# Feeding GSD once a day?



## aldin777 (Jan 27, 2015)

I've started feeding my GSD once a day when he was 1 year old, is it okay to do that?


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

I suspect that it probably is. I feed twice a day. One reason is I am trying to avoid bloat. Not sure if twice a day feeding really makes a difference or not with that. 

The other reason is that it helps keep my pup more engaged. He has his breakfast and then in the early evening we play some kind of feeding game. Lately I've put his food in several little bowls around the house and he brings me the empty bowls when he is done. This helps him settle down for the night.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Delgado eats 4 cups a day, not something I'd personally be comfortable feeding in one shot. I prefer splitting the meal in half and feeding twice a day

My main concern would be bloat


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

I feed my dog raw and once a day with no issues.


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## Ace GSD (May 30, 2014)

Mine is 10.5 months now but why is he always hungry like a mad dog ?? is it food drive ? or acid ?


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

Ky eats once a day ... raw fed ... her choice ... when she was around 8 months she simply quit eating her breakfast ... after three days of not wanting to eat, I stopped trying ... I feed late at night (9 or 10 pm) so there's no "exercise" going on afterwards.


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## Waffle Iron (Apr 3, 2012)

I usually feed twice a day, morning and night. They both always eat breakfast, dinner most of the time. If they're not hungry, then I save it for the next day.


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## Ace GSD (May 30, 2014)

Ace GSD said:


> Mine is 10.5 months now but why is he always hungry like a mad dog ?? is it food drive ? or acid ?


He need to eat 4 times a day cause he beg like crazy


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## Augustine (Nov 22, 2014)

I don't really see why people feed only once a day unless the dog shows you that *they* only want to eat once a day, but if your dog seems happy, healthy, and not starving, then I think it's fine.


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## aldin777 (Jan 27, 2015)

Thanks for advices, I've never had a problem with feeding him once a day, so I will continue in that way, but I will split his meal in two parts...


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Kyleigh said:


> Ky eats once a day ... raw fed ... her choice ... when she was around 8 months she simply quit eating her breakfast ... after three days of not wanting to eat, I stopped trying ... I feed late at night (9 or 10 pm) so there's no "exercise" going on afterwards.


Thats a good idea... Its been a fight to get two cups into Fritz for the past two days... Maybe time to switch to once a day...


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

Augustine said:


> I don't really see why people feed only once a day unless the dog shows you that *they* only want to eat once a day, but if your dog seems happy, healthy, and not starving, then I think it's fine.


Because it works. My dog would eat multiple meals a day if offered. He does well on once and it works for me.

They do well to fast occasionally as well.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

I have always fed 3X per day up to about 5-6 months old then down to 2 X per day for the rest of their life.


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## rjstrotz (Jan 16, 2014)

*1xday w/ doggy treats in b/t*

When my dogs turn one and one-half, I feed them once a day around 4 PM.
In the a.m. they get doggy treats, including dog biscuits with natural
(no sugar, no preservatives) peanut butter or almond butter
spread on the biscuits (no more than three to four biscuits between
7 a.m and 4p.m.)
They are well nourished and happy. They are lean but not skinny.


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## DixieGSD (Aug 22, 2012)

Dixie really eat's once a day, in the evening. But that's her preference, she doesn't eat in the morning, I give her a little apple with peanut butter tho. That's probably why she doesn't want her food in the am's lol


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

Mine would eat 10x a day...he is always hungry. I'm currently feeding 6 cups a day, split in 2. On days when he is getting more exercise than normal, he gets more food.


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## Mikelia (Aug 29, 2012)

I feed raw once a day. When I fed kibble I also fed it once a day, but I always soaked it. My dogs would eat all day if I let them, but they have always done great on one meal a day, and it works for me. I also feed at bedtime so there is zero activity after eating.


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## Christieb24 (Nov 11, 2014)

aldin777 said:


> I've started feeding my GSD once a day when he was 1 year old, is it okay to do that?


I have a 4 and a half month old GSD . He eats raw so I feed him 3 times a day right now. At 6 months I will switch him to twice a day. He is like most puppies and would eat all day if I let him


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I used to feed mine twice a day. But, the way the act so darn crazy while I am feeding, if they were going to bloat, they would've done it by now. I think that it is genetic, or some lines are more prone to bloat because of their structure. In any case, if I was concerned with bloat, I would break it up. Right now, my nine month olds and above are eating once a day. My 5 month olds still get two meals.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I feed 2x's a day(rawfed). I am not concerned about bloat so much as not having bile barf from empty gut. 
I don't see any reason NOT to give a meal am and pm. Feeding only one meal a day would be hard on the dogs, IMO. 
Especially as they are pretty active.


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## KentuckyFenway (Jul 27, 2014)

I've always had issues with mine getting an upset stomach and hurling bile all over everything if they go too long on an empty stomach. I usually feed them right before work (11 a.m. ish) and about an hour after I get home (9 p.m. ish) and they do pretty well except the occasional upset tummy. I don't think my personal dogs could do once a day.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

There is ZERO scientific correlation between any kind of feeding schedule/food type and bloat. There is no evidence of any kind that feeding once a day vs. 2 times a day will increase or decrease your chances.

Sadly, we just don't know WHAT if any predisposing factors there may be outside of conformation and probably genetics.

I've always fed once a day because I'm lazy. That's the honest truth. I work 12 hour overnight graveyard shifts. I sleep very weird, very random hours. Once a day feeding works best for my schedule, but there are always the biscuits first thing after I wake up, and the training treats, etc... Puppies, ESPECIALLY toy breeds, need to eat 2-3 times a day at least, toy breeds really need to eat 3-4 times a day as young pups. But my little pom mix now handles the once a day schedule just fine.

If a dog is vomiting bile, then obviously feeding schedules need to be changed. Luckily knock on wood we've never had that problem.


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## Zeusthegsd143 (Nov 24, 2014)

My boys eat 2 maybe 3 times a day depending. But I think 1 time is too little.


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