What Do Dachshunds Eat? The Ultimate Guide!

Nothing is like the moment that you realize your dachshund has eaten something that he’s not supposed to eat. What’s even worse is when he’s eaten something, and you don’t know if he was supposed to eat it or not. I’ve been there. So, to help out a fellow dachshund owner, I decided to do some research for what exactly can hurt or help your pup.

So, what exactly can’t a dachshund eat, and what can they eat?

What Do Dachshunds Eat?

A dachshund can eat:

1. Carrots
2. Salmon – boneless and never raw
3. Blueberries
4. Pineapple
5. Watermelon
6. Bread
7. Blackberries
8. Corn – (never corn on the cob)
9. Oatmeal

Many things, such as chocolate, were pretty obvious! But some of the things I found in my research are quite surprising! I urge you to read on and possibly save your dog in the future!

What can dachshunds Not eat?

A dachshund cannot eat:

1. Chocolate
2. Fatty Meats such as bacon
3. Salt and Salty foods
4. Onions and Garlic
5. Dairy Products
6. Raw Meats
7. Sweets and Sugar
8. Grapes and Raisins

Some foods are poisonous to all dogs, but it is important that you be aware of everything that the breed of your dog specifically reacts badly too.

This is one of the most important things to remember when living with this small breed dog, especially if he is a growing pup.

So, without further ado, here is a list of some things you should never give your dog, and why they’re so bad for your pup!

Chocolate– Let’s start off with the obvious one, chocolate. Chocolate, of course, can be lethal for your dog. This is usually if they consume a large amount of chocolate. If your dachshund or dachshund puppies are showing symptoms of chocolate consumption, you need to get them to the vet immediately.

But, any amount of chocolate that you give your dog has the danger of hurting him. Especially baking chocolate and dark chocolate. At the base level of danger, your dachshund could start vomiting and having diarrhea.

Then again if your dog consumes large quantities the side-effects transform into abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and death.

Fatty Meats such as Bacon-  This one surprised me too! I never thought about it but it makes sense! The extreme fat on bacon and other types of meat cause much turmoil in our dachshunds.

The high amount of fat and grease in these meats can cause these dogs to then get pancreatitis or experience kidney failure. Feeding your dog bacon even in moderation is dangerous. These meats also most often have very high amounts of salt.

Salt itself is bad for dogs, but when mixed with fatty meats, it’s even worse!

Intense amounts of salt often cause dogs to excessively drink water, which then may lead to bloating which can cause death.

Salt and Salty Foods- Any food with a high amount of salts such as fatty meats, salted meals, and popcorn can cause your dog to get something called sodium ion poisoning.

A reaction to this often looks like the same one to chocolate. Lots of diarrhea and vomiting and in more serious cases seizures, tremors and death.

Onions and Garlic– While these two things aren’t as bad as the other foods, it is still something to be aware of. Still dangerous but less urgent.

As long as your dachshund or mixed-breed dachshund is not inhaling onions and garlic then your dog should be fine. But, a giant dose or small doses over time will cause the red blood cells in your dog to be killed off, therefore making him anemic.

Dairy Products (Milk, Yogurt, and Yes, CHEESE)– I don’t know about you, but my dog LOVES cheese! It’s one of his favorites. And not until I realized that he shouldn’t be eating it, he ate so much. But, most dogs are actually lactose intolerant.

Their bodies and digestive systems were not built to break down dairy, which makes it very hard for them to process it correctly. You know what that means… pain and gas. Neither of those things being very enjoyable, I would avoid the dairy.

Raw Meats- This one is actually a hot button topic because some vets are urging dog owners to switch their dogs to raw meat diets. This absolutely does not mean you can just toss your dog meat before it’s prepared or an egg yolk.

Others yet still insist that you should never feed your dog raw meat. What matters is if you are going to do a raw dog food diet, you have to do your research.

Sweets! Such as Baked Goods, Candy, Gum, and Peanut butter!- Sugar is never good for a dog, especially in large, copious amounts. But, in many sweets nowadays, sweets are often made with sugar alternatives, such as Xylitol.

This can be very bad for dogs as it can cause loss of coordination, seizures, vomiting and eventually death. Now, I know what you’re thinking! Peanut butter? Really?

Well, many brands of peanut butter now are made without additives such as Xylitol. This is great because then your dachshund can still safely have his snack time, and you won’t have to worry!

And even if it’s made with sugar, do you really wanty your dachshund on a sugar rush? Want to see how high a dachshund can jump and how fast they can really run?!

Grapes and Raisins- These too, don’t seem too dangerous but, they can be quite dangerous for dogs. Grapes and Raisins have been linked to causing renal failure in dogs who eat a lot of them. Kidney’s might start to shut down, which causes nausea, fatigue and eventually death.

Some of these warnings with the food sound very serious. And that’s because they are! No matter how cute your dog is and how big his puppy eyes are when begging, it is crucial to never give in.

My dachshund, Scamp, once ate a piece of vegetarian pizza that my mom had accidentally dropped on the ground. I’d been practicing training my dachshund not to eat food off the floor, but this was too good to pass up. It, of course, had a whole slew of vegetables, which in large doses most always upsets dogs stomachs, since they’re carnivores.

He got very sick that night, vomiting and lethargic. It wasn’t fun for anyone involved. Thankfully though, his reaction wasn’t too dramatic, but many of these foods have the possibility of killing your dog! Make sure they never come in contact.

The most important thing to remember from this article is to always think before you feed your dog human food. We can’t always be sure of what is okay.

But it is important to logically think if a dogs stomach could handle that particular piece of food. But I hope that this list of what foods are bad for dogs helps you in your venture of making your dog as healthy as can be.

What Foods Can Dachshunds Eat?

That being said, dogs have a taste for human food. Especially with snouts like theirs, smelling our food all day every day. So in small amounts, here are some human foods that dogs can eat.

• Carrots – cut into pieces to avoid choking
• Salmon – boneless and never raw (great source of omega-3 fatty acids)
• Blueberries – rich in antioxidants
• Pineapple – in small amounts
• Watermelon – rindless and seedless
• Bread – plain white or whole wheat
• Blackberries – fresh or frozen, if they enjoy can feed a couple a day
• Corn – (never corn on the cob) can be nutritionally beneficial
• Oatmeal – a good source of fiber

Many of these things can be healthy treats or snacks for your dachshund! Just make sure to avoid choking hazards!

All sorts of vegetables are safe for your dachshund, too, including potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and green beans.

What to Watch for With Their Diet

Dachshunds are at high risk for obesity, along with many other things. This is why it is absolutely crucial to make sure that your dog is living and eating it’s best. If not, your pup is very likely to start his journey to obesity, which can lead to another hundred health conditions.

While some foods may not affect them as traumatically as others, it is still important to note that owners should avoid feeding these unhealthy foods to their dog.

Dogs’ diets need to be closely monitored, but especially dachshunds. They are very capable of gaining weight quickly. It is important to stick to healthy calories such as proteins, carbs and to avoid fatty foods.

Also, feeding a dachshund human food in the first place raises their chances of gaining excessive weight. But, considering dogs love human food, it is good to know that it is possible to allow your dog to eat some human food.

Best Dog Food Brands for a Healthy Life

Best Dry Foods for Dachshunds

After doing some research I found the top 5 rated and researched brands of dry dog food kibbles. These brands offer a well-balanced diet that will provide your dachshund with all the nutrition they need. This is what I discovered.

• Wellness Core® Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food 
• ROYAL CANIN Dachshund Adult dry dog food
• NUTRO ULTRA Adult Dry Dog Food
• Wellness Complete Natural Dog Food  (Puppy & Adult)
• Taste of the Wild High Protein Natural Dry Dog Food

Editor’s Note: When we tried the Taste of the Wild Salmon dog food, we simply could not handle the smell. Even with a dog food container with a lid, the smell of fish was strong. This said, or pup loved it. Just felt the need to give you a heads up!

Best Wet Dog Foods for Dachshunds

Here are the top 5 rated and researched brands of wet dog food for dachshunds.

•  Chicken Soup for the Soul® Adult Recipe 
•  Zignature® Zssential Multi-Protein Formula 
• Castor & Pollux® Organic Turkey & Vegetable Recipe
• Whole Earth Farms® Grain-Free Adult Recipe 
• Holistic Select® Chicken Recipe Chicken Pate Recipe

It is important to remember to watch your dog closely as they go through any transformation between dog foods. New allergies may arise or problems with your dachshunds compared to other dogs.

Even these are the best of the best, that doesn’t mean they’ll agree with your dog. It’s important to remember that.

Difference Between Wet and Dry Dog Foods

The main difference between wet and dry dog foods are the moisture and ingredients contained within the two, which may seem obvious, but that is only the base differences. There are of course benefits and drawbacks to each.

It has actually been found that wet dog food or canned food is better for your dog’s health than dry food. This comes down to a few reasons.

One being, that the fact the dog food is in a can which means that it needs no synthetic preservatives. This is better for your dog in the short run as well as the long run.

One thing to keep in mind with wet dog food is that it does have the possibility of causing tooth decay in your dog. Often people feed their dogs a mix of the two.

This helps reduce preservatives, tooth decay and increase protein, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. If concerned about what exactly to feed your dog, I would suggest getting the professional opinion of a vet who has seen and examined your dog.

Another reason that canned dog food is better is that it contains higher amounts of protein and fat. And this fat is of the healthier kind. Canned dog food has fewer carbohydrates than dry food.

Not only is this healthier for your dog (even though it has to be supervised with dachshunds because of their tendency to put on weight), but it is often perceived tastier than dry dog food by pets. More pets seem to enjoy it compared to dry food.

What are some healthy treats for dachshunds?

• Rocco & Roxie Supply Co Jerky Sticks for Dogsbeh
• Newman’s Own Organics Premium Dog Treats
• Zuke’s Mini Naturals Healthy Moist Training Treats
• Plato Pet Treats Organic Chicken
• Greenies Dental Dog Treats and Dog Chews

How many treats should I give my dog a day? It is suggested to give your dogs 2-3 treats a day, at most.

Healthy Eating Regimen

Dachshunds usually weigh anywhere from 11-32 pounds as an adult depending on whether your dog is a miniature dachshund or standard dachshund.

A miniature usually weighs no more than 11 pounds which a standard dachshund will range from 16-32 pounds. That means, using the chart below, your dachshund will most likely fall within the first three categories.

This, of course, is just a rough estimate. For a more exact amount of how much you should be feeding your dog, it is always beneficial to take your dog to the vet.

There the vet can calculate a specific amount of food for your dog specifically. This is especially beneficial with dachshunds as it’s so hard for them to keep the weight off.

If you want to get more into the calories of the thing, rather than cups the National Research Council of the National Academies suggest the following calories daily.

• Active Adult Standard Dachshund Weighing 30 pounds – 922 calories
• Active Adult Miniature Dachshund Weighing 10 pounds – 404 calories

This only covers, of course, two pretty specific types of dogs. So, what about the rest? Well, the Research Council suggests that some dogs need more or fewer calories compared to their active counterparts.

Dogs that have been neutered or spayed often need fewer calories, as well as more elderly dogs. The older a dog gets the fewer calories that dog needs. The more active a dog is, the more calories they need.

Research says that instead of feeding your dog once a day, the daily amount instead should be split into two, and delivered at 8-12 hour intervals.

This also helps keep weight gain down as well as encourage them to eat more rationally instead of scarfing it all down, which can lead to health problems.

This, of course, is different for puppies. The following feeding schedule is the best way to promote health and normal growth in puppies.

• 8-12 weeks – four meals a day
• 3-6 months – three meals a day
• 6 months- 1 year – 2 meals a day
• 1 year < – 1 meal split, and fed twice a day

Why Your Dachshund Won’t Eat

There are a few reasons that this could be. Here are some possible solutions. If they go a couple of days, continuing to reject food no matter what you try, then it is time to take them to the vet, as it can be lethal if it continues for too long.

• Illness
• Ate Something They Shouldn’t Have
• Injury
• Aging
• Stress

Pickiness – If you or the vet finds that your dog is simply a picky eater, this sometimes can be put to a stop if you change the brand or type of food that you’re feeding them.

This might cause some diarrhea, but as they adjust to the new food if they like it, that will go away. And the important thing is that they will be eating again.

Uncomfortable eating situation – Sometimes, when a dog is uncomfortable they won’t be able to eat. For example, if they have to share their eating space with a more aggressive dog, this can cause submissive dogs to not eat.

When Scamp was getting to know the family he wouldn’t ever eat around us. He would grab his food and then run for a hiding spot before eating it. To make sure this isn’t the case, observe eating time and then decide on the best plan of action.

Related Articles Just For You!c

If you found this article about what dachshunds can and cannot eat helpful, I suggest checking out one of these other articles.

Are Dachshunds Good Service Dogs?

Can Dachshunds Stay Outside In The Heat? (A True HOT Dog?)

Are Dachshunds Good With Kids? A Guide For Parents

Summary

• A dachshund can eat foods like carrots, salmon (boneless and never raw), blueberries, pineapple, watermelon, bread, blackberries, corn (never corn on the cob) and oatmeal.
• Foods that a dachshund cannot eat include chocolate, fatty meats such as bacon, salt and salty foods, onions and garlic, dairy products, raw meats, sweets and sugar, and grapes and raisins.
• Some foods can cause severe harm or even be lethal to a dog. Chocolate, for example, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and death if consumed in large quantities.
• Fatty meats like bacon and other types of meat can cause pancreatitis and have high amounts of salt, which may lead to bloating, causing death.
• Grapes and raisins have been linked to renal failure in dogs, causing nausea, fatigue, and death. Some dogs are lactose intolerant and should avoid consuming dairy products. Dogs consuming raw meats need to be done with caution, after research.