David Lock

Once a day seems to be the norm. We feed our Cavalier at around 7 in the evening.

But I have often wondered if two light meals, for example, would be better for her. I guess in nature their ancestors, Wolves and the like, simply fed when they could find food at anytime.

I suppose many owners are restricted to feeding when it suits them and may not be around at lunchtime or whatever.

So any dog gurus know what is best and what do you do for mutt?

David

bigredrob

feed mine, old border collie, once, at about 10pm, after walk and before bed.

David_Dickson

I kept the bowl full all day and she helped herself when she was hungry.

boxst

I feed my Yorkshire terrier in the morning with meat (one of the Pedigree Chum pouches) and then he has access to dry food as he wishes during the day. He seems to eat again himself around 9pm.

(personally I think that is after he feels he has exhausted all the possibilities of getting snacks / left over dinner and is resigned to eating his own food)

Coffin Dodger

Thought twice a day was more normal. Wild dogs for the most part are scavengers so will eat what they can get when they can get it, probably dribs and drabs throughout the day unless they do manage to kill a decent size prey item such as a rabbit.

syko89

Twice a day for max the black lab, and he still looks at you like he's starving when you eat haha...

Snazy

Twice, once around 9am, and again at about 7-8pm

2000 sport

iTrader: (1)

My GWP generally has access to his dried food (pedigree large dog with glucosamine) all day..

He tends to eat around lunchtime and then maybe 8 or 9pm..

Depends on the dog though, if your dog is greedy, then leaving a bowl of food down isn't really an option..

CrisPDuk

Our Springer usually gets fed twice a day, morning and evening, after her walks.

Sometimes she doesn't eat her breakfast until evening though, in which case she doesn't get another meal later

Our last dog was an English Setter, one of the best thieves in the business, on a good day she could steal or blag herself 4 feeds a day

nik52wrx

Our English Mastiff gets fed at 7:30am and again at around 5pm.

Nik.

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

We weigh ours out and they have 2.5K a week each. One chicken leg in the morning and a chunk & veg of an evening...

GazTheHat

We have to be careful with bloat, being a giant breed, so feed at least an hour before or after exercise. We're half way to using the BARF diet.

He's only 9m old Alaskan Malamute, (26", 39kg) and gets 2 small lamb bones in the morning, 600g R.C Kibble with a sardine, handful of frozen veg and salmon oil about 5pm and a large lamb bone in the evening, possibly a spine and rack of ribs. We have no set times nor routine.

Some of his bones:


Ma boy! (8 months old here)

Snazy

Awww beauty
Love a mally

Luan Pra bang

English mastiffs are lovely dogs, bet he eats a bit though.

My two rotties get breakfasst in the morning either a couple of eggs on toast or some mackeral fillets. For dinner 600 grams each of raw beef or tripe mince, topped up with some dry food. They still act like they are starving all the time though.

An0n0m0us

Feed my Labrador twice a day, 8am and 8pm plus a bonio for a snack at 2pm. She gets no other treats as I don't want a fat dog and her shape/weight is spot on according to the vet.

Being a Labrador she would eat until she exploded so constant access to food is out of the question.

urban

iTrader: (1)

Once
Is it on a diet?

billythekid

All dogs are different.

But, IME, its "better" to try and feed before a period of inactivity.

I feed my GSD once at about 10am, she then tends to sleep for a couple of hours. I then feed her again at about 6pm. Again, she tends to have a couple of hours in bed after. She is in training at the moment, so her feeds are not that big as she gets quite a lot of food rewards through the day.

I am lucky in that my dog is with me 24/7 so I can feed whenever is best for her really. She is also a bit of a picky eater so she will sometimes refuse her food - esp if she has had a lot of food rewards.

I have 2 other dogs, which will quite frankly eat anything at any time of the day or night. They get fed twice a day also, once at 7am and once at about 5-6pm. That said, my oldest dog is getting on a bit now and she has started to leave her morning feed most days now and she just likes to eat a small feed at the night time. She also sleeps a lot now, probably 23 out of any 24 hour day! So she does not need the food I guess.

Littleted

8am and 5pm eats when he feels like it little Bordier Terrier.

I find the 5pm one helps push the turd along so i dont have to be out as long

just as us Humans are when we have our first Coffee, Unlocks the Dam

bigsinky

cooked dinner once a day about 6pm. might do a stinking raw tripe meal once a fortnight so i dont have to cook for them.

dunx

iTrader: (3)

When I inherited my last two, the vet said three meals a day would be ideal... but that was with the aim of some weight loss.

I managed two meals a day after exercise easily enough. So did the dogs

dunx

P.S. R.I.P. Sam and Lucy.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Once a day, after a 6mile walk, can't remember where i read it but you should not feed for 3/4hours before excersise as it can cause a twisted bowell especially in large dogs.

And feeding after mimics natural behaviour of going out hunting for food then the reward of food.

Mine would eat all day if i left enough tasty food out.

David Lock

Thanks for comments. Seems like twice a day is more common which makes sense to me. Our Cavalier is nearly 14 which is old for her breed so we have to watch her weight as she has the usual Cavalier heart murmur. Sleeps most of the time but gets up at around 5.30 in the morning wanting to go out

Just for interest I have a mate who breeds Sturgeon and gives his Collie good quality fish food pellets with his food. These contain fish oil which is fantastic for a healthy coat, really noticeable. Also great for dog training.

david

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I used to feed my dog in the morning and at night, but she would leave the food all day, so now I just give her one meal a day .. she seems ok and is a good size.

Littleted

dogs will eat anything, i feel like im doing him justice when i feed him my steak or tuna, but then hell go out and scoff some Horse **** or an old bird.

Basics are they eat anything.

Mine gets Royal canin or James Wellbeloved and some meat at tea if hes been a good lad and not dribbled his ***** Juice on my sofa

Ted

Carlh

i feed mine twice a day, fairly small dogs, feed em at 6am then at 6pm plus they get treats through the day and a nice walk which gets their appetite going

oobyJu

iTrader: (2)

starve them and they'll beg and scavenge so feed them when you eat, if often then smaller amount at least twice a day, no-one's in a good mood when they're hungry human or not

Jaybird-UK

2 Labradors, they get fed twice a day (12pm and 6pm) on James Wellbeloved

Markus

Lily (black lab) used to have breakfast (7am) lunch (noon) and dinner (6pm), but a few years back we switched to only breakfast and lunch due to the vet indicating she could / should shed a little bit of weight. She is fed Orijen Senior Dog food (she's 9) and seems to enjoy it.
She also has two Zuke's Hip Action Glucosamine "treats" a day.

mart360

Never feed the scrawny mutt


Oops i just remembered, i dont have a dog



Mart

PaulC72

Our lab gets fed twice a day too, she used to have the scraps too but as she is now getting on she has piled on some weight so it has not been cut out.

She still runs round like a nutter and would eat everything in sight if let to it.