A fat Chihuahua will weigh more than 6lbs as an adult. The extra weight they are carrying will make them more likely to suffer health problems like heart disease and mobility issues. Restricting their daily rations of food and access to table scraps or treats will help them to slim down, along with a good program of exercise.
Contents
- Are Chihuahuas prone to weight gain?
- Signs your dog is overweight
- Does obesity always equal health problems?
- How to help your dog lose weight
When your Chihuahua is at an healthy weight, you should be able to feel their spine and ribs easily and see their waistline. They shouldn’t have any bad breath or breathing issues. Other signs of a healthy Chihuahua include healthy joints and a thin layer of fat surrounding their body.
Do Chihuahuas Get Fat Easily?
Chihuahuas are so small that it is easy for them to gain weight. This is especially easy when you give them treats when they beg. It doesn’t take too many treats to make them overweight. If you carry them around and don’t let them walk on their own, then that could lead to fast weight gain.
Type of food has a significant impact on their weight gain as well. If you are feeding them table food or any food that isn’t theirs, then you can expect a fat Chihuahua shortly. The Chihuahua’s digestive system wasn’t designed to process much human food.
Is My Chihuahua Fat?
There are a few ways to tell if your Chihuahua is fat. First, examine your dog’s abdomen. Look and see if they have an abdomen tuck. If they do not, then they are overweight.
Second, touch your dog’s shoulders, spine, and hips. If your dog is fat, then you will find it difficult to feel their bones, due to thick fat being stored around the bones.
Last, identify your dog’s waist. Dogs, like people, should have a waist. Stand above your dog and look down at them. If they have a waist, the body will be slightly smaller from the back of their rib cage to the hips.
Both British and American breed standards state that the Chihuahua must not exceed more than 5.9 pounds. However, the British standard also states that the weight of four to six pounds is preferred. Pet Chihuahuas often range above these weights.
Chihuahuas are a small breed. This means that they do not need much food throughout the day to feel full and be healthy. If you are feeding them more than a couple of times daily, then they will rapidly blow up in size.
Are Fat Chihuahuas Unhealthy?
Obesity in anyone, even animals, opens a whole new world of numerous health issues that put well-being at risk. Excessive weight in a Chihuahua puts a lot of stress on its joints and bones. This in turn can cause arthritis at an early age.
Obesity significantly increases their risk of Type II Diabetes (mellitus). This can mean that their body needs more insulin.
In some cases, your Chihuahua could need insulin on a daily basis. If not treated properly, they could go into shock.
Back and spinal problems are another severe problem that can occur from being overweight. When they become obese, this puts a lot of stress on joints and sensitive areas.
Obesity and Heart Disease
Obese Chihuahuas are at risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension). This is as dangerous as it sounds. High blood pressure puts stress on the organs and tissue inside their body, which increases their chance of organ failure.
One of the most severe and dangerous ailments that come from obesity in the Chihuahua is heart disease. The extra fat inside their body forces their heart to pump extra blood. This, combined with the extra pressure placed on the organs, makes them at high risk of heart disease.
Helping Your Fat Chihuahua Lose Weight
Helping your Chihuahua lose weight can take some preparation and time. This can be discouraging and somewhat difficult, but it’s not impossible.
Firstly, cut out treats. It can be hard sometimes to not indulge them. However, this is where most of the weight your dog is gaining comes from. All the treats you give them add up quickly and will pack on the unwanted pounds. A smart choice would be to cut out treats all together until they get to a healthier weight.
Swap training treats for healthier alternatives. Look for other alternatives to feed them like turkey bacon or chicken breast. Turkey bacon and chicken breast are high in protein and low in fat with no sugar. Cut it into small pieces and feed only when rewarding good behavior.
Better Diets
Reduce quantities at meal times. Do it gradually over time, not all at once. Cutting too much food at one time will make their body go into survival mode. When their body is in survival mode, the body will hold onto fat, which is counterproductive. Instead, when you gradually decrease their meal sizes, their body will boost their metabolism, and their stomach will shrink.
(paid link) Once you decrease their meal sizes over time, weigh your dog to check progress. If they haven’t lost as much weight as you would like, then keep minimizing meal sizes until they achieve the desired weight.
You can also increase your dog’s exercise output to increase their weight loss. However, this should be combined with healthier feeding habits.
Exercise
If your dog is very over weight, don’t leap into an intense exercise program straight away. Start slowly with shorter walks, and time yourself. Increasing by five minutes a day is fine. Do this alongside with lots of playtime in the back yard, even games like tug toys burn those crucial calories.
When you discover a good exercise program and get your dog on it for a little while, you will see dramatic improvements in their health and mood. This includes reduced depression, less anxiety, and steady weight loss.
Shirley says
My 3 yr old chi weighs 8 lbs. He looks a little overweight. My issue is that he will not eat any dog food unless I add hamburger or turkey to it. We do walk about a mile a day.What should I change
Karen Campbell says
I have a four-year-old Chihuahua who is 10 pounds. I feed her Royal Canin Chihuahua food 1/4 cup twice A-days. I know she is 4 pounds overweight and I struggle because she loves to eat. With her morning 1/4 cup I give her a small amount of egg white and her evening meal I give her a small amount of green beans. She loves sweet peppers and begs for them. So I do give her thin slices of orange peppers as treats. She is a begger and demands food or she stares a hole through me. Today I decided to cut her RC Chi food in half the amount with the egg white and the green beans at dinner. Is this the correct way to cut her food? Will her body go into a storage mode? I plan to also slim cut up the peppers. She crys for the sweet peppers. She is not a good walker. I try but she will only walk past two neighbors houses and our houses are close. I am the only feeder my husband doesn’t feed or treat so this is on me. No one told me to reduce her calories when she was fixed so she gained weight fast. I want her healthy. Please help me fix my feeding habits.
Connie Reinle says
My chi chi is 15 pounds he is 2 years old he has been fixed he is not a small dog is 15 lbs to much weight
Nicole Nicole says
I hsve 3 chi’s but little Tinker is a teacup. They all eat Costco rotisserie chicken and Royal Cabin chihuahua food. Tinker is the ONLY one that is overweight. How can I stop her from eating so much??
amanda says
My girl is 10lb ,I weighed her today , for the last 2 weeks we have been walking in the park for half a hour and i have cut her treats out she struggles a bit but i know she will lose it ,I need to lose to so we are helping each other.
She doesnt eat much and is really picky one day she will eat it then the next day she won’t eat the same meal .
What is the best food to feed her to lose weight ?
Tara Smith says
My husband’s chihuahua was very overweight at well. He could not sit with both back legs flat on the floor, so he leaned to one side or the other, and he would go into coughing spells if he was active for more than 2 minutes. I put him on Beneful Healthy Weight dog food. The key is to feed ONLY what is suggested for their weight. In the last month, he went from 12lbs to 7 lbs. He is able to take walks without coughing now, and is back to his springboard jumping, lol. Hope this helps.
Carol says
Our friend emigrated in March & we adopted his little long haired chihuahua. She has lost 700g since we’ve had her, through regular walks & reducing the size of meals. She has so much more energy, and looks forward to her walks!
Monica says
My chi-chi, Blue Heeler mix gained weight from faux raw hides I was giving him in between dental cleanings. Who knew one of those is like you and me eating 10 doughnuts then going to bed?! EVERY NIGHT!
I make my own dog food now, (after losing my first chi to cancer at 4 years old😩) and only use science diet hard kibble for treats. I’ll toss one piece at a time across the room making a game out of it.
He and I began walking 2-3 miles a day together, and within two weeks, he lost two pounds. He’s my best buddy and he depends on me for everything, so I want to do my best! 🐕
Diane Bolinski says
My chihuahua is old maybe 10 lbs. I found her in a storm 2 yrs ago. At that time she was so skinny we could count her ribs. She is my 1st dog.
Joseph says
I love my little boy he is over weight how can I help him loose weight
Debb says
Exercise-walk both of you -him on a leash always! Start at a few blocks and work up to a mile or two several times a week ! Play ball outside with him if he will retrieve it where you throw it and bring it back to you to throw again- this doesn’t work with all dogs! Some want that ball all to themselves once they catch it the first time so walking a good long slow walk where after time you both can pick up the pace. I was very ill and couldn’t even walk to the corner of my property at first without fainting or losing my breath! Over time we walk all the way around my complete development -sometimes we good to a ball field or playground and do laps -still just
Walking but it’s fresh air and we both are so much healthier
William says
This all seems strange to me since I grew up with a Chihuahua who lived 18 years and ate whatever he wanted- people food, snacks ect. However, our vet is always telling us that we have a fat puppy. It hurts our feelings a little since he doesn’t eat that much, but we do feed him snacks. This article gives us the confidence to move forward in having a healthier pet. Thank you for the effort.
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