healthy dog food recipes for chihuahuas
Homemade Dog Food for Chihuahuas .. (4 Recipes)
If you own a Chihuahua, youve likely had to deal with their pickiness at some point. These pint-sized pups are notorious for getting bored with food easily.
This has forced many owners to start thinking outside of the box when it comes to keeping their dogs healthy and well-fed.
Homemade diets are becoming more and more popular with each passing year. Sure, commercial kibbles are a lot more convenient.
But making your Chihuahuas food from scratch offers far more benefits.
Why Consider Making Homemade Dog Food for Your Chihuahua?
Everyone has their reasons for weaning their dogs off commercial kibble. One of the most common is control. The commercial dog food industry has gone a long way in the last few decades. Its become more varied and high-quality.
Premium brands emerged as more dog owners focused on providing healthy products for their canine companions. Even still, commercial kibble products arent perfect.
While you can use ingredients lists and protein analysis guides to paint a picture, theres just no way to tell where the ingredients used came from. Oftentimes, ingredients travel far and wide just to make it into that piece of kibble.
When you make your Chihuahuas food from scratch, theres no question about quality. You know where it came from and how it has been processed. This alone is enough to get many to switch.
You dont have to worry about potential toxins, bad batches, or unhealthy ingredients. As the chef to your pups meals, you have all the control.
Making homemade meals can also help you keep your Chihuahua excited about eating. These dogs are small enough. Skipping meals is just unhealthy! Unfortunately, this is pretty common due to their finicky nature.
Homemade meals include stronger flavors and more natural ingredients. Plus, you can mix things up to prevent boredom! Its a win-win!
4 Homemade Dog food Recipes for Chihuahuas
Creating your pups meals is a lot easier than you may think! Many owners hesitate to give it a try because they dont know what types of ingredients they should use.
This is a reasonable fear, as you dont want to provide anything that will cause harm.
It will take time to learn what works and what doesnt. But, you can pick up on the basics pretty easily.
To help you get started, here are a few tried and true recipes that Chihuahuas love! Theyre wholesome meals with safe ingredients that can improve your pups health in the long-run.
Heres a simple recipe that you can easily adapt as you learn more. It features similar ingredients to some premium kibble foods. However, the meal has far less processing.
The most processing youre going to be doing is baking!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of boneless chicken
- 1 Apple
- Half a cup of peas
- Half a cup of corn
- Half a cup of carrots
- About a cup of brown rice
- 1 Egg
Directions
Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.
While youre at it, preheat your oven to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (About 176 Celcius). When the water is to a boil, place the chicken in and cook it until its fully white.
After that, remove it from the water and shred it with a fork.
Then, cook your rice. You can do so in a pot according to the instructions or use a rice cooker. As thats cooking, slice up your fruits and vegetables.
In one large bowl, combine the sliced apples, shredded chicken, and egg. Mix the two up nicely to create a thick consistency. In a separate bowl, combine the brown rice and vegetables.
Make sure theyre mixed thoroughly. Now youre ready to assemble and bake!
Grease a large casserole can and add a thick layer of the chicken mixture. Then, add a layer of the rice mixture. Continue alternating layers until youve used up all of the ingredients.
Pop the pan into the oven and bake it for about half an hour.
Let the leaf cool down completely before chopping it up and serving it to your Chihuahua.
This recipe is pretty flexible, too. It covers most of the basics that Chihuahuas need. But, you can easily swap ingredients out to make things your own.
This is a great choice if you have healthy leftovers that you need to get rid of!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of minced beef
- 6 cups of water
- 4 cups of brown rice
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup pumpkin
Directions
The first thing you need to do is boil the beef. In a large stockpot bring the 6 cups of water up to a boil and add the meat.
Cook the meat in this way until the beef is no longer pink.
Then, remove the meat.In the same pot and water, cook your rice. This will infuse some of that beef flavor into the rice.
While thats cooking, puree your green beans and your pumpkin. You should have a thick and creamy consistency.
Once everything is prepared, finishing the meal is as easy as mixing everything together! You can then feed the meal as is.
Its a soft dish thats packed with flavor!
BARF diets are pretty popular these days, too. BARF stands for Bones and Raw Food. Raw meals are much closer to what animals ate in the wild.
After all, wild canines didnt have the luxury of ovens to cook their meals for them!This recipe replicates that a bit. Its easy and doesnt require any major prep to complete.
Ingredients
- 1 soft-boiled egg
- 2 ounces of raw beef organs
- 1 teaspoon of white plain yogurt
- 3 teaspoons of mixed vegetables
Directions
You can use a ton of different ingredients here. Use what you have on hand.
For organs, beef liver, heart, and kidney work well. Chop up those organs into small pieces so that your Chihuahua wont have trouble eating it.
For your vegetables, things like baby carrots, peas, green beans, and spinach work well. Steam those vegetables and let them cool.
After that, you can prepare the meal. Just mix all of the ingredients up together and serve! Pop any leftovers in the freezer for some extra shelf life.
If you have a Chihuahua thats allergic to the common ingredients in standard kibbles, this is a great recipe to try out. It has something other than chicken as the main protein source.
Oatmeal and flaxseeds provide a bit of extra texture. Meanwhile, the vegetables provide a ton of vitamins and nutrients. Use what you have on hand and mix things up to keep your Chihuahua happy!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of ground turkey
- Three quarters of a cup of vegetables
- 1 and a half cups of plain oatmeal
- Half a cup of ground flaxseeds
- 2 eggs
- Half a cup of cottage cheese
Directions
This is another recipe that wont take very long to prepare.
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.Now, youre going to want to grate up those vegetables. You have a lot of options on what types of vegetables to use.
You can utilize sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, or many other crops you have in your refrigerator. Just avoid anything thats known to cause issues with dogs!
Grate the vegetables up into tiny pieces. Then, combine all of the ingredients to create a thick dough-like consistency. Place the mixture into a greased or lined loaf pan.
Bake it for about an hour. Let the loaf cool and its ready to serve to your eager pup!
Conclusion
Say goodbye to your dog turning his or her nose up at their food! Homemade meals are a delicious treat that your Chihuahua will love.
They offer tons of flexibility and control, ensuring that everything your dog consumes is healthy and filling. Give these recipes a shot and see what your dog thinks! Y
oull be surprised by just how much your canine companion enjoys them!
Also Read:Vet Approved Homemade Dog Food Recipes
Best Dog Food for Chihuahuas
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Wellness Small Breed Adult derives the majority of its animal protein from fresh turkey and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 31% protein, 18% fat and 43% estimated carbs delivering a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.
We like the fact this recipe contains salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in EPA and DHA types of omega-3 fatty acids which can help support healthy skin and coat. Highly recommended.
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com
Read our review of the full Wellness Complete Health Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Deboned turkey, chicken meal, salmon meal, oatmeal, ground brown rice Texture Dry Type Grain-inclusive Protein Percentage 31% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adult Chihuahuas Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"I was looking for a truly healthy and complete dog food for my 2 year old ShihTzu/Maltese mix pup. Wellness checks all the boxes! He loves it and goes back to see if theres more lol! I feel really good about feeding this high quality food."
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We note this formula is preserved with vitamin E and citric acid and free of BHA or other high-risk chemical additives. A quality design. Highly recommended.
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Read our review of the full Instinct Raw Boost Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Chicken, chicken meal (source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate), chickpeas, tapioca, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid) Texture Dry Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 38% AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For Adult and puppy Chihuahuas Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"I have never seen my dog love a dog food more. We usually have to put some meat or something on her dog food to get her to eat it but she plows right through this food! She especially loves the freeze dried bits. I have made her food for awhile but feel confident using this brand especially with the freeze dried chunks in it."
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In addition to other named species, this Royal Canin Adult Chihuahua recipe gets the better part of its animal protein from pork by-products and fresh chicken. Dry matter label analysis reveals the formula contains 37% protein, 22% fat and 34% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 59%.
We note the inclusion of omega-rich fish oil to support joint and coat development. Readily recommended.
Read our review of the full Royal Canin Dog Food range here
Main Ingredients Water sufficient for processing, chicken by-products, pork by-products, chicken, pork liver Texture Wet Type Grain-inclusive Protein Percentage 37% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adult Chihuahuas Sample buyer review...
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Complete and balanced nutrient design. Contains zinc and 4 other chelated minerals for superior nutrition. Highly recommended.
Read our review of the full Merrick Lil Plates Grain Free Dog Food (Cups) range here
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Read our review of the full Hills Science Diet Dog Food range here
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Read our review of the full Iams Proactive Health Dog Food (Dry) range here
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Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"My 2 dogs have been eating this food for a few years now, and they maintain very well on it. I always add a little snippet of something to give them a different flavor other than just kibble. They like it all by itself, though. It's also reasonably priced compared to other nutritious dog foods."
Small Breed Senior is one of 21 dry recipes rated in our review of the Blue Buffalo Life Protection product line.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Small Breed Senior draws the majority of its meat protein from deboned chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 26% protein, 14% fat and 52% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.
A nutritious senior formula containing just the right balance of protein, wholesome grains and micro nutrients. Reasonably priced. Ideal for older chihuahuas and other small breeds. Easily recommended.
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com
Read our review of the full Blue Buffalo Dog Food range here
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Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"Very nutritious for my senior dog. She loves it! I love that its for small breeds so it gives her more manageable sized pieces."
This Turkey Recipe is one of 4 human-grade wet formulas covered in our review of the The Farmers Dog product line.Our 14 year old could hardly get up and walk due to so much pain in her hips, after eating your food shes now running again! I was hoping it would help her but I wasnt expecting that big of an improvement. Good food reduced her inflammation. You truly are what you eat.
The Farmers Dog Turkey Recipe derives the bulk of its animal protein from fresh turkey. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 33% protein, 19% fat and 40% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.
A fresh, human-grade recipe custom designed and packaged to fit the nutritional needs of your particular chihuahua. As close to a homemade dog food as you can get. Not cheap. Highly recommended.
Read our review of the full The Farmers Dog Food (Fresh) range here
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Read more buyer reviews at TheFarmersDog.com"Our 14 year old could hardly get up and walk due to so much pain in her hips, after eating your food shes now running again! I was hoping it would help her but I wasnt expecting that big of an improvement. Good food reduced her inflammation. You truly are what you eat."
Small Breed Adult is one of 14 dry recipes evaluated in our review of the Eukanuba product line.
Eukanuba Small Breed Adult obtains much of its animal protein from fresh chicken and chicken by-product meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 31% protein, 20% fat and 41% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 64%.
A time-proven, classic formula that features wholesome cereal grains. Small kibble size, perfect for adult chihuahuas. Nutritionally complete and balanced. Reasonably priced. Highly recommended.
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com
Read our review of the full Eukanuba Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn, chicken fat, wheat Texture Dry Type Grain-inclusive Protein Percentage 31% AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Adult Chihuahuas Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend Eukanuba small breed dry food! I have 2 little furry family members, a Yorkie mix and a Chihuahua. I never worry that they are not getting the right balance in their diet and they sure do eat well with Eukanuba!"
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Loaded with omega-rich, fresh salmon for healthy skin and coat. Also contains zinc proteinate and 3 other chelated minerals for superior nutrition. Free of BHT and other high-risk preservatives. Fairly priced. Highly recommended.
Read our review of the full Natures Recipe Grain-Free Dog Food (Dry) range here
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Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"My dogs eat this right up , makes there coats shiny, Low fat so they don't gain weight , high in protein so it keeps the healthy, Not allot of unneeded fillers ."
