# Feeding



## chihuahuapwincess (Aug 19, 2010)

:angel1: Heeeey! I was wondering what Food should I feed My Chihuahua? I've tried Royal Canin, Winalot, Pedigree & I'm thinking about trying Bakers, I've been told not to mix wet with dry as they get stomach problems, a Friend that owns Chi's feeds them Chicken & pasta, but I think it would be a bit pricey? -ChihuahuaPwincess, x eacewink:


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## tulula's mum (Jan 4, 2010)

hi i feed mine naturediet which is about 79p from petsathome, that's what the vet reccommended and i mix it with a little royalcaine biscuit. hope this helps. Tulula can eat anything and it doesn't upset her tummy but i know that with other chi's tat may not be the case. good luck


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

There are so many options out there! IMO the best diet is prey model raw. It's species appropriate, doesn't have fillers & other things your pup doesn't need, keeps them healthy & their teeth sparkley clean. Plus it keeps their minds healthy as well! We did prey model raw for almost 6 months & for several reasons (Mari having issues with certain meats, the lack of variety locally & what we do have is pretty pricey except chicken & I didn't want to feed them chicken alone, plus with six I was spending at least an hour a day preparing, feeding, cleaning, etc) Anyway, I decided to switch my pups to ZiwiPeak which is a dehydrated raw, plus 1-2 days a week I give them bone in chicken to help maintain their sparkley white teeth (and it helps off-set the cost of the ZP).  It has no grains, no addatives, no dyes or fillers. It's made from meat & organ with added vitamins & minerals. It's air dried with is a biggie IMO. Cooking any ingredients of dog food basically takes out the nutrition they really need. ZiwiPeak is pretty pricey, though to feed one 5-6lbs Chi I don't think it would cost more than $25 every 6 weeks or so, so really not bad IMO since it's the best prepackaged foods on the market. 

Another great dehydrated raw food is the Honest Kitchen. It's served a bit differently than the ZiwiPeak. Ziwi is basically tiny squares in jerky like form that you feed straight out of the bag (though I personally add a bit of water to it so they get some hydration when processing it). The Honest Kitchen you have to add warm water & let it set for a minimum of 5 minutes. It's served as more of a wet food but it doesn't cause the runny poo's that many wet foods do. The Honest Kitchen doesn't have as much meat as Ziwi. It also has lots of fruits & veggies in it which I don't personally feel is necessary in a canine diet and is also heated to I believe about 120*. But it's also another the best foods out there & if the Ziwi doesn't end up working out for us I'd have no problem switching to one of the grain free formula's of the Honest Kitchen.

Those are my top pics for prepackaged dog foods & of course the prey model raw is by far the best out there. But it certainly isn't for everyone & I respect that. When I first got Matilda we tried several diets from Nutro, Solid Golds Just a Wee Bit, EVO, raw & now ZiwiPeak. So far I'm happiest with the last two because I know my pups aren't getting any fillers & it's all natural & species appropriate food they are getting. Good luck in finding a food you & your pup are happy with!


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

We feed The Honest Kitchen and all 4 of our dogs do wonderfully on it. We mix in Ziwipeak 3-4 times a week. They also get bone in raw meals 2-3 times a week. I would say that price wise, feeding Ziwi or THK is pretty comparable...because I feel like I should add meat to THK even though it is a complete food...Our dogs love these foods, and I've never seen them healthier. Kibble has most nutrients cooked out of it, I don't care what anyone says. That became apparent to me when I saw HOW MUCH healthier my dogs became when I feed THK


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

for me, I like Blue Buffalo Grain Free Duck variety.... Chico seems to do very well on it and its a 5-star on the analysis site....
(http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=2359&cat=3)


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

You're English right?? So unfortunately you can't get a lot of the foods they get in the US.. However please don't feed your baby Pedigree or Bakers.. they are such low quality full of fillers and stuff that the dog doesn't need and literally you may as well be feeding rubbish into its system there are some far better quality foods out there at a similar price!!! 

I feed prey model raw which is fantastic and i honestly believe its the best diet for a dog HOWEVER not everyone can do this so i'd suggest ziwi peak or natural instinct (if your parents have freezer space) www.naturalinstinct.com they deliver next day and it costs about 12p per day to feed 1 dog!! Thats a hell of a lot cheaper than pedigree poo!!

Kibble wise over here i really dont know what to suggest.. a lot of breeders use royal canin i dont really like it but some thrive on it. I'd look into stuff that doesn't have any grains as the dogs really dont needc them and go from there. Orijen are a good kibble (dry food in english lol). 

Please really look into the food you are going to feed her nutrition is so important especially in a tiny dog.. Stay away from any supermarket bought stuff its generally bad quality.


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## JRZL (Jul 10, 2009)

I feed mine raw, but premade as we have just started feeding raw recently. 
I use the premade natures menu and prize choice from pets at home but also natural instinct (www.naturalinstinct.com)
About twice a week I feed raw meaty bones to clean their teeth.
& We feed ziwipeak if we are traveling somewhere . 

I used to feed royal canin chihuahua 28 and mixxed it with forthglade natural dog food, although Jet, Layla & Roxy did well on it they didn't really like eating it and would sometimes not eat it at all, but since switching to raw they eat everything in their bowls everyday! Also on the royal canin and forthglade Zoey had quite dry skin which has now totally went away with raw.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

You've been given excellent advice! I have nothing to add but please print off these messages for your mom if you can't get her to come on the computer and read them. You definitely need to stay away from pedigree or bakers. There are sooooooo many better choices out there!


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## HollieC (Dec 29, 2009)

Will someone post the dogfoodanalysis web adress? I to copy and paste it using my phone is too slow!

That website is really good for explaining what's really in all the dry dog food brands, for those of us who aren't scientists! I used to feed dry dog food, and I found orijen to be the best one. Its expensive to buy a bag but it has about four times as much meat in as pedigree, as it has no grain, and I found my chi didn't need to eat that much of it to stay in shape. I got a big bag of the zooplus website and had it for months, and still never finished it so it doesn't work out that much. I would stay away from bakers definately, just as has been proven with children, bright artificial aditives can make dogs hyperactive and cause behavioural problems, and bakers has flourescent green and red pieces.

I feed prey model raw now and its the best thing I ever did! I'm a student and don't even prepare propper food for myself so I never thought I could do raw but now after about a month its second nature already!


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

This is the site hollie mentioned get your parents to have a look at it.


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

Daisydoo said:


> http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/
> 
> This is the site hollie mentioned get your parents to have a look at it.


oooh thanks for posting this for hollie I feed the blue buff canned food to prada for one meal as sometimes she refuses to eat her food. It's rated as 3 stars  That's not the same formula I feed but it's sad to know that guess I'll have to go get some evo canned when this last can runs out!


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

Chihuahuasloveme said:


> oooh thanks for posting this for hollie I feed the blue buff canned food to prada for one meal as sometimes she refuses to eat her food. It's rated as 3 stars  That's not the same formula I feed but it's sad to know that guess I'll have to go get some evo canned when this last can runs out!


Just wanted to add re:wet food. I've never been one to feed wet food to my pets but I've been supplementing Marley & Matilda with a bit of canned Ziwi (Marley 2tbsp a day & Matilda 1tbsp a day) because they seem to require just a bit more of something. The Ziwi wet food has been perfect & OMG they love it so much! ALL the pups go mad over the tripe, lamb & venison wet food & try to steal it from the 2 who get it (usually they're good about not wanting to steal LOL). So now I'm just getting the lamb wet & I got some tripe wet for them all to have for a meal. Hehe

Anyway, I dunno what the price is for canned EVO but the canned Ziwi is $2.75 a can which for once in a while I don't mind swining. We go through about 1 can a week. Online it seems to be more expensive ( I hope they don't plan to up the price like they just did the 11lb bags of Ziwi) but anyway I just wanted to make mention of the wet Ziwi especially since you're looking into raw anyway. 

I will warn the wet tripe Ziwi stinks to the high heavens almost as bad as, if not worse than real green tripe! LOL But the pups go nutso over it....


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

MChis said:


> Just wanted to add re:wet food. I've never been one to feed wet food to my pets but I've been supplementing Marley & Matilda with a bit of canned Ziwi (Marley 2tbsp a day & Matilda 1tbsp a day) because they seem to require just a bit more of something. The Ziwi wet food has been perfect & OMG they love it so much! ALL the pups go mad over the tripe, lamb & venison wet food & try to steal it from the 2 who get it (usually they're good about not wanting to steal LOL). So now I'm just getting the lamb wet & I got some tripe wet for them all to have for a meal. Hehe
> 
> Anyway, I dunno what the price is for canned EVO but the canned Ziwi is $2.75 a can which for once in a while I don't mind swining. We go through about 1 can a week. Online it seems to be more expensive ( I hope they don't plan to up the price like they just did the 11lb bags of Ziwi) but anyway I just wanted to make mention of the wet Ziwi especially since you're looking into raw anyway.
> 
> I will warn the wet tripe Ziwi stinks to the high heavens almost as bad as, if not worse than real green tripe! LOL But the pups go nutso over it....



I bought this too i freeze it in bags!! Found some at the bottom of my raw draw lol.. Anyway you know my friend and her anorexic yorkie ziwi wet is the only food he will eat (seriously he was 1lb underweight and its so sad anyway..) and she wont do raw coz she thinks its too much hassle and would rather whack something in a bowl.. each to their own.. he needs it tho for his teeth but hey anyway it stinks to high heaven makes me gag but ive never known a dog not like it!!! 

Fab Fab FAB food... deffo recommend it!!


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

Daisydoo said:


> I bought this too i freeze it in bags!! Found some at the bottom of my raw draw lol.. Anyway you know my friend and her anorexic yorkie ziwi wet is the only food he will eat (seriously he was 1lb underweight and its so sad anyway..) and she wont do raw coz she thinks its too much hassle and would rather whack something in a bowl.. each to their own.. he needs it tho for his teeth but hey anyway it stinks to high heaven makes me gag but ive never known a dog not like it!!!
> 
> Fab Fab FAB food... deffo recommend it!!



Yeah, I really like the smell of the lamb canned Ziwi (smells like regular wet dog food) but the tripe is nasty! I'm sure that's why they like it. I do think it's worse than the green tripe as bad as that is. Maybe because green tripe is supposed to stink? I dunno...maybe it's the lamb...or maybe it's the venison (we only ever got beef green tripe). I personally think the dehydrated lamb squares stink horrible so maybe it's that? Don't mind the venison so much.

Anyway, that's wonderful your friends Yorkie will eat it. Too bad she won't do raw but at least she's giving him the best prepackaged food out there!  Now you have to work your magic to at least get her to throw him some bone in chicken now & again.  hehe


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## chihuahuapwincess (Aug 19, 2010)

thanks for all the great advice i might try her on the Ziwi, mixed with a little bit of dry food, my mum has seen them and agreed to Ziwi, but if the pup doesnt like it , ill try some thing else like the naturediet from pets at home   xx


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

MChis said:


> Just wanted to add re:wet food. I've never been one to feed wet food to my pets but I've been supplementing Marley & Matilda with a bit of canned Ziwi (Marley 2tbsp a day & Matilda 1tbsp a day) because they seem to require just a bit more of something. The Ziwi wet food has been perfect & OMG they love it so much! ALL the pups go mad over the tripe, lamb & venison wet food & try to steal it from the 2 who get it (usually they're good about not wanting to steal LOL). So now I'm just getting the lamb wet & I got some tripe wet for them all to have for a meal. Hehe
> 
> Anyway, I dunno what the price is for canned EVO but the canned Ziwi is $2.75 a can which for once in a while I don't mind swining. We go through about 1 can a week. Online it seems to be more expensive ( I hope they don't plan to up the price like they just did the 11lb bags of Ziwi) but anyway I just wanted to make mention of the wet Ziwi especially since you're looking into raw anyway.
> 
> I will warn the wet tripe Ziwi stinks to the high heavens almost as bad as, if not worse than real green tripe! LOL But the pups go nutso over it....




Never heard of ziwi thanks for the tip I will have to google it and see if they sell it in Canada! I don;t know the price of the evo cans either but the blue buffalo "blue's stew" is $2.50 a can on sale. I got her the "blue wilderness" grain free canned food duck and chicken but she hates it she won't eat it at all. I know we have a few specialty pet shops that sell different types of specialty foods that regular pet shops like petsmart do not have I will have to take a look into the ziwi! I will also purchase a nose plug 



****update***

I just researched it and apparently they sell the ziwi at the local health food store I didn;t know they carried products for pets SO COOL i can;t wait to check it out!! I didn't see any prices but another website suggested the prices of each can is $3.99


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## tulula's mum (Jan 4, 2010)

Daisydoo said:


> You're English right?? So unfortunately you can't get a lot of the foods they get in the US.. However please don't feed your baby Pedigree or Bakers.. they are such low quality full of fillers and stuff that the dog doesn't need and literally you may as well be feeding rubbish into its system there are some far better quality foods out there at a similar price!!!
> 
> I feed prey model raw which is fantastic and i honestly believe its the best diet for a dog HOWEVER not everyone can do this so i'd suggest ziwi peak or natural instinct (if your parents have freezer space) www.naturalinstinct.com they deliver next day and it costs about 12p per day to feed 1 dog!! Thats a hell of a lot cheaper than pedigree poo!!
> 
> ...


i have just clicked on the website that you have reccommended and it had nothing to do with dog food lol


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## *Chloe* (Feb 6, 2006)

ive changed the links to http://www.naturalinstinct.com/ throughout the thread, the other link went somewhere else not to do with dog food


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

Chihuahuasloveme said:


> Never heard of ziwi thanks for the tip I will have to google it and see if they sell it in Canada! I don;t know the price of the evo cans either but the blue buffalo "blue's stew" is $2.50 a can on sale. I got her the "blue wilderness" grain free canned food duck and chicken but she hates it she won't eat it at all. I know we have a few specialty pet shops that sell different types of specialty foods that regular pet shops like petsmart do not have I will have to take a look into the ziwi! I will also purchase a nose plug


Yeah, it's ZiwiPeak. Same company that sells the dehydrated raw jerky like food but they also have a wet variety. It's from New Zealand but they have it at a local pet specialty store here in town so definitely check your local shops. Hopefully you are sucessful in finding it locally! They do have it on Amazon as well but it is more pricey there compared to what I've found it for locally. We've only tried the "lamb" & "tripe, lamb & venison" ones & the regular lamb wasn't too bad. It was the tripe one you'll definitely need the nose plug for. LOL But tripe is so good for them anyway...so I deal with it.  





chihuahuapwincess said:


> thanks for all the great advice i might try her on the Ziwi, mixed with a little bit of dry food, my mum has seen them and agreed to Ziwi, but if the pup doesnt like it , ill try some thing else like the naturediet from pets at home   xx



They do sell ZiwiPeak in small jerky like squares that you feed just like kibble. I don't know if I'd mix the Ziwi with kibble where ZiwiPeak is raw & I know if you mix raw food & kibble it can cause a serious tummy upset (which we experienced once). If you fed ZiwiPeak in the morning & then kibble for dinner it would probably be just fine though. I know the ZiwiPeak is VERY appetizing to dogs. The jerky that is. I haven't heard a lot of feedback about the wet but I'm guessing it would be even more appetizing. I have read from some with Chi's here who didn't like the ZiwiPeak (dry) LOVED Honest Kitchen. So that is also another option like I stated in my first post.

Hope this isn't too confusing. It's a lot of info but I'm so happy you're looking into your options! Good luck!!


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

Ooops sorry lol I was remembering it off thetop of my head hahahaha woopsie sorry 

But yeah natural instinct is good and lasts ages!!


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

Btw anyone in the uk who does natural instinct and doesn't know my full name pm me and if u metion it u feet £5 off your order so do I or give leahs or rachels as they get it too  every penny counts


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## lilacminx (Jul 30, 2010)

Those who do the natural instinct do you buy the carcasses or the premade/prepacked stuff?As just had a look at the website and am very intrigued.Thanks Guys


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

I have the pre made complete stuff coz I still do prey model I use bones etc regularly that's for my lazy days if you choose to get it I recommend giving 3-4 bone meals a week


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## lilacminx (Jul 30, 2010)

I had a staffie years ago and we use to do the BARF diet for him so I get the jist of the prey model as it involves more meat but obviously still with bones and vital organs.So I'm use to the lovely crunching sound as they eat the 'bone' meals!I'm definately interested in doing this for my little girl when she arrives.(And my staffie died 3 years ago from old age and he was 14!)


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