Few dogs are as instantly recognisable as a Dachshund, but sadly, that unique shape does mean there are some problems these weeny-weiner hounds are prone to. The best dog food for Dachshunds will have perfectly balanced nutrition to help keep your silly sausage happy and healthy for a life as long as their body.
Diet plays a key role in preventing obesity, which can exacerbate a lot of the problems Doxies are predisposed to like IVDD and diabetes.
But even for the factors that food can’t fix, a healthy diet will ensure your dog gets all the nutrients they need to protect their overall health and support their immune system to prevent illness.
So what makes the ideal Dachshund dinner to keep your pooch in perfect sausagey shape?
What is the best dog food for Dachshunds?
The best dog food for Dachshunds should help to:
Naturally manage their weight
Provide perfect nutrition to support their backs
Provide vitamin A for optimum ocular health
Help to prevent dental disease
Keep their gut in great health
So why should you look for all this in your Doxie’s dog food, and why is it so important to pick the right dog’s dinner?
Keeping lean weenines
Dachshunds are one of the breeds most prone to becoming obese, and sadly, that’s bad news for their little legs and long backs. The extra weight puts additional strain on their spine and can cause back pain, increase their risk of injury, and exacerbate any health conditions they have. Obesity is easy to prevent too, which is why it’s so important to keep your wienie lean to benefit their overall wellbeing.
Preventing obesity is one big step towards preventing IVDD in your Doxie, and prevention is the best medicine since dogs that have had one instance of IVDD are more likely to suffer from recurring illness. That’s why weight management is such an important element in deciding the best dog food for Dachshunds.
Obesity is also the biggest risk factor in diabetes, which Dachshunds are already prone to. Carrying extra weight also raises their risk of conditions like cancer and heart disease too. That means keeping your sausage dog slim really helps to protect their back as well as their overall health. Plus, it’ll keep your furry friend as active and playful as the breed is known to be!
Natural dog food means your Dachshund gets all the nutrients they need to stay healthy but without any of the fillers and hidden nasties. Too many calories and carbohydrates are linked to canine obesity, and calorific kibble packed with cereals and starch won’t do your Doxie any favours.
On the other hand, Pure has seen success helping a whole pack of pups maintain a healthy weight naturally, and could help to keep your pooch perfectly proportioned whilst enjoying healthy and delicious doggy dinners.
Perfectly balanced food
Although you need to make sure your Dachshund doesn’t load up on carbs so they stay a slim sausage, it’s still a balancing act. Doxies are small and don’t need to eat a lot of food and don’t need as many calories as a huge breed.
However, they do have a higher metabolism than a bigger dog so the food they eat must be nutritionally dense to prevent them crashing out. Pure is carefully created by nutritionists and backed by vets to ensure it provides perfectly balanced nutrition for your pooch to support an active lifestyle and a healthier, longer life.
The amount of food your Dachshund needs will vary a lot based on whether they are a standard or miniature sized dog, or whether they’re highly active or a bit of a couch potato.
Regardless of size and activity level, you can rest assured they’ll still get the perfect blend of nutrients in every mouthful, and we always personalise their portions to ensure they’re only eating what they need to.
Whether they’re a puppy or pensioner pooch, we’ll tailor their food to make sure it matches their individual needs at every life stage and lifestyle.
Supporting their spines and skeleton
Although generally healthy and happy little dogs, Doxies are predisposed to all kinds of back problems just because of their shape. Food might not be able to fix any inherited illness, but a healthy diet can go a long way in helping to delay any deterioration in their body and preventing some problems.
The best dog food for Dachshunds will provide chondroitin and calcium to help maintain strong bones, cartilage and connective tissue in your pooch.
Phosphorus and copper are other great nutrients to look for on the label because phosphorus is another key component in strong bones and teeth, and copper is also used to form bones and connective tissues. Given their shape, it’s always good for a Doxie to have a strong skeleton.
Chondroitin is found in animal tissues, so feeding your pup whole meat is an ideal way to make sure they’re taking this nutrient in. Our recipes use only whole, natural ingredients and we never subject them to harsh processes that destroy vital nutrients, unlike kibble.
We also make sure there’s plenty of calcium, copper, and other essential vitamins and minerals to ensure your pooch has everything they need to stay fit as a fiddle.
Help for healthy eyes
Dachshunds are prone to a variety of conditions relating to their eyes, including cataracts and dry eye. Sadly, there’s no real prevention or cure for these problems, but a good diet should help to slow the progression of such diseases.
It also makes it even more important to keep their eyes healthy in the ways you can control, such as feeding them plenty of vitamin A to maintain their vision. Vitamin A is in all kinds of foods from oily fish to carrots and sweet potatoes.
Nourish their gnashers
It’s no secret that Dachshunds are prone to dental problems, and the best way to prevent poor oral health is to simply brush your dog’s teeth. But, diet does play a part in your pup’s oral health.
Just like with people, a combination of eating too much sugar and not brushing their teeth is a recipe for plaque and cavities in your dog’s teeth. Although your pup won’t be drinking sugary drinks and shouldn’t be eating sweets, there’s a surprising amount of sugars in some dog foods, particularly kibble.
Don’t believe the myth that crunchy kibble cleans teeth, because saying hard biscuits can clean a dog’s teeth is like saying we humans can scoff some ginger nuts to remove plaque. It’s barking mad!
Instead, try feeding your pooch a raw meaty bone if you want to give them something tasty that will help to clean their teeth. The slightly abrasive texture of the bone does help to clean their teeth. But, it’s still not as good as regular brushing.
You can also find dog food that’s bursting with vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C and E and other antioxidants are especially good for oral health because they reduce oxidative stress, which has been linked to gum disease. Most fruits and vegetables have plenty of these goodies in, and they’ll also provide your Dachshund with natural fibre to keep their tummy happy and their bowel moving.
Keeping their gut happy
Tummy troubles are common in all dogs, but Dachshunds seem to have a particularly sensitive stomach. Maintaining a healthy gut is vital for pooches because a healthy digestive tract works more efficiently and absorbs more goodness from their food, which also means less waste and less poo to pick up.
Additionally, around 70% of your dog’s immune system is linked to their gut, so keeping it in perfect shape is even more important.
As mentioned above, natural fibre can help to improve your Dachshund’s digestive health as it keeps their bowel movements regular, firms up their stools, and feeds the good bacteria in their gut.
The best dog food for Dachshunds should use highly digestible ingredients that are easy to break down and absorb so they get all the goodness from their dinner, and it helps to prevent excess strain on their gut.
Here at Pure, we use a carefully selected range of fruits and veggies in our dog food recipes to provide wholesome, natural nutrition for your fur-baby, as well as the fibre they need to keep their digestive tract in order.