# Poll



## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

Once I start feeding raw I wouldn't mind just feeding once a day. However I don't know how well my lab would do with that. Patches, my BC, proabably would love to eat once a day she always acts like it is a chore to eat.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

I feed once a day, it is easier on me to just prep the 5 meals once a day(kitties share 2 meals a day and Keeva eats 2x per day as she is only 4.5 months old, but I only prep once a day.)

It is easier on Brody(my food driven puggie, and eater of only 6 oz.) as he can have his whole 6oz be one chunk of meat.)


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

Scarlett_O' said:


> I feed once a day, it is easier on me to just prep the 5 meals once a day(kitties share 2 meals a day and Keeva eats 2x per day as she is only 4.5 months old, but I only prep once a day.)
> 
> *It is easier on Brody(my food driven puggie, and eater of only 6 oz.) as he can have his whole 6oz be one chunk of meat*.)


I think it would be easier for Patches too because she will only get 4oz to start off with. Then she will be getting 8oz at 2% of her body weight. I suppose I could split that in half. Maybe I could feed Emma twice a day and Patch once a day.


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

I feed 2x per day but the morning meal is smaller so they can get a bigger dinner meal.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

lovemydogsalways said:


> I think it would be easier for Patches too because she will only get 4oz to start off with. Then she will be getting 8oz at 2% of her body weight. I suppose I could split that in half. Maybe I could feed Emma twice a day and Patch once a day.


Ya I think the ones who get a smaller amount tend to do better with it(if they aren't too small and have blood sugar issues.). But all of mine(even on the days I feed Kee once a day) do great with it....we are in and out of the kitchen all day long...they follow us, but not any differently then if they were fed 2x per day. I actually find once a day helps chill them out more because they aren't use to eating unless they have either already gone to bed and woken up, or it's getting dark out (depending on that week if I'm feeding in the mornings or evenings.)


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Once a day, in the afternoon.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

I feed twice a day. If I only fed once a day Im sure Ruby would figure a way to get out of her crate and kill me in my sleep  lol


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i just recently switched my two to once a day. 

the pug is gaining weight...and the corgi is whining.

neither is happy except me.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

I only feed once a day, if Avery's lucky LOL

I think eventually I could get him to the point where he wouldn't eat for 2-3 days and then get a big gorge meal, I'd like to get his weight up before we get there though..


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Oh ya, I should say all 4 of my adults can skip a day and then get around double(or the other way around) and be just fine!:wink:


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Well Milo and Penny eat once, Peyton eats twice.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

Twice a day and probably slightly smaller in the morning, at least one hour before we go out for a walk.

Mind you my boy would eat 15 times a day if offered!!??


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## Mondo (Dec 20, 2011)

I feed once a day when I have to go to the office. When I work from home, I feed twice a day. A small lunch, 1/4 of what they would get at supper. Then 3/4 at supper. Seems that when I eat, they wanna eat, especially one of 'em.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Right now OUR routine is they get fed between 5-6 pm (then I go to work) and walks when I get home from work around 5:30 am. When I am off we go for a walk first followed by a cool down and then fed between 5 pm and 8 pm (depending on when we walk). I think my smaller dog would prefer two meals a day and we may work something out, not sure yet. I really like the once a day feeding as it is convenient for me.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

I've never fed raw, but if I considered it I would think twice a day would suit the dogs best. For those who feed once a day, are there any reasons beyond convenience for that decision? I haven't heard anyone mention any physical or health reasons for once a day feeding.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

PDXdogmom said:


> I've never fed raw, but if I considered it I would think twice a day would suit the dogs best. For those who feed once a day, are there any reasons beyond convenience for that decision? I haven't heard anyone mention any physical or health reasons for once a day feeding.


It allows me to feed larger portions....which is better for the dogs as they get a better mental and phycal work out, more appropriate sized chunks of stuff, and it keeps them happy all day rather then only part.


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## DeekenDog (Aug 29, 2011)

Twice a day but I would feed once a day if it was only me in the house. Deeken eats just 2% or slightly under 2% of his body weight to maintain so once a day would allow me to feed bigger, more challenging pieces. Mind you, if it was just me in the house, he would probably be able to eat more like 2.5% of his body weight considering how many treats my dad and brother feed him.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

I feed once a day. 
I could never do twice a day, the portions would be so tiny for them. As is, these gluttons don't believe their once-a-day portions are big enough, lol.


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## creek817 (Feb 18, 2012)

PDXdogmom said:


> I've never fed raw, but if I considered it I would think twice a day would suit the dogs best. For those who feed once a day, are there any reasons beyond convenience for that decision? I haven't heard anyone mention any physical or health reasons for once a day feeding.


I have gone to once a day feeding at random times, because I believe that more closely mimics how a dog would eat in the wild. Thye most likely wouldn't be getting two solid meals every day if they were hunting on their own. I skip a day occasionally (three days last week, cuz the little brat wouldn't eat rabbit!), and try to very the feeding times. Lately, he has been getting a chicken foot sometime in the morning (aka before noon) and his main meal after that. Also, as a lot of other people have said, I get to give him bigger chunks of meat, which is a better workout for him mentally and physically.


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## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

I have always fed two meals, my evening meal is bigger than breakfast though. My crew are very active and eat about a pound each a day or more so splitting that up is better for me. 

My youngest still doesn't chew sometimes I wonder how she gets it down her throat lol sooo fast....


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## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

Twice a day, I don't think the labs would let me get by with once a day feedings, LOL.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

I have always fed twice a day, but I am seriously reconsidering that after this week. Rocky has become extremely picky and turning up his nose at meals. So, I think I am going to try once a day, just breakfast and see if I can get him to get his act together.


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## lily (May 16, 2011)

i started feeding once a day last week and im surprised how well annie has taken to it,,karen


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Once a day here usually. I do sometimes give them a small meal for breakfast if they act like they may be hungry. But most of the time they don't even want to eat in mornings but feeding time in the evenings, well they certainly let us know when its time. No mistaken it! I guess its just a routine thing for them.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

My dogs are eating twice a day right now because we just started, and I was afraid for them to have too much at once. 

Once we are through transitioning all the new meats into their diet, I would like to start once a day feeding, provided Annie will finish her food.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

My guys get fed twice a day. I tried the once a day thing because I read that a dogs stomach is like an achordian (sp?) the fuller it gets the more they get out of their food. My guys acted like they were starving all day long they would whine and stamp their feet. If that wasnt bad enough, the gurgly stomachs and hunger pukes in the middle of the night were. So after 2 weeks of once a day we went back to 2 feedings and havent had an issue since


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

Great responses so far and I like to hear that it varies, but so many things can work for our dogs.
Thanks everyone!


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

PDXdogmom said:


> I've never fed raw, but if I considered it I would think twice a day would suit the dogs best. For those who feed once a day, are there any reasons beyond convenience for that decision? I haven't heard anyone mention any physical or health reasons for once a day feeding.


i'm just changing over to once a day...and the reason is because my pug doesn't weigh that much, so he only gets between five and six ounces total for the day.

bone takes up a lot of real estate....just one rabbit head, for example, is a whole meal....

it's actually just as much work to make a meal for them...but now, i can give variety all at once.

for instance, last night they both had venison heart with beef and some duck fat.....

tonight they will have rabbit head, well, bubba will...so it's a bony meal for him, plus brains which is organ.
malia, being heavier, will have rabbit head, plus pork....

tomorrow, i could give them beef tripe with spleen plus ground beef gullet and trachea for joint support plus quail....

the freedom to feed more at one feeding is so heady, that bubba is gaining weight. my bad.  so i have to learn how to feed him all over again.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

We feed once a day. We fed three times a day until Buck was around 4 months old then twice a day until he was around 6. Now, at just a few days shy of one year old, he eats once day just fine. 

I don't see any reason for a perfectly healthy adult dog to eat more than once a day. It is SUCH an advantage when you can make their meals one big chunk for them to gnaw on rather than having to make it two smaller chunks.


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## EchoEcho (Feb 22, 2012)

I didn't vote because I'm still kind of playing with once or twice a day feedings. Ideally I want to do only once, but Echo has always eaten twice and the other dog we live with eats twice a day. I decided this past weekend that's old and big enough to handle once a day but Echo and I are still figuring out our compromise. So I've been giving her meal once a day (AMs) and if she was being picky that morning that is exactly what she gets for "dinner" (she's NOT a fan of turkey! but being a hound I doubt she'll refuse food long- so far she eats it the second time around) but if she finished her breakfast then I just give her a rib or some other bone for her to work on while the other dog eats.


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## MissusMac (Jan 6, 2011)

We feed him once a day, usually after we eat dinner. It's just easier for us. I try to give miko a big treat around lunchtime, like a stuffed bone, to keep him happy. Once or twice a month he'll hunger puke :yuck:


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