do you really have to feed your dog 3 times a day i thought only 2, and my dogs are chunky, but should i switch them to 3 times a day. i am a vet and always though 2 times was enough what do you think:)
sorry i asked this q twice but one was in the wrong catagory
2007-05-31 05:47:16 · 36 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
oh yeah i forgot to tell i know how much to feed a dog 2 times a day but i should of asked the question in a different way i was just wondering how much do you feed YOUR dog
2007-05-31 06:13:46 · update #1
First of all, it depends on the breed and their age. Young dogs who are more active may require being fed 2 times a day, and small hyperactive breeds may eat 3 times or more a day depending on quatity of feeding. Older, more lathargic dogs may only need to be fed 1 to 2 times a day, and their diet should suit their nutritional requirements that would give them the most energy and vitality. You should check with your vet to see what is best for your particular breed of dog according to its activity level and age. This is my opinion - the following is what I researched online after writing this.....
2007-05-31 06:07:03 · answer #1 · answered by Ethelucy 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
if your dog is an adult twice a day is more than enough to feed them. feeding them more then twice a day can not be good and your saying that your dog is chunky well then thay are fat and your making your dog more fatter by feeding them more. it's not healthy for your dog to be chunky by them being that way you are shorting there life and putting problems on there joints ,the heart, the breathing,the hips,. all those things that mentions will give a dog problems the more chunky thay are. if you really care for your dog put them a reduce calorie diet or a weight management dog food and cut back on the portions if you are over feeding them. the dog food call Wellness weight management is good for chunky dogs . go to the web www.google.com and type in wellness dog food and look up weight management.
2007-05-31 06:07:28 · answer #2 · answered by blue_vue 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're a vet? What's your specialty - Exotics or Herps? OK here goes...
As with all carnivores, Dogs technically don't have to eat every day at all - that's why dogs "wolf" their food and will eat until their bellies are extended.
That said, this is not the Wild Country anymore. And, indeed, dogs of all breeds, altered or intact, can gain excess weight. We are all familiar with the neighborhood "fur covered watermelon" dog who waddles around begging handouts.
Obesity comes with other problems - just like us - arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and the like.
As with humans, it's not really when they eat - it's how many calories (and where those calories come from) plus activity level that count.
SO, if your dogs are chunky couch potatoes, you might cut their rations to twice a day and step up their exercise to get them to their breed ideal weight.
If your dogs are energetic and athletic - you may have to increase their caloric intake to compensate for their activity - feeding as many as 5 times a day for an active hunting dog in peak condition - during hunting season - just to maintain what flesh they do carry.
It all depends on your dog.
Case in point, my 3 year old intact male pit bull is inclined to gain weight during the cold winter months when he has to be confined because of bad weather. In the warmer months, however, I have a hard time keeping weight on him because he runs all over the property (several hundred secluded mountain acres) while my partner tends the farm. So, during the winter, I limit his calories - and in the summer I increase them.
2007-05-31 06:20:27 · answer #3 · answered by Barbara B 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well Tiffany if you really are a vet than you should know this already.
If your dogs are over weight it would not make sence to feed them more, depending on the breed than that should determine how many time you feed your dog and how much to feed it at each time.
I have large breed dogs and I feed them 2 times a day with the amount of food that it approitate for them.
2007-05-31 05:56:34 · answer #4 · answered by ♥Golden gal♥ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is 3 times day when they are puppies and when they get 6-8 months old its twice a day and then your choice of twice or once a day after a year old, if your a vet i'm really surprised you don't even have an inkling about this, some times big breed dogs like great danes can be fed 3 times a day, it does depend too on the size of the dogs, but most are twice a day
2007-05-31 05:52:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You could not POSSIBLY be a vet. If you were able to graduate from college, you needed to complete courses in English and punctuation. Also, you would NOT need to ask this question here on a Yahoo forum. You already would be trained in canine nutritional/feeding needs. Drop the lies.
Anyway, to answer your question:
It is easier on your dog's digestion to feed in more than one feeding, especially if you have a dog who cleans their bowl right away. If your dog is a grazer (eating small amounts through the day) it is not a problem to put all of their food down at once.
I am a Customized Nutrition Consultant for a number of Premium Pet Food Companies. In my personal experience, I feed my whippets two times per day...once in the morning at 7am and once at 4pm. If you are home at lunch time, you can easily adjust that from 2 feedings to 3: Morning, noon, evening feedings. Just be aware your dog will need more walks/outside time due to the increased number of feedings.
2007-05-31 05:55:52 · answer #6 · answered by Kat 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We feed ours twice a day. If your dogs are chunky cut down on the amount you feed, not the number of times.
2007-05-31 05:54:54 · answer #7 · answered by kny390 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I only feed my dog twice a day and she seems fine with that. Plus she gets some treats during the day.
2007-05-31 05:49:49 · answer #8 · answered by Rachel 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
every now and then I let me dogs share a hot dog, like we went on a train and I bought them a boiled hot dog to share as a special treat. I wouldn't give my dog hot dogs every day, they have a very high sodium content and they aren't healthy for you dog in the long run. But I don't see the harm in a once in a while snack maybe once a month or so but not everyday.
2016-03-13 03:28:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
3x a day is for growing pups (up to 6 months) whose stomachs are not large enough to hold half their daily nutritional needs at one time.
Smaller breeds may also sometimes need their daily intake divided into 3 portions.
Chunky dogs should eat less and exercise more, not eat more often.
I would think a real vet would know all that, what are they teaching in veterinary school these days???
2007-05-31 05:51:49 · answer #10 · answered by Karen W 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋