How often do you feed your dog?
Discussion
Our Border Collie is coming up to 9 months old. When we got her the breeder was feeding her 3 times a day, 8am, 12noon and 6pm. Our vet on hearing of this regime said that really 4 times a day was better as she was not then eating for 14 hours - overnight and her blood sugar levels might drop too much. He recommended 7.30am, 12.30pm, 5.30pm and finally 10.30pm.
What are other people doing, only some people we talk to only feed once a day. What's best practice, or does it just follow your lifestyle.
What are other people doing, only some people we talk to only feed once a day. What's best practice, or does it just follow your lifestyle.
The youngest pup we've had (Max, saluki/springer x) was 5 months, and he went straight onto our usual twice a day feeding regime. Same with my first dog Jake who was 6 months, and Sam and Jet whippets who were 8 months.
We only feed Sam three times a day when he's ill and on meds which cause weight loss.
We only feed Sam three times a day when he's ill and on meds which cause weight loss.
My dad used to feed the dogs once a day with 1 day off each week. The vet said that most dogs were overfed and overweight which causes problems later in life.
He’s now gone a bit soft in his old age and feeds dog twice a day with the odd scrap of toast or apple core as an added bonus!
Pups generally would eat 2-3 times a day.
He’s now gone a bit soft in his old age and feeds dog twice a day with the odd scrap of toast or apple core as an added bonus!
Pups generally would eat 2-3 times a day.
jimmytheone said:
My dad used to feed the dogs once a day with 1 day off each week. The vet said that most dogs were overfed and overweight which causes problems later in life.
He’s now gone a bit soft in his old age and feeds dog twice a day with the odd scrap of toast or apple core as an added bonus!
Pups generally would eat 2-3 times a day.
This is how i feed mine but pups do get started on a puppy mousse at two weeks and onto 4 times a day and gradually down to two meals before they leave. My dogs have very long live spans as well. He’s now gone a bit soft in his old age and feeds dog twice a day with the odd scrap of toast or apple core as an added bonus!
Pups generally would eat 2-3 times a day.
Just to add what i missed from jimmytheone's post,. my dogs get a fasting day as well where they get a bone each instead of a meal. My bulldogs lives seem to last longer than most, coincidence or not i believe this is the right thing to do. Puppy owners who i sell my pups too also see them out living other dogs friends have bought etc. It's no coincidence IMO.
At 9 months and if on dry food twice a day is the norm. 4x a day and reducing time without food is usually more relevant for very young puppies.
My two are fed 7.30am and 5.30pm. Food weighed out for each of them every.meal. They are both perfect weight (they get very few treats)
Low blood sugar is not usually a concern in a healthy young dog tbh however sometimes some dogs do vomit bile in the mornings due to empty stomachs etc, if this does occur a snack later in the evening will usually rectify it.
My two are fed 7.30am and 5.30pm. Food weighed out for each of them every.meal. They are both perfect weight (they get very few treats)
Low blood sugar is not usually a concern in a healthy young dog tbh however sometimes some dogs do vomit bile in the mornings due to empty stomachs etc, if this does occur a snack later in the evening will usually rectify it.
We feed ours 4.25 times a day, as smaller portions are better for their system; so once in the morning, lunchtime, dinner time, 15mins before bed then let them out to the toilet and then a .25 feed as we’re off to bed - tends to mean they don’t wake up so early hungry!
Also remember to allow 2 hours either side of exercise before feeding dry food to reduce the risk of a gastric torsion (can be an hour if not a deep chested dog). If you need to feed sooner then soak the dry food until soft or use wet food(tinned/sachets etc).
Edited to add - my wife advises this to all her clients as do all the other vets she works with.
Also remember to allow 2 hours either side of exercise before feeding dry food to reduce the risk of a gastric torsion (can be an hour if not a deep chested dog). If you need to feed sooner then soak the dry food until soft or use wet food(tinned/sachets etc).
Edited to add - my wife advises this to all her clients as do all the other vets she works with.
Edited by W12GT on Monday 23 September 07:27
stuartmmcfc said:
agent006 said:
Whenever he's hungry.
We've taught our collie to bring us his bowl when he's hungry. Remarkably he is yet to take the piss, and it generally works out at 8am and between 5 and 6pm.
That wouldn’t work with a Lab We've taught our collie to bring us his bowl when he's hungry. Remarkably he is yet to take the piss, and it generally works out at 8am and between 5 and 6pm.
Mine would never put the bowl down!
same with ours.He gets fed twice a day now, around 6.30am after his morning walk then 6pm (although he’ll pester from around 4pm)
Occasionally gets a 2nd dinner when there’s a breakdown in communication between me and the wife and one of us doesn’t realise the others already fed him. He’ll happily polish the extra meal off though
Nearly 11 years old and still a healthy weight
We feed our Ridgeback twice a day. 6am and 6pm give or take a few mins. She is fully grown now and her weight is spot on 45kg. I sometimes think she is not getting enough food considering her size but we have adjusted each meal size so she maintains her weight. The only treats she gets are chunks of liver cut up into small pieces.
Off topic but I have great fun feeding my two bulldogs breakfast.
The big lad goes outside and hides in a bush for ten minutes. His breakfast is on a little table as the little girl will eat it in addition to hers otherwise.
After ten minutes or so, he emerges from his bush and barks for his bowl, I put his food on the patio and he eats most of it (always leaving a little bit for the girl) but only if I sit outside with him, come rain or shine, or pitch darkness from now until March. Otherwise he goes back in his bush.
The girl eats her food frantically as if her existence depended on it, but only if I am nowhere near by, as me moving round the kitchen making breakfast more myself is apparently terrifying.
Latest development is that she is now terrified of the mop bucket that lives in the porch out to where the big one eats his food - to the extent she won't go near her bowl at that end of the kitchen or out to finish his off - so I have to take it somewhere a safe distance in to the garden for the duration of meal times. However the act of moving the mop seems to be even scarier than its static existence.
The big lad goes outside and hides in a bush for ten minutes. His breakfast is on a little table as the little girl will eat it in addition to hers otherwise.
After ten minutes or so, he emerges from his bush and barks for his bowl, I put his food on the patio and he eats most of it (always leaving a little bit for the girl) but only if I sit outside with him, come rain or shine, or pitch darkness from now until March. Otherwise he goes back in his bush.
The girl eats her food frantically as if her existence depended on it, but only if I am nowhere near by, as me moving round the kitchen making breakfast more myself is apparently terrifying.
Latest development is that she is now terrified of the mop bucket that lives in the porch out to where the big one eats his food - to the extent she won't go near her bowl at that end of the kitchen or out to finish his off - so I have to take it somewhere a safe distance in to the garden for the duration of meal times. However the act of moving the mop seems to be even scarier than its static existence.
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