Best Dog Food for Chiweenies : 15 Healthy Recipes Reviewed by Budget, Diet and Life Stage

A cross between a Chihuahua and a Dachshund, the Chiweenie is often referred to as a “designer dog,” though technically it is a hybrid.

Many people assume that crossing to purebreds will give you the best of both worlds. While this may sometimes be the result, crossing two different pure breeds is something of a genetic toss-up – you can’t be sure which characteristics your dog will inherit from each breed. For the most part, however, the Chiweenie is a small breed with a short coat, floppy ears, and a happy-go-lucky personality.

Though his size will vary according to breeding, the Chiweenie usually stands between 8 and 10 inches tall at maturity and weighs somewhere between 8 to 12 pounds. Aside from behind a hybrid, this size makes him a toy breed as well. These dogs are a good choice for singles, seniors, and families with older children though small children may be too rambunctious for the breed.

When it comes to caring for your Chiweenie, you need to take his nutritional requirements into consideration. As a toy breed, these dogs have very fast metabolisms and require a calorie-rich diet to meet their energy needs. As a pure breed, the Chiweenie also has the potential to inherit health problems from either bloodline, so keep that in mind as well.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this article:

Understanding a Chiweenie’s Diet Requirements

All dogs have the same basic nutritional requirements. They need protein as puppy for growth and development which then provides support for lean muscle mass in adulthood. In all life stages, fat provides a concentrated source of energy and carbohydrates contribute fiber and essential nutrients. Your Chiweenie needs lean protein to maintain a healthy body weight but his needs for fat are higher than for larger breeds due to the high energy requirements of his fast metabolism.

When it comes to the ingredients in your Chiweenie’s diet, quality matters. Protein and fat should come from animal sources like meat, poultry, and fish to ensure digestibility and biological value. Plant proteins and fats can be used as supplemental sources, but they are more difficult for your dog’s body to metabolize which limits their nutritional value.

• Puppy Chiweenies Diet – As a puppy, your Chiweenie is going to grow very fast, so he has high needs for calories. His diet should provide a minimum of 22% protein and 8% fat, though more is better for both. To prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), your puppy needs to eat frequently – most Chiweenies do well on four small meals a day until they are full grown.
• Adult Chiweenies Diet – Once your Chiweenie is full grown, you can scale down his protein and fat content a little bit. He still needs at least 18% protein and 5% fat but keep an eye on the ratio to ensure that your dog is maintaining lean muscle mass and not gaining fat.
• Senior Chiweenies Diet – When your Chiweenie becomes a senior, somewhere around 7 to 9 years, his metabolism may slow down, and obesity becomes a greater risk. Scale his daily portion down a little bit and consider switching to a lower fat recipe.

In addition to the right ratios of protein, fat, and carbohydrates in his diet, your Chiweenie can also benefit from certain nutritional supplements. Prebiotics support healthy gut flora and probiotics encourage regular digestion. Chelated minerals are chemically bound to protein molecules which increases their bioavailability and fresh fruits and veggies provide natural sources for key nutrients.

Special Dietary Considerations for Chiweenies

The Chiweenie is a hybrid dog which means that it is a cross between two breeds. In addition to inheriting physical characteristics from both breeds, the Chiweenie can also inherit health problems from both the Chihuahua and the Dachshund. It is impossible to predict which genes the dog will inherit, but there is some risk that a Chiweenie could inherit any of the conditions to which the Chihuahua and the Dachshund are prone.

Here is a quick list of the health problems to which the Chiweenie may be prone:

• Collapsed Trachea
• Cushing’s Disease
• Diabetes
• Ear Infections
• Gastric Dilation
• Hypoglycemia
• Intervertebral Disc Disease
• Patellar Luxation
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy
• Pulmonic Stenosis

Let’s take a closer look at some of these health problems.

As a combination between the Dachshund and the Chihuahua, the Chiweenie has a very compressed body. This can predispose the breed to musculoskeletal issues like intervertebral disc disease and patellar luxation. Intervertebral disc disease is commonly seen in Dachshunds and is thought to be genetically inherited. It can range in severity from mild and easy to manage to causing partial or total paralysis. Patellar luxation is a condition in which the kneecap slips in and out of place.

Cushing’s disease is also known as hyperadrenocorticism and it is an adrenal gland problem where the body produces too much of the stress hormone cortisol. Another important disease to mention is hypoglycemia which is common in Chihuahua puppies. If your puppy doesn’t get enough food to support his metabolism, he may develop dangerously low blood sugar and could die. Low blood sugar will also impact diabetes, a condition which is sometimes seen in Dachshunds. Canine diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s response to insulin becomes impaired. Both of these are hormone problems which can be affected by diet and body weight.

In terms of the dietary implications of these health problems, there are some factors to consider. As a puppy, it will be important for your Chiweenie to eat frequently to prevent hypoglycemia and to keep his blood sugar up (if he is diabetic). He may also need joint-supporting nutrients like glucosamine and chondroitin to develop strong bones and joints. As an adult, maintaining a healthy body weight is essential and will help manage many of the other conditions on the list including diabetes, gastric dilation, Cushing’s disease and musculoskeletal issues.

Another factor to consider is that Dachshunds have a higher risk for developing food allergies than other breeds which means that your Chiweenie could develop them as well. Make sure to feed your dog a high-quality diet made from natural ingredients to reduce this risk. If he develops skin problems or recurrent ear infections, it could be an allergy and you might want to switch to a grain-free or limited ingredient dog food.

Chiweenie Feeding Chart

To ensure that your Chiweenie’s nutritional needs are met, you should buy the highest quality dog food you can consistently afford. To ensure that he gets the right ratio of protein and fat, choose a toy- or small-breed specific puppy recipe and follow the feeding recommendations on the package. As a puppy, your Chiweenie will need frequent meals and a higher percentage of fat to meet his energy requirements. Feed him four small meals a day or simply keep his food bowl full.

Once your Chiweenie stops growing, you can switch to a small-breed adult recipe and feed him three meals per day. Again, refer to the feeding recommendations according to your dog’s age, weight, and activity level. Once your Chiweenie becomes a senior dog, you may need to reduce the fat and calorie content of his diet a little more to prevent him from becoming obese. Obesity is always dangerous in dogs, but particularly for senior dogs and both the Chihuahua and Dachshund breeds are prone to obesity as they get older.

The Best Dog Food for Chiweenies : Our Top 15 Picks

Now that you have a better understanding of your Chiweenie’s nutritional needs, you’re ready to start shopping for dog food! Remember, the best Chiweenie food will be rich in energy from healthy animal fats with plenty of protein to support lean muscle mass. It should also be highly digestible with whole-grain or grain-free carbohydrates and beneficial supplements to ensure balanced nutrition.

Rank	Dog Food	Price	Rating
Overall Best	Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$4.49/lb	A+
Most Popular	Taste Of The Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$1.55/lb	A+
Super Premium	Instinct Raw Boost Small Breed w/ Real Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Pieces Buy Online Customer Reviews	$5.46/lb	A+
Allergies	Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Lamb Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Buy Online Customer Reviews	$4.74/lb	A
Sensitive Stomachs	Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Turkey Small Breed Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$3.38/lb	A

Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe

Overall Best Food for Chiweenie: If you want to ensure that your Chiweenie gets the highest quality nutrition, an organic dog food like Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Organic Small Breed Recipe might be a good choice. This recipe features all-natural ingredients like organic, free-range chicken, organic sweet potatoes, and organic peas in a nutrient-dense, highly digestible recipe formulated for small breeds. This recipe contains 26% protein and 15% fat which is an ideal ratio to support lean muscle mass without encouraging unhealthy weight gain. This recipe contains fresh fruits and veggies as natural sources for key nutrients, plus beneficial supplements like chelated minerals and probiotics.

• Pros: Made with 95% organic ingredients, grain-free digestible carbohydrates, formulated for small breeds, fresh fruits and vegetables, chelated minerals, probiotics for digestion
• Cons: Main source of fat is plant-based (sunflower seed meal), contains some plant protein

Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Recipe

Most Popular Food: One of the most popular dog foods for small breeds like your Chiweenie is this Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Recipe. This recipe features real venison as the primary protein, delivering a full 32% protein with 18% crude fat for energy. It is made with grain-free carbohydrates like garbanzo bean, peas, and lentils with fresh fruits and vegetables for supplemental fiber – these ingredients also provide natural sources of key vitamins and minerals. This recipe contains dried fermentation products for probiotic support and prebiotic fibers for healthy digestion.

• Pros: Formulated for small breeds, several sources of novel protein, digestible grain-free carbohydrates, prebiotics and probiotics, blend of omega fatty acids, no artificial additives
• Cons: Contains some plant protein (pea protein), main source of fat is plant-based (canola oil)

Instinct Raw Boost Small Breed w/ Real Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Pieces

Super Premium Food: If you want to give your Chiweenie the nutritional benefits of raw food with the dental benefits of dry food, try this Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost Small-Breed Recipe with Real Duck. This recipe features high-protein kibble mixed with freeze-dried raw pieces of real duck. With duck meal as a supplemental protein and natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin, this recipe provides 36.5% protein and 16% fat. It is naturally grain-free, featuring carbohydrate options like peas and tapioca with fresh fruits and vegetables for nutritional balance. It also contains probiotics for digestion.

• Pros: Made with all-natural ingredients, premium animal protein from duck, rich in healthy fats, supplemented with chelated minerals and probiotics, fresh fruits and veggies
• Cons: Contains chicken ingredients (some dogs may be sensitive), may be too high in protein for some dogs (dogs with kidney problems)

Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Lamb Freeze-Dried Raw Coated

Best Food for Chiweenie with Allergies: Another excellent option from Nature’s Variety is this limited ingredient diet which is a great choice if your Chiweenie has food allergies. This Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Lamb Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Recipe is made with just a handful of primary ingredients including a single source of animal protein which is also a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin. It contains digestible grain-free carbohydrates like peas and tapioca, with lamb and lamb meal for a boost of nutrition and natural flavor. All in all, it provides 24% protein and 21.5.5% fat with chelated minerals for nutritional support.

• Pros: Made with a limited number of ingredients, single source of animal protein, coated w/ freeze-dried lamb, chelated minerals, formulated for small breeds
• Cons: Main source of fat is plant-based (canola oil), no probiotic supplements

Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Turkey Small Breed Recipe

Best Food for Chiweenie with Sensitive Stomachs: If your Chiweenie has a sensitive stomach and frequent gas you need to feed him a digestible dog food made with all-natural ingredients. This Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Turkey Small Breed Recipe is a great option because it is not only made with high-quality ingredients, but it contains freeze-dried raw pieces for a boost of nutrition. It features deboned turkey, turkey meal, and chicken meal as the top three ingredients for a total of 38% protein with nutrient-rich chicken fat and salmon oil to provide 15% fat. This recipe is highly digestible, made with grain-free carbohydrates, and supplemented with probiotics to boost your dog’s nutrition.

• Pros: High-protein kibble plus freeze-dried raw pieces, contains 38% protein and 15% fat, crunchy kibble cleans teeth, fresh fruits and vegetables, chelated minerals, probiotics
• Cons: Expensive to feed as a staple diet, some dogs may be sensitive to potatoes

3 more Top Rated (5 Star) Chiweenie Adult Foods

Rank	Dog Food	Price	Rating
Adult Food	Halo Holistic Chicken & Chicken Liver Small Breed Dry Dog Food Buy Online Customer Reviews	$3.62/lb	A+
Adult Food	FirstMate Small Bites Chicken Meal With Blueberries Formula LID Dry Food Buy Online Customer Reviews	$3.04/lb	A
Adult Food	Solid Gold Mighty Mini Grain-Free Toy & Small Breed Lamb Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$3.02/lb	A

Halo Holistic Chicken & Chicken Liver Small Breed Dry Dog Food

For a breed prone to food allergies like your Chiweenie, an all-natural dog food like this Halo Holistic Chicken & Chicken Liver Small Breed Dry Dog Food is a good choice. It features real, whole chicken with non-GMO, digestible carbohydrates like oats and pearled barley. It contains 27% protein and 17% fat with chelated minerals for nutritional balance and probiotics for healthy digestion.

FirstMate Small Bites Chicken Meal with Blueberries Formula LID Dry Food

If you’re looking for a high-quality diet for your Chiweenie that won’t trigger food allergies, try this FirstMate Small Bites Chicken Meal with Blueberries Formula LID Dry Food. This recipe features all-natural ingredients like chicken meal, Burbank potato, and whole blueberries for a nutrient-dense diet formulated for small breeds. It provides 25% protein and 14% fat with 4% crude fiber.

Solid Gold Mighty Mini Grain-Free Toy & Small Breed Lamb Recipe

This holistic dog food is a great choice for your Chiweenie because it is protein-rich with moderate fat and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. This Solid Gold Mighty Mini Grain-Free Toy & Small Breed Lamb Recipe features lamb and lamb meal for protein with nutrient-rich chicken fat and grain-free carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, peas, and chickpeas.

3 More Top Rated (5 Star) Chiweenie Puppy Foods

Rank	Dog Food	Price	Rating
Puppy Food	Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Puppy Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$1.89/lb	A+
Puppy Food	Lotus Oven-Baked Small Bites Chicken Puppy Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$4.37/lb	A
Puppy Food	Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Breed Puppy Chicken, Brown Rice, & Sweet Potato Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$2.08/lb	A

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Puppy Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe

If your Chiweenie puppy can tolerate grains, this Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Puppy Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe is a healthy and affordable option. Made with real chicken as the first ingredient, it also contains whole-grain carbohydrates, omega fatty acids, and fresh fruits and vegetables for nutritional support. It is also supplemented with probiotics.

Lotus Oven-Baked Small Bites Chicken Puppy Recipe

To get your Chiweenie started on the right foot, try a high-quality recipe like this Lotus Oven-Baked Small Bites Chicken Puppy Recipe. Not only is this formula made with premium-quality natural ingredients, but it is oven-baked to preserve their nutritional integrity. This recipe features real chicken as the main ingredient with whole-grain carbohydrates, healthy fats, and probiotics.

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Breed Puppy Chicken, Brown Rice, & Sweet Potato Recipe

Because your Chiweenie is prone to food allergies, a high-quality diet made with natural ingredients is key. This Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Breed Puppy Chicken, Brown Rice, & Sweet Potato Recipe features premium proteins like chicken and chicken meal with wholesome whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal. It also contains plenty of healthy fats with chelated minerals for balanced nutrition.

2 More Picks for Senior Chiweenie Foods

Rank	Dog Food	Price	Rating
Senior Food	Now Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Senior Turkey Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$2.17/lb	A
Senior Food	Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Senior Recipe Buy Online Customer Reviews	$3.79/lb	A

Now Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Senior Turkey Recipe

This Now Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Senior Turkey Recipe is a great choice for your senior Chiweenie if you’re worried about obesity. Not only is it rich in lean protein, but it contains a lower level of fat for controlled calorie content. It is loaded with natural ingredients like deboned turkey, apples, and coconut oil with chelated minerals for nutritional balance and probiotics for healthy digestion.

Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Senior Recipe

If you want to support your senior Chiweenie’s changing nutritional needs, give this Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Senior Recipe a try. It features deboned chicken and chicken meal as a lean source of animal protein as well as a natural source of joint-supporting glucosamine and chondroitin. This recipe contains just 12% fat for controlled calories with grain-free carbohydrates and fresh fruits and vegetables to provide digestion-supporting fiber.

Our FAQ and Chiweenie Feeding Guide

In addition to thinking about the best diet for Chiweenies, you should also consider how you’re going to feed your dog and keep his food fresh. These dogs do not eat a large volume of food at a time, so you won’t need to purchase giant bags of it. After opening a new bag, place the entire bag in an airtight container to keep it fresh. The more your dog food is exposed to air, the more quickly it will lose its nutritional value.

When it comes to choosing a dog bowl for your Chiweenie, again, you won’t need anything big. This means that you can afford to buy something that will last. Stainless steel is one of the best options for durability and easy cleaning, though ceramic is also sturdy and doesn’t harbor bacteria. No matter which option you choose, make sure to clean it often.

And now, here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about feeding a Chiweenie:

How much food should I feed my Chiweenie?

The amount you feed your Chiweenie will be determined by his age, weight, and activity level. Because he is a hybrid dog, you may not know his full size until he reaches it. To determine how much to feed him, choose a high-quality small-breed recipe and check the feeding recommendations according to his age and weight. Keep in mind that you’ll need to adjust the amount as he grows.

How many times a day should I feed my Chiweenie?

As a puppy, your Chiweenie needs to eat frequently to prevent hypoglycemia and to support healthy growth and development. Four small meals a day should be adequate, though you may want to feed healthy snacks in between. Adult and senior Chiweenies can eat three meals a day. Check the feeding recommendation on the package to see how much to feed your dog each day then divide that amount by the desired number of meals.

What kind of food do Chiweenies eat?

The Chiweenie is a small dog, so they don’t eat a large volume of food at once. This means that the quality of the ingredients is extremely important. Wet food tends to be higher in protein and calories than dry food, but small breeds have a higher risk for dental problems which can be exacerbated by wet food. One option is to feed your Chiweenie a staple diet of high-quality dry food with some wet food mixed in as a boost of nutrition. You could also mix in some fresh food or rehydrated freeze-dried or dehydrated food for a nutritional bonus.

What vegetables are good in a Chiweenie food?

Vegetables provide dietary fiber as well as natural sources for vitamins and minerals. As such, they are a valuable addition to any high-quality Chiweenie food. Here are some of the best vegetables for dogs:

• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber
• Green beans
• Peas
• Pumpkin
• Spinach
• Sweet potato
• Zucchini

Even if your dog food contains fresh vegetables, you might consider supplementing his diet with veggies as a healthy snack. Just make sure they are safe for dogs to eat and that you clean them thoroughly before feeding. You should also feed small amounts to avoid upsetting your dog’s stomach.

Do Chiweenies need grain-free dog food?

There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the long-term safety of grain-free diets for dogs, but the jury is still out. Dachshunds have a higher risk for food allergies than many breeds, so your Chiweenie could inherit an allergy or sensitivity to grains in which case a grain-free diet might be a good choice. If your dog is able to tolerate grains, however, there is no reason to switch.

Chiweenie Dog Food – A Final Word

Now that you know the basics about your Chiweenie’s nutritional needs, you’re ready to start shopping for the best Chiweenie food.

The best dog food for Chiweenies will be made from high-quality, all-natural ingredients including lean proteins, healthy animal fats, and digestible carbohydrates. Some Chiweenies have food allergies, so you might consider a limited ingredient diet or grain-free recipe. You should also look for fresh fruits and vegetables as well as beneficial supplements.

If you’re still not sure where to start in choosing the best Chiweenie dog food, try one of our top 15 picks reviewed above!