What do luxating patella, heart disease, and arthritis in Chihuahuas have in common? Did the title give it away? Being overweight or obese is the number one cause of many diseases and health issues that are commonly seen in Chihuahuas.

Many veterinarians will tell you that they are seeing an increase in obesity in dogs in general, however, because Chihuahuas are so small even a few ounces over their ideal weight can be dangerous.

How Do You Know If Your Chihuahua Is Dangerously Overweight? Chihuahuas come in many different shapes and sizes. An apple head Chihuahua’s body is longer than it is tall, more compact, and sturdy. A deer head Chihuahua’s body, on the other hand, is taller, with longer, slimmer legs and more delicate. There is no particular weight that is right for each and every Chihuahua.

The ideal body condition above is right between #2 or #3 (3/9 and 5/9). However, numbers 2 and number 3 are acceptable for a healthy Chihuahua.

The best way to know if your Chihuahua might be over or even underweight is to check with your veterinarian. He or she will be able to tell you what your Chihuahua should weigh or his ideal weight. Use the above chart as a guideline to give you an idea of what an overweight or underweight Chihuahua looks like.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up!

Should you determine that yours is overweight, just don’t beat yourself up! I know how hard it is to resist those big beautiful, pleading eyes when they want more food or treats. However, you alone are responsible for their health and welfare. You are not helpless.

The good thing about obesity is it is one disease (yes, obesity is considered a disease) that you can “cure”. It really takes very little effort on your part to change it. Just like struggling with our own weight we sometimes put our own obstacles in the way. Following are some myths about helping your Chihuahua lose weight.

Do’s and Don’ts

• Although you do need to weigh your overweight Chihuahua once a week, don’t worry about the number on the scale as much as your Chihuahua’s fat percentage and body shape (see chart above).
• It is far easier and more accurate to use a kitchen scale when measuring out a serving, and canned or homemade dog food is easier to weigh accurately. Just a few extra pieces of kibble each day can add up to extra pounds quickly.
• Always consider the number of treats your Chihuahua receives each day and lower the am or pm portion of their regular meal.
• It is a myth that low-fat diets will help your Chihuahua to lose weight. A diet that is high in fiber will help your Chihuahua to feel fuller and a diet high in protein will also help with weight loss.
• The serving size on each bag or can of dog food is only an “estimate”. They calculate the average serving size for dogs “up to” so many pounds. The serving size is only a suggestion or a guesstimate.

As mentioned above, canned food is much easier to measure accurately. So begin with canned dog food. Use one that is higher in protein and has more fiber. You can also add fiber by adding cooked oats, barley, or brown rice to his meal.

Step By Step To A Healthy Weight For Your Chihuahua

• Keep it lean. Lean meats or fish or poultry.
• Weigh your Chihuahua once a week on the same day of the week.
• Use a kitchen scale to measure your Chihuahua’s food.

• Begin with the suggested serving size
• If your Chihuahua remains the same weight or if he gains weight in a week, lower his serving size. If he should lose weight in a week, keep the serving size the same. Continue this process until he reaches his ideal weight.
• Walk a block longer than usual or make playtime a few minutes longer each day.

What To Feed Your Overweight Chihuahua

• As already mentioned, it is easier and more accurate to weigh your Chihuahua’s food. Canned food or homemade* is easier to weigh accurately than kibble. Just 10 extra pieces of kibble can add up quickly and add on more pounds quickly.
• When choosing a canned dog food, look for one with higher protein content using lean protein such as fish, poultry, or extra lean beef.
• Choose a dog food with the fewest ingredients. Avoid as many ingredients that are unknown and with names that no one can pronounce.
• Always calculate the treats your Chihuahua was given each day. Lower the serving size at each meal when giving out treats.
• Keep treats natural and low-calorie. Even better, only give fresh fruits and vegetables for treats. Apples, bananas, carrots, broccoli, green beans are very good and nutritious options.

Homemade Recipe

The very best way to make sure your Chihuahua loses weight is to feed a balanced, nutritious homemade diet. However, *I definitely encourage you not to try to make your own or to use recipes you find on Pinterest and other internet sites (this is important enough to repeat).

The reason is, most of those recipes are created by people that know nothing about canine nutrition and what nutrients your Chihuahua needs to be and remain healthy. Most are inadequate at the least, and could even be dangerous and are not personalized for an overweight Chihuahua.

Canine Nutrition Specialist

If you wish to make your own, ask your veterinarian or a canine nutrition specialist. I am a canine nutrition specialist and offer nutrition consulting services. The upside to this option is it is a one-time fee, and you can rest assured that your Chihuahua is getting all the nutrients that he or she needs.

As a canine nutrition specialist, I can also create a recipe that will help manage and support any health issues that your Chihuahua may be dealing with.

Dog Food Delivery Service

Another option is a dog food delivery service. However, not all of them are created equal. The two that I recommend are created and formulated by veterinarian nutritionists. They are NomNom and Spot & Tango. The upside of this is that they consider your Chihuahua’s individual needs and they come to you pre-portioned for weight loss. No calculating servings size for you!

If you choose either of these options, through ChiChis And Me you can get a discount. CLICK HERE to get 20% off Spot & Tango

OR

CLICK HERE to get 50% off your first order of NomNom.

You just store in the freezer, thaw, pour, and that’s it! How easy is that? This is not a great option if your Chi is dealing with some health issues, however. These services are not that specifically personalized and work well only if your Chihuahua otherwise is healthy.