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A dog’s diet
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Approaching 13 pounds, I got a little concerned with Rufus’ weight. The kennel club standard for a miniature dachshund is 11 pounds or less at 12 months and older. It can be difficult for small dogs to lose weight, especially when it is just one or two pounds. It is also a slippery slope and once our dogs are one or two pounds overweight, it can easily become 5 or 10 over the course of a few years if not properly monitored.
The topic of nutrition in the dog world is wide and varied and each owner must do his or her own due diligence and discover what is right for you and your dog. Nonetheless I will share my experience in hopes to generate conversation and awareness in your own home.
Rufus has only been on dry food for the duration of his 4 years and 8 months. As a puppy through year 2 Rufus was on California Natural. At about 2 years of age Rufus was switched to EVO chicken small bites, which is produced by the same people but it is a higher grade of food.
Rufus gets a 1/4 cup of dry food twice a day. I also give him two raw baby carrots and about 5 green beans with each meal along with a squirt of salmon oil. This has been Rufus’ routine pretty much his whole life, but while we were on the Evo Rufus put on some extra weight. He was almost 13 pounds and our routine hadn’t really changed since he and I are creatures of habit.
Rufus is an active dog by my standard. We walk daily for about 45 minutes to an hour. The rest of the time he is in my lap, in his bed or sunbathing and sniffing outside in the backyard. We visit dog parks weekly, host play dates when we can, hike in the canyons when our schedule allows it and will spend 15 to 20 minutes most days playing chase around the dining room table in the evenings.
About 6 months ago, I decided to switch Rufus from Evo to Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Chicken a le veg. Evo is one of the better dog foods on the market and I know many slim and fit dogs that eat it and look great. However, Evo does have a high fat content, higher than Fromm and California Natural, and as a result Rufus’ rib cage became a little less pronounced.
Owners want to see and feel the outline of the dog’s ribs. If you place your thumbs on the dog's backbone and spread your hands over the ribcage, you should be able to feel the ribs through the fat layer. In an obese dog you cannot. If your dog is within his or her ideal range, there will be abdominal tuck up behind the rib cage. A dog should have a distinctive waistline, if not it may be overweight.
I weighed Rufus yesterday using Urban Pets’ dog scale and Rufus is currently 11 pounds. Not all dachshunds need to be 11 pounds or less. It really depends on the dachshund’s length and height. I believe Rufus’ ideal weight is 11 to 12 pounds. For most dogs it should be about the ribs.
Two Tips: read the bag of dog food and research its ingredients. Also a bag’s feeding instructions, like many directions on most human shampoo bottles – “repeat as necessary,” may not always be applicable to your dog. The serving size should be consistent with the dog’s level of activity, age and breed.
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