One Meal A Day Vs 2 Meals A Day

[samoyedman]

My 9.5 month old samoyed puppy started on 3 meals a day up until 6 months. Since then he's been on 2 meals a day and at a year old I'm advised to feed him one meal a day.

2 questions.

1) I hear 2 meals a day is better than 1 a day? Its better for the dog to split the meal rather than one big meal?

2) My samoyed pup doesnt seem interested in breakfast. More often than not he leaves it and seems content with one meal a day. Should I be worried about this and looking at changing his brekky to make it more appetising or as long as he's happy/healthy go with one meal a day?

I hasten to add every 2nd morning or so I'll give him a lamb shank or sardines or a light biscuit/egg breakfast if I went with one meal a day.

[Sheridan]

I have an elderly dog and I used to feed him once a day but found he does much better health wise by splitting the meal. He only gets something small in the morning but it's much better than him vomiting up yellow bile.

[pesh]

Depends on the dog. I have a bitch who is much better having two meals a day, the others are on one meal.

Remember what you give in the morning must not be considered a treat, it's a 1/2 meal at night if feeding twice a day.

You'll figure it out, and then the dog will have a growth spurt and you'll have to go through it all again. ;)

Good luck.................... :D

[cavNrott]

.

Edited June 8, 2009 by cavNrott

[malsam]

Feeding once or twice depends on how they much they can digest the food at 1 go...if your dog prefers to have it once, then by all means let it have it as long as the 1 meal is equal to 1 day of amount and not half of it.

Meals are separated because some dogs cannot digest them as efficiently...mine all 1 meal since pup time and they can digest it well. Pups have more meals because their digestion rate is not high hence more of it.

When adult and have established stomach juices, once per day is about right.

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

We feed twice daily.

[BC]

Mine are fed twice a day. They are on BARF so they pretty much have to. A bone in the morning and their small meal later in the day. Prior to BARF they were fed once a day and that was fine, however they are not deep chested breeds.

[Henrietta]

Mine are fed twice daily. They seem to do better on it and this sounds silly, but I don't like the thought of one meal a day, purely and simply because it seems like a long time to go without food. Mind you if I had to implement a special diet that needed food to be served once daily, I'm sure I would cope lol.

[Poodle wrangler]

I feed both dogs twice a day, but that's just my preference and it seems to agree with my dogs. One is nearly 6 month standard poodle, other a 6 year old mini poodle. Pup's no longer interested in 3 meals a day.

A lot of people suggest you leave food out for only 20 minutes, then the bowl goes away, including any food still left. Dog soon learns not to mess about and eat in this time. I do this as my toddler will otherwise play with food and dry food attracts magpies if left outside.

An indicator of how well he's digesting his food is what the poo looks like- firm, small-medium size is normal. No cow pats, loose stuff or huge fluffy poos.

If your dog seems happy and healthy with one meal a day, with healthy weight, do what works.

[Akitaowner]

i feed twice a day usually

they get a small amount of kibble in a toy in the morning and barf in the evening. My boy drops weight really easily and wont eat enough in one sitting. My girl will eat every thing put in front of her but also inhales food so i prefer 2 meals to slow her down!

so for different reasons i feed twice a day. Also mine are deep chested so i prefer smaller meals.

are you feeding different things morning and night? maybe he just prefers the food your giving in the evening and will wait for it!

[Hazz]

We feed twice daily

[montall]

Twice a day here as well. Mine are small dogs. They usually get a chicken neck in the middle of the day as a treat as well but that's just because I am here then (retired). I would probably give that in the evening if I was still working.

[huski]

I feed Daisy who is 7 months old twice a day. Cherry also eats twice a day.

However Micha being a sibe is designed to go on small amounts of food over long periods of time, he was getting a bit overweight on two meals a day so I have cut it down to one meal in the morning and I also cut down the amount I was feeding him.

Sometimes I give him a bone at night. I'm not sure yet if I will cut down Daisy's meals to one a day when she is older.

[BittyMooPeeb]

I feed mine once a day and am now wondering if that is the right thing to do (since reading how many feed twice a day).

When I give chicken necks or bones they do get these at a different time from their meals though ...

(I started with one meal a day because my first dog was never interested in breakfast)

[Sayreovi]

Twice a day here.

[daccydog]

I have an elderly dog and I used to feed him once a day but found he does much better health wise by splitting the meal. He only gets something small in the morning but it's much better than him vomiting up yellow bile.

hi sheridan

my older dog 3yrs somtimes vomits up yellow bile , is this because he's hungry and nothing in his tummy ?

[Sheridan]

I have an elderly dog and I used to feed him once a day but found he does much better health wise by splitting the meal. He only gets something small in the morning but it's much better than him vomiting up yellow bile.

hi sheridan

my older dog 3yrs somtimes vomits up yellow bile , is this because he's hungry and nothing in his tummy ?

Might well be! Check with the vet but generally I've found that yellow bile means 'Feed that dog!' Someone else might have a better idea, though.

Edited May 16, 2007 by Sheridan

[arby]

I guess it depends on breed and eating habit.

Humphrey the boxer gets 2 a day..he's super skinny

Taz the lab X mutt gets 1 a day...but he's also fat lol

both get bones and occasional treats during the day

[Kavik]

Zoe gets fed once a day and Kaos and Diesel get fed twice a day. I know that doesn't sound very fair but Zoe gets a lot less food. With the bigger meals the younger dogs get, I split it so that one meal is dry food and the other is a chicken frame.

[TangerineDream]

Twice a day for Tango.