Once per day?

[Rubylove]

As Chester and Ruby have got older, they just don't seem as interested in their food - they can really take it or leave it. They eat, of course, but it's not a feeding frenzy or anything like when they were puppies. They are in very good health, not under- or overweight, and energetic and playful.

We've done many things to get them more interested and we finally have just resorted to the fact that they're probably just not that hungry.

What are your thoughts on only feeding them once daily? A decent-sized meal, in the mornings, to see them through the day - with all of the things that they need, and of course a bigger portion. I don't see that they will have a problem with it, it's not like they're fading away from starvation!!

We'll probably trial it for a week or so, but I was after some advice from you knowledgeable folk!

 

[elegy]

i would not feed a dog (especially large-breed dogs who are more prone to bloat) once a day. i'd feed the appropriate amount twice a day, and if they don't eat it in 15 minutes, pick it up. if they're not eating it all, they probably don't need it.

 

[Rubylove]

I have thought about that - but they don't really scoff their food, either. Chester eats pretty quickly, but Miss Ruby delicately takes one piece at a time, chews it up until it's finished, and then goes for the next piece. She's a slow eater, and they are fed separately because if they're not Chester would just help himself to her food after he'd finished. Their bowls are elevated and we've done the things appropriate to help prevent bloat - do you think that one meal a day might change the way they eat, and therefore make them more susceptible?

 

[elegy]

feeding a large meal once a day is a risk factor for bloat. so is using a raised dish, actually, according to some studies.

 

[Rubylove]

Really? It's only 15cm off the ground - this is because Chester's legs are so long that he has to splay them out to eat if it's on the ground (looks like a newborn gazelle trying to balance - so funny!).

Well, bloat just terrifies me so it's two meals a day for them both! They'll eat if they're hungry, I guess

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Actually.. studies on bloat have gone both ways... some studies show raised bowls do and some studies show that some do not effect/cause/aid bloat. There was a thread about it.... I don't know that anyone has the answer and if they do, please let me know!

But, I would not feed them only one meal per day either.. but that's just me.

 

[Mordy]

In a normal, healthy, adult dog I see no reason not to feed just once a day if the individual prefers it. Their digestive system is actually designed to handle food that way.

If bloat is actually an issue (and frankly, it's more of a genetic/stress problem rather than caused by circumstances like raised feed bowls etc.), feeding twice a day might work out better, but is not of much use if a dog just picks at one meal listlessly and then devours the other.

 

[Rubylove]

Thanks Mordy - I was hoping you'd see this.

They are not really especially hungry in the morning, always hungry at night. I usually end up feeding them what they've left in the morning with their meal at night, so I thought I'd try that for a while. Our GSDs only used to have a nightly meal, and they were always ok.

Bloat does really worry me, it's just such a nasty thing, but I'll do some research to answer some of my own concerns and think I might trial a once-a-day feed for a week or so.

 

[DanL]

I feed once a day too. With our GSD, I just make sure he's not been exercising hard for an hour or so prior to the meal, and that he's calm, and then I keep him calm for a while afterwards. Easier said than done but so far so good. He gets about 2-3lbs of raw food at a time. I've found that sometimes if he gets stressed or excited after he eats he'll barf it up, and then re eat it. Yummy.

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

I have large dogs, with large chests, that have been fed once a day since the day we got them, and we've never had any problems. We avoid exercising close to mealtimes.

 

[Bobsk8]

I split Smokey's daily food into 2 servings. She looks forward to her second meal of the day after I finish my supper. I don't think she would like having to wait 24 hours for her next meal.

 

[Adrienne]

I've always just fed once a day for Gunnar once he passed puppyhood. He has done just fine with that.

Some dogs just don't need as much food as you think they do. Their appetite will also flucuate with the weather and amount of exercise they are getting. Some dogs will fast themselves for a day or so, my mom's CO always goes one to two days between meals and she is at a healthy weight..

 

[sam]

I would play around with a few things before I would go to one meal per day.

I think dogs also just get bored of eating the same thing day in day out and sometimes when they act less than enthused it might be a sign that you could change their kibble or whatever they eat.

I would also consider if you might be over feeding and try cutting back the amount offered at each meal and as Elegy said pick it up after 10-15 minutes.
What most people think of as a healthy weight for a dog is actually significantly overweight. How easily can you feel your dog's ribs when you lay your hand on their side. You should have to push in and rub to feel them.

My dogs recently gained weight on what had previously seemed to be the right amount of food for the past year. The one dog also wasn't showing as much interest in his food. I made an effort to add more variety to their diet and also cut them back by almost a third and they are eating with gusto again.