# Feed four-month old twice a day??



## HankGSD (Oct 28, 2010)

Today the vet said I can be feeding my 4-month old twice a day instead of three times a day. I thought I had to wait until he was 6 months. Could others tell me when you transitioned from three times a day to twice daily? My pup weighs 46 pounds. Thanks!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I fed my GSD puppy 3 times a day until he was 6-7 months old


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I put my pup on two meals a day at 4 months(rawfed) and had to give him a midnight snack or he'd barf bile in the early morning hours. 
If possible, stay with three meals for a while longer...growth spurts happen during the start of teething then wane off til 7 months so maybe at 6 months would be the best time to back it down to 2 meals.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

I STILL feed both my dogs three times a day. And I will continue to do so for the rest of their lives. It's convenient for me, and I prefer to feed smaller meals.

Did your vet give you a reason why he thinks you should go to two meals/day?


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Good_Karma said:


> *I STILL feed both my dogs three times a day. And I will continue to do so for the rest of their lives.* It's convenient for me, and *I prefer to feed smaller meals.*
> 
> Did your vet give you a reason why he thinks you should go to two meals/day?


It reduces the chance of bloat


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## BellaBaloo (Dec 28, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> I put my pup on two meals a day at 4 months(rawfed) and had to give him a midnight snack or he'd barf bile in the early morning hours.
> If possible, stay with three meals for a while longer...growth spurts happen during the start of teething then wane off til 7 months so maybe at 6 months would be the best time to back it down to 2 meals.


Not to change the OP topic but this caught my eye, is this early morning bile barfing thing normal? My 5 mo old girl Bella does this probably 2 mornings a week now, gag, gag, then nothing except maybe a tiny bit of bile. It used to be more frequent but becoming less now, maybe I should try a late night snack?


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

BellaBaloo said:


> Not to change the OP topic but this caught my eye, is this early morning bile barfing thing normal? My 5 mo old girl Bella does this probably 2 mornings a week now, gag, gag, then nothing except maybe a tiny bit of bile. It used to be more frequent but becoming less now, maybe I should try a late night snack?


Yes, usually when they throw up some bile it means that their tummy is empty and they are hungry.

I would try a late night snack.


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## BellaBaloo (Dec 28, 2010)

LaRen616 said:


> Yes, usually when they throw up some bile it means that their tummy is empty and they are hungry.
> 
> I would try a late night snack.


Awe wish I would have known this. I will start on that pronto! Thank you!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

BellaBaloo said:


> Awe wish I would have known this. I will start on that pronto! Thank you!


When my GSD was old enough to be ok with 2 meals a day I started feeding him at 5am and 5pm and I make sure that he doesn't exercise 1 hour before and 1 hour after each meal.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

LaRen616 said:


> It reduces the chance of bloat


LaRen, I'm a blonde and easily confused. Did you mean to say the smaller meals reduce bloat or the two meals a day reduces bloat?


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Good_Karma said:


> LaRen, I'm a blonde and easily confused. Did you mean to say the smaller meals reduce bloat or the two meals a day reduces bloat?


Feeding 3 times a day, smaller meals, reduces the chance of bloat. 

You are doing a great thing.

I am blonde too. :crazy:


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## HankGSD (Oct 28, 2010)

I am also blonde. LOL

The vet and I were discussing the amount of food I should be feeding him from the standpoint that it seems like the recommendations on the bag are always on the very high end. Hank is very big boned (46 lbs. but looks very lean). He is from a large line that average over 100 lbs. as adults. This being my first shepherd, I am a little insecure about just about everything. He is eating 3 cups 3x a day right now and I was worried that was not enough, but since he tends toward loose stool I am also afraid of overfeeding. 

Anyway, the vet's opinion was that as a large breed he only needs two meals per day at this point. I guess I am comfortable with our current schedule (6 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and between 9 and 11 p.m. depending on my work schedule.) I am just curious about how other shepherd owners have fed their pups at this stage.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

I also feed puppies three times a day until about six months or until they start getting a little chunky and you have to start limiting their food.

If your dog is too thin, he needs more calories. If you can't feed more of the food he's on, you need to either feed more often or find a different food that you can get more calories in him. 

The loose stool equals overfeeding does not apply in most cases unless you are grossly overfeeding and you have an overweight dog or the dog is intolerant of something in that food like fat or fiber.


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## GSDgirlAL (Jan 4, 2008)

I also fed mine 3 times a day until they were 6 months old. But, that's only b/c I was able to do so. If I were to have a puppy now I would not be able to do that since coming home for lunch isn't always an option.


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