Dachshund Diet: Making Sure Your Doxie Is Getting The Right Stuff

Feeding tips

• Puppies 8 to 12 weeks old need four meals a day for optimum health and growth.
• Feed puppies 3 to 6 months old three meals a day.
• Feed puppies 6 months to 1 year 2 meals a day.
• When your dog reaches his first birthday, 1 meal a day is usually enough, although you can split the quantity you would feed, and make it into 2 meals

Premium-quality dry food provides a well-balanced diet for adult dogs and may be mixed with water, broth or canned food. Your dog may enjoy cottage cheese, cooked egg, fruits and vegetables, but these additions should not total more than 10% of his daily intake.

Puppies should be fed a high-quality, brand-name puppy food. Limit people food intake, because it results in vitamin and mineral imbalances, bone and teeth problems and may cause bad eating habits and fat dogs. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times, and be sure to wash food and water dishes often.

Concerns about small dog nutrition

Energy levels: Because of their increased energy levels and smaller digestive systems, small breed dog food should be more concentrated with higher protein and fat levels derived from things such as chicken, fish and egg. These high-quality protein sources provide key amino acids that work to help keep your dog’s vital organs healthy.

Dental benefits: Since small breeds are more likely to experience oral health problems because of their longer life span, it’s important to use a food source that helps maintain good oral hygiene. Some specially formulated premium nutrition can help reduce tartar buildup, thereby improving the overall oral health of your dog. Reducing tartar reduces the opportunity of gum disease and helps maintain your dog’s fresh breath.

Immune system: Since small dogs typically have a longer life span, strong immune support is particularly critical. Antioxidants including Vitamin E are key nutrients to help keep a small breed’s immune system healthy.

When comparing dog foods, look for beta-carotene, an antioxidant that can help rejuvenate an older dog’s immune system—particularly appropriate given a small breed’s longer life span.

Taste: In terms of taste, first look for a diet with concentrated nutrition from high levels of animal-based fat and protein, which tends to improve flavor for the dog. Also look for a reduced-size kibble, which can improve the overall eating experience.

How much food to give to your dachshund

Dogs will probably eat as much food as they’re given. It’s part of their natural wild instincts to consume all the food they can at any one time because they never knew when the next meal would come.

That means that you have to control their food intake. There are no fast rules about the exact quantity of food to give each day. Much of it is determined by your dachshund. If you have a dachshund with high energy levels, then he’ll probably need more food that one with lower energy levels.

Perhaps the best guide is to keep an eye on your dogs rib cage and waist line. When you look down on your dachshund from above, there should be a definite narrowing of the waist line below the rib cage. You should also be able to feel individual ribs along their side, but not so much as they are extremely visible when looking at them from the side.

Feature Image Source: Wikipedia