# Homemade Chihuahua Food?



## BiggiesMama (Oct 21, 2013)

Hi all! I have an almost ten month old chihuahua and he's quite the picky eater. I originally had him on Avoderm for small breed puppies but he grew tired of ot so I switched him to Taste of the Wild for puppies and he grew sick of that, as well. I currently have him on a mix of Stewart's Raw Naturals frozen patties(Chicken) and Ziwipeak (Venison and fish). I'm very interested in feeding a homemade diet to my little Biggie but I want to make sure it's fully balanced and nutritional. I've looked at some past posts but have yet to find a link for a small breed homemade and balanced recipe. Biggie is about 6 pounds. If anyone has any links or resources, it would be much appreciated


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

A lot of people on here feed raw, including me. If you are going to make food at home then I suggest that. It is the easiest, most balanced way to make your food at home (way easier than cooking) and I can attest to the fact that it is just about the best diet you can feed. Check out the raw food part of the chihuahua food forum on here. There are lots of posts about getting started. It is not about following a specific "Recipe" but about balancing over time, the same way you feed yourself. That may be why you are not finding a specific recipe. Take a look over at the raw feeding posts and if you have any questions or concerns come back here and ask. There are a lot of friendly people on here who don't feed processed foods and we can help you out.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

I feed and recommend raw. To me it is easiest and healthiest. The less processed, the better.

However, if you are interested in feeding home cooked, there are some resources out there. Try starting your research with this link ...

DogAware.com: Diet Options for Dogs

Cooking does deplete enzymes and nutrients, so you will be adding those elements back in via pureed veggies or a supplement. You will also be adding calcium.

Just be sure and do your research. If you are fully committed to a raw or a home cooked diet, it can be a great thing for your dog. If you don't do the recommended research, feeding a home prepared dog can be very detrimental, dangerous, and harmful to your dog. I can't emphasize enough that you need to know what you are doing and do your research. Don't just follow one person's ideas or advice or website, read and learn for yourself. And be committed. Just because a dog is picky, doesn't mean that they have to have a home prepared diet. For some dogs, that just makes them even more picky instead of solving your problem. 

There are some links in the raw section here at chi people if you are interested in reading about a raw diet. That would be a good place to start.


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## AnnHelen (Nov 29, 2010)

I don't think you should switch that easily when he gets picky..I had a hard time with Baby too when he was younger, but I never gave up, now he eats every meal like a wolf, and he would eat himself sick if he could.. I feel that many puppies go true this fase growing up


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## joshall (Oct 13, 2013)

Well, do not free feed your puppy! It will get fat and become overweight. Mine was when I got him from our breeder.


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## MMS (Aug 2, 2012)

joshall said:


> Well, do not free feed your puppy! It will get fat and become overweight. Mine was when I got him from our breeder.


You cannot over feed a puppy. Puppies grow so fast that they need A LOT of calories. Especially during growth spurts. It is perfectly fine to free feed a puppy, that way you know that the puppy is getting as many calories as it needs. Then you can transition to a feeding schedule after your pup is full grown. If your "overweight" puppy is the one you are also calling "lazy and slow" that could be your problem. NEVER DIET A PUPPY!!


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