Question about feeding dog

So we were completely overfeeding Murray. We would just leave his dish full and he would graze throughout the day. But now since I have Diesel , I cannot leave Murrays food out bc Diesel is allergic.

So - Diesel only eats once a day. I guess this is normal! My question is if he only eats a little bit of the food should I pick it up after 20 min and thats it for the day? He doesnt get to eat again until the next day?

He doesnt get table food b/c of his allergies so he can only snack on carrots throughout the day.

What does everyone else do?

Re: Question about feeding dog

We have a really organized feeding schedule. Brinkley knows it by heart and will sit and stare at us, waiting.

At 6:00am and at 5:00pm, he goes to his "spot" and sits or lays down. It's about 5 feet away from his bowls. He's only 63 pounds which is perfect for his size. We feed 1 1/2 cups in the morning and 1 cup at night.

After reading horror stories about bloat, we decided to soften his food and prevent him from eating too fast from the very beginning. We soak his food for 5 minutes in water. When it's time, we put his Kong in the middle of his bowl and put it down on the floor. Only when we say "ok, go" will he start to eat. The Kong prevents him from wolfing it down, he works around it. When he's done, we wash the Kong and the bowl and put them away. He knows he has to catch as catch can, and as long as we're controlling the food, he won't overeat and we'll keep his bathroom habits on schedule too. (5:50am, 11:30am and 6:30pm)

I've thought about this - what we're going to do when we have 2 dogs. Unless we have a problem where one steals the other's food, I want to train the 2nd dog to do the same thing. If we do have a problem, I would feed one first, remove the bowl, and then feed the other.

Re: Question about feeding dog

we have a yorkie and a boston terrier. we feed them the same food (dry mixed with wet) and once a day at 6:30. in the morning i give them a snack. they know when it's time to eat and if i dont feed them right after walking them after work, the yorkie will bark at me til i do.

Re: Question about feeding dog

If that is what his previous owners were doing, then I guess go with that? Seems sad to me though, not being able to eat again later on.

I used to leave my dogs food out all day and they would nibble here and there (they don't overeat, barely eat in fact). Now with DD< I have been taking the food away and putting it out for like an hr in the am and 2 hrs in the pm.

Re: Question about feeding dog

I forgot to mention, we also give him a snack at 9pm, usually an apple or a banana, so he doesn't have an empty stomach all night. We were having issues with early morning vomiting and 'empty stomach syndrome'.

Re: Question about feeding dog

I have a yorkie, I feed him wet food in the am and in the PM, like 1/3 of a can. And leave his dry food out all day. He nibbles here and there.

How about putting the food out twice a day instead of just once

Re: Question about feeding dog

I personally like the idea of two feedings a day better. I would spilt up the food you are feeding once a day into two feedings. Whatever you are comfortable with though.

Re: Question about feeding dog

I have a Boston. He eats 1/2 cup of dry food in the morning and a cup of dry food at night.

We find that in the summer he's not very interested in eating so we let him free feed... basically he wouldn't finish his breakfast so we would leave it down for him and just add a little bit to it during dinnertime. Whenever it starts to get a little cooler out he's automatically back to his morning and evening feedings. He sometimes will get a snack after dinner... maybe a cookie, or some cheese or some leftover veggies from our dinner.

Re: Question about feeding dog

i think i am going to do twice a day and split it.

Re: Question about feeding dog

Re: Question about feeding dog

Maddie gets fed twice a day and sorta twice at each feeding - she gets one cup at a time put in her bowl usually about 30 mins to an hour apart per session (2 cups total in the AM and 2 cups total in the PM).


When we had three dogs, Hershey was fed in the kitchen (she ate a mix of wet & dry most of the time and when she was just with me (before we lived with DH), I just left dry food out in her bowl all the time and she ate it when she wanted and usually when I got home from work, I added wet food). Max & Bailey ate in another room at the same time but we had to watch them because Max was food obsessed from all the time he spent in the shelter. As far as timing, when it was all three - it was AM & PM feedings as well.

Re: Question about feeding dog

Message edited 10/15/2009 2:29:54 PM.

Re: Question about feeding dog

Re: Question about feeding dog

we feed both dogs twice a day... we had issues with the dogs in the beginning since my golden was HUGE and so they eat different amounts... we tried once a day but my black lab then would toss his cookies in the middle of the night if he went too long on an empty stomach... nicely they have declared their own sides when we feed them so they know which bowl to go to.. my black lab used to graze but learned real quick that if he doesnt eat it then he will have no food for the day