# Feeding Question



## josh83 (Oct 24, 2010)

I feed my dog twice a day half a cup in the morning and half in the evening. Somtimes she does not touch her morning food until the evening. Should I then feed her all her food at once (1 cup) or should I space it out by a few hours. She is on Orijen and have heard that feeding too much at once can cause bloat and upset the stomach. So i am just wondering how i should go about this. 

Thanks in advance


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

some dogs prefer to eat just once a day. Does she get exercise in the morning?

A friend of mine asked me to watch her little dog (shitzu/yorkie mix) the other day and she said that he only eats once a day. So I was like " ok, thats fine". 
But since I walk my dog an hour in the morning, I brought Bailey with me. Well, after the walk, he kept begging me for table scraps, so I put some of his food down and he scarfed it up. Exercise can really work up the appetite. 

To answer your question, if your dog isnt hungry in the morning, then feeding once a day is just fine, I know a lot of people who do it, havent heard of any issues.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

I leave my dogs food down for the whole day. He is like a grandpa and nibbles all day ahahahaha. He does like to eat a little right before he goes out and definitely when he gets back from excersice. He also saves a little bit for when I take him for his last walk. He's funny. If a dog is a food hound, I would seperate meals. But it looks like your dog is like mine, a nibbler:biggrin: Don't worry about bloat, if the dog doesn't scarf the food down and eats a little at a time.


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## ann g (May 6, 2010)

josh83 said:


> I feed my dog twice a day half a cup in the morning and half in the evening. Somtimes she does not touch her morning food until the evening. Should I then feed her all her food at once (1 cup) or should I space it out by a few hours. She is on Orijen and have heard that feeding too much at once can cause bloat and upset the stomach. So i am just wondering how i should go about this.
> 
> Thanks in advance


You could try skipping that morning meal and giving her just a little bit more(maybe 3/4 cup) that evening every other day or every 2 days. Then the next day she might eat both meals ok. My gsd likes to skip a meal once or twice a week.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Unosmom said:


> some dogs prefer to eat just once a day. Does she get exercise in the morning?
> 
> But since I walk my dog an hour in the morning, I brought Bailey with me. Well, after the walk, he kept begging me for table scraps, so I put some of his food down and he scarfed it up. Exercise can really work up the appetite.
> 
> To answer your question, if your dog isnt hungry in the morning, then feeding once a day is just fine, I know a lot of people who do it, havent heard of any issues.


I agree with unosmom on the exercise thing. I 'reward' my dog and cat with food after exercise. I'm probably deluded, but my theory is that in the wild they have to exert energy hunting for prey and getting to eat is the reward for a job well done. 
I also know a few dogs that eat only once a day, I'll skip breakfast for mine quite often and just feed at night.


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## josh83 (Oct 24, 2010)

It just seems to happen once a week where she wouldn't touch her food in the morning but after I have walked her in the evening she gobbles it. So i should just feed her the full cup of dog food at once instead 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 at night.

The thing is that when she eats she gobbles it she doesn't just eat a bit and then come back and eat more etc she eats it all at once.

I guess i am just very worried about bloat.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

What kind/breed of dog is it? My golden retriever would sometimes skip breakfast and would eat 2 cups of food at a meal and didn't have any problems with bloat.


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## josh83 (Oct 24, 2010)

cprcheetah said:


> What kind/breed of dog is it? My golden retriever would sometimes skip breakfast and would eat 2 cups of food at a meal and didn't have any problems with bloat.


 
She is a poodle Cocker Spanial mix. She weighs about 16 LBS and is 5 yrs old.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

josh83 said:


> She is a poodle Cocker Spanial mix. She weighs about 16 LBS and is 5 yrs old.


I have worked for a vet for 20 years and the smallest dog I have seen have bloat was a 38# weimaraner  So I don't think you would have to worry about bloat with her.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

Dogs can be finicky at times! My dogs I have two the beagle and ori pei that can skip some breakfasts (I feed twice a day also) but I usually walk mine in the afternoon gee I also can in the evening and seems they then will eat the evening meal more! But Labs well I can't compare that to any eating routines because Labs always eat ha ha! At least mine do! They do not miss a meal or a morsel of the food. Where even my other two will leave food still in the bowl they are done and that is that! As for bloat I wouldn't worry too much about that unless the dog is wolfing the food down. They have those bloat bowls if it is of concern. If you saw my yellow lab go to town on the food (she eats very fast) whew unbelievable and she has never had bloat issues! A dog will never starve itself and will eventually eat! As for adding any at the next meal if you feel the dog needs more well lets just say it this way your dog will definitely tell you its hungry LOL! They always do! Good Luck!


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

wags said:


> If you saw my yellow lab go to town on the food (she eats very fast) whew unbelievable and she has never had bloat issues!


I know exactly what your talking about. My sisters lab does the same thing. I've never seen anything like it When I pick up the bowls(which my dog always leaves food in), he starts fiending for another morsel. I've left out my dogs food by mistake and he ate like 4 cups in 1 shot. I really think he could polish of a whole bag in 1 sitting ahahahhaha. I was worried about bloat, so we bought an anti bloat bowl. It slowed him down a whole 15 seconds. Now it takes 1 minute 15 seconds instead of 1 minute to devour his meal. He modified by kinda eating in a circle. He learned this in about 30 seconds. Smart little fella ahahaha I wish I knew a way to slow him down, other than hand feeding him like a pigeon ahahahahaha. Anyone with ideas?


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

Puzzle ball of some sort. I wish I could buy the Kong wobbler one but I have a lot of puzzle balls already and my dog no longer eats kibble. The bottom unscrews to load up and it is easily washed. NONE of the puzzle toys I have are easy to load or wash.

Scatter it on the floor. Artie took longer to eat his 1/4 cup of scattered kibble than Max did his ground beef/sardine meal last night.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

sassymaxmom said:


> Puzzle ball of some sort. I wish I could buy the Kong wobbler one but I have a lot of puzzle balls already and my dog no longer eats kibble. The bottom unscrews to load up and it is easily washed. NONE of the puzzle toys I have are easy to load or wash.
> 
> Scatter it on the floor. Artie took longer to eat his 1/4 cup of scattered kibble than Max did his ground beef/sardine meal last night.


Kool, I'm going to get this little sneaky guy ahahahaha Thanks alot!


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## josh83 (Oct 24, 2010)

My dog Developed sudden Dirrea last night: here's the thread: http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/dog-health-issues-question/5472-sudden-dierrea.html


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## dogcrazy (Oct 18, 2010)

I bought the Kong Wobbler and it is great at dispensing one or two kibbles at a time. I have one dog that's a fast eater and he's a breed prone to bloat, so I feel good feeding this way. The wobbler cost me maybe $11 with free shipping through amazon. It holds up to 3 cups of food and has a weighted base so theoretically the dog can't pick it up and toss it through the TV screen (smile). Except my big dog (110# and very lean) can pick it up. He found out that it is more efficient to scoot it around the floor so he doesn't bother to pick it up anymore, thank goodness and no broken toes for me! haha

Carol


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

Jackson is 15lbs and he rarely eats breakfast. We don't do any exercise in the mornings, he prefers to sleep (like me! ) so he usually will have his dinner as his only meal of the day (which is 1/2 cup of Acana or Orijen kibble mixed with a little wet food). The only time he eats breakfast are when I give him the pre-made raw (Primal or Stella and Chewy's) and that's about 3x a week and usually not until 10am.


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