Chihuahuas are very small dogs with delicate systems and need to fed accordingly. The number of feedings your chihuahua gets will depend on the dog's weight and age. Getting your chihuahua on a feeding schedule will help regulate your dog's bathroom schedule, allowing for fewer accidents in the house.
Puppies Under Six Months
Chihuahua puppies should begin eating solid puppy food around three to four weeks of age to supplement their mother's milk. Puppies under three months of age or that weigh less than 2 pounds can have constant access to puppy food or be fed at least three to four times per day until the dog is six months old. Chihuahua puppies, like all puppies, need plenty of calcium, protein, and calories at this stage of development to grow and remain in good health.
Puppies Over Six Months
After a chihuahua puppy reaches six months of age, you can begin feeding your dog less frequently. A chihuahua puppy, aged six months to one year, only needs to be fed two to three times per day. Feed your chihuahua at the same time every day and give your dog access to its food for a half-hour at a time to help establish a consistent schedule. A schedule will let your dog know what to expect at meal times and will help with the housebreaking training.
Adult Chihuahuas
Adult chihuahuas can be fed adult dog food twice per day, in the morning and in the evening. As much as possible, maintain the feeding schedule by feeding your adult chihuahua at the same time every day, giving the dog access to its food for 30 minutes at a time. Take care not to feed your chihuahua too much food as even a little weight gain can negatively affect the health of such a small dog.
What To Feed Your Chihuahua
Feeding a chihuahua is no different than feeding any other dog. Puppies should be fed dog food specially formulated for their growing bodies and then weaned onto adult food. When choosing a dog food, look at the ingredients. The main ingredient should be meat and there should be little if any, grain. Adult chihuahuas require 1/4 to 3/4 cup of dry dog food at each meal. Canned dog food can be substituted for part of the dry dog food if desired.
