As we have advanced, there are some factors that are key to determining the daily amount of food that we should give to a mini breed dog like the Chihuahua. These factors are also important to help us choose the best food for him, as we will see in the next section. We highlight the following:

• Type of food: currently, we can choose between various options to feed our Chihuahua, such as dry food, cans or wet food, dehydrated food, homemade food, which can be purchased or homemade, or even the BARF diet. Logically, the necessary quantities will vary depending on which of these alternatives we choose.
• Age: The puppies are in a period of rapid growth. This means that they will need, for their correct development, a diet rich in protein and energy and in greater quantities. Once this stage is finished, the menu should have a smaller content of these components. The amount of food also decreases. Otherwise, the dog is likely to gain weight.
• Castration: this intervention causes the metabolism to slow down, which means that, if the dog continues to be fed the same food as before and in the same quantities, it will be very easy for you to gain weight.
• Physical activity: it is a question of logic, since the physical condition of an animal depends on the balance between the calories it ingests and those it expends. A Chihuahua with a sedentary lifestyle will burn fewer calories than another Chihuahua who maintains an active lifestyle. If both consumed the same amount of food, the first would gain weight or the second would be excessively thin. Therefore, the amount of food must be adapted to the exercise.
• Diseases: finally, there are many diseases that involve changes in diet for their treatment or control, such as diabetes, but we also include obesity, overweight or even extremely thin. In these cases, it will be the veterinarian who determines the amount of daily food after evaluating each situation.

Tips for choosing food for a Chihuahua.

The factors that we have just explained, such as age, physical activity or type of food, also have to be taken into consideration when choosing the best food for our Chihuahua. In other words, we are not going to give an adult dog a specific food for puppies or a high-energy dog ​​that only takes two short walks a day. Furthermore, in the specific case of Chihuahuas, they are dogs that can be capricious with food or have a certain digestive sensitivity, reasons why it is important look for a palatable and digestible or hypoallergenic food a>, in case you detect any allergy, which can also be environmental and not just food.

On the other hand, although it is usually associated with large breeds, joint problems can also be present, which is why a diet that includes chondroprotectors is recommended from the puppy stage. It is important to monitor the fat content of the food and the amount we offer, since these are dogs that tend to have a more sedentary life than larger ones, which favors overweight. Finally, you must also look at the size of the food, which must be suitable for a mouth as small as that of the Chihuahua.

An example of a recommended menu for this breed is that of the Lenda brand, specifically, its Lenda Mini range, which offers varieties for puppies, adults, animals with allergies, sterilized or overweight. It is a feed that is characterized by its great digestibility, which helps the dog make the most of the nutrients, and palatability, thanks to its content in natural ingredients, such as meat or fish. The recipes also include groups of exclusive ingredients designed for joint, digestive or immune system health, known as FAECs and which we talk about in depth in this other article: “Natural supplements for dogs is ideal for mini-sized dogs. It is a feed without dyes or chemical preservatives. small size kibble”. Finally, its

As we have explained, the amounts that a Chihuahua should consume per day will depend directly on the food we have chosen (food, homemade, wet diet, etc.). In the specific case of puppies, the quantities usually increase at the beginning to decrease at the end of the growth stage, since, as we have mentioned previously, at this point the energy and protein needs will be lower. As a guide, we can give the approximate amounts that a Chihuahua puppy would need if we gave Lenda Mini food:

• Destete: from 39 to 150 grams.
• 4-6 months: 31 to 120 grams.
• 6-10 months: 27-105 grams.
• 10-12 months: 23-90 grams.

In these first months of life, it is important to distribute the daily ration into several doses, about 4 -5 a day, which can be reduced as the puppy grows. Establishing a meal schedule, that is, offering rations at the same (or approximate) times every day, helps the well-being of the animal, which needs established routines.

Next, we leave a table with the amount of food for a Chihuahua puppy based on its age and the weight it will have as an adult. This weight will be indicated to us approximately by the veterinarian when we go to the first visit. In any case, it is important to highlight that the amounts can (and should) be adjusted as we observe the development of our Chihuahua puppy. For example, if you do not gain adequate weight with the initial amount, we will have to increase it. For homemade diets, the veterinarian specialized in nutrition who has prepared the menu will advise us.