how often to feed 1 year old dog

[kailaq]

hi guys. i was just wondering, how often do you feed your dogs? i have a 1 year old pug/jack russell mix and we feed him twice a day - once at 8am and again at 5:30pm. i find that he eats a lot at 5:30pm but hardly touches his food at 8am. the other day, my brother fed him his breakfast at almost 10am and he devoured it and when we tried feeding him again at around 6pm - he wouldn't eat anything, he just sniffed his food and turned his nose at it. we don't give him any treats at all and he is walked three times a day and spends a good chunk of the day running around in the backyard. i used to feed him 3x a day until he turned 6 months and then twice a day after that.

my brother and my mom both suggested that we only feed him once a day but i'm not sure if that's healthy? how often should i be feeding my 1 year old dog?

[Mrs.K]

All three of my dogs get fed twice a day. The youngest is 7 months old, she gets two cups of Orijen 6 fish in the morning (I usually add fruits or veggies, kefir etc.) and two cups in the evening.

My other bitch gets half a cup in the morning and half a cup in the evening (add veggies, kefir, etc.)

My male gets two cups in the morning, two cups in the evening (add veggies, fruits, kefir etc.)

[DJEtzel]

Both of mine get fed twice a day as well. I find it easier to maintain their burned calories, especially with an overweight beagle.

They both devour their food at both meals, so I've never had a problem.

Perhaps you're feeding too much and he just doesn't want it because he doesn't need it?

[Jacksons Mom]

Jackson has never been a big eater in the mornings. I went back and forth with feeding twice or once a day. I even started a thread here about it. He's about 15lbs. Lately, I've been giving him less in the morning and mix it with a little wet food, and then he eats it right up. I give him a little less than 1/4 cup of kibble in the AM, and about a teaspoon of wet food, then I put a little water in it, mix it up, and he goes to town. Dinner-time (usually 6pm) he gets a bit more, but he gets between 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup a day. I base it on his activity level for the day.

[kailaq]

thanks guys for all your help. i actually might try feeding him less in the morning and more at night. we'll see how that goes. hopefully it'll work. i also just found out that my grandma has been adding rice to his food, its an old filipino thing she believes that no meal is complete without rice and i guess the same goes for dogs.. in your opinions, how much of a difference would the rice make in his appetite?

[lil_fuzzy]

I have noticed my one year old doesn't eat all that much in the morning either, but today when I for various reasons had to delay feeding her by an hour and a half (there was poo and vomit everywhere, from one of the cats not feeling well, and I had to clean all that up first to prevent the dog from rolling in it/eating it) she ate it all. Normally when I feed her earlier she will leave some, but she usually eats it all at night.

So yeah, either feed less in the morning and more at night, or delay the morning feed a bit.

I haven't noticed any difference in apetite when I use a food that has rice in it..

[kailaq]

Lately, I've been giving him less in the morning and mix it with a little wet food, and then he eats it right up. I give him a little less than 1/4 cup of kibble in the AM, and about a teaspoon of wet food, then I put a little water in it, mix it up, and he goes to town.

i followed this to the letter this morning, also delayed the morning feeding by an hour and a half, and at first he scoffed at it but after about 5 mins, he went back to his bowl and ate it all up. i'm hoping i'm not jinxing it by getting happy and excited but i'm glad it worked. *cross fingers* that he'll eat it all up at dinner time too!

[STPFAN]

Under a year twice a day...over a year, once a day!

[lil_fuzzy]

Under a year twice a day...over a year, once a day!

Most experts and food manufacturers actually recommend twice a day now. And puppies need to eat 3 times a day, so that statement isn't really accurate.

[DJEtzel]

Most experts and food manufacturers actually recommend twice a day now. And puppies need to eat 3 times a day, so that statement isn't really accurate.

That's a very broad, vague statement that is not necessarily accurate either. Food manufacturers can recommend whatever they like, but what's best for your dog may prove otherwise. Just look at a feeding guide on the back of any bag of food.

My puppy does NOT need to eat three times a day, and wouldn't if I offered it. Perhaps STP is stating his protocol for dogs that he's had and what's worked for him.

Remember, what works for one might not work for the other.

[lil_fuzzy]

True, I was going by what some of the higher quality foods recommend that I have seen. I guess I shouldn't speak for all of them. But I have read things by trainers and experts where they recommend two meals a day.

[DJEtzel]

Yes, two meals a day as adults or adolescence is usually what's recommended as a guidline, but there are just some dogs that it doesn't work for and that won't eat both meals.