[ack.photography]

I have a 7 week old Chihuahua and I have been feeding her Hill's Science Diet Small & Toy Breed puppy food (dry) and mixing it with Chicken Soup for the Puppy's Soul (soft). I am wondering if this is the best option for her. She eats it, but was very hesitant at first. I just want to make sure that I'm feeding her the best option. I plan on eventually weening her off of the wet food and giving her complete dry food. I've heard that is the best for small breeds since they are prone to gum and tooth rot. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I am a first-time small breed owner (I've only had Golden Retrievers in the past...very different!)

 

[Jacksons Mom]

She is VERY young, most Chi pups stay with their mom until 12 weeks. At least 10 weeks. How much does she weigh?

No, I do not think SD is the "best" but at this point in time, her little tummy is still very young, and often small dogs will have sensitive tummies, so I wouldn't go doing any major switches right away. Especially in a new home. Let her eat what she is used to for a few weeks and slowly transition her to something better, if you wish.

I'd recommend Acana, Fromm, Taste of the Wild, Nature's Variety, etc. Most of these can be found at speciality-type stores, TOTW and others are often even available at Tractor Supply's or hardware stores. As far as Petsmart/Petco goes, take a look at Natural Balance, Castor & Pollux Organix, Solid Gold, Wellness, Blue Buffalo, etc.

Dry food keeps their teeth clean about as much as hard pretzels would keep ours clean. Daily brushing is recommended, especially with small breeds prone to tarter, plaque and gum disease. You can buy doggy toothpaste at the pet store. They also offer products such as Petzlife, PlaqueOff, etc. I would just get her used to brushing as a youngster -- sometimes my boy throws a fit when I try!

Btw, I often mix in wet food with Jackson's dry kibble. I actually like canned food for it's lack of preservatives and higher meat content.

 

[Sibe]

My goodness, who let you get their puppy at only 7 weeks old? To add to what Jackson's Mom said, you should also realize that dry kibble does nothing to clean a dog's teeth. The carbs and starches in it actually contribute to tartar buildup. I've found the best teeth cleaning food to be from a raw diet. Beef or pork ribs especially! Science Diet is honestly a really terrible food. I'd steer clear of it. If you don't want to do raw, then for kibble Taste of the Wild is one I highly recommend as do many other users on this forum. It's a good food at a very reasonable price. Go for a high quality kibble like the ones listed by Jackson's Mom, or check out these lists for more options (lists are a little out of date):
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showcat.php/cat/8
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/5-star/

 

[momof3]

Ok so we all agree that 7 wks is very young but that point is mute now as I doubt she is going to return the pup. So now lets try and help. Science diet is crap,might as well feed Old Roy. Get a kibble such as Solid Gold Wee bits or any of the smaller kibbles or you can moisten the kibble in warm water. If you do want to offer canned food offer the premium types not Pedigree or Alpo. There are many many good foods out there and what may be wonderful for someone elses pup may cause your pup to do horrible. If this is a tiny or "teacup" Chi then you want to make sure to keep an eye on the blood sugar levels as well.