This is a specific conversation about Dog food — finding the right one — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
A Dachshund carrying a bit of extra weight is actually a more serious situation than it might sound — their long spine and short legs mean that even a small amount of excess body weight puts real mechanical stress on their intervertebral discs, which are already a weak point for the breed. So you're right to take this seriously. Before I point you toward anything specific: how much does your dog currently weigh, and what are you feeding at the moment — do you know the rough daily amount?
He's called Biscuit, he's 5, and the vet said he should be around 9kg but he's currently 10.5kg. I'm feeding him a mix of Royal Canin Dachshund dry food and some wet food as a topper. Not always sure of the exact amounts honestly.
inparticular.ai
That's a pretty common setup and honestly the topper plus free-pouring dry food is where most dogs quietly gain weight — the calories add up faster than people expect. The Royal Canin Dachshund food is a decent choice for the breed shape, but it's not formulated for weight loss, so it's not going to help you get those 1.5kg off. Has Biscuit had any back episodes — stiffness, reluctance to jump, yelping — or is this purely preventative at this point?
No episodes thankfully, I just want to keep it that way. The vet mentioned his weight as a risk factor and that made me want to sort his food out properly.
inparticular.ai
Good — catching it before any disc problems start is exactly the right time to act. Here's what I'd recommend: Hill's Science Plan Adult Perfect Weight Small & Mini dry food. It's designed specifically for small breeds that need to lose weight without going hungry — it uses a higher protein, lower fat profile so dogs feel full on fewer calories, and it has a controlled but adequate energy density that supports steady, sustainable weight loss rather than crash dieting. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids which support joint and soft tissue health, relevant for the spine. Critically, it gives you a proper feeding guide by target weight, not current weight, which is how you actually lose it. I'd drop the wet topper entirely while he's losing — it's adding calories you can't easily track. Once he's at 9kg you can reassess.
That sounds really sensible. How long would it take to get him down to 9kg on that food, roughly?
inparticular.ai
At a healthy rate of loss — around 1 to 2% of body weight per week — you're looking at roughly 10 to 16 weeks to lose 1.5kg. So somewhere between 3 and 4 months if you're consistent with portions and cut out extras. The key is weighing the food rather than scooping, and weighing Biscuit every two weeks so you can adjust. If he's losing faster than that, nudge portions up slightly; slower, bring them down a touch. Hill's portion guidance is a good starting point but every dog's metabolism is a little different.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll order that and get rid of the topper habit. Should I transition him slowly onto it?
inparticular.ai
Yes — over about 7 days, mixing increasing amounts of the new food with the old. Day 1 to 2, roughly 25% new. Day 3 to 4, about 50%. Day 5 to 6, 75%. Day 7 onwards, fully switched. Dachshunds can have sensitive digestion, so a gradual transition avoids any stomach upset. And do keep a note of Biscuit's starting weight so you've got a proper baseline — it's satisfying to see the numbers move and it keeps you honest with the portions.
