# Only eating once a day..



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

It could be the heat or it could be that he just isn't hungry during the day but Stark has been only eating once per day lately (the last week or so).

He will eat the whole 2lbs of food (both meals) in one meal which takes about a half hour to an hour. I let him eat his breakfast then he will whine or won't leave the crate until I give him his dinner.

He usually starts to get hungry around 8 or 9 at night. 

He is extremely active and his poops are fine.

I put him in the crate 2 times per day for meal times (once at 9am and again around 7-8) for about a half hour each time but in the AM he just doesn't eat it.

He is not really a "foodie" so I don't like the idea of taking his food away because he really will not eat for the whole day.

Anyone else have a puppy who eats once a day or isn't "into" food?

Usually all my dogs and cats are food motivated, but Stark doesn't seem to be.


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

You may want to fast him or only give him the half amount to get him back on a feeding schedule.He may be eating too much at night and not being that active giving it's night he isn't hungry in the AM.Mine occasionally do that like today they haven't eaten breakfast yet.I never double up in the PM though.
Good luck.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I have only been doing that because he is fairly active during the day as we go for a swim and hike almost daily, plus our morning and nightly walk and our doggy play dates (both while swimming and at night after our walk).

I just worry that he wouldn't be getting enough with all of the excerisde he is getting.

While I was at work today he ate his late morning (around 11 o'clock) breakfast with my sister. And when I got home at around 7 he ate his dinner. YAY! It was cooler today so I don't know if this has anything to do with it but there seems to be a pattern. He only eats when it is cool outside (we have an airconditioner but it has been VERY hot outside the past week or so (when this habit started) so our apartment has been hot as well.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I find that I never can "tell" my dogs what they should be eating. I usually take a look at what they are actually eating and then divide it up between 2 meals.

I put it down and if they don't eat it, it gets pulled up. I then offer the other half at the 2nd meal. I don't add in what wasn't eaten. 

Anka was never really into food when she was small. And there were times she refused to eat in the morning...but I usually let her weight be my guide. She likes to be skinny, she starts to fast whenever she starts to get a teeny bit fat. So I watch her weight and feed accordingly. And she skipped a meal- Oh well- She must not have needed it. Now she gets very excited for feeding. 

This attitude in feeding will also help build your dog's food drive. If they learn that they need to eat when you put it down or they might not get it, it makes food more important. If they get to decide when they eat and how much you can create a picky eater and decrease the food drive.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Thanks so much!


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## meisha98 (Aug 27, 2008)

Lainey doesn't always eat her breakfast and beau will eat both servings. If she doesn't eat it, I'll throw a cup of dry in the corner of her crate as if it is treats and she'll eat it. I don't want her skipping meals as she is growing and active also. When her stomach is empty she has a tendancy to throw up bile which isn't good either. Especially when her brother shows her how to munch on greens outside which he does every so often.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

That's what I am worried about.

He is just SO ACTIVE and is always on the go. We do daily hiking and swimming, plus we have a nightly playdate with 3 Goldens and a Husky for about an hour. He is very busy.. Haha. Even in the house I sometimes have to put him in his crate for a nap still.

I would rather him eat all at one time (well, spaced out with in an hours time) then only half of his meal.

Maybe if he was older I wouldn't be so concerned but with only being 18 weeks, teething, and being a busy-body, I would rather him eat both in a closed amount of time than just give him one half of his needed daily amounts.

We will see how things go as the days progress. He ate his breakfast again this morning and his dinner tonight so maybe it was just because his teeth/gums were bothering him? Who knows.. I'll watch him and see.


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## Hagar (Jun 15, 2009)

My guy has been skipping his Am meal or just picking at it as well. He is gaining weight, but looks thin to me and I too get concerned when meals are skipped. I try and add some meat scraps at night so he polishes off at least one meal. I just hope that he isn't getting smart and holding out for the "goods". He is at the vet today so I am going to ask them what they think. I always have had dogs with such a high food drive that this is odd for us as well.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Well, I brought Stark to the vet yesterday just to be weighed (you can do this without an appointment - got that idea from another members post) and he weighed in at 48lbs (my scale was off by 4+lbs). He is 18, almost 19 weeks old and has gained about 3lbs a week since our last vet visit a month ago.

I think that is pretty normal so my concern has diminished a bit.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Just an update - 

Stark ate his TWO meals today. One in the AM before we went to the lake and another tonight.. YAY!

Maybe it was just a phase? I don't know but he is back on his normal eating schedule.

Thanks again everyone!


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## meisha98 (Aug 27, 2008)

Good to hear!


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## Sushant Sasan (Mar 20, 2020)

My 2.5 years old male GSD was never food driven. When I found him by a street, he was around 3-3.5 weeks old. I bought the puppy starter food of Royal Canin Maxi with the mother's milk replacer Samolac. He never ate anything and I had to bottle feed him. He didnt have any suckling reflexes either so I had to force feed him. Now, at 70 lbs, he still eats once every 2 days in winters and once in every 3 days or so in summers as it gets super hot in India in summers with the temp. reaching above 46 degrees celcius at the daytime. He has no appetite for dog food. He just loves chicken and eggs. He throws up bile if he doesnt eat on the previous night. Suggestions anybody???


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## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

Sushant Sasan said:


> My 2.5 years old male GSD was never food driven. When I found him by a street, he was around 3-3.5 weeks old. I bought the puppy starter food of Royal Canin Maxi with the mother's milk replacer Samolac. He never ate anything and I had to bottle feed him. He didnt have any suckling reflexes either so I had to force feed him. Now, at 70 lbs, he still eats once every 2 days in winters and once in every 3 days or so in summers as it gets super hot in India in summers with the temp. reaching above 46 degrees celcius at the daytime. He has no appetite for dog food. He just loves chicken and eggs. He throws up bile if he doesnt eat on the previous night. Suggestions anybody???


This thread is 11 years old and not of the previous comments are from active members. You would get better results posting a new thread of your own.


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