Feeding puppy once a day okay?

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#1
We were feeding our puppy, now 11 weeks old, and a beagle, once a day. Now, at my grandmother's insistence, we feed her twice a day so she doesn't get as hungry. Well, we feed her twice a day now, and it just makes things more complicated. She still gets excited for food, if not more than ever, and now she finsihed hers before our other dog, so we have to keep her from eating his food. Of course, our other dog growls and snaps at her when she is bugging him, but when she sticks her head in his food bowl, he just lets it go. The one time I wouldlike to see him snap at her, he doesn't. Go figure. Plus, she poops more often now with her food dpread out in the day.

I am of the opinoin that feeding her once a day, as we do with our other dog, is perfectly fine for her. Sure, she might be a little hungrier at feeding time, but she is a dog, and a hound, and she is always hungry, just like our dachsuhnd. Am I wrong to think feeding her once a day is wrong? Am I being cruel? Or is it alright to feed her once a day, and simplify things for everyone.
 
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lizzybeth727

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#2
Personally, I'd probably never feed a dog only once a day, myself. And I would probably never suggest it to anyone else. Every vet and respectable trainer I've ever talked to has suggested feeding dogs at least twice a day, and up to 4-5 times a day for small breed puppies. To me, it just makes sense.

Your puppy is only 11 weeks old.... The bad habits like eating the other dog's food would probably have started no matter how often you feed her. She still has a lot of learning to do.
 

Buddy'sParents

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#3
Puppies should be fed two to three times a day. They are growing and need nutrients to be fed into their bodies. When they are older, maybe then you can feed once/day.
 

~Jessie~

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#4
When my chihuahuas were puppies, we fed them 4 times a day. When they reached 6 months of age, we dropped it down to 3 times a day. When they reached a year, we dropped it to 2 times a day.

I would never feed a puppy only once a day, regardless of the breed.
 
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#5
Yes, I also agree with the above. Puppies should be fed ATLEAST 3 times a day, preferably more! They are growing and have faster metabolisms (Like children) and need to eat more often!
 
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#7
I would separate them or feed at different times if you have to worry about one dog eating the others food. You can always feed the pup in her crate or you can feed your older dog first and then the pup separately later (since it sounds like she gulps down food).

What are you feeding and how much?
 
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#8
Well, we feed her in the moring while our older dog is outside so he can't see her. I don't want to get in the habit of feeding them sepearte at night, because she is just going to have to learn to not mess with his food.

We feed her the Proplan puppy fromula twice a day, a quarter cup each time, since the bag reccomends a half cup for her weight. We also mix in just a little soft grav-like dog food, as we do with our other dog, because they just seem to like it a lot. Though I think she would inhale just about anything we put in her bowl.

We feed out dachshund a mixture of hard and soft dog food, mostyl because of the habit we got into with our dog we had to put down, who had to have some teeth pulled so we started soft food for him, and we just stuck with it. We also feed him once a day and weight managment because he is a dachshund and needs to keep his weight down. He has already had two back surgeries and can't control his pooping (seesm like I should be able to think of a better, classier, word, lol.) He never got that fat, he has always just had back problems.
 

maybe532

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#9
I feed twice a day but if I had a small breed I'd feed more. My pup is 16 weeks old.
I fed my kitten 4-5 times a day until she was 5 or 6 months old. Now she gets fed twice a day.
 
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#10
I have always heard that one can never feed a growing puppy too much. I would always feed a pup that age at least 3 times a day, then down to 2. For adult dogs and certain breeds of dogs, research has shown a correlation between once a day feeding and bloat (http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm).

Putting all nutritional and health reasons aside, my wonderful husband once pointed out that dogs don't do much - eat, sleep, and play. If they get to eat twice instead of once, how great is that for the dog! A special time of the day in the morning and at night. I like the idea and see it as something wonderful for my dog - two times to nourish his body and two times for him to anticipate.
 
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#11
One more thing I forgot. When you feed twice, you take the daily amount you would give and split in into the two meals. Your adult dogs won't be getting twice as much, they will just get half each time. Happy feeding!
 
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#12
Well as she gets older and you train her more you should be able to have her stay in a sit/stay while the other dog eats if you desire. My dog is a food crazed individual and he has to have permission to eat out of his bowl and has to stop a few times upon command (as he chokes it down). I would work on your sit and stay and go from there.

Also there are a lot better foods out there than Proplan. Also any soft is unnecessary. You can look on the other threads about nutrition to find something of better quality.

I always feed my dogs separately and twice a day (they are both over 2yrs now)
 

PixieSticksandTricks

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#13
Right now my Lab puppy who is 12 weeks gets three meals a day (one cup each meal).Also when it comes time to feed the two Cocker Spaniels in the house I have my puppy come and sit next to me until they are finnished. Right now I leash him at this time but eventually I hope that he will know when they eat he is to stay in the living room. He also has to wait until I tell him its okay to eat as he is a Lab and quite obessed with his food.
 
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RedyreRottweilers

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#14
Well, we feed her in the moring while our older dog is outside so he can't see her. I don't want to get in the habit of feeding them sepearte at night, because she is just going to have to learn to not mess with his food.

IMO this is not a realistic expectation. You are setting yourself and the puppy up for failure. Food is survival for dogs, and they will do almost anything to get it, generally regardless of whether they have just been fed or not. This is one reason why using food to train dogs works so well. Your puppy should not be faced with having to learn not to try to eat the other dog's food.

Feed inside crates, remove bowls and any uneaten food after 10 minutes or so. Problem solved.
 

BuckarooT35

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#15
I am in the process of making the same decision myself -- to feed my Rottie only once a day as I (we) give him breakfast and dinner and he doesn't get to eat his breakfast until after 2pm...what is the point of feeding him at night? But we do anyway...and that carries on until the next day or around 4am when he feels like it I suppose...and my baby doesn't look like he is starving anyway...Are these true of Rotties? Maybe they only need one feed....???
 

lizzybeth727

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#17
I am in the process of making the same decision myself -- to feed my Rottie only once a day as I (we) give him breakfast and dinner and he doesn't get to eat his breakfast until after 2pm...what is the point of feeding him at night? But we do anyway...and that carries on until the next day or around 4am when he feels like it I suppose...and my baby doesn't look like he is starving anyway...Are these true of Rotties? Maybe they only need one feed....???
How old is your rottie?

It's possible you're feeding him too much food in one sitting. The guidelines on the food bags are almost always way too high, I usually start by feeding about half what the bag says and then change it from there if I need to.

Also, a very important step in feeding is to pick up the food if your dog is not interested in eating. When you feed, put the food down so that he knows it's there, then leave it for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, unless he's still eating, go ahead an pick the food up, and don't feed him another meal until the next meal time. This will make him more interested in his food and teach him that if he doesn't eat soon, he doesn't eat at all.
 

BuckarooT35

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#18
I had tried that...for a long time. It doesn't work for Coop! So it's back to normal...one feed in the yawning and one at night. So far, so good. He knows what he likes and when he like to have it. Breakfast and dinner to him seems to be a separate "entity" not to be touched when it's there. I also tried not giving him breakfast delaying it until lunch. He looked so hurt and wouldn't come to me. He loves training and he comes to me to be trained several times a day but those times I delayed his meals, he just went to the powder room and moped. Oh well...I think I spoiled my little brat...:)

My rottie just turned 5 months last June 22. A few days more and he will be 6 months and I can't wait for that time...he has developed his own likes and dislikes...
 

a.baker

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#19
My dog is going to be a big dog when he grows. So he eats a ton! I feed him 3 times a day. If he ate all that food in one setting he would be too full and probably puke half of it up after he started getting crazy hyper and playing. Before when I was trying to get him to gain weight I would feed him 4 times a day.

They usually suggest for adult dogs 2 feedings.
 
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RedyreRottweilers

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#20
My adult dogs get fed once a day in the evening. They are bottomless pits and ALWAYS eat every morsel I put down for them.

I feed puppies 4X per day until 12 weeks, 3X per day til 6 mos, then twice per day until the rapid growth period is over. By 10 mos or so they are eating once a day in the evening like the adult dogs.
 

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