Choosing food for Chihuahuas is challenging because they are so small! The average dog food simply won’t work for them, as the kibble will often be much too big. Instead, only the smallest kibble size will do, or you’ll need to skip dry food altogether and select a wet food.
You also need to pay attention to the food’s overall nutritional value. If it is less nutritious than other options, it doesn’t really matter that the kibble is small enough for your Chihuahua to eat.
We did the research to find foods that fit both these factors. Here, we created reviews of foods that are high quality enough to provide optimal nutrition and small enough for your Chihuahua to actually eat.
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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
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Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription |
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Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Chicken & Rice Dog Food |
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CANIDAE PURE Petite Adult Small Breed Dog Food |
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Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Chihuahua |
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Cesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Beef Recipe |
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The 10 Best Dog Foods for Chihuahuas
1. Ollie Dog Food Subscription Service — Best Overall
* Black Friday offer valid November 22 - December 6, 2024.
| Food Type: | Fresh or baked |
| First Ingredients: | Beef, lamb, chicken, or turkey |
Ollie dog food is the best overall dog food for Chihuahuas. It carefully selects ingredients to ensure that your dog receives the optimum macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. This fresh food is appropriate for small dogs and is perfectly portioned to ensure that they get enough food without overeating.
Ollie’s subscription service provides delivery straight to your door. You will no longer have to carry around giant bags of kibble or do last-minute trips to the store when you run out of food. Since Ollie is delivered in individually packaged meals, you’ll always have it on hand at mealtime. You also won’t have to measure out food portions.
There are different recipes to choose from based on your Chihuahua’s preferences, and every subscription is customized to meet your dog’s individual needs. Not every dog is the same, and the Ollie team believes that their meal plan shouldn’t be either!
The downside of feeding fresh food is storage. Since it’s fresh, you’ll need freezer space to keep it that way. You’ll also have to remember to take your dog’s food out 24 hours in advance to thaw it. But we think that this is a minor inconvenience that’s worth it for the superior nutrition that Ollie Food provides.
- Customized meal plans
- At-home delivery
- Pre-portioned meals
- Complete nutrition
- Requires freezer and refrigerator space to keep fresh
- Must thaw fresh food 24 hours before feeding
2. Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food — Budget Buy
| Food Type: | Dry |
| First Ingredients: | Chicken, rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, whole grain corn |
For those on a strict budget, you may want to look at Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food. This formula is decently high quality while also being inexpensive. Therefore, it is a good dog food for Chihuahuas at a great price.
It has chicken as the main source of protein and meat. However, it also includes a few lower-quality protein options, like corn gluten meal and poultry by-product meal.
This formula is full of probiotics, which can improve your Chihuahua’s overall digestive health.
The kibble is designed to be rather small, which enables your canine to eat it with ease. The high amount of protein-rich ingredients makes this formula decently high in protein, though it isn’t the highest quality.
- High protein
- Small kibble
- Probiotics included
- Inexpensive
- Low-quality ingredients
3. CANIDAE PURE Petite Adult Small Breed Dog Food
| Food Type: | Dry |
| First Ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, peas, lentils, tapioca, chicken fat |
With only a few ingredients, CANIDAE PURE Petite Adult Small Breed Dog Food is one of the best dog foods out there for Chihuahuas. But compared to other foods, it is extremely expensive.
However, given that a Chihuahua doesn’t eat much, it is often easier to feed them premium foods.
This formula starts with a whole chicken and is completely grain-free. It has plenty of omega fatty acids, which can improve your pet’s skin and coat. It is also coated in freeze-dried chicken, which improves the taste substantially.
The kibble size is small, as it is specifically designed for toy breeds.
- Small kibble size
- Grain-free
- Chicken as the first ingredient
- Coated in freeze-dried raw
- Expensive
4. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Chihuahua Adult Loaf In Sauce Dog Food
| Food Type: | Canned |
| First Ingredients: | Water for processing, chicken by-products, pork by-products, chicken, pork liver |
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Chihuahua Adult Loaf In Sauce Dog Food is one of several breed-specific formulas the manufacturer produces. If you want a diet geared toward your dog’s special needs, look no further. Chihuahuas have a moderate tendency for weight gain, so it makes sense to get a product that can help with weight management.
The food is heavy on protein, with 36.8% by dry weight. That far exceeds the recommendations of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). This macronutrient can keep your pet feeling sated longer and help keep their weight in check. The by-products are concentrated forms of protein, making the food even more nutritious.
The diet more than covers the nutritional needs of Chihuahuas on all fronts. It also includes fish oil to support skin and cardiovascular health. The food is highly palatable, with most pet owners reporting no feeding issues. Nevertheless, you should monitor your pup’s body condition to ensure they aren’t enjoying it too much.
The product is expensive when compared to other foods. However, we suggest balancing it with the health benefits it offers, including the inclusion of grain. We recommend discussing your pet’s diet with your vet if you have concerns.
- Breed-specific formula
- Grain diet
- High protein content
- Excellent quality control
- Expensive
5. Cesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Beef Recipe
| Food Type: | Dry |
| First Ingredients: | Beef, chicken liver, beef lung, chicken broth, water |
Sometimes with small dogs like Chihuahuas, it is simply easiest to choose a wet food. That way, you don’t have to worry about kibble size. In this case, we recommend Cesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Beef Recipe. This food has high amounts of protein, with beef and chicken liver as the first two ingredients.
It also uses broth along with regular water, which raises the protein content considerably. This formula is completely grain-free, containing mostly animal products instead.
Due to the high moisture content, this formula may also help keep your dog hydrated. It also makes this food tastier for many dogs.
The main downside of this food is that can’t be left out for long before going bad, which can be a problem for small breeds prone to hypoglycemia like Chihuahuas. Therefore, it is only best if you are at home to give the food to them.
- High in animal ingredients
- Added broth
- Tasty
- Contains organ meats
- Can’t be free-fed
6. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed
| Food Type: | Dry |
| First Ingredients: | Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, barley, fish meal |
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed is a popular food for small dogs. The formula has quality chicken and chicken meals, which provide most of the protein in this food. It does include grains, but these are high-quality and whole, which means they do provide some nutrition.
This formula also has antioxidant-rich ingredients and chelated minerals. These provide your Chihuahua with a health boost and help ensure that your canine is consuming all the minerals that they need.
Omega fatty acids are included with this formula, including omega-3 and omega-6. Glucosamine is also added, though this may not be super helpful for a small breed like the Chihuahua.
This kibble is small enough for Chihuahua-sized jaws.
That said, this formula is more expensive than most others. It also includes high levels of peas, though they don’t appear high on the list. Instead of listing all the peas together, the company splits the peas up into multiple parts and then adds them, making them appear low on the ingredient list.
- Omega fatty acids
- Small kibble
- Quality proteins
- Expensive
- High in peas
7. Instinct Raw Boost Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
| Food Type: | Dry |
| First Ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, chickpeas, tapioca, chicken fat |
With freeze-dried raw pieces, the Instinct Raw Boost Small Breed Grain-Free Recipe is a solid option for many dogs out there. However, it is quite expensive, largely because of these raw pieces. There is currently no research that shows that raw pieces of food improve a dog’s health, so you’ll need to decide whether you’re willing to pay extra for something that may not actually mean much.
Of course, this food is good in other ways. It has quality ingredients, including whole chicken and various animal sources. It is also quite high in protein and made without any grains. Overall, it is a good food; it is just quite expensive for what you get.
This food includes live probiotics, which are essential for your Chihuahua’s digestive system. It is also made in the U.S.A.
- Quality animal sources throughout
- Grain-free
- Includes probiotics
- Expensive
- Some ingredients from China
8. Nutro Natural Choice Small Breed Dry Dog Food
| Food Type: | Dry |
| First Ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain barley, split peas, brewers rice |
Compared to most other formulas, Nutro Natural Choice Small Breed is about average. It is designed specifically for small breeds, so it does have a small kibble size. It starts with chicken and chicken meal, which are great sources of protein. It includes whole grains, which are also nutritious.
This formula is completely made without any GMO ingredients. It is free from chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, and soy. It also has natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin, which can support healthy joints.
However, this formula includes split peas high on the ingredient list, which may be linked to certain heart problems in dogs. It also isn’t high in protein, though your Chihuahua may not necessarily need a high-protein diet.
- Non-GMO
- Glucosamine and chondroitin
- Chicken included as the first ingredient
- Low in protein
- Split peas as the fourth ingredient
9. Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Dog Food
| Food Type: | Dry |
| First Ingredients: | Deboned turkey, chicken meal, salmon meal, oatmeal, ground brown rice |
The Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Dog Food is a good option for some Chihuahuas. It does not include any GMOs, by-products, or artificial preservatives. Instead, this formula has a wide variety of different proteins, like deboned turkey and chicken meal.
This formula also has various additives, like probiotics, glucosamine, and taurine. All these ingredients help support your pet’s overall health. While this formula is not grain-free, it does only include quality grains, like brown rice, which do provide some nutrition for your small pooch.
That said, there are reports of dogs having loose stools as a result of eating this product. Since it contains many different proteins, this formula may cause digestive problems. There are probiotics in this formula that may help prevent this, though.
- Many additives
- Plenty of animal sources
- Quality grains
- Expensive
- May cause digestive issues
10. Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Small Dog Food
| Food Type: | Dry |
| First Ingredients: | Corn, chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, brown rice, corn gluten meal |
Royal Canin is often billed as a premium dog food, but this formula starts with corn. (The number-one rule for purchasing dog food is to select a formula with meat as the first ingredient.) Meat is technically the second ingredient, but it is chicken by-product meal, one of the lower quality options out there.
The other ingredients in this dog food are also low quality. For instance, corn gluten meal is included, which raises the protein content of the food with low-quality plant protein.
This formula is also more expensive than most other options, so you’re paying for worse ingredients than what can be found in cheaper dog food.
L-carnitine is included to help improve fat metabolism. However, unless your Chihuahua is obese, this may not be super helpful. Like most dog foods, omega fatty acids are included.
- L-carnitine added for overweight pets
- Omega fatty acids
- Low-quality ingredients
- Expensive
- By-products as the main meat source
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Chihuahuas
Chihuahuas are extremely small dogs, so finding food for them is difficult. Most brands just aren’t designed for dogs of this size.
You also need to consider whether the food meets their nutritional needs. Fortunately, Chihuahuas don’t have many health issues, which does widen the variety of foods available to them.
In this section, we look at the most important features and factors to keep in mind when choosing quality dog food for your Chihuahua.
Do Chihuahuas Need Special Food?
Usually, these dogs do not need special food. Chihuahuas may be small, but their overall nutritional needs are just like those of any other dog. Therefore, your main concern with getting the correct food is the kibble size.
Chihuahuas are among the smallest dogs out there and have small mouths. Many kibbles are simply too big. Choosing a formula specifically designed for very small dogs is a must. However, not all small-breed foods are designed for dogs as small as Chihuahuas.
Instead, you need food that is designed for toy breeds or “extra small” breeds. This food is often specifically designed for tiny canines like Chihuahuas.
After you find a food that is small enough for your Chihuahua, the next task is to find a food that is high quality.
Meat Quality
Preferably, all dog foods should include animal protein of some sort as the first ingredient. If one doesn’t, it’s a sign that the food is low-quality.
That said, not just any animal protein will do. You have to ensure that you are choosing a food that is high-quality and suitable for your Chihuahua. There are a few main types of meat.
Whole meat is probably what you’re used to seeing in most dog foods. When meat is simply labeled as “chicken,” it is whole meat. These meats are high in protein and nutrients. However, they are also high in water content. Therefore, they are quite heavy, which makes them be listed higher in the ingredient list.
Meat meals have had their water content removed. Therefore, they are more concentrated than whole meats, though they have the same general “stuff” in them. Meat meals are great ingredients because they are concentrated and don’t weigh much. Therefore, if they appear high on a dog food’s ingredient list, it means that there is a large amount of animal meat in the food.
By-products are notorious ingredients on the dog food market. You have likely been told to avoid them. However, the truth is a bit more complicated than that. By-products can sometimes include quality things, like organ meats. But they can also include low-quality things, like feathers and hair, which don’t provide much nutritional value.
You won’t always know which is which. If the company is using human-grade by-products, though, they are likely to be of higher quality.
If you need to speak with a vet but can’t get to one, head over to PangoVet. It’s an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the personalized advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price!
Additives: What Does It All Mean?
When shopping for dog food, you’ll see advertisements like, “Glucosamine from natural sources!” and “Omega fatty acids for salmon oil!” Deciphering all this is a challenge on its own.
Fortunately, Chihuahuas aren’t in any particular need of any of these additives, though we do recommend that you familiarize yourself with them:
- Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Both of these additives are used to support joint health. They aren’t that important for Chihuahuas, though, as their joints aren’t particularly prone to wear and tear.
- Probiotics: Probiotics work in dogs just like they do in people. A dog’s gut is full of good bacteria that enable them to digest food easier. Probiotics are these sorts of good bacteria. When a food contains probiotics, a dog’s microbiome will likely be higher quality than it might be otherwise.
- Antioxidants: Every day, dogs develop oxidative stress as does every other animal in the world. Over time, this can cause illnesses and diseases. Most conditions associated with old age are caused by oxidative stress. Antioxidants can reverse this damage and prevent further damage. They are often found in fruits.
- Omega fatty acid: Omega fatty acids are a particular kind of fat often found in fatty fish. Even in non-fish dog foods, these fatty acids are often added through the use of salmon or flaxseed oil. These fatty acids are important for a whole host of different things, from the joints and skin to the brain.
Our Selection Process For Dog Foods for Chihuahuas
To create this buyer’s guide, our writing team and editorial staff checked customer reviews, brand reputation, and veterinary approval ratings to present the dog foods we think should be highlighted for our readers. In some cases, we conducted hands-on testing along with seeing how much our dogs liked the dog foods. All these factors were considered when selecting these listed dog foods to help you make the best purchase for your furry friends.
Why Trust Dogster?
Since 2004, Dogster has been a trusted brand for dog owners online, which means we have a lot of experience with dog foods. We take pride in promoting the well-being of all dogs—from toy breeds to giant canines. Our in-house veterinarians, writers, and editors examine each product on our lists, ensuring its quality and reputation. As pet owners ourselves, we only want the best for our furry companions. At Dogster, we are transparent about the products we promote. The nutritional information, overall brand reputation, and customer reviews are all considered for these lists. We inform you how we want to be informed.
Final Thoughts
Choosing food for a Chihuahua mostly involves finding the smallest food possible. There are many foods out there designed for small breeds, but even these aren’t always small enough for Chihuahuas. Therefore, you often have to select a food designed for a toy or extra small breeds, though these are not always obviously labeled. Chihuahuas also benefit from a high-quality diet just like any other dog, so what is in the food is also important.
Our top pick is Ollie Dog Food, which offers amazing fresh food options shipped right to your door. Choose between great recipes like Beef with Sweet Potato, Lamb with Cranberries, and Chicken with Carrots!
We highly recommend Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food if you need a budget option. This formula includes probiotics and is quite high in protein.
Hopefully, our reviews have helped you locate the best dog food for your canine.
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Featured Image Credit: Tanyastock, Shutterstock
