What do dachshunds eat?

Dachshund is an unusual dog, which is characterized by a wayward character. She is one of the ancients. Initially, this breed was intended to hunt for fur animals. Dachshund can work deep in the hole. Thanks to the elongated physique, it fits perfectly into the hole, which allows you to grab the beast. The dachshund is quite hardy and strong, has powerful jaws, although its size is modest. It is worth considering in more detail than feeding dachshunds, as well as which products should be discarded.

With proper feeding, the dog will certainly grow healthy. If we consider the nutrition features of dachshunds, it is necessary to take into account the age of the animal. Experts advise you to adhere to the following feeding recommendations at home.

• Feeding an adult dachshund is necessary only after a walk. If you neglect this rule, then subsequent walking can lead to inversion of the intestines. It is worth giving up activity after feeding, the dog should rest for several hours.
• Puppies should be fed immediately before the walk, because after eating they want to go to the toilet. This will help to train the puppy to cope with his need for a toilet on the street.
• It is necessary to provide access to water, while it must be clean and filtered.
• It is very important to maintain a balance between physical activity and the amount of food, since the breed of dachshunds has a tendency to obesity due to increased appetite. Moving dogs should increase the portion, but sedentary - reduce.
• If the dog has not finished eating his portion, then the food should be removed to prevent overeating, because if you often overfeed the dachshund, then this is dangerous for the spine. Perhaps the appearance of hernias of the intervertebral discs, as well as paralysis of the hind legs.
• Food must be warm, because hot and cold food will only harm the animal’s health.
• It is absolutely worth refraining from adding salt to the dog’s food.
• It is worth giving food at a certain time, it normalizes the digestive system, and also eliminates the habit of begging.
• It is strictly forbidden to treat the dachshund with food from your table, as salty, sweet and spicy food is harmful to the dog.
• It is worth being careful when introducing new products, as dachshunds are prone to allergies. If the dog begins to itch, redness appears, then this is a manifestation of an allergy, and new products should be excluded.

The amount of food and frequency of meals is influenced not only by age, but also by the activity of the dog, its temperament, season, and so on. Puppies grow pretty quickly, while they gain weight and have a good metabolism. But babies can not eat large portions, so they require frequent feeding. For example, at three months of age, the dwarf dachshund needs 5 meals a day, even at night.

Over time, it is worth switching to four meals a day. Puppy feeding rates differ from the pedigree line, they are more dependent on weight. The average weight gain per day should be 20 grams.

Three meals a day will be enough for an adult dog: morning, afternoon and evening. If necessary, you can feed a dachshund twice a day, which is suitable for those people who cannot come home for lunch.

Initially, it is worth noting that there are several types of dog feeding. It is necessary to consider each option in more detail.

• Dry feed. This is a specialized food that does not need to be cooked, so owners choose it for their pets who do not want or are not able to cook and control the menu. Dry food includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals. You can choose the option of food for the specific needs of the animal.
• Natural food. Many dog ​​owners choose natural food, because its diversity allows you to create a diverse diet. Dogs eat not only healthy, but also delicious food.
• Combined view. This option is a kind of mix when the dog is given both natural food and food. The main rule is that one meal should include either natural nutrition or dry food.

You should be very careful when you teach your dog new food. It is worth giving her body time to adapt to new food. It is very important to observe the dog’s reaction to new food. If there are problems with stools or the dog’s well-being is getting worse, you should try a different type of feeding. And do not forget that the individual preferences of the dog also play a big role.

Many owners like ready-made food, but it’s worth it to choose the right one, specifically for your dog. It is very important in this matter to take into account the weight, age, general health and activity of the dachshund. It is quite simple to calculate a single amount of feed, since on each package this question is usually carefully described. If you buy food for puppies, it is better to soak it before use. It is necessary that the animal always has access to water if the dog eats dry food.

The advantages of dry food are as follows:

• convenience and ease of use;
• cooking does not take much time;
• if desired, you can purchase food in reserve;
• the composition is balanced, so there is no need to additionally purchase a vitamin-mineral complex for the dog.

Among the shortcomings are the following:

• the presence of preservatives in many dry feeds, and over time they lead to poor health;
• excellent quality feeds are quite expensive - these include super-premium feeds and holostics.

Important! If there is no money for high-quality dry food, then you should not purchase low-quality products, it is better to switch to natural nutrition.

Many breeders claim that only natural food can provide the dog with proper nutrition, while it will receive all the necessary components for normal development. Natural food is characterized by usefulness and goodness. It is worth using exclusively fresh products, while avoiding artificial additives.

Among the advantages of natural nutrition, the following should be noted:

• natural composition;
• if necessary, you can change the diet using different proportions of products, taking into account the needs of the dachshund.

But do not forget about the shortcomings.

• Many dog ​​breeders cannot correctly compose a diet, since it is impossible to "determine" how many vitamins and minerals a dog needs, which leads to an excess or deficiency of all kinds of substances. It is worth consulting with a veterinarian to find the optimal diet.
• Cooking takes a lot of time, so this option is not suitable for too busy people. Food should be fresh, so do not cook large portions.

Each dog owner chooses the feeding option that suits him and his pet. Experts advise continuing to feed the dachshund with the same nutrition as the breeder. If you adhere to this type of food, you can protect your puppy from allergic reactions. But if you have a desire to transfer it to a different type, then it is worth doing it without haste, and it is strictly forbidden to mix two types of food in one feeding. It is worth adhering to the following recommendations in order to properly organize the ration of the dachshund:

• up to three months, the dachshund should eat 4-5 times a day, while maintaining an equal amount of time between feedings;
• overfeeding at any age should be avoided;
• food should be free of salt and spices, as well as room temperature.

Initially, puppies eat exclusively mother's milk. If the puppy develops normally, then up to one month you can not feed it. But if there are health problems, then it is worth feeding him additionally. For puppies up to 1 month old, natural milk or milk mixes are suitable.

To correctly designate a serving for a puppy, it is worth starting from not only its age, but also from its weight and individual characteristics. Up to two weeks, the dog should be fed every 2 hours, from two weeks to one month, the number of feeds is reduced, since it is worth gradually increasing the time between feedings from 2 to 3 hours, not forgetting to include a night break, which usually includes 4-6 hours.

The diet of a 1 month old puppy is worth diversifying. During this period, it is worth introducing little cereals, for example, rice and buckwheat, as well as adding vegetables. An excellent dish is rice soup with grated carrots. You can give the puppy a nibble and raw carrots, which will be very useful for his teeth. Occasionally, you can enter in the diet of baby kefir, but of low fat content.

Already from two months you can feed a small dachshund with meat. Beef, turkey and chicken should be preferred. The meat is usually mixed with buckwheat or rice porridge. Pre meat should be boiled.If you compare the proportions of meat and porridge, then the first ingredient should be 1, and the second - 3 parts. If the puppy has allergic manifestations, then it is better to refuse chicken so as not to aggravate the situation even more. Pork should be given very rarely, as it can lead to a disorder, and it is better to exclude it from the diet of both a puppy and an adult animal.

It should be remembered that fruits and vegetables must be present in the diet, because they will provide her body with useful substances. A great addition is a combination of cottage cheese and raw eggs. Such a tandem is worth giving in the morning. The puppy’s chair allows you to determine which products are not suitable for him.

During this period, you can begin to slowly transfer the puppy to adult food. Since the digestive system is already functioning properly, raw meat can be added to the diet. But don't overdo it. You should start with lean meat - veal or beef. And also you can already add offal, but only those that have passed the heat treatment. The presence of vegetables, cereals and soups remains unchanged.

At the age of six months, you can begin to gradually expand the dachshund's diet, allowing her to try various foods. During this period, the dog’s tastes are beginning to take shape, she understands what foods she loves. At six months, you should carefully monitor the growth of teeth and the general formation of the supporting system. Usually from 6 months it is worth giving vitamins, despite the fact that the dog eats quality.

The dog is growing in size, so the portions should become large.

A one-year-old dog can be fed as an adult, but it is worth considering the fact that with strong physical exertion, the portion should be increased. At 1 year, the dachshund already eats many foods. If you prefer natural nutrition, then the following products should be included in the dachshund menu:

• meat: rabbit, turkey, beef, veal;
• meat offal;
• fish: peeled, non-greasy, boiled;
• meat and fish broths;
• milk - if the dog tolerates lactose;
• dairy products: sour cream, kefir, fermented baked milk and others, while home-made products should be preferred;
• chicken and quail eggs;
• cereals: rice, buckwheat, barley, barley and wheat;
• vegetables - you should exclude only raw cabbage and boiled potatoes;
• fruits - you will need to abandon very sweet berries;
• bran;
• grass;
• greens.

All the main components with a natural or mixed type of feeding are listed just above. but it’s worthwhile to dwell on some products.

• Meat. It should be 1/3 of the total portion of food. The best solution is turkey, lamb or veal. Chicken and pork should be discarded. It is recommended to cook meat to avoid infection with helminths. But if the meat is accurately checked, then it can be doused with boiling water or raw to provide the dog. But offal should be cooked completely.
• Fish. It is necessary to give a dachshund only sea fish, because parasites are quite common in the river. Be sure to clean the fish, remove the bones and boil.
• Porridge. They are indispensable because they must be present in the diet every day - 20-40%. Oatmeal, rice and buckwheat are popular. If you cook other cereals, then you should take into account that pearl barley is absorbed by only 30%, millet has a laxative effect, and beans lead to bloating. It is better to refuse semolina porridge, since it contributes to a quick weight gain, and problems with the intestines can also occur.
• Fruits and vegetables. They should fill half of the entire diet.They can be consumed both boiled and raw, but in a grated state. They contain a lot of vitamins, carbohydrates and fiber. It is better not to experiment with exotic products. Celery and cilantro should be discarded.
• Dairy products. You can give a dachshund a variety of milk. She loves kefir and yogurt, and will not refuse cottage cheese.
• The eggs. They should be present in the diet, but do not abuse them. 1-2 eggs are enough per week. They can be given raw, boiled or as an omelet.
• Vegetable oil. It must be added to porridge, as it acts as a source of amino acids.

Important! Before you feed the dog, it is worth preparing each ingredient separately.

Special attention should be paid to products that are better to refuse, namely:

• bone mass - bones have a tubular structure, so they are not useful, in addition, they can injure both the palatine dachshund and the intestines;
• chocolate - this product may cause poisoning;
• sausages and sausages - basically they contain nitrate in their composition, and it, in turn, leads to cirrhosis of the liver;
• onion and garlic - these products negatively affect the intestinal wall, corroding it;
• fatty, fried, salty foods and smoked meats - they negatively affect the functioning of the liver;
• pork (like other parts of the pig) - it usually contains more parasites than other meat, and pork is quite oily, which contributes to weight gain;
• sweets - confectionery should be completely excluded, since sucrose adversely affects the teeth and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Today, many Russian and foreign manufacturers offer dry and wet dog foods. They can be divided into the following groups:

• economy;
• Premium
• super premium.

You should immediately abandon the feed of economy class, because usually they include a large number of dyes and chemical elements to enhance the taste, because there is almost no quality in such food. Such feeds have neither vitamins nor minerals, as they are prepared mainly from offal. In order for a dog to eat food, its amount should be doubled.

Premium and super premium feeds are, of course, expensive. But they are quite satisfying, because they are made from natural meat, and also contain vitamins and minerals. Among the manufacturers of this segment, the following brands are worth noting:

• Royal Canin;
• Grandorf;
• Acana
• Pro Plan.

These companies offer a wide range of quality dog ​​foods, including dachshunds. They do not use preservatives or other substitutes, since the main component is meat.

See below for more details.