# 1 meal a day vs 2 meals a day.



## HayleyMarie (Jul 6, 2011)

Im trying to decided If I want to switch Teagan to 1 meal a day instead of 2. I usually end up feeding her around 11 Am and then in the evening depending when I get home between 7-8:30PM.

What do you guys pefer and what are the pro's and con's?


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

If I just had rebel, we would have been doing that a long time ago - only one meal preparation and you can feed them alot more at one time. To me, once a day would be perfect.

But since we have Snorkels they eat three times a day. So Rebel gets two very small meals and one big one.


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## CoverTune (Dec 20, 2011)

I have a small dog, and a tiny dog... I would not feel comfortable at all only feeding once per day, so I feed twice.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

CoverTune said:


> I have a small dog, and a tiny dog... I would not feel comfortable at all only feeding once per day, so I feed twice.


I am afraid if I skipped a meal my dog would bark me to death as she knows when it's time to eat and doesn't shut up until I feed her. It's really the only time she barks.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

All of mine, aside from baby Keeva, are fed once a day. Everyone does great with it, Brody and Dixi are actually happier as they get more per feeding. (Brody only gets 6oz and Dixi 10oz.)


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

I had duke on 2 meals a day purely because thats what I'd always had him on, until my brothers dog moved in and he was only fed once a day, so I just started feeding duke once a day. No slow switching, reducing one meal and increasing the other etc, just skipped breakfast one morning and fed him double at night. He seems fine with it lol

I like it because I can get more variety into one meal (sometimes one cut of meat or bone would equal one meal, so he only gets one protein in that meal) and can give him a better ratio of bone and meat in one meal. But really it doesnt matter coz he would've averaged out over the day anyway. Really its just easier because I only have to feed him once, and its easier when things are frozen in odd weights, dont have to split up packages coz I can usually weigh out things that come close enough to his meal size anyway.


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

CoverTune said:


> I have a small dog, and a tiny dog... I would not feel comfortable at all only feeding once per day, so I feed twice.


I agree, mostly if the dog weights under ten pounds. :wink:

When Pompadour (8 pounds) gets picky and refuses to eat a meal, this happens if he smells something yummy like a tamale or fried chicken before or while he is eating.

So he skips a meal but in the next day at morning he starts to puke bile wit foam and he seeks desperate for food.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

I feed twice a day, my pug would kill me if I didnt lol


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Everyone here eats once a day - even my teeny tiny, Dixie. She is about 10 pounds


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Liz said:


> Everyone here eats once a day - even my teeny tiny, Dixie. She is about 10 pounds


And my teeny-teeny-tiny Dixi is only 8.5lbs and will refuse to eat more then once a day!:wink: (Brody would LOVE to eat more then once a day....but only if that meant getting more then 2-3oz per meal!HAHAHAHA)


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## CoverTune (Dec 20, 2011)

You guys don't KNOW teeny tiny.. Corona is 3.6lbs, lol.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

two meals a day here. i like it that way. and there are no hunger pukes between my pillows the next day.

as kat said ....with a pug, i'd really have to sleep with one eye open....he'd actually prefer ten meals a day. two is the compromise.

malia i don't think would care except she is older now....so it works...


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I feed once per day for several reasons: 

1) I can feed larger RMBs and chunks of meat that my dogs HAVE to chew up to be able to swallow.

2) Larger portions once per day makes less work/time for me, and more mental stimulation as well as dental benefit for them. 

3) I like randomizing feeding times so my dogs don't ever get used to eating at any particular time of day. Feeding once per day makes it easier to be random. 

If I had dogs that weighed less than 8 pounds I would feed twice per day due to hypoglycemia risks. Any dog that weighs more than that is really large enough to handle once per day feedings.


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## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

...I feed four times a day. :shocked:


It's a temporary thing - it allows me to feed my dogs 4% of their projected adult weight without causing uncontrollable cannon butt.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

I only have one dog and feed twice a day. One boney meal and one boneless. I also don't go out to work so it's no problem for me. He also gets a small treat at bed time after he's been out for a pee like a bullystick or piece of cheese.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

I feed two meals a day. Rocky will NOT eat a big meal at once and will walk away half finished, so they get one slightly bigger meal in the morning and a smallish meal at night. This works fine for me because I've had two Chows die from bloat so I am paranoid about feeding Chows big meals anyway. If he won't eat a lot at once, that is fine by me! 

Plus, Shade would snarf up anything Rocky would leave behind if I fed any big meals.


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

Since Buster isn't even quite 4 months old he still eats 3x a day. Once he turns 6 months old he will go to 2x. I will keep him there because he is a Toy Fox Terrier and won't weigh over 8 lbs. I also feed Lola 2x a day and she will be 9 months old next week. She is a small JRT at 9lbs and I will keep her at 2x a day too. Sometimes I will make one of her meals significantly larger than the other but still feed a bit for the other meal.


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## Amy18 (May 17, 2011)

Lex is 5.5lbs and I feed twice a day too. Although i'd love the convenience of feeding once per day her tiny tummy can't handle it. Too much food in there at once and she pukes it back up, on top of that she'd probably get hunger pukes the next morning.


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## brandypup (Jan 23, 2012)

I feed once in the morning. Then I give a small snack at night. It helped alot with the potty at night issues we were having.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

I just feed once a day in the evenings because that seems to be the only time any of them are hungry. But I have two exceptions. 1) Our puppy Shadow. He eats two or three times a day because he's, well a puppy. And 2) deer season. Other than organs, they pretty much have large cuts of venison around the yard 24/7. Then they are really never hungry having something available all the time. But then after deer season and the venison is gone, its back to normal protein rotation and a feeding schedule.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

When I start PMR, I'm going to start on two meals a day. My dogs have always ate two meals a day on kibble. When they don't get it, they act deprived and hungry. But it is somthing I want to work towards, feeding one meal a day.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

We feed once a day. For all the reasons Natalie stated. We also gorge and fast almost once a week, where one day they eat double, and the next day they eat nothing. But, we have big dogs. 
Griffin is still on two means per day, but probably going to one here shortly, he just weighs next to nothing, tiny Corgi man.


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## xchairity_casex (Oct 8, 2011)

i fed once per day in the afternoon if i cut that into two portions i think Cesar would go INSANE begging for more and more food if i feed one big meal per day he seems like he doesnt feel cheated or somthing lol and doesnt beg as much


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

I feed twice a day because of Lily's eating disorder from her days on the street. She would go nuts eating only once a day and its all mental. If it were just Scoutini I probably would do once a day in order to be able to randomize feedings and avoid hunger pukes.


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## CoverTune (Dec 20, 2011)

CorgiPaws said:


> We feed once a day. For all the reasons Natalie stated. We also gorge and fast almost once a week, where one day they eat double, and the next day they eat nothing. But, we have big dogs.
> Griffin is still on two means per day, but probably going to one here shortly, he just weighs next to nothing, tiny Corgi man.


This is totally OT, so I apologize, but I just have to say that I LOVE your avatar pic of your Corgi man! Ridiculously adorable!


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## OnyxDog (Jun 15, 2011)

I feed once a day. If I fed twice a day, I wouldn't be able to feed them meals that are large enough to give them a good workout. The dachshunds seem to handle it just fine. Treasure weighs about 13 lbs, and Amp is about 10.5.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

OnyxDog said:


> I feed once a day. If I fed twice a day, I wouldn't be able to feed them meals that are large enough to give them a good workout. The dachshunds seem to handle it just fine. Treasure weighs about 13 lbs, and Amp is about 10.5.


Those are fantastic photos of them eating. I am quite partial to doxies and Rocky has incredible eyes.

And I agree about the Corgi! I know I can't have one, but that photo makes me want one.


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