How do I go about helping my chihuahua lose weight?

Told by whom?

Select high quality grain-free foods and treats. Feed raw veggies (carrots are a fav of my dogs) to add fiber and crunch to her diet.

Give her lots of chews to keep her teeth clean and her mind/mouth busy.

As for maintaining her weight with exercise, most small dogs need at least one full mile worth of walks in a day. That can be broken up into more than one walk. Also she’ll need bursts of 5 to 10 mins of playtime at least twice per day.

Ideally you’ll keep her mind and body busy for a couple of hours per day and then you won’t have to concern yourself over weight maintenance. The activity will take care of it for you.

Congrats to you & your new dog!

Yes @SpatzieLover ‘s sharing but also it is not uncommon for an animal that has been food deprived to have issues with food. I have a new adopted cat that is a very big guy, he was quite underweight even after being at the shelter for two months. He now weighs 15.9 lbs. and while he is not overweight he is a tank and loves his food.
I also worked with a rescue horse once who had been severely malnourished and she never got over her food deprivation, she was very sweet but became extremely aggressive at feeding time because she had spent years on the bottom of the pecking order fighting for what inadequate feed there was with other horses.

Just do your best, but really, unless the dog becomes morbidly obese let her enjoy her food, she deserves it. :-)

Ask her vet what the ideal weight would be, and the best way to maintain it. Our vet answers questions like that for free over the phone.

Make him run besides you as you go biking. Hold onto his lease and go slow. His legs are way too short and close to the ground for any speeding.

More exercise, less food. Just like people.

I can’t give much more advice that’s been given so far. I just wanted to add that a healthy adult chihuahua usually weighs between 3.3 and 6.6 pounds (however, there have been 2lb ones before). This depends on the height/size of the chihuahua. I think you should just be wary not let her go over what she is now. I’m thinking whomever told you to watch her weight meant just that. She probably doesn’t need to lose weight but she should not gain more at this point. Also, remember, half a pound is a tremendous amount for tiny dogs (perhaps, by her height/size, she should be 6lb ..it really depends).

It’s wonderful that you have chosen to rescue a dog. Best of luck to you both.

@Plucky Yes, I have heard that one lb. on a dog or cat is equivalent to 10 lbs. on a human.
May or may not be true, don’t remember the source.

When you look down on the dog from above most dogs, chihuahua included, should be broader in the shoulder area and taper back to its hips. If you run you fingers over its spine starting behind the shoulders, you should be able to feel 3 vertabrae between shoulders and tail. And if you run your hands over its flanks, you should be able to feel ribs under the pad of flesh. This describes perfect condition for most dogs, of course some breeds are exceptions because of their physical makeup.

With a small dog I would definitly feed a BARF type diet. Dry food for dogs is like processed foods for humans, not the best choice. If you want the convenience of food in a bag, pick out the best quality. But really, my little dog who weighs about 12 pounds gets 50 grams of meat a day and a meaty bone at night, plus a little rice and veg. She also walks at least 3 kilometers a day. She is almost 15 and still going strong.

Feed her healthier dog foods that are made from natural ingredients, and keep taking her for walks. She doesn’t sound overweight, though.

Hills science diet for small dogs