Decent price. Small granules are easy to digest.
Minuses:
No
Purina proplan
Compound:
The food is based on chicken and rice. There is corn, beets, fish and chicken fat, and chicory.
Pros:
Large selection of menus for different breeds and ages. Optimal combination of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Minuses:
No
Monge
Compound:
High percentage (up to 30) of natural meat, vitamins, microelements.
Pros:
Availability of a line for different ages of dogs.
Minuses:
There is no specificity in the composition of the products, which raises questions about the class of food. Rarely found in stores. High price.
Eukanuba
Compound:
Chicken and turkey meat (32%), sorghum, poultry fat, wheat, rice, sugar beets, eggs, fish oil, flax seed, etc.
Pros:
Availability of a separate menu for different breeds, high-calorie food, easy to digest. Does not cause digestive problems. Small granules. Suitable for daily feeding.
Minuses:
High percentages of protein and fat can cause problems in miniature dogs and dogs with low activity levels.
Fest choice
Compound:
30% - flour from dried chicken or lamb, chicken and fish oil, vegetables (beets, dried tomatoes), chicken liver, flaxseed.
Pros:
Optimally balanced food. Does not cause allergies. Suitable for all mini and small breeds, recommended for dogs with low activity.
Minuses:
No
Orijen Adult
Compound:
30% boneless chicken, meat meal, chicken liver, herring (4%), turkey (4%), vegetables and herbs.
Pros:
High quality composition, good price.
Minuses:
High % protein and low % fiber is only suitable for active and healthy dogs. May cause allergies.
Read also: Top 15 best vitamins for dogs
Daily diet
Dog food must be fresh. When buying food or products for your pet, you need to check their quality. You especially need to know a lot about natural nutrition, since the owner will have to prepare the food himself.
Product percentage
You need to know not only what dogs eat, but also in what quantities they need this or that food. This will help you create the right diet. The food ratio is measured as a percentage. A balanced natural diet for dogs should consist of several products:
- 40–50% - meat and fish;
- 40% - cereals;
- 20% - greens and vegetables.
This ratio must be strictly observed, otherwise the balance will be disrupted and the dog will not receive many useful substances.
Note! The daily amount of food for a puppy under 6 months is 6% of the animal’s weight. The amount of food for a puppy older than six months is 3–4% of its weight.
How to tell if your dog is getting enough food
You need to carefully monitor your pet's well-being. Overfeeding and underfeeding are equally dangerous to health. If the dog eats everything in the bowl and does not ask for more, it means he has enough food.
You need to reduce the portion if the dog chooses food from the bowl and does not eat everything. The dog can eat everything to the end, but at the same time gain weight, then the portion also needs to be reduced a little.
It is necessary to increase the portion if the dog greedily eats all the food and pounces on treats.
If there is food left in the dog's bowl after dinner, the owners often don't know where to put it. Leftovers can be stored for less than a day, and then you should feed your pet fresh food.
Note! In a healthy dog, the ribs should be palpable, but not visible to the eye.
Skinny or fat dog
Meat
The dog is a distant relative of the wolf, so it needs to eat meat. Under natural conditions, wild animals eat raw meat, but domestic dogs should only be given boiled meat. Through raw meat, your pet can become infected with parasites and dangerous infections. Heat treatment of food relieves your pet of these dangers.
The dog can only eat lean meat. You can't feed him pork. It is better to give preference to beef, rabbit or lamb.
Bird
You should include poultry meat in your diet - duck, turkey, quail. Chicken can be given only if the pet is not allergic to it.
Fish
The best option is low-fat sea fish (hake, pollock, cod, salmon, mackerel). River fish should not be given to a dog. It is necessary to wash the fish and remove the bones from it, otherwise the pet will be injured.
Boiled vegetables are essential for a healthy diet
Porridge
Dogs love porridge. Buckwheat and rolled oats are very useful. Occasionally you can offer rice. The porridge needs to be boiled in water; you can add small pieces of meat or fish. But pearl barley, barley and millet porridge can harm your pet.
Dairy products
The dog will happily eat low-fat fermented milk products: cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream. These products will add variety to your diet. But it is important to remember that only puppies drink milk, and in adult dogs it causes diarrhea.
Vegetables
The dog can eat carrots, pumpkin, cucumbers, zucchini, cauliflower, and tomatoes. Vegetables need to be boiled or simply doused with boiling water. You can also use fresh herbs.
Eggs
A hard-boiled chicken egg contains beneficial substances, so your dog should eat them. It is important not to overdo it: excess eggs are harmful to your pet’s health. You need to give the smallest amount of this product - 1 egg and no more than 2 times a week.
Fruits and berries
The dog will happily eat an apple or plum. But not all products are beneficial. Fruits and berries with seeds can cause intestinal obstruction.
Apples are very good for dogs
Premium food
Premium diets include up to 30% meat. This can be poultry, lean lamb, beef, as well as eggs and grains. Some diets add marine commercial fish (flounder, herring, etc.). Such food can be recommended for small mongrel dogs.
Ava
Compound:
Lamb and turkey, rice, peas, corn, fish oil, fish meal, beets, chicory, vitamins and minerals.
Pros:
Large selection of separate menus for different ages (puppies, seniors, adult dogs). The best option among premium foods.
Minuses:
It is not always possible to buy in a store; according to reviews, it is not suitable for dwarf breeds (the granules are too large).
Hills
Compound:
Chicken and turkey meat, vegetables, fish, cereals. Meat - up to 24%, fat - up to 10%, fiber - 12%. The diet includes nutrients and vitamins.
Pros:
Good food, contains quality products. High percentage of fiber. There are options for aging animals, dogs with sensitive digestion, diets for weight control, etc.
Minuses:
Not suitable for dogs with chicken allergies.
Dog chow
Compound:
48% grains, offal, at least 4% chicken, vegetables, chicory, animal fat.
Pros:
An optimal balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins is declared. The presence of vitamins and minerals.
Minuses:
Fat of unknown origin. The presence of by-products raises questions regarding the feed's relation to the premium class.
Economy feed
Foods such as Pedigree, Darling, Chappi are classified as economy class. Cheap dry food will help save money, but will have a detrimental effect on the health and life expectancy of your pet.
Pedigree and mongrel small dogs begin to experience health problems. These feeds contain practically no meat; it is replaced by meat industry waste (by-products). There are vegetable fats and many grains of unknown origin, etc.
Veterinarian recommendations
Ivanov P.
I recommend using only high-quality food of at least premium class for feeding dogs of small decorative breeds. Any deviations in the composition of the feed or unsafe inclusions can harm the health of the animal. It is advisable to follow the rules and feeding regime for a small dog. Cheap food should be strictly excluded from the diet.
Samoilova Yu
For toy puppies and small dogs, it is very important to use specialized food. Puppies of such dogs grow very quickly, and they need constant replenishment of the body with vitamins and nutrients. Not every homemade food can provide the necessary substances to the rapidly growing body of a small animal. Therefore, premium grade ready-made food is best suited.
Owner reviews
Marina T.
I feed my dachshund Buddy (now 12 years old) Purina proplan food for older small breed dogs. The dog eats the food with pleasure. We dose the food so that the dog does not overeat and gain weight.
Sergey S.
Our pug started out with economy food. We bought Chappie, but the dog developed a terrible smell from his mouth. Switched to Advance. The dog eats the food with pleasure, does not gain weight, and there is no smell from the mouth. A little expensive, but the dog’s health is more expensive.
Julia K.
I am breeding Yorkshire Terriers. I feed my dogs only high quality food. Savings are inappropriate here. Landor suited my dogs. No complaints. The dogs are active, have beautiful silky fur, and clean their teeth perfectly.
Tatiana S.
I buy Feist Choice for my toy terrier. My Dusya is absolutely happy. He eats the food with pleasure. I buy food on the Internet. The price is reasonable. I haven't found any shortcomings yet.
