# How many times your puppy eats in a day?



## daydreamyr (Feb 23, 2009)

Anna_newbie asked a very good question! Her timing was perfect for me....and i didn't want to interupt her thread......so

I have noticed for the past week or so, Jesse my now 17 week GSD, has stopped eating her morning meal. I was only feeding 2x a day due to my work schedule. Tonight she is too busy playing with Libby and chewing a cow hoof, even though her food has been out for a while. Libby has stopped to eat, but not Jesse. I have always been told that when a dog is hungry they will eat, not allow themselves to "starve". Do I need to be concerned? Normal puppy behavior, and pooping.


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## JeffM (Dec 19, 2005)

Yes, it's normal for a dog to not eat a meal once in a while. Riggs has starting eating only half his morning food for some reason.

As long as they don't stop eating all together.

Personally we give the boys 10 minutes to eat. After that the bowls are taken away.


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## Kayla's Dad (Jul 2, 2007)

As long as there are not too many meals skipped in succession, I wouldn't worry about it. It is real important for you to maintain your schedule and as Jeff stated keep the food available time to a 10-15 minute window.


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## daydreamyr (Feb 23, 2009)

Am doing that. Thank you for the advice. Wanted to make sure that I was still on the right track. I admit that since she wasn't eating, I was leaving it out a little longer (about 20 minutes) but it didn't seem to make any difference anyways. Again, thanks!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would still stick with feeding 2x's a day. It is healthier and you won't get the gorging that could cause bloat when you feed only one time. Maybe try a different flavor of food, change it up? I would hate to eat the same thing day after day.


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## meisha98 (Aug 27, 2008)

Lainey has missed a meal or two and it hasn't hurt her. Sometimes she puts her meal off for a while and eats it later. Depends on the mood. She gets fed twice a day.


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## daydreamyr (Feb 23, 2009)

Kim, do you just leave it out, and she is able to eat when ever she wants to? 

Also, Jane, I want her to eat twice, she just doesn't eat one or other of the meals.......at 17 weeks.....is it OK to add an egg occasionally to change things up. Thought about that.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Jerzey used to be VERY distracted during meal time... she always wanted to play, play, play. The problem got so bad that we actually would put her in her crate to eat that way she would focus on her food. In her crate with no distractions, she ate right away! ... It might be something worth considering. Esp. with another dog in the house! Anything is more fun that eating!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Absolutely add an egg, or yogurt, canned jack mackarel, sardines, OR a bit of ACV to see if she shuns it(most dogs don't like ACV!) She'll defininately eat the next meal if it doesn't smell like vinegar. 
Kacie will ignore food,too. If she has the other dogs around for competition she will eat readily. Unless it is a turkey neck or chix leg 1/4 then she will take it away and eat it.


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## Sahria (Apr 21, 2009)

My pup seems to eat less on bad teething days, in which case when the food is taken away she gets a frozen carrot or a frozen stuffed kong just to giver her belly a little something.


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