The laying of strong immunity occurs in childhood. In order for a healthy dog to grow out of a small puppy, the owners must make some efforts. A lot depends on how balanced the nutrition is. You can choose the right food for the dachshund on your own or by consulting with your veterinarian during a scheduled examination.
How to feed a dachshund puppy
Most often, a dog is bred at the age of one and a half months and older. Therefore, the first question that arises for owners, which food is better for dachshunds? Experienced breeders recommend the first time to use the same food that the puppy received earlier. After breast milk, the food should be porridge-like, liquid. Dachshunds are usually accustomed to solid food for babies from the age of 2.5 months. It is not worth rushing in this regard, as it can damage the bite and teeth. More positive reviews are found for Hills dachshund food.
If we talk about homemade food, it can be a mixture of milk, cottage cheese, broth, grated carrots, dry food soaked in water or minced meat. The diet of puppies is similar to that of children. The main thing is to observe the interval between meals and give food for the dachshund puppy without aromatic additives, allergens and GMOs. Up to four months, the number of feedings per day should be about five, that is, almost every 5-6 hours. It is advisable to control the puppy's weight as he grows older. Senior dog breeders recommend not overfeeding the dog. Serving sizes should be small, if calculated on kilograms, then this ratio will look like this: for 1 kg of weight - 40 g of feed.
You can initially teach a small dachshund to special food, for example, the Italian manufacturer Monge offers an excellent product - Dog Specialty Mini Puppy Junior. It is intended for everyday nutrition, comes in three flavors: with potatoes, rice or lamb. The feed class belongs to the super premium, which indicates its extremely high quality.
At the age of six months, the number of meals is reduced to three, and at nine to two (morning and evening). It is extremely important to observe the nutritional regimen established in puppyhood, as this helps to maintain the dog’s health at a high level. Dog experts recommend the use of food for a puppy at room temperature, it should be warm, but not hot at all, if the food mainly comes from a common table. However, you can initially feed your pet with dry food, which is ideal for puppies, for example, Royal Canin's Dachshund Junior.
Replacing milk for puppies
Often a dachshund is brought up at the age of several days from birth. In some cases, such a measure becomes compelled. And the owner of the pet raises the question of how to feed the baby. Veterinarians recommend using special milk formula for puppies Beaphar Puppy Milk. It contains all the necessary components in the right amount. The advantage of this dairy product is that it can be given to a nursing dachshund to increase the amount of milk.
Special food for teeth
A four-month-old puppy or a little older starts to change teeth. This period accounts for the majority of complaints regarding the fact that he suddenly stopped eating the usual food for dachshunds. Such vagaries are explained by the fact that the dog begins to feel discomfort while eating. After the loss of milk teeth, the active growth of the molars begins. Consequently, the dog begins to nibble and bite. In order to reduce the damage that can be caused to furniture and personal items, manufacturers have provided special bones in their assortment.
An excellent option in this regard is inexpensive Mnyams sticks. Available in three flavors: lamb, chicken and beef. Each stick in a separate stick, the manufacturer recommends using this snack as a reward during training.
The dachshund will also appeal to Pedigree Rodeo's “Meat Braids” treat, which consists of cereals, a meat product, minerals, herbs, and plant components. For small breeds, the manufacturer recommends no more than 1 piece per day.
Caring for the teeth should be comprehensive, veterinarians recommend regularly monitoring the formation of plaque on them and remove it in a timely manner. To do this, you can use the special delicacy Bosch Goodies Dental. It is rich in fiber and allows for mechanical cleaning of teeth, prevents the re-formation of plaque.
Meat in the diet of an adult dachshund
Due to the special structure of the body of a dachshund, food for it should be not only tasty, but also healthy. Veterinarians recommend controlling the amount of dachshund meat consumed per day. For 1 kg of weight you need only 15-20 grams of meat. To know exactly how much meat a dog received per day, you can use ready-made canned food. They undergo heat treatment, are saturated with useful additives, and the owner does not have to weigh each portion.
One of the well-known European manufacturers Belcando offers universal food, which is suitable for dachshunds as well. With a body weight of 5 to 10 kg (average weight of a dog of this breed), 400-800 g of canned product per day is required. This type of food is suitable for daily use by the dog. The manufacturer offers two flavoring options: canned vegetables or meat. This allows you to somewhat diversify the diet of the pet.
The Moscow company for the production of special food for dogs, Zoogurman, offers a wide range of meat delicacies with various tastes and additives. In confirmation of the fact that the composition contains only proven components and there is no GMO, the manufacturer puts the mark Human Grade. This insignia is available on the entire product line of this company. Separately, it is worth highlighting sausages, which are prepared according to a special recipe, and meat souffle. Experienced dog breeders note that their pets are happy to switch to food from this manufacturer, especially if there are contraindications to dry food.
Dry food
The convenience of feeding dry food for dachshunds is a clear advantage among experienced dog breeders. Balanced composition, eliminating the risk of overeating or shortage of useful trace elements. Breeders recommend sticking to the same nutritional scheme. That is, if products from the general table are excluded from the dog’s menu, then this should be the case throughout the life of the pet. Continuous snacks between feedings are not allowed. Veterinarians recommend switching to dry food or including it in the puppy’s daily diet no earlier than 5-8 months after birth.
Especially for dachshunds, a balanced EUKANUBA DOG ADULT based on meat (turkey and chicken) was developed. Contains minerals useful for teeth, L-carnitine, which helps keep the dog's weight normal. For joints, there is also glucosamine and omega 3 and 6, designed to strengthen the heart muscle, normalize the brain.
One of the leading manufacturers of Royal Canin offers the best food for Dachshund Adult dachshunds. It contains everything you need for an adult dog: amino acids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, omega 3 and 6, fatty acids. If you do not consider specialized food for dachshunds, then you can try HILL'S Science Plan Small & Miniature. It is universal and, judging by the reviews of taxi drivers, it is perfectly perceived by four-legged pets.
If the dog has a disease and is supposed to take special care and nutrition, then it is worthwhile to separately consider a manufacturer such as Hills. Perhaps this is the best dry food for dachshunds, and for any other dog breed, too. In addition to daily food, the Hills has a therapeutic diet, as well as taking into account the special needs of the pet.
If we talk about the last direction, then in this case it is a certain age of the dog, a state of health. Special food Science Plan Special Care can solve the problems associated with strengthening bone mass, diseases of the oral cavity, intestines, stomach, overweight. The Prescription Diet line is notable for its focus on restoring health as a result of the development of chronic diseases (colitis, otitis media, gastroenteritis, allergies or dermatitis).
It is also worth highlighting the dry food Acana Grass-FedLamb, which is made from natural meat of New Zealand lamb. The manufacturer claims that high quality is achieved through NorthStar's own production. The feed contains a large amount of fiber, which is taken from the table and nutmeg pumpkin, apples. It has a positive effect on digestion. If the dog previously had problems, then the inclusion of dry food of this brand in the diet allows you to completely solve this problem. It is also noteworthy that the composition does not contain chicken meat, which is especially important for dachshunds prone to allergies.
Wet food
If we take into account the special wet food for the Royal Canin dachshund, then this will be the Dachshund Adult spider. Packed in a sealed foil bag, it can retain its beneficial properties for a long time. However, it is worth remembering that in open form it is suitable for a day, and it is recommended to store it in the refrigerator. The composition of the product is saturated with vitamins, amino acids and minerals. You can choose the number of servings per day by the weight of the dachshund. For 1 kg you will need 1 whole pack + ⅓, for 2 kg of weight 1 more spider, from 3 kg - 3 whole packages.
On specialized online forums, breeders and owners of small-breed dogs often leave positive feedback on feed for dachshunds from the manufacturer ROYAL CANIN - MINI Adult. It can be mixed with wet food, which was described above. This product has a good effect on the general well-being of the pet and its appearance.
The manufacturer did not mark Chicopee Dog Chunks Lamb Rice universal wet food as intended for dachshunds, however, there are a lot of breeds of short dogs on the list. This food is for super-premium dachshund, moreover, it is indicated for allergies.
If chicken-based products are contraindicated in the dog, then Brit Premium BEEF & HEART wet food can be recommended, which comes in two flavors with a heart or beef flavor. Canned food is used as the main daily food for adult dogs. The composition includes vitamins A, D3, E, calcium and phosphorus. You can calculate the portion size yourself, the manufacturer indicates that 70-90 grams of feed per 1 kg of pet weight.
Special food during or after a disease
Dogs that have recently suffered a disease belong to a special category, their nutrition should be sparing and as useful as possible. The recovery rate depends on the quality of the product supplied. Therefore, veterinarians recommend paying attention to products that are specifically labeled by the manufacturer. One such feed is Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal Canine. Thanks to the correctly selected composition, it is possible to avoid an increased load on the gastrointestinal tract.
Separately, it is worth noting that there are quite a lot of indications for prescribing this product, among them intestinal diarrhea (including in acute form), inflammation in the intestines, anorexia, colitis, gastritis, pancreatic problems. Another manufacturer offers special dog food - Hill's Prescription Diet Dog. It allows you to maintain a healthy liver.
Food for older dogs
With age, the pet needs not a simple feed for dachshunds, but a premium class that contains an increased amount of meat product and antioxidants. They positively affect the immune system and allow the body's cells to fight free radicals. Owners of dachshunds recommend food from Hill's brand Science Plan Active Longevity. It has the optimal content of fluoride and sodium, which are necessary for an adult dog, as they support the normal functioning of internal organs. Moreover, the ingredients are well digested and easy to digest.
For digestion problems, Veterinary diets EN GASTROINTESTINAL from Purina Pro Plan is also suitable. It belongs to the class of super-premium, for pets who are forced to adhere to diet food. The manufacturer offers three options for flavors: with liver, heart, pork.
The consequences of malnutrition
A common problem that dog owners contact their veterinarian is obesity, spinal disc damage, or black acanthosis. Improper nutrition leads to such diseases. Many dog owners sin that during the day their pet receives food from the general table and dry food for dachshunds. Experienced dog breeders know that this can lead to weight gain and poor digestion. It is also not recommended to mix dry food with cottage cheese.
From a very early age, the dog should not be overfed, it is necessary to exclude any possibility of a snack. To do this, veterinarians recommend monitoring the cleanliness of the pet's dishes. After the dachshund has eaten and moved away from the bowl, the remaining food should be discarded. Otherwise, there is a possibility of overeating and gaining excess weight.
What you can not give a dachshund
The abuse of sweets can lead to allergies. Therefore, chocolate and sweets should be removed away and not given to the dog under any circumstances. If you don’t give the dachshund dog food, but feed it from the general table, it is important to remember that for example, not all bones should be given to it. Dog breeders know that boiled bones are of no use, and tubular bones can scatter into small fragments, which will damage the larynx and esophagus.
Milk is poorly absorbed by the body of an adult dachshund, therefore, such a product should not be present in the diet. Pork is considered heavy, so it can not be added to food or served in its pure form. Lamb also gets blacklisted from meat. Legumes lead to gas formation, and acute, smoked meats and spices provoke the development of gastritis.