Giving your pooch the best dachshund dog food is vital to your dachshund living a long and healthy life. We have our guide to the most healthy ingredients and foods.
The dachshund breed has some health issues, but overall the dachshunds live longer than many other breeds.
Most dachshunds live to be from 12-17 years of age and even some dachshunds live to be 17-19 years of age.
The typical standard Dachshund usually weighs from 16-32 pounds and the miniature Dachshund weighs 11 pounds or less.
So it is very important to not only feed your dachshund the best dachshund dog food, but also the right caloric amount for overall health.
In addition, make sure your dachshund gets regular exercise as well to prevent obesity.
The best dachshund dog food should be loaded with proteins. The best protein should be real meat, such as beef, chicken, turkey, or salmon. These should be listed as the top ingredients.
Best Ingredients In The Best Dachshund Dog Food
As mentioned, the best dachshund dog food should contain good quality protein.
However, make sure you provide the right quality protein otherwise their body will not use it efficiently.
Food should contain several meat proteins listed in the first primary ingredients.
You don’t want the first main ingredients to be grains or carbs. Instead, whole meats such as chicken, beef, duck, fish, and lamb are great sources of quality protein.
Make sure it doesn’t have any unidentified meat by-products in its ingredients.
Your dachshund also needs quality fat in their diet so select the best dog food that has fat sources such as chicken fat.
Another fat ingredient like fish oil can be beneficial as it provides omega-3 fatty acid, which is good for your dachshund’s skin and coat.
But ideally, the best dachshund dog food should not contain oils or additives like artificial colors or flavors.
Our Best Dachshund Dog Food Recommendations
Pet Plate 100% Real Human Grade Natural Dog Food
If you are looking for freshly made 100% human grade dog food, this is truly one of the best.
What I found impressive about Pet Plate is that it is Formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and the Pet Plate meal is portioned to meet their daily caloric needs, based on your dog’s weight, breed, age, and activity level.
With four delicious recipes – Barkin’ Beef, Tail Waggin’ Turkey, Lip Lickin’ Lamb, Chompin’ Chicken – to choose from, even picky pups will find a meal they love.
Plus, you can add on Organic Chicken Apple Sausage Bites!
Pros
- 100% Premium quality USDA meats, fresh fruits and veggies
- Designed by their own veterinary nutritionist
- Portioned to meet daily caloric needs, based on age, weight, breed, and activity level
- Delivered straight to your door in pre-portioned, resealable, microwavable, and recyclable containers
- Made in a USDA kitchen according to the strictest quality assurance controls
Cons
- Costs a bit more then some dog foods, but it is worth it if you want the highest quality for you
- Not available in stores.
Yum Woof Perfect Kibbble – Premium Chewy Cluster Dog Food
What I like about Yum Woof Perfect Kibble is that it is made with fresh USDA chicken and sustainably-sourced farm ingredients you’d eat, which are gently cold pressed and slow cooked to perfection.
This vet and chef-made recipe tastes amazing to even the pickiest eaters and promotes a longer health span with high MCTs and antioxidants. No fridge is needed.
Slow cooked at 170° F and gently handled, Yum woof retains nutrients, unlike dry kibble. In comparison, those burnt brown balls we see at the store are cooked at 450° F in a machine that grinds ingredients down on a molecular level, degrading the nutrient quality. Yum Woof is different.
Pros
- #1 Ingredient fresh chicken.
- Only 14 high quality ingredients
- Added coconut oil to help boost dog’s energy level, lower insulin levels, and reduce bad cholesterol.
- Gluten free, soy free, no artificial ingredients, no artificial flavors, BPA free.
Cons
- Only sold online.
Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food Small Breed
What I like about Wellness is that is grain free and well balanced for small breed dogs like the dachshunds.
It is very protein rich with premium turkey and chicken and contains no meat by-products. What is essential is that it contains no Wheat, Corn, Soy, Artificial Colors, Flavors, or Preservatives.
This is the best dachshund dog food if your doxie has Allergies. The Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Small Breed Salmon & Potato Recipe is the top choice.
It is also made in the U.S.A. and the size is perfect for small breed dogs.
Pros
- Premium quality chicken and turkey.
- No wheat, corn, artificial ingredients
- Formulated for calories for small breed dogs
- Grain free is good for dachshunds as they can have sensitive skin
- Excellent customer support
Cons
- Costs more then some dog foods, but it is worth it if you are looking for quality
- It is a dry pellet dog food and some dogs only like canned dog food
Taste of the Wild High Protein Real Meat Recipe Premium Dry Dog Food with Roasted Fowl
Taste of the Wild comes in four varieties. Two have quality grains and two are grain free. The one listed here is the grain-free variety, which I recommend.
Again it is very protein rich with real Duck as the #1 ingredient and contains no meat by-products.
The dog food has no corn, no wheat, no filler, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
Taste of the Wild also has added vitamins & minerals; fruits and vegetables as SUPERFOODS for hard-working antioxidants. This is very important for dachshunds with their sensitive skin.
I read that some customers reported the High Prairie formula is better for maintaining weight for dachshunds. Where the Pacific Stream dachshund owners have mentioned that their dachshund has lost weight.
So depending on the needs of your dachshund to gain or lose weight…you can decide which formula you need.
Taste of The Wild is also made in the U.S.A. family owned, and made with scientific safety protocols.
Pros
- Premium quality protein with real duck
- No wheat, corn, artificial ingredients
- Grain free is good for dachshunds as they have sensitive skin
- Proprietary PROBIOTICS that soothes dogs stomachs
- Made in U.S.A.
Cons
- Costs more then some dog foods, but it is worth it if you are looking for quality
- Large bite sized pellets. Small dogs will have to take longer to chew them
- A few dogs do not care for the duck flavor
- This flavor is grain free, but two of the other flavors are not.
Royal Canin Dachshund Adult Breed Specific Dry Dog Food
The Royal Canin states their dog food is designed to meet the nutritional needs of purebred Dachshunds 10 months and older.
They have small bite sized kibble to help dachshunds pick up and chew their food easily.
Their ingredients include calcium and phosphorus, which helps support tiny limbs and a long backbone.
Also includes L-carnitine, which helps supports a dachshund’s muscle tone with precise protein content.
There are customer reviews that give this dog food good ratings, but I am not thrilled with the grain and rice as some dachshunds may have allergies with this.
Pros
- Premium quality protein
- Has L-carnitine that is good for dachshund’s muscle tone
- Has calcium and phosphorous to help with dachshund’s back support
- Has small bite size pieces making it easier for dachshunds to chew
Cons
- Has grains and rice, which can cause skin irritation in some dogs
- A bit more costly
Best Types Of Dog Foods
Keep in mind that different breeds react differently to different types of dog food.
For example, a Labrador is best suited to a chicken diet while a German Shepherd would be better off on a fish diet.
With dachshunds, there are some important issues you need to consider. They are prone to obesity and it doesn’t take many calories for dachshunds, especially mini dachshunds, to get fat.
It is essential to provide your dachshund with top-quality formulated dog food and don’t overfeed them.
The National Research Council of the National Academies recommends a daily caloric need for an adult active standard dachshund to be be around 922 calories per day.
Plus, it is dependent on how active they are as well.
If you have a young adult standard Dachshund that weighs 30 pounds and is very active, they would need around 993 calories each day.
And for an adult active miniature Dachshund that weighs 11 pounds or less, the average daily caloric intake would be around 404 calories.
But if your dachshund tends does not get much exercise each day, they obviously would need fewer calories.
Keep in mind, every dachshund’s metabolism and rate of exercise is different, so their caloric intake each day will vary.
Plus, older dachshunds are less active and would need less calories.
For dachshund puppies they will need more calories than an adult dachshund as their metabolism and activity is higher.
In addition to how many calories your dachshund needs each day, there is a percentage of proteins and fat they require.
Thus, the best dachshund dog food provides the best ratio of proteins and fats depending on the age of your dachshund.
Dachshund puppies need a higher-calorie diet that provides 22% protein and 8% fat.
The standard puppy dachshund needs to eat more calories than the miniature puppy dachshund for proper growth and health.
When your dachshund reaches the adult stage, you can reduce their diet to a percentage of 18% protein and 5% fat.
Then when your dachshund reaches the senior stage, their activity slows down and there is a risk of obesity.
Therefore their caloric intake level needs are less and more focus should be on lean proteins with less fat.
At this stage in their life, you should make sure they get supplements such as prebiotic fibers along with probiotics for health.
As I mentioned earlier in this article, the best dachshund dog food requires good quality protein.
According to the The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) the recommendation is 22% protein for growing puppies and 18% protein for adult dogs.
Keep in mind these percentages are general guidelines for dogs.
The best dachshund dog food might exceed these percentages as they sometimes put in more fat to add flavor.
So pay attention to the amounts you feed them so they don’t get too many calories for their weight and activity level.
With dachshunds, it is important to provide the best dachshund dog food as they are prone to some health problems
Realize that good quality dog food can help against health issues, but that alone is not going to totally prevent or treat health problems.
Dachshunds have good appetites and being a small breed that has a long body you must make sure they do not get obese.
Dachshunds have a deep chest called a “keel”. When they get overweight their chest bloats up which is not healthy.
Many dachshunds suffer from back and joint issues and being obese will increase their changes of having these issues.
Also make sure you go easy on the treats as many treats contain high calories and can fatten up your Doxie.
Plus, don’t let your dachshund go out and do a lot of exercise right after they eat.
Also, never encourage them to stand up on their hind legs when you offer them a treat as that is hard on their back and joints.
So you will want to select the best dachshund dog food that aids in joint health such as glucosamine and chondroitin.
Dachshunds can also be prone to skin problems, so it is recommended when choosing the best dachshund dog food it contains fish oil and Omega six fatty acids.
Dachshunds can sometimes have anal gland issues.
For this reason it is important to choose the best dachshund dog food that is easily digestible that contains fiber and probiotics.
Avoid dog foods that have artificial preservatives like BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin.
Also when selecting the best dachshund dog food, watch out for these bad ingredients; artificial flavors, sweeteners, and food colorings.
