How often?
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Thank you.
Very interesting. I've never heard anything like this before, ever.
I've never even had a vet recommend feeding more than once a day – not that they've recommended against it, either. It's never been an issue.How funny -- almost everyone I know feeds once a day! LOL
Although, like I said, my husband {also from the south }said his family fed their dogs twice a day when he was growing up. So maybe it's a southern thing -- LOL {But I've noticed his mom feeds her cocker spaniel and jack russell terrier once a day; as does his grandpa feed his poodle once a day; go figure! LOL}You've peaked my curiousity though, so I did some looking around online too.
Most things I read say once a day is fine and that the important thing is to shoot for a regular feeding time and quantity. I did come across two sites that indicated that some dogs {individual, not breed} may be prone to bloat and those particular dogs should be fed more than once; and that those small dogs that develop hypoglycemia are the exception not the rule and should be evaluated by a veterinarian for other health issues.So, I guess as with many other issue, this one will be one of strictly personal preference and experience since even the veterinary community cannot seem to agree!
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So, I guess as with many other issue, this one will be one of strictly personal preference and experience since even the veterinary community cannot seem to agree!
LOL reminds me of the story of the woman who would always cut the ends off the pot roast. her husband asked why. She didn't know, called her mom. Her mom said she didn't know, she did it cause her mother did it. So she called her grandmother. Grandmother said "Cause I didn't have a pan big enough so I had to cut the ends off to make it fit."
However, on the flip side, I have a dog nutritionist friend who feeds, I kid you not, 5 times a day. She swears that dogs, like humans, do better with processing smaller meals as it keeps their blood levels, like ours, more even and aids in better absorption and digestion. now, true, its 3 meals and 2 snacks… but still, I don't have that kind of time even is she thoroughly convinced me.
But I do think that meals are such a happy time for my dogs (except Sayblee) that giving them 2 a day is not only healthy but spreads out the happiness. And with diabetic and cancer dogs, they absolutely say at least 2 meals a day. So I figure if they need it, it must also be better for dogs.
But lol on the southern thing... most of my dogs buddies are UP NORTH. That said, we did grow up feeding 2 times a day. On my grandmother's farm, it probably had to do with 'scraps' cause they got the morning scraps then the evening scraps along with their kibble. We are such creatures of habit. :)
Debra
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Well, and actually my Daddy was a southern boy and he's the one who had us feeding our dogs once a day. Probably because his family was dirt poor and didn't have table scraps twice a day, LOL
FIVE times a day!! Wow. I'd never remember! We'd have the most inconsistent feeding schedule!
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I am late on this thread, but some of our dogs can eat once a day and be just fine. But our puppies have always thrown up yellow bile if they they go too long between meals, and we have one adult bitch that will absolutely throw up if she doesn't eat two meals, and a snack at about 2:30pm.
And I really agree with Debra on this one…if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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I have found that Joey, at 14 months needs to be fed twice a day if he gets a lot of exercise in that day. If he doesn't have that second feeding, the next morning as soon as he starts to do his morning "zip around", he takes a pause for his bile expulsion. On his lazy days, I only feed him once. Since I have been doing this, he has not vomited bile. I wonder tho about the Pavlov theory and if Joey should always be fed twice a day but maybe a smaller version of the second feeding on his lazy days? I think maybe there is more to the individual nature of each dog?
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We feed once a day in the evening, healthy treats in the AM. We feed the pups twice a day, but the adults only once.
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BB, have you ever had any of your Bs vomit bile?
It happens every so often I guess, reading all of this is new to me. We've always feed our dogs once a day.
I do have a female that was spayed last summer and is fighting weight gain, the idea of feeding her in the morning makes sense.
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Please explain this to me, it is a new phrase that I am not familiar with. I have had Sahara throw up this yellow junk before, is this what bile looks like. I feed her 2 times a day, morning and evening, sometimes I have it down for her and she won't eat. I think she wants to be picky on those days.
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I have had Sahara throw up this yellow junk before, is this what bile looks like.
That's what it sounds like to me YAT, it's something I've never knew before.
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Oh yes, Bella was really bad about throwing up bile first thing in the AM when we first brought her home. Sometimes she would even wake me at night wretching and I would have to get down on the floor with her to keep the bed clean. Think about it, if we get too hungry we sometimes get heartburn… could it be similar with dogs? Some dogs stomaches are more sensitive than others, just like humans. Bella has grown out of the daily vomiting routine, almost like a baby with colic would. Now she only does it occasionally.
Our feeding regimine is Natural Choice Chicken Rice and Oatmeal dry kibble. 1cup in the AM which I leave out for her and she usually does not consume more than a few bites. Then in the PM I add 1/3 can of the same wet food to her dry. If she has eaten more dry than usual, I will add back a little kibble to compensate. Of course she gets a few treats through the course of the day, but no "chewy bones" until she has finished her evening meal...
She seems to do well with this and looks to be healthy Basenji weight. I think that if what you are doing is working, don't change it. ;) -
Personally, I choose to feed food that does not have meat by-products. Also, I would avoid the ones that list corn and corn meal as the main ingredient.
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Well, and actually my Daddy was a southern boy and he's the one who had us feeding our dogs once a day. Probably because his family was dirt poor and didn't have table scraps twice a day, LOL
FIVE times a day!! Wow. I'd never remember! We'd have the most inconsistent feeding schedule!
With Senji's liver disease, the vet recommends feeding him 4 small meals/day. I make little balls out of his canned food and hide a pill in each one. He takes his meds twice a day. He doesn't really like the dry Science Diet-liver diet formula unless I add some broth to it. He's been waking up at night to eat, so I've been leaving a little of the dry food in his bowl. That's the only time he'll eat it plain. (I guess when he's hungry enough, he'll eat anything.) I'm weaning him off the prednisone. He's down to 5mg/day. Maybe his appetite will calm down a little.
Before he was diagnosed with this liver problem, he would often eat grass when his stomach was upset. Then he'd go into this full body heave with his tail "pumping" and vomit the grass and yellow bile. -
If Senji isn't too jazzed about his Science Diet food you could look into this homemade Liver Cleansing Diet.
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/liver_cleansing_diet.htm
