The dachshund is one of the most unusual dogs that you will find. With its elongated body and waggling little tail, this dog is one of the most odd and cute to have around your home. The dachshund is definitely the pet of choice for many homeowners.
While they may be a cute breed of dog, the dachshund also has its own set of dietary requirements that help it to be a happier and healthier dog. Not every dog is alike, and so buying the same brand of dog food that you would buy for a terrier or a retriever is not necessarily going to give the nutritional value that a dachshund would need. This is why it’s important to purchase the right kind of food for your dog.
| Product | Brand | Size | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orijen Original Dry Dog Food, 25 lb | Orijen | 25 lb | |
| Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Dog Food, Lamb & Barley, 30-Pound Bag | Wellness Natural Pet Food | 30-Pound Bag | |
| Wellness CORE Natural Dry Grain Free Small Breed Dog Food, Turkey & Chicken, 12-Pound Bag | Wellness Core® | 12-Pound Bag | |
| BLUE Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food 30-lb | Blue Buffalo | 30 lb | |
| Taste of the Wild, Pacific Stream Canine Formula with Smoked Salmon | Taste of the Wild | 30-Pound |
You not only want to choose a food that will help to provide the right kind of nutrition that your dachshund needs, but also one that is full of the kind of nutrients that will enable it to have a long and healthy life.
You want your dachshund to be a part of your family for some time and so getting the right kind of food to make it so that it has the best possible digestion and health will help you to achieve those goals.
For those of you who have had your dachshund for some time and are now looking to change the food so that your dog has a healthier and more nutritious meal to eat, you should be aware of something before you decide to make this change. An abrupt change from one brand of food to another can cause your dog digestive distress.
This is why it is good to introduce the new food gradually over a six or seven day period of time until that is all you are serving the dog on the seventh day. This will help it to be able to handle the change in food and will make it more interested in eating according to its new diet.
What Are the Best Dog Foods for a Dachshund
If you are looking to provide a healthier and more nutritious diet for your dog, then here are some great suggestions for the top five dog foods for your dachshund.
1. Wellness Complete Recipe
Wellness is one of the brands that all dog owners have learned to rely on providing outstanding quality food for their dog no matter what breed you are talking about. In the case of the dachshund this is a great option because the kibble comes in small bites perfect for your dog, plus it has a salmon meal to it which not only aids in the promotion of muscle and bone development but also helps with brain chemistry.
Your dog will get the great nutritional value that it needs, plus will have tasty food that it will enjoy eating each day. You will be amazed at how well your dog develops and thrives eating this at each meal.
Pros:
- It provides great nutritional value for your dog.
- Ingredients are ideal for the digestion of the dachshund.
- No artificial ingredients, preservatives, or colors.
Cons:
- Rather expensive in comparison to some other brands.
- Not specific for the dachshund but is made for small dogs of all breeds.
2. Wellness CORE Grain-Free Small Breed Dry Dog Food
This is another great dog food from the Wellness brand, but specifically comes grain free for those dogs that may have an issue with allergies related to grains, or for owners who don’t like to have their dogs eat foods that contain grain.
This dog food is packed with a high quality concentration of animal protein, where no fillers or grains are added. There is a proprietary blend of botanicals and other nutritional supplements that are added to the food that make this ideal for the wellness of your pet.
For those pet owners that are looking for a dog food that is chock-full of meat and protein, there really is no brand that you will find that surpasses this CORE dog food.
Pros:
- Created with a blend of high quality protein that will provide a greater degree of energy for small dogs.
- Salmon oil used to provide Omega fatty acids which are great for healthy skin and coat.
- Includes probiotics, botanicals, and antioxidants to aid in digestion.
- Both the canned food and dry food provide an excellent nutritional meal for your dog.
Cons:
- A costly option to feed for your dog.
3. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dog Food
This food was created to give your dog healthy option that will really provide the kind of nutrition that is needed for the well-being of your pet. There is real meat included in the food, as well as vegetables and fruits and other additives that are beneficial in aiding in the digestion for your pet.
The chicken that is used is deboned and is rich in proteins, ensuring that your dachshund gets the protein that it needs. The vegetables are garden grown making them fresh and nutritious when used in the creation of the dog food. The combination of protein and carbohydrates will provide your dachshund with the nutrition to maintain its energy needs.
Pros:
- The protein is a high quality blend that is perfect for muscle development.
- The combination of proteins and carbohydrates will provide the right kind of energy for the active life of your dachshund.
- There is no corn, wheat, soy, or chicken inside this blend.
- Minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants provide for an improved immune system for your dog.
Cons:
- While less expensive, this brand still comes with a hefty price tag.
- Enriched protein may be too much for some dog’s digestive tracts.
4. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
If you are looking for a dog food for your dachshund that contains a great deal of protein straight from the stream, then you will find that this variety is the exact option that you are looking for. Made with real smoked salmon to provide a taste that your dog will love, this is a protein rich food which provides a taste that no other dog food can match.
Add to it the fact that sweet potatoes are added to improve digestion and fruits and vegetables are also included in the food to give it a high level of antioxidants. If you are looking for a food that will give your dog the right kind of energy and improve its digestion and overall health, then this is the food that you want to start feeding your dachshund.
Pros:
- Grain free formula that includes sweet potatoes to improve digestion.
- Real smoked salmon included in the food to give a great taste in high nutrition.
- Easily digestible for dogs that have digestion issues.
- Probiotics and chicory root added to aid in digestion and make for a healthy immune system.
Cons:
- For those looking for a higher end dog food there really is no negative about this brand, in less your dog simply doesn’t like fish.
5. Orijen Original Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Orijen is the creator of many great blends of dog food, in this option for your dachshund is no exception. This brand is made specifically to meet the dietary needs of your small dog, with a high amount of protein included in the food, including chicken, turkey, fish, and whole eggs.
Also included in the food are fruits and vegetables, which are high in antioxidants and improve the digestion of your dog’s food. The proteins that are used in this food are fresh daily when the food is made, and the bite sized food is the perfect size to be able to accommodate your dachshund’s ability to eat and digest the food.
Pros:
- The proteins used are fresh and arrive to the factory for processing raw each day. These proteins provide a great deal of nourishment to meet your dachshund’s dietary needs.
- 85% of the ingredients of this food are protein based, with 15% being such things as fruits, vegetables, and other botanicals.
- Perfect for the muscle mass of your dog in high in calories to promote a healthy weight for your dog.
- Freeze-dried liver is included to give the dog food a great taste.
Cons:
- Some find that 85% protein is too high for a small dog like a dachshund.
- The cost for this dog food is one of the highest.
Best Dog Food for Mini Dachshund
A smaller breed like dachshund has a little bit different dietary needs than other dachshunds do. This means you are looking for dog foods that are providing smaller sized bites as well as a higher level of digestible food. Those kinds of foods that are high in antioxidants and contain probiotics as an additive would probably be the ideal choice for your mini dachshund to eat.
You should look for brands like this that will assist your dog to be able to digest the food. We recommend Purina Pro’s small breed formula as the best dog food for mini dachshunds.
Best Puppy Food for Dachshunds
While there are some great puppy foods out there that are perfect for your dachshund, the best on the market is probably the Royal Canin. While there is no doubt that it is more expensive than most brands you will find, the fact that this food meets all of the nutritional needs of your puppy says a lot about how valuable of the food would be for your dog.
It provides the right kinds of proteins and carbohydrates to ensure that your dog is getting the right kind of nutrition that will enable it to develop into a healthy and happy adult dog. This food is excellent for bone, muscle, and brain development for your dachshund.
We recommend Blue Buffalo Wilderness as the best dog food for your puppy dachshund, because of the ingredients that are exactly fit to your pup’s needs.
Best Dog Food for Senior Dachshunds
If you have an older dachshund then you know that your dog has different dietary needs than a younger dog does. When your dog is reaching into its teen years the dietary needs change, and you find that it may not be as active. This means that adding dietary supplements for such things as arthritis may be an essential key in keeping your dog as healthy as possible.
When determining the kind of dog food that you want for your dog the consideration should be around such things as how easy it is to digest, the level of protein, and how it benefits the immune system and digestive system. Foods that work to promote these areas should be the choices that you are making. You should be just fine when you go for the safe choice of the IAMS Adult formula.
Best Dry Dog Food for Dachshunds
While there are many great brands of dry dog food that are perfect for your dachshund, there is one that stands out above the others. That is the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dog Food brand of dog food.
There are many things to like about this food, especially in relation to the nutritional value that it provides. Many find that once their dog has reached an adult age, that they can provide this dog food to their dachshund well into its senior years.
This is one of the reasons that many dog owners really like this food. They can feed it to their pet for years, even over a decade, meaning that they do not have to worry about their pet getting used to a new kind of dog food.
As long as you are choosing a food that has the right kind of nutritional value that your dog needs, you can have confidence that the dry food will be good. You will find that most of the higher end dog foods are the ones that offer you the best options.
Mainly all dry food options we mentioned earlier on this page are suitable, but if we had to pick one, it would be Blue Buffalo because of its proteine rich formula.
Conclusion
Your dachshund is very valuable to your and family, and so you want to do all that you can to care of your animal. This means that you want to get the right kind of dachshund foods that can take your pet from a puppy all the way through its senior years.
If you make the right choices when you are buying your food then you can be sure that your dog will live a long and energetic life, giving your family a friend that they will truly love.
