Are you wondering how much to feed a miniature Dachshund puppy?
Miniature Dachshunds might be small, but they don’t often have a small appetite. However, it’s important to keep your puppy with the potential for back problems at a low weight to reduce the stress on their delicate spines. Following the advice on their food packaging isn’t always going to give the results you need. Today I’ll share how to adjust the guidelines to fit your own Miniature Doxie pup’s needs perfectly.
The Dachshund is a small hound breed with short legs, a long back, and a pugnacious attitude. But exactly how much food does your pup need? This can depend on a number of factors.
Dachshunds can be divided by size into the standard (16 to 32 lbs) and miniature (under 11 lbs) versions. Miniature dog breeds have been steadily gaining in popularity over larger dogs, including the growing popularity of the miniature over the standard Dachshund.
Most importantly, miniature Daschunds are prone to a number of potential health concerns. Whether you’ve got a miniature Dachshund or a standard one, we’ll help you feed them the right amount to avoid underweight, or fat puppies.
Health Concerns of the Miniature Dachshund
Dachshunds are prone to a spinal injury known as canine intervertebral disc disease. Therefore, avoiding obesity will be important to minimize the risk of your pup developing this disease.
In addition, Daschunds can have sensitive stomachs as well as a number of relatively common food allergies, especially in miniature Dachshunds.
These conditions may be aggravated by food ingredients. So it’s important to be aware of any potential signs of trouble, including skin ailments or blood in your dog’s stool. It’s best to consult a veterinarian if you suspect a problem.
How to Feed a Miniature Dachshund Puppy
If you adopt your puppy, find out the amount and type of food they were previously receiving.
And if you decide to change their food, it’s important to do so by gradually by introducing increasing amounts of new foods into each meal. This should be done over a period of approximately two weeks.
If possible, ask the breeder about the expected adult weight of your puppy. This weight can then be used as a starting point to determine how much to feed your mini Dachshund puppy.
Weigh your pup regularly to determine whether they are growing as expected. Then, you can make small adjustments to your puppy’s daily diet to keep their body condition within a healthy range.
Appearances is as important as weight too. Your puppy should have a nipped in waist, and you should be able to feel but no see their rib bones. If you want to slow down your dog’s eating speed to help them enjoy their dinner more, a puzzle feeding bowl is a great way to go. It also helps not to feed once a day, but break down their daily ration into several portions.
What to Feed Your Miniature Dachshund Puppy
Miniature Dachshunds do not usually require a highly specialized diet. However, the food you select should be suitable for small dogs that are quite active.
Ingredients that help develop healthy joints and bones are important. Probiotics and highly digestible proteins are beneficial.
In addition, it’s best to establish feeding habits that will prevent obesity later in your dog’s life, such as avoiding high-calorie treats and table scraps. However, it’s important that you don’t let fear of obesity to lead to underfeeding your Dachshund as a puppy. Young puppies under 14 weeks are unlikely to overeat.
Mini Dachshunds are active dogs that require the right nutrition as their skeleton and joints develop.
How Much to Feed Your Miniature Dachshund Puppy
When determining how much to feed a Dachshund puppy, first consider your puppy’s age.
From 8 to 12 weeks, your puppy should be eating at least four meals a day. But don’t worry, Dachshund puppies don’t have a tendency to overeat.
After 12 weeks, you can gradually reduce the number of meals to two.
The second factor to consider when deciding how much to feed a mini Dachshund puppy is the type of food.
Begin by feeding your pup the amount recommended by the manufacturer.
Then, start making small adjustments—a few grams a day, as necessary—to maintain a healthy weight.
If your puppy stops eating for longer than one day, it’s important to speak to your dog’s vet.
There are a few different types of food to consider.
Kibble
Dachshund-specific puppy foods are a good option but can be quite expensive.
Miniature Dachshunds can be fed any good quality small breed puppy kibble.
Make sure that any kibble you select comes in very small pieces and is formulated for specifically for puppies.
Avoid soaking kibble water or other liquids as this may enlarge the pieces and increase the risk of your dog choking or accidentally inhaling pieces of food into their lungs.
If specific feeding instructions not provided by the breeder or animal shelter, you should follow the directions on the packet provided by the food manufacturer.
You can modify this according to any recommendations from your dog’s vet.
As a rule of thumb, miniature Dachshund puppies should be eating approximately one half-cup to one full cup of kibble per day.
You can use a measuring cup or weight (in grams) to ensure you’re feeding your pup the right amount.
This is important since even small inaccuracies can dramatically affect weight and body condition of miniature breeds.
Some suitable choices of kibble include
- Royal Canin Dachshund Junior Dry Mix
- Eukanuba Puppy Dry Dog Food Chicken – Small Breed
- Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food.
Wet Food
As with kibble, a wet small-breed puppy food (from a can or pouch) with good joint and bone support is suitable for your mini Dachshund puppy.
Wet food formulations vary considerably, but you can expect to be feeding your pup around 10 to 20 ounces a day, or 2 to 3 small cans or pouches.
Read the label carefully to ensure you’re following the recommended guidelines.
Once a container is opened, store any unused food covered in your refrigerator.
Some suitable options include
- Hill’s Science Diet Wet Puppy Food, Small & Toy Breed
- Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain Free Small Breed Wet Dog Food
- Nutro Natural Choice Small Breed Chicken Slices Canned Puppy Food.
Homemade, Raw, or BARF Foods
Figuring out how much to feed your Dachshund can be more difficult if you’ve decided on a homemade, raw, or biologically appropriate raw food (BARF) diet.
However, you can obtain recipes and a suitable feeding plan from your dog’s vet or a qualified canine nutritionist.
Should You Feed Your Dachshund When They Beg
Dachshunds know what they want and are capable of some ridiculously cute begging—but you have to be strong and resist the temptation to share food that isn’t appropriate for a puppy!
It’s fine to feed your puppy some treats, and to make good progress with your puppy training you’ll need to use treats as rewards. The best way to do this without adding to your dog’s waistline, is to use part, or even all, of your puppy’s daily food allowance as treats.
Your puppy will not be left feeling hungry if to break their daily food allowance into many smaller meals, or feed much of their meals for training purposes. It’s important that you ensure water is available at all times.
Dachshunds may even like low-calorie foods as treats. I’ve heard from numerous owners that Daschunds enjoy carrots or green beans.
My own dog rejects both of those options but does enjoy the occasional broccoli floret.
How to Feed Your Miniature Dachshund as They Grow
You’ll need to modify how much you feed your Dachshund puppy as they grow. And once their growth slows, you’ll need to make the transition to adult food. This normally happens at around ten months old.
Your pup may find it easier to adjust to an adult formulation from the same manufacturer as their puppy food.
As with any change in food, the transition to adult food should be gradual. Over the space of a few days, mix a little of the new food in with old. Gradually increase the proportions of adult food, and decrease the puppy food
Adult dog food is less calorie dense to reflect an adult dog’s lower nutritional needs since they are no longer growing.
However, be prepared to make any adjustments that may be necessary, especially if your dog is highly active.
This may also be the case if your dog is getting too fat or lean or has a particular dietary needs, such as extra fiber.
For this reason, you should regularly track how much you’re feeding your dog, as well as their weight and body condition.
And don’t be afraid to consult with your dog’s vet as needed.
Do you have experience feeding a Dachshund puppy? We’d love to hear about any tips or tricks you may have in the comments below.
If you have a new Dachshund puppy, make sure you also take a look at our guide to the best Dachshund names!
References and Further Reading
- Heuberger and Wakshlag. 2011. The relationship of feeding patterns and obesity in dogs. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01024.x
- Kawano et al. 2013. The prevalence of dogs with lymphocyte proliferative responses to food allergens in canine allergic dermatitis. Polish journal of veterinary sciences. DOI: 10.2478/pjvs-2013-0104
- Kienzle and Hart. 1990. Case report: Asphyxia and aspiration bronchopneumonia in a Dachshund puppy after feeding of unsuitable food. Kleintierpraxis.
- Ohmi et al. 2011. A retrospective study of inflammatory colorectal polyps in miniature Dachshunds. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science. DOI: 10.1292/jvms.11-0352
- Serisier et al. 2013. Maintenance energy requirements in miniature colony dogs. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition. DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12044
- Verheijen & Bouw. (1982). Canine intervertebral disc disease: a review of etiologic and predisposing factors. Veterinary Quarterly, 4(3), 125-134.
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Hi there, my mini dachshund is three yrs old, and will eat anything stones, grass, beetles tissues, Anything. her meals are usually eaten in about a minute. it doesn’t seem to be a problem, but she is putting on weight, she has two meals a day both one tablespoon on kibble and a small amount of tinned tuna, I don’t feel this is enough, but need help with her portion size, she has some training treats during the day 6/8.
Maureen
Hello everyone. I will be picking up my new 2-month old miniature dachshund this Saturday. The pet shop lady told me to only feed him 2x a day, about 15 grams of two kinds of food, soaked for an hour.
I am reading everywhere else to feed these type of puppies 3-4x a day. I asked her again and she said 2x was enough.
Since he seems fine and I have to assume that that is the type of meal schedule he is on, I don’t want to change it. But I do wonder why I’m seeing 3-4x a day.
I’m also seeing all these type of snacks that I would never think to give them: apples, carrots, green beans, peanut butter. None of that makes sense to me. I would imagine if the apples are tiny cubes, free of the skin and no seeds, perhaps, but, again, I am unsure.
I do, though, want to reward him with some kind of treat when he understands to do potty outside. I wonder what kind of treats people give a puppy this young, if any?
I live in Tokyo, Japan, so any kind of product you would mention to me may not be available. I appreciate any advice any of you can offer.
I test each human food to see if puppy have any allergies like a baby. We tried 4x when he was young he only ate 1-3x a day. I cook scratch he loved trying new things. Now he’s almost 1yr. He so picky what he wants to eat. I have a routine I mix his his dry with wet. Started off with royal canine for dachshunds then switch to blue diamond lifetime protection formula for puppies. Wet is Beneful infuse pate. Hope this helps.
I feed my miniature Dash puppy who is 12 weeks old a mix I make myself.
500 grams minced meat, 50 grams each of carrot and pumpkin and
1 cup of tiny pasta, I mash the veg then mix altogether with cooked mince and the pasta, plus two boiled eggs
I feed him half cup of this mix twice a day and half cup of puppy biscuits twice a day, he loves it but seems to be always looking for more
That’s a great idea! I’ll put some stones in her bowl to slow her down – as she tends to eat every meal like it’s a last! – thanks
you can buy a gobble dish at walmart. used it for years!
We bought an intermediate slow feed bowl for our puppy works a treat no more vomiting from inhaling her food instead of eating it.
Deear all How much IN GRAMMS can I fed per day, my little poppy? 8 weeks now.
thank you Elsa-London
My minature dash pukes alot.I have her on Parina one and was feeding her twice a day. Now feeding her just a forth a cup at a time three to four times a day..only puked once yesterday. Any suggestions to stop the puking?
Her weight is good.
She puked when stressed too.
I have a daschund puppy standard…it eats little by little…doesn’t show interest in food…I am feeding her with Royal canin and curd rice since this was provider by the breeder a couple days before…she is 40 days today
I have been massage a 1/2 tsp of ghee (clarified butter) into my 7 mo/old mini’s kibble and she loves it. It leaves her coat glossy and BMs smooth and solid. I also alternate a 1/4-1/2 tsp of bacon fat. She only gets two meals/day of 1/3 cup (~35gm) kibble. I treat her during training and she is doing very well.
The dachshunds I have known have always acted like they are starving when eating. I put two 2″ stones In My dogs bowl to slow her down. It makes her move them around to get at her food.
My miniature dachshund will only eat her kibble if I cut up small pieces of cheese or pasta it’s getting to the stage now where she will just turn her nose up at all dog food unless i put cheese in it . Surely this can’t be good for her she is 14 month old and very small and I do worry about this as I am throwing so much dog food away as I have tried her on many different brands when I got her she was on James well been but even walked away from that
I feed mine fresh pet he is fourteen and he has always been very picky and hates dog food he loves fresh pet he has been on it for five months and eats every day I would try it for your puppy
my 2 age 18 and 9 weeks love bella and duke and prodog raw
I use McAdams, my mini dachshund adores it. I mix it with the McAdams kibble. It’s not the cheapest, but so good for them
I also have one. I cook 1 chicken fillet with 1/2 cup of rice 1 carrot and one potato soft with chicken stock in it. She loves it. I hope this will help you.
This can cause pancreatitis in dachshunds. Please contact your vet about it. I unfortunately found this out the hard way.
Mine is 8 months old and I am in the same situation …food in bin everyday ..so upsetting ..he likes only his mini purina kibbles …