Switching puppy to 2 meals a day.

My 5-month yellow lab bitch, Doris, is due to move from 3 to 2 meals a day at 6 months. Like most labs, she loves her food: I don't think it's an overstatement to say that her three meals are the high spots of her day. If I'm running late at lunchtime , she puts on the pathetic 'starving dog' look and sits in a corner of the kitchen to check on me. How on earth am I to cut out a midday meal? Does anyone have any suggestions please? Also, is it really necessary to make this change?

 

If you want to keep her on 3 meals & it works with your routine, then there is no harm leaving her as she is

 

I asked the question on here about meals, I just thought it was the done thing, but turns out it’s purely for convenience, so we plan to just continue 3 meals per day.

If you can do this, then there’s no need to change. If you can’t, then I guess the extra you give in the morning should keep her going, and she’ll pick up the routine quickly, as they do.

Just don’t let those puppy eyes get to you ha ha!

 

We do two scheduled meals.He gets the rest in between for training.

 

Hi @HilGil i don't fully understand your lunchtime constraint. Here is an alternative. Use the food you would have fed her at lunch to train her over lunch. For exemplary performance give her jackpots. She'll soon forget about the meal and look forward to training.

 

I had Mango on 4 meals + Kongs, then moved to 3 and now I hand feed most of his food. He only gets a few peaces of kibble in his bowl twice a day just to be sure he swallows his pill.

 

Mine have been on 3 meals a day for years and years. If it suits both you and your dog why change?

 

There's no need to feed 2 meals a day if you prefer to feed 2, but perhaps think about the long-term: Will someone always be available at the time of the 3 meal times? Will there be times when the family wants to go out over lunch time and the dog may be hungry or expecting lunch and not getting it...?

If so, it might be best to feed 2 meals a day. If you want to do this, it is best to just give a little token 'thing' at lunch time at first, in phasing it out. Like a few bits of kibble, or a stuffed Kong... And phase it out gradually.

And of course, just be tough and ignore pleading eyes - give your dog some other kind of attention instead at these times, like a fuss, or some play with a toy - and replace food with that.