Please can somebody offer me some reassurance and or advice about going from 3 to 2 meals a day. I have a chunky choc Labrador and I have been so used to feeding at particular times I guess these will change somewhat and what to do in between breakfast and his tea.
Oh I am at the same stage - Nibbler is now about 9months and needs to go down to two meals a day . He keeps looking for something at the usual lunchtime and someone in the house always feeds him. End up giving in myself when he looks at me with those eyes.Interested in your replies -not sure whether to increase his food at other meals -it seems too much.
I, like you, was very concerned with the drop from 3 meals to 2, but it honestly ended up being a non-event. 11am-3pm is prime napping time, and she just snoozed through "lunch".
My two older dogs are three years old, the youngest is a year and they all still have something at lunchtime, be it a frozen Kong, chicken carcass, raw egg, turkey drumstick etc. There’s no need to drop to two meals if you don’t want to.
Our puppy is coming up to four months next week and according to the breeder’s notes we should then drop to three meals, then at six months down to two, but we were discussing this last night, and as Daisy is quite a small puppy our feeling is to keep her on four meals for now and see how she is at six months and then reduce her meals to three, as I don’t really want to reduce to two meals so young, its just my feeling, this is my first lab, she is doing so well at the moment. Also the breeder says to move her to adult food at nine months, not sure if that’s ok (?), we might leave her on her puppy food a bit longer too. I think I would always give her something at lunchtime too, as she will be active a lot when she is old enough. I am so concerned about her growth and how much more growing she has to do up to around 18 months I think, and getting the balance right. Another big concern looming is the question of spaying, I’m really stressing over this, I wonder if there are any notes on here somewhere that would help me to make a decision? I would also be very interested to hear if others have chosen keyhole surgery for female spaying? Also if it’s thought best to let my girl have a first season before spaying, and will having her spayed interfere with her growth and joints? I have read Pippa’s notes on pyrometria (hope that’s spelt right).
Our breeder recommended puppy food until 15 months. The manufacturer's website suggests 24 months. I don't think anyone can say an exact time, because all puppies are different, but at least my own unqualified opinion is that 9 months seems quite soon to move to adult food.
Hi I've into spaying and think prob after 1st season ill think some more my vets do offer keyhole spay as for the food we have always fed 3 times a day for puppies up to around 7-8 month old then goes down to 2 times a day then at about 2 years down to 1 meal a day but with lots of hunting training treats ect
We move our pups over to 2 meals at 6 or 7 months old. I gradually cut out the middle meal, making it smaller, and the other two bigger, each day. They continue to have a frozen Kong at lunch time.
I'm still feeding my 8mth old 3 meals a day. A question to add to this thread...what's the reason behind how many times a puppy/dog is fed. With young puppies it's about how much they can eat without upsetting their tummies. But with older puppies/ dogs? Energy? Growth? Anyone know?
Hi, it's strange how my 6 month needs to go down to 2 meals and your 9 month just going to 2. That bit is hard luckily it's usually down to me to feed and entertain him. Everyone needs to support you. I thought you could increase his breakfast and evening meal and maybe over time reduce his lunch.
Having another go today - have really left it until now cos my two teenage boys who are at college are in on different days during the week with him - at least if they have to feed him at lunchtime then Iknow they have given him some attention and let him out - so been more convenient to just leave lunch for now - will probably still leave a kong for him to be given at lunch for the same reason. You know what teenagers are like. Luckily he seems to settle as long as he knows someone is in the house with him even if not getting lots of attention.
Once your dog is able to cope with bigger meals in their stomach, it pretty much becomes a case of calories in vs calories out over the course of a day/week to maintain their optimum weight. However, my feeling is that it's more enriching to feed little and often. I know personally that eating one big meal a day makes me feel sluggish and lethargic, and it leaves a whole lot of time until the next meal, by which time I can feel really hungry. Keeping more frequent meals means more opportunities to have your dog thinking you're wonderful. To be honest, as much as I do still feed three times a day, they get very little in their bowls (about 15 bits of kibble morning and evening, plus something at lunchtime) and the majority of their food is fed as training treats spread throughout the day, or in kongs. This keeps them occupied, makes their day more interesting and works their minds. I do believe that giving a large amount of food away in a bowl is a waste of potential bonding/training/enrichment for the dog. As for poos, Shadow and Willow normally go once a day, even being fed throughout the day. Luna goes two or three times at the moment, but she's still young.
Oh the joy of poos when there's half a metre of snow As soon as Nelson has made a deposit, one of us sets off with a headtorch and shovel to collect it and take it underneath the "poo tree" (a Norway spruce). I'm expecting the tree to grow like a rocket.
Hehe, I always collect poos on walks on the mountain (no-one else bothers, and it drives me mad). I normally leave the bag to the side to collect on my way back because most of my routes start and end with the same 20m or so, which is where they tend to go. When there's deep snow, you have to keep a note of where you left it in case it melts through and disappears
Everyone is different and I'm sure there is no right or wrong way. We are doing what is right for us and our circumstances. Yes I know what teenagers are like 13 & 15!!! Mine are so not interested in Mason it's ridulous. Same here Mason will pound around until I am sitting down
I remember Sam being heartbroken when we cut out his lunch ! So I always did give him a very small meal but deducted this from his tea . Nelly also has a tiny lunch too x
I think this is more aimed at dogs feed on dry food (kibble) as it would not be good for a whole day's portion to be eaten in one go and then expand in the stomach . Also smaller meals, more often reduces the risk of bloat.
