Dachshunds are one of the dog breeds that are especially prone to skin allergies. Corn, wheat and soy ingredients added to a lot of commercial dog foods, can cause allergies and skin symptoms in your dachshund, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, itchy skin, excessive shedding and dandruff. To make matters worse, some commercial dog food for Dachshunds manufacturers do not use proper whole grains, but moldy, rancid and contaminated off-cuts. Some of the meats used come from diseased, disabled, dying or already dead animals. That is bound to give any animal skin allergies! These ingredients may be common in you super cheap dog foods, including more foreign ingredients, such as brewer’s rice, wheat bran, beet pulp, and corn gluten, so stay away from them if you want a healthy dachshund!

Dog wellness specialist, Michele Welton, says that:

“The whole concept of Insta-Meal for humans is repulsive. Most people would soon be climbing the walls in frustration, desperate for a salad or some fruit – anything whole and fresh, or just different. Perhaps the thought of eating kibbles for the rest of your own life helps make the point that pets forced to do so are being short-changed. All of us – humans and animals – should have fresh, wholesome, unprocessed food in our daily diet.”

Accordingly, the best food to give to your dachshund is “real” food – real chicken, turkey, fish, lamb, venison, bison and beef. Also introduce fresh fruits and vegetables to their diet, as well as the occasional eggs and yogurt. This food can be either prepared by lightly cooking it or given raw (known as the BARF diet). There are however, critics that doubt whether raw meats are in fact the best for dachshunds. If this is the way you choose to go, make sure you do proper research and be sure you found the the best dog food for dachshunds with skin allergies.

Some dachshund owners also choose to go organic. This means that the food you prepare for you dachshund is free from pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics and other nasty chemicals.

If preparing fresh food for your dachshund poses a real problem for you due to, say, time constraints, there are commercial dry food that are made especially for dachshunds and sold by your local vet.

 

Two great brands are Eukanuba Dachshund Adult Dog Food and Royal Canin Dachshund 28 (Teckel 28).

The Royal Canin contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate that help promote healthy bones and joints. You can also try canned food, but make sure that the label says “100% complete”. If these words are not present on the can, you could be buying 75% water and only 25% protein – a rip-off for you and your dachshund!

Just as with other dog breeds, a lack of water can also make current skin allergies in your dachshund worse. Make sure that their water is always clean and the bowls filled to the brim. Also, as with other dog breeds with skin allergies, make sure you supplement your dachshund’s food with amino acids, Omega 3 Oils and Omega 6 Fatty Acids and additional protein, if needed.

Dachshunds are precious and fun! Make sure they know how much you love them by keeping their skin allergies under control by feeding them correctly using the best dog food especially designed for Dachshunds with skin problems.