When Can I Start Feeding Once A Day

[Reddii]

As the topic states????

[cavNrott]

.

Edited June 8, 2009 by cavNrott

[Tonymc]

Reddii, our Dogs are on one Feed a day by the time they are about 12 to 14 months old.Our Dogs are working Dogs so they are fed in the Evenings. Tony

[Reddii]

Why do you want to feed only once a day. It seems many of us here feed twice a day. I do to minimise the risk of bloat in my large breeds and the small breeds get fed twice because I prefer it. That way they're not going for so long with an empty stomach. Dogs with empty stomachs tend to vomit bile, usually early in the mornings.

What breed is your dog and how old is it?

edited because I left out a word.

and again because it made even less sense.

Once a day because that's what I was brought up to do - I can understand the big dog/bloat thing, but is there a good reason to feed twice a day?

Dogs are 12 and 6 months old BC's. I've found by cutting back their night time feed and increasing their morning feed they seem to be more settled at night and have no night time toilet breaks. The little guy was getting us up at 2am every night, despite a successful toilet walk after dinner.

Tony MC - Do you only feed once a day because you find your dogs lethargic if they have been fed in the am before work? I was thinking a good feed in the morning and then they'll be more inclined to sleep through the day???

Cheers

Tony R

[beewar]

Hi there,

I'm pretty much new to this forum but here's what i got:

I feed my pup twice a day just because i dont want to give him a big meal, which he can be full for about 4hrs then starved for the rest of the day. And when starving bad behaviour might occur (like me when i'm hungry).

Also when they are young, i dont think they have any idea of eating how much is enough and eating too much at a time can be a problem too.

So i end up feeding him one in the morning before work and before my dinner.

[arby]

With Taz our mutt we took him down to 1 meal a day by around 18 months... basically when he reached maturity and stopped growing. He still gets snacks like meaty bones during the day and gets his meal in the early evening.

[Nekhbet]

I feed two meals a day and I dont have any toilet issues. The later meal is not right near bed time, I give it a couple of hours before they go into their crates, but its not as big as the morning feed.

I beleive in 2 feeds because :

The dogs stomach doesnt have to hold as much food (not stretched) so if they DO have to skip a meal for work/training they are not as starving. They can have a little snack and theyre set for that meal.

Less risk of bloat - I have a German Shepherd and a DDB, they are not as stretched

the dogs have more energy as they have time to digest and use the food, and they dont get fat. If they start putting on a little weight its easier to cut back the amounts they dont miss it as much

They are domestic dogs and dont have a wild lifestyle (which is where the 1 feed a day thing came from) if I cant eat once a day and run around like a lunatic I dont expect my dog to.

[Tonymc]

Reddii{Tony} yes you got it.We do not want our Dogs having a feed then having to do a Days work.We feed at Night and thats give them time to eat and digest. Tony

[bilby]

Bloat bloat bloat.

It's not just the big breeds or the deep chested breeds that are at risk ( I thought that too) ... though they do have a much higher incidence.

2 smaller meals a day is the best prevention known.

& you may only have 15 minutes to get emergency veterinary intervention if your dog does bloat.

Not enough time for my beautiful Gem. :D

[Reddii]

Bloat bloat bloat.

It's not just the big breeds or the deep chested breeds that are at risk ( I thought that too) ... though they do have a much higher incidence.

2 smaller meals a day is the best prevention known.

& you may only have 15 minutes to get emergency veterinary intervention if your dog does bloat.

Not enough time for my beautiful Gem. :D

Sorry to hear about your girl.

I've decided to stick with two meals - smaller at night and then a bit more in the morning as we are at work 3 days and would prefer them to be sleeping off the meal. The idiots do their agility/obedience etc mostly at night so that suits as well.

[Doghouse]

We still feed about 2 meals a day, depending on if they have brisket or mince some mornings or left overs, but certainly 2 meals per day, usually breakfast is after walks to school or down to the post office or park which is mid to late morning and dinner is about 7.30ish..

I find with the two meals life is a little calmer and there are less fights over chew bones or toys... On the farm the dogs still only get one meal per day..

Our girls are 10 and 7 months are are still growing well..

[The Spotted Devil]

I'll be sticking with 2 meals a day. Firstly because of the bloat factor but also because it's good to break up a dog's day, especially if they are left alone for part of it. Ziggy gets breakfast and dinner (about one and a half cups each) in his treat ball....that's a good half hour work out each time. Plus he gets a few biscuits in his puppy kong to help him settle in his crate, plus a huge chicken neck last thing at night. When I wake him up at around 10.30pm for his last toilet break, he is desperate to run out, toilet then back to bed for the chicken neck. Never a peep after that

[Daisys Mum]

I feed sasha twice a day....

I feed her at 6am or when she decides she wants it earlier and comes and sticks her cold wet nose in my face :D

And then i feed her again at 4 pm... personally i think once a day is too long to wait until the next meal

[Flaves]

I feed twice a day.

6-7am ish

6-7 pmish

I have a 5.5mo pup and 2x 13mo and i just think 2 meals a day is better than one

But whatever siuts you adn your dogs is the best thing.

For Tonymc once a day at night is best, for cNr twice a day is best as is for me.

[sas]

Why do you want to feed only once a day. It seems many of us here feed twice a day. I do to minimise the risk of bloat in my large breeds and the small breeds get fed twice because I prefer it. That way they're not going for so long with an empty stomach. Dogs with empty stomachs tend to vomit bile, usually early in the mornings.

What breed is your dog and how old is it?

edited because I left out a word.

and again because it made even less sense.

Once a day because that's what I was brought up to do - I can understand the big dog/bloat thing, but is there a good reason to feed twice a day?

Dogs are 12 and 6 months old BC's. I've found by cutting back their night time feed and increasing their morning feed they seem to be more settled at night and have no night time toilet breaks. The little guy was getting us up at 2am every night, despite a successful toilet walk after dinner.

Tony MC - Do you only feed once a day because you find your dogs lethargic if they have been fed in the am before work? I was thinking a good feed in the morning and then they'll be more inclined to sleep through the day???

Cheers

Tony R

Because it makes absolutely no sense to feed a dog it's only meal in the evening when it's using little energy.

We feed twice a day. Just take what you normaly give and give half in the morning and half in the evening, no biggie is it?

6 Month old dog can hold it's bladder etc through the night.