Appetite of a Chihuahua

Chihuahuas are a toy breed of dog (named for the Chihuahua region of Mexico). They average at about 6 pounds, and vary between six and nine inches at the shoulder. They won't eat much compared to larger dogs, but they do have appetites. Generally a Chihuahua should eat between 1/4 cup and 3/4 cup of dry food a day, depending on its age, health and frame size. If you feed them a can of wet food a day, they may eat as little as half the dry.

  1. Keeping Track

    • An average Chihuahua should be eating at least 1/4 cup a day (if you use wet food, use 1/8 dry and mix in enough wet to make up the rest of the 1/4 cup). If the dog finishes that and still seems hungry, you can give it another 1/4 cup. This will give you a good gauge for how much your dog normally eats and tell you if it is eating enough.

    Losing Appetite

    • Appetite loss that lasts less than 48 hours is not necessarily a health concern. A dog can go two full days without food (so long as it is drinking water -- if it is not drinking water then this is an immediate health concern and needs vet intervention). Stress from a new dog in the family can cause a loss of appetite, for example.

    Appetite Loss: When to See a Vet

    • If a Chihuahua has gone without food for more than 48 hours, then it should see a vet. Dogs, much like people, can get colds or stomach bugs. These are generally brief, but the same symptoms can point to more worrying illnesses. If you are worried, even before the two days has elapsed, take the dog to a vet.

    Gaining Appetite

    • Your Chihuahua is not bred for the cold, so as the winter months come it may start eating more in order to put some weight on for the winter. If you have a female Chihuahua, it may be pregnant and eating more to provide nutrition for its puppies. A puppy may be going through a growth spurt and be eating much more to aid in this -- these are all perfectly normal reasons.

    How to Tell When Appetite Increase is a Problem

    • If your dog appears to be eating more but is not gaining weight, there is reason for concern. Does the Chihuahua have vomiting or diarrhea? If your dog is losing weight with increased appetite, this could be a sign of disease. Any of these reasons are good enough to take the dog to see a vet. If your dog is simply an overeater it will be putting on weight and you can solve this by regulating meal times, reducing the amount of food you set out and helping your dog to exercise more.