# When to change from 2 feedings/day to 1?



## slefferd (Jan 11, 2011)

At what age do you change from 2 smaller feeding a day to 1 larger one?

I am feeding TOTW Bison to a 17 week old GSD male, who is right on track with a starndard growth chart.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

It is alot healthier for a dog to get 2 or 3 meals a day.

Some dogs get sick from only eating one large bowl of food a day.

It also increases the chance of bloat if they only consume one large bowl of food a day, it is better to feed smaller meals 2 or 3 times a day.

Besides, would you like to eat only once a day?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would stay with two meals a day for the life of the dog. It is easier on the digestion when they aren't empty for too long. You may see yellow bile barf if the gut isn't digesting something.
That and the chance of bloat from a larger portion is increased.
My pup was on 3 meals a day til about 16 weeks, then we went to am and pm meals.


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## slefferd (Jan 11, 2011)

thanks for the info. I guess i'll just stay at twice a day then. I was under the impression that I was to switch him to daily after he was "full grown" Twice a day is nice because he poops in the morning and at night, and thats it. We feed 2 cups at 8am and 2 cups at 5pm


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Another vote for 2 meals for ever. It doesn't mean that some days the dog can have only one, but on a day to day basis it has many advantages.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I like to feed my dogs twice a day (for obvious health reasons, see above) but also because I work out of the home and may be gone 8 or 9 hours a day. Before I leave the house I can assess that everyone is feeling well and eating. If someone refuses their breakfast I know my day is no longer a routine day.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

It's also good to have a schedule. 

I feed at 5am and 5pm every day.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

LaRen616 said:


> It's also good to have a schedule.
> 
> I feed at 5am and 5pm every day.


True! And my doing this they are so spoiled they know when it's feeding time! Nothing like being hounded by hungry dogs all chanting "HURRY! HURRY! HURRY!"


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## RockinIt (Jan 29, 2011)

Haha...my neighbor has a lab puppy that I dogsit for sometimes. When it's meal time they always say "Moose, it's 4:30." When the neighbor grew up their dog's evening feed time was at 4:30 and his parents would always tell him "it's 4:30 go feed the dog". The dog figured out "it's 4:30" means time for food so the neighbor just kept saying it. Haha. My dogs are starting to pick up on it too now.


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## Todd (Sep 6, 2004)

LaRen616 said:


> It's also good to have a schedule.
> 
> I feed at 5am and 5pm every day.


Holy smokes, I thought we were early risers :laugh: We usually start the morning walk a little after 5 and go for a 6 and 6 schedule.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

when my dog was a pup he had 3 meals a day ( a cup at
at each meal with something added to his kibble). i actually forget
when we started 2 meals a day.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I feed adults two meals a day. 16 week old pups get three.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Stark is a 1 meal a day dog - not by my choice though.

He eats late a night so that he is at rest while his food digests.

I have an extremely picky eater here, just not interested in food and so after almost 2 years of trying things have finally worked it out so that he will eat once per day (will go days without eating).

If your dog will eat more than once per day, I perfer feeding 2 times per day (morning and night), for puppies under 5 months I try to do 3 smaller meals.


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## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

I do 2 meals a day. Madix will yack bile if he doesn't have something in his stomach on a timely basis.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

Another vote for 2 meals a day. For all of the obvious reasons that have been stated and also because how would you like to only eat once a day.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

DharmasMom said:


> Another vote for 2 meals a day. For all of the obvious reasons that have been stated and also because how would you like to only eat once a day.


I wouldn't but some dogs do - I have one.

I have one that won't eat for 2-3 days some times - his choice, definitely not mine. 

Just saying.


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

I do one feeding a day, Max is epi, giving a double dose of viokase will put me in the poor house, all 3 eat late in the evening, one thing I have noticed is they tend to gain a bit more weight with a single feeding


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