Ckcs Skipping 1 Meal Constantly

[pmiller]

Hi All,

Our CKCS is almost a year old. He's just had an operation on his patella to stop it luxating. Under vet orders, we've had him confined for 4 weeks. He's only just been out for about a week. We've taken this opportunity to do a few things also. Since he's gone back to walking only 5 mins each day, we've put him back on a gentle leader (which he hated). With much coaxing, this seems to be working.

We've also switched him from a diet of Hills puppy (60g morning, 80g at night) and a little pinch of microwaved human grade chicken mince. He'd eat two meals most days, though brekkie was a bit hit and miss. We've put him on Royal Canin for Cavaliers and using just the dry food, no mince. We've been slowly switching him over and it has agreed with him well. For the first 4 or so days he went for it twice a day. Strangely, for the last 5 or so, he's only eaten once a day at 6pm.

So my questions!

1. Do you think it is time to go to 1 meal a day?

2. If so, how slowly would you recommend making the switch (i.e. increase dinner by 10g every day or the like)?

3. Finally, if we are to add something to the kibble to make it more tempting, does anyone put anything dry in? He seems to not like his kibble the second time around with wet stuff in there and at $22, we are reluctant to toss the RC.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[Teebs]

I always put a bit of mince, or some warm water with stock in it (in winter) or an egg in the dry, how boring to have it on its own, I wouldnt eat it!

My dogs get 10 mins to eat, if any food is left, it is removed, but they do only get one feed a day

Maybe your dog just isnt hungry?

[ellz]

Dogs don't live to eat, they eat to live. They don't have sophisticated taste buds and they don't normally turn their noses up saying "mummy I don't like this" like a human child would. If they're hungry, they will eat what is put in front of them, no questions asked.

If the dog is consistently refusing just one meal per day, then I would stop offering it. I honestly think that adding bits and pieces to a "balanced" diet is not necessary. Not only are you encouraging more fussiness but you run the risk of "unbalancing" the diet as well.

[persephone]

What ellz said.

Your dog is on a much reduced activity schedule..and just doesn't need the extra food

[Bilbo Baggins]

At 6 months my cavs are on 1 meal a day.

I feed in the morning as I know I am home. Evening would be to hit or miss.

[LizT]

At 6 months my cavs are on 1 meal a day.

I feed in the morning as I know I am home. Evening would be to hit or miss.

Hi there BB

My not quite 1 year old has been on one meal a day since she was about 6-7 months old. Sounds like he's not a greedy boy.

[W Sibs]

Charlie often skips breakfast... if he does, i scatter dry food out for him for the day and give him his breakfast for his dinner.

Edited November 10, 2009 by charleswentworth

[ellz]

Charlie often skips breakfast... if he does, i scatter dry food out for him for the day and give him his breakfast for his dinner.

You know that it isn't really a good habit for you to get into ..... the scattering of dry food. Can encourage picky eating if the dog realises that if he refuses a meal that it doesn't matter because there will be SOMETHING available for him anyway.

Far better to remove the meal completely and not offer it until next meal and then he'll be good and hungry and far less likely to knock back the next meal.

And another reason for not scattering food or leaving dry food down all the time is that you run the risk of encouraging rodents.

[W Sibs]

Charlie often skips breakfast... if he does, i scatter dry food out for him for the day and give him his breakfast for his dinner.

You know that it isn't really a good habit for you to get into ..... the scattering of dry food. Can encourage picky eating if the dog realises that if he refuses a meal that it doesn't matter because there will be SOMETHING available for him anyway.

Far better to remove the meal completely and not offer it until next meal and then he'll be good and hungry and far less likely to knock back the next meal.

And another reason for not scattering food or leaving dry food down all the time is that you run the risk of encouraging rodents.

Yeah. But, it's not a lot. He has fun searching for his food in the grass

[LizT]

Charlie often skips breakfast... if he does, i scatter dry food out for him for the day and give him his breakfast for his dinner.

You know that it isn't really a good habit for you to get into ..... the scattering of dry food. Can encourage picky eating if the dog realises that if he refuses a meal that it doesn't matter because there will be SOMETHING available for him anyway.

Far better to remove the meal completely and not offer it until next meal and then he'll be good and hungry and far less likely to knock back the next meal.

And another reason for not scattering food or leaving dry food down all the time is that you run the risk of encouraging rodents.

Not to mention the 'fun' the winged rats have!