DRBC recognizes several types of diets appropriate for doxies which we have listed below. Please click on the type of diet you would like information on or scroll down the page to read about all the diets.
Not sure when to feed, what makes our classification as a good treat or what we would never feed? Is your doxie having problems sticking to their diet?
Try these:
NOTE: Nutrition is part of the overall wellness plan you should discuss with your veterinarian. The information contained in this website and on this page specifically represents that of the DRBC organization. All of our decisions on diet are discussed with our veterinarians on a routine basis.
Nutrition - DRBC Style
Feeding the ones we love is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are some great products out there to support which ever program you choose to follow. The diets described below represent the approach taken within DRBC volunteer supported homes.
It is important to establish the weight and health of your doxie for this discussion. Please use the guide below the picture to determine if your dachshund is weight appropriate.
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Mini Doxies: Weigh between 6 and 12 lbs.
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Tweenie [small standards]: Weigh up to 20 lbs.
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Standards [Full Sized] : Can weigh up to 30 lbs.
The picture shown is a beautiful example of a dachshund that is weight appropriate. Notice the sweeping line that can be seen beginning at the chest which sweeps up over the hip. Although not available, a look down at the top of this dog would reveal the definition of a figure eight with the chest protruding out the waist indented and the hips slightly wider. There are no hip points visible and no bones visible.
The Standard Doxie Diet
The diet you choose for your dog should be a balanced one. There
are many excellent dog foods available on the market today. The goal
is to provide sound nutrition while maintaining stable weight.
DRBC is often asked which pre-prepared foods we prefer. This is something that we are constantly evaluating. Currently, DRBC endorses Royal Canin. The formulation and production quality is the very best on the commercial and prescription market today. Please play the video below about Dachshund 28, the consumer formula dry to learn about the special needs of our breed and the way this formulation meets the rigid challenges of our breed.
DRBC utilizes a mix of wet and dry food for all its dog food based diets. Our recommendation is:
Food
Dry: Royal Canin Mobility Strength [JS] or Nutros Senior*
Moist: Alpo Chicken Chunks or Pedigree Chicken and Rice Chunks
Volume
Mini : Up to 6 oz of food per day - 25% Moist/75% Dry
Tweenie : Up to 8 oz of food per day - 25% Moist/75% Dry
Standard: Up to 9 oz of food per day - 25% Moist/75% Dry
Additives
Vitamin: Hi-Vite Vitamin Drops 2-3 Drops per day
Joint Supplement: Glycosamine with Condroitin and Hyolinic acid
Warm Water: Added at a volume equal to 1/3 the total volume fed
A word about additives:
- A small amount of a multi vitamin is added to our diet to replace the vitamin content dry foods experience on standing.
- The Joint Supplement is added as part of our overall spinal health program. Bag label claims due not contain sufficient levels for the dachshund breed.
- Warm water is added directly to the food to hydrate and is part of our overall kidney failure prevention program, although other organ systems benefit as well.
* The senior formulation is preferred due to the chicken base. Smarter for heart and other organ systems, chicken is the base choice in almost all of our diets.
DRBC does not endorse diet foods for dogs. A balanced excercise program combined with a smaller volume of food has consistently yielded the best results for the rescue when rehabilitating overweight dogs.
The diet you choose for your dog should be a balanced one. There are many excellent dog foods available on the market today. The goal is to provide sound nutrition while reducing stable weight.
DRBC utilizes a mix of wet and dry food for all its dog food based diets. Our recommendation is:
Food
Dry: Royal Canin Mobility Strength [JS] or Nutros Senior*
Moist: Alpo Chicken Chunks or Pedigree Chicken and Rice Chunks
Volume
Mini : Up to 4.5 oz of food per day - 25% Moist/75% Dry
Tweenie : Up to 7 oz of food per day - 25% Moist/75% Dry
Standard: Up to 6 oz of food per day - 25% Moist/75% Dry
Additives
Vitamin: Hi-Vite Vitamin Drops 2-3 Drops per day
Joint Supplement: Glycosamine with Condroitin and Hyolinic acid
Warm Water: Added at a volume equal to 1/3 the total volume fed
A word about additives:
- A small amount of a multi vitamin is added to our diet to replace the vitamin content dry foods experience on standing.
- The Joint Supplement is added as part of our overall spinal health program. Bag label claims due not contain sufficient levels for the dachshund breed.
- Warm water is added directly to the food to hydrate and is part of our overall kidney failure prevention program, although other organ systems benefit as well.
* The senior formulation is preferred due to the chicken base. Smarter for heart and other organ systems, chicken is the base choice in almost all of our diets.
As attitudes towards pets change more and more owners are turning back to the time before dog food existed and are cooking for their pets. The dietary requirements change slightly for home prepared vs. manufactured, but the bottom line should always be balanced nutrition and stable weight. The diet we utilize in the DRBC system has been reviewed by our Senior Veterinarian and a veterinary nutritionist. We never vary the diet. Our base diet is not open to modification in accordance with our nutritional guidelines. Before choosing a home prepared diet or utilize the ones provided here you should discuss the effects of a dietary change such as this with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian has the best medical knowledge concerning your pet's health and can assist you in transitioning your pet to a program such as this. DRBC utilizes a mix of wet and dry food for all its dog food based diets. Our recommendation is: Food
Cooking for My Doxie
Standard Home Prep:Download the Adult Doxie Diet
Kidney Failure Prep: Coming Soon
Volume
Mini : Up to 6 oz of food per day
Tweenie : Up to 8 oz of food per day
Standard: Up to 9 oz of food per day
Additives
Vitamin: Hi-Vite Vitamin Drops 0.5 cc per day
Joint Supplement: Glycosamine with Condroitin and Hyolinic acid
Warm Water: Added at a volume equal to 1/3 the total volume fed
A word about additives:
- Vitamin supplements are required for home prepared meals to insure a balanced diet.
- The Joint Supplement is added as part of our overall spinal health program. Bag label claims due not contain sufficient levels for the dachshund breed.
- Warm water is added directly to the food to hydrate and is part of our overall kidney failure prevention program, although other organ systems benefit as well.
DRBC does not encourage the use of a raw diet program at this time. The concern is based on the introduction of bacterial strains which may have no treatment in the veterinary arena. We acknowledge the observed effects the diet has had for many groups, but cannot responsibly endorse its use.
The diets available in the veterinary marketplace are as varied as the problems they seek to support. The dietary contents will change based on the targeted treatment outlined by your veterinarian. The bottom line should always be balanced nutrition and stable weight.
Before choosing a home prepared diet or utilize the ones provided here you should discuss the effects of a dietary change such as this with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian has the best medical knowledge concerning your pet's health and can assist you in transitioning your pet to a program such as this.
DRBC utilizes a mix of wet and dry food for all its dog food based diets. Our recommendation is:
Food
Varies based on the recommendation by your doxie's veterinarian.
Volume
Mini : Up to 6 oz of food per day
Tweenie : Up to 8 oz of food per day
Standard: Up to 9 oz of food per day
Additives
Vitamin: Hi-Vite Vitamin Drops 0.5 cc per day
Joint Supplement: Glycosamine with Condroitin and Hyolinic acid
Warm Water: Added at a volume equal to 1/3 the total volume fed
A word about additives:
- Check with your veterinarian concerning the continued use of additives in any specialty diet.
- A small amount of a multi vitamin is added to our diet to replace the vitamin content dry foods experience on standing.
- The Joint Supplement is added as part of our overall spinal health program. Bag label claims due not contain sufficient levels for the dachshund breed.
- Warm water is added directly to the food to hydrate and is part of our overall kidney failure prevention program, although other organ systems benefit as well.
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Feeding time should be as consistent as possible. The DRBC policy is to feed a very small amount for breakfast and then one main meal a day, but many people feed twice a day dividing the volume into equal portions. Whatever frequency you choose, be consistent and remember the following rules:
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Here is a thought: Measure the dry kibble your pet would normally eat and place in a small container. When the eyes get to be too much, give one piece of kibble. When dinnertime comes there is no risk of overfeeding. No kibble left? OK, you need to look away a little more often...
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It will not take your doxie long to start begging at the table. Doxies are bottomless pits when it comes to anything edible. They are the only breed that can eat themselves to death. The decision to give tablescraps is a personal one. We recommend you don’t allow begging while eating, instead save a little bite from your plate. Always make sure their scraps have no spices such as salt, pepper, onions or garlic. Also avoid dairy, gravy or anything fried. Here are some treats they might love. They are low calorie, no fat and have lots of vitamins.
Here are things to never feed:
See the block below to learn more about manufactured treats! The following foods can cause an upset in the digestive system and remember, it is not OK to ‘try’ these out to see if your dog falls into this category; you will both suffer in the long run from the attempt.
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The single biggest suprize to dog owners is that having a dog is much like having a child. Generally, if they really, really like a food, it is not good for them. Listed below are some of the worst things we have found for the overall long term health and well-being of an animal. And yes, they are sold on grocery shelves and your dog will love them. The No-No List
There are many others. Drop us a note if you have a question. Our general rule is this: You must eat one or chew one and swallow before giving it to the dog. Really. You should see the looks we get, but there is a good reason. Manufactured treats are high in fat and salt, both contributors to heart disease, pancreatic issues, liver disease and kidney issues. Many owners tell us that they were just to the vet and everything is OK. That is today. These same owners call us when they have lost their loved one to a cardiac issue at age 10 or 12 yrs. The treats and bad food caught up with them. How can they [the treat manufacturers] sell them if that were true. It is called marketing. Don't get sucked into the campaign. Here are three treat examples that will illustrate and personalize this issue: Example 1: The Bacon Treat It may look like bacon and may smell like bacon, but what is it really. The dog loves it and so it is rewarded with it for being properly house trained, because they were begging or maybe because it has become part of their daily routine. They average dog gets treats twice a day. Given a doxie's size that is 2-4 strips of bacon a day. You and your dog are both mammals and while the anatomy and physiology vary, the effect of poor snacking is the same. Those 2-4 strips of bacon for the dog equates to much more on the human level. The long term effects are devastating to the body regardless.
Example 2: The Chew Treat Pigs Ears, hooves, rawhide and many other chewy items are not readily digested by your pet. Chewed improperly or incompletely they can lead to intestinal blockage and expensive surgery and possibly death. Hooves are special as your pet has had the opportunity to chew a part of the animals body that walked in feces and urine before being prepared for sale, hence the color variations. The shards that can result from chewing can perforate the intestinal tract leading to internal bleeding, potential surgery and possibly death.
Example 3: The Fatty Treat This category is reserved for all non-flour based treats prepared and highly marketed to consumers. Pupperoni is one, but there are many out there. They are a heart attack, liver compromise or pancreatic issue waiting to happen. This weekend have some friends over. Instead of having the normal snack foods serve some cans of lard. It is now available is butter flavor, so you won't be limited on selection. Appalling? Well this is what the fatty treat category is all about.
The folks over at Pedigree have an entertaining way of looking at dachshunds. The sense of humor exhibited in the ads below makes us wonder if they are not dachshund themselves ;) |
Dachshund Rescue of Bucks County
181 Gilbert Drive
Morrisville, PA 19067
215-736-3338 215-493-8383 fax
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