[Christine M]

Hi all! I work with a pug rescue and we recently pulled a bonded pair from a shelter. Its a pug and his side-kick, a 4-lb senior yorkie that has no teeth and a huge tongue! They are both sweet and adorable. I foster a lot and mainly have dogs with medical issues so at any given time in my home I have many many foods going from home-made to super restricted diets, etc.

This dog is by far the smallest that I have ever fostered. We just did his first meal and I soaked and mashed dry food in water and he was able to eat it alright. But, I think there might be some easier alternatives out there. I was thinking maybe Grandma Lucy’s rehydrated food but the chunks might be too large. Just wondering for anyone with experience with a teeny, tiny dog, what specific brand/type of food you might recommend? I don’t want to try too many things and upset his stomach.

Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

I have a senior small breed (only has a couple of teeth) and I just soak his kibble in water overnight in the fridg, you can mush it up a little more and add a spoonful of something tasty before serving. He liked Wysong senior, but now he’s on Nutrisca salmon.
He likes Newman Organics for a canned food, it’s smooth, not chunky.

[DogFoodie]

Aww, poor little girl!

First thing that I thought of was The Honest Kitchen, so I definitely like your dehydrated idea. Canned foods would be a good choice also. Pure Balance at Wal-Mart is very good quality that’s budget friendly. You could add a bit more water if necessary to thin it out a bit.

Something else to consider might be FreshPet foods. Mine like the pouch meals and the piece are soft. She should be able to chew those with just her jaw bones.

My friend had a little, tiny, old terrier with no teeth and a big tongue. The cute thing is that her tongue is always hanging out.

Good luck with your little girl! I’ll pray that they are adopted together.

[pugmomsandy]

I’ve used Addiction dehydrated food before and it doesn’t have any big chunks. It has an oatmeal consistency.

[InkedMarie]

I like Grandma Lucy’s but I’d try a small bag (or ask for a sample from the company) and see if the consistency is good. The Honest Kitchen would be good too.

[C4D]

Everyone has given some good ideas. I use the dehydrated foods often. I also grind them in a spice/coffee grinder before I rehydrate them which makes the pieces very tiny and easily eaten. Good luck with your pups and thanks for fostering!

[Marilyn F]

My poodle, who has no teeth, has a very hard time eating kibbles. My vet told be she is too thin and I should hand feed her. I am trying that but she keeps dropping the kibbles and has a hard time. I takes me over an hour to get food down her and she still doesn’t consume much. I have tried moistening the food and she still won’t touch it. She is 12 years old and was a fussy eater even before she lost her teeth, but she seems to feel ok and can still jump up on my chair. Am at a loss.

[InkedMarie]

Marilyn,
There are other options for toothless dogs: canned, ground raw, freeze dried (Grandma Lucy’s is a good one) or dehydrated such as The Honest kitchen.

Practice tough love: put the food down, wait 15 min then pick it up. She gets nothing else until the next meal.

[Laura G]

I am caring for a 15 y.o. 4-lb toothless chihuahua with a long tongue 🙂 and our perfect solution is to grind up all his kibble and place it in a plastic bag. Then when mealtime comes, I scoop out a quarter-cup and just add warm water (more or less depending on how he likes it). He laps it right up off of a dinner plate. That long tongue can really do the trick!

[Bobby dog]

🙂

[Bobby dog]

Laura G:
Your post made me smile. Sounds like the little guy is living a pretty comfortable life in his golden years! 🙂

[Pamala C]

My 11 yr old toothless Chihuahua has problems too. I either get the really tiny kibbles which she eats dry with no problems at all. Or something semi-soft so she can get the food without problems as well. Canned gives her a lot of frustration because after she eats the part that I fluffed up for her, it sticks together and she can’t get a hold of it to eat. So she gives up trying any more. So I don’t recommend completely soft food for any toothless wonders. Without teeth they can’t grab it up once it begins to pack down. Just my humble opinion. I would be interested in any suggestions myself for my little girl as well. Thanks

[Nikki J]

I would recommend a ground up raw diet . If you can afford it buy one already prepared. These are kind of pricey . I picked up a meat grinder from goodwill that works perfectly. It’s all metal and manual with a hand crank but it’s easy to use & clean. If it’s gna be a short term situation I’d buy the prepared raw food which is available at petsmart and online.

[Beth C]

Any new ideas? I have an senior 8 pound dog who had all his teeth removed. I’m trying cooked ground turkey which I then grate mixed with The Honest Kitchen fruit and vegetables based mix. I also grate the THK base mix so there will be no chunks. He doesn’t really like the base mix that much but eats some blended with the turkey. He is not getting enough base mix yet. I haven’t tried the FreshPet refrigerated food that someone mentioned above. I think I might give that a try. The canned dog foods all seem to be the wrong texture for my toothless doggy. He spends so much time trying to eat without his teeth. It is a very slow and hard process for him., no matter what I try. But canned dog foods seem to have no appeal and their textures all seem difficult for him and he just walks away from them.

[Beth C]

How do you grind up the kibble? It is so hard.

[haleycookie]

You can put it in a bag and beat it. Or a food processor or blender would be easier.

[Patricia A]

I have a 17 year old chihuahua with heart disease and several tooth extractions. At this point the only thing she will eat enthusiastically is super shredded boiled chicken mashed into some Fromm Pate chicken or lamb flavor. I’ve been through a dozen canned brands and happy she will eat this for the nutrition so far. You can try also Stella and Chewy’s freeze dried. They are easy to break up and then just add a little warm water to make a gravy and hydrate. I know from their f/b site many people with senior or picky dogs are very happy with this brand.
https://www.facebook.com/stellaandchewys/

[Owen J]

Proper nutrition of dogs should be as close as possible to the diet of wild animals. Dogs should not be fed boiled dishes such as cereals, or high-calorie baked goods. In order for the intestinal microflora to be maintained in a normal state, and the body was able to perform protective functions, it is necessary to have raw foods in the dog menu. First of all, it should be meat and offal, less often should be given fish and fish products. Sources of vitamins and fiber are vegetables and fruits. After all, a decrease in immunity is a direct path to diseases such as obesity, allergies, cardiovascular disorders, and others.
https://herepup.com/best-dog-food-for-toy-breeds/

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