How fat can chihuahuas get?

Answer 1

Chihuahuas should not be fat at all! If they are purebred with a typical size of bone structure, they should weigh one to six pounds. Over that size they are prone to joint injuries, tracheal collapse, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, and shortened life span. Their tiny frames and hearts and lungs are not capable of carrying extra weight. To judge the appropriateness of the weight of your chihuahua: * You should be able to easily feel the ribs on their sides, but not see them sticking out too much.

* Looking at the side view, their "bottom line" should be curved up at the abdomen, rather than straight, i.e., with the tummy tucked up in the area behind the chest and ribs, rather than a straight line or bulging down in the abdominal area.

* Looking down from the top along the spine, you should see a noticeable "waist" or they will be considered overweight.

If you know a person who is over-feeding their dog and may be thinking that they are showing the dog love with the extra food and treats, have someone explain to them that they are actually hurting their dogs. They are unknowingly being cruel, in some cases even abusive. They are causing their dog to suffer with joint pain; Diabetes, which can cause blindness; shortness of breath and air hunger from Heart diseases; chronic bronchitis with a debilitating cough; and perhaps even crushing of the wind pipe; and finally an early death that can all be associated with being overweight. You can feed your dog to death. The consequences of over-feeding are much more cruel than any possible thoughts an owner may have about being cruel by withholding larger than necessary portions or frequent treats.

This is true of all pets. They depend on usto love them enough, like our children do, to know how to care for them to keep them healthy and do what they need, not what we want to do to make ourselves feel needed. Healthy pets are happy pets.

Answer 2

That depends on how fat or lean the dog is.