Can I feed my dog once a day at night

The Pros And Cons Of Feeding Your Dog Once A Day

The most common feeding schedule for adult dogs is one or two meals daily. I recommend that most people feed their dogs twice a day. But feeding your dog once a day can work well in some circumstances.

The best feeding schedule for your individual dog will depend partly on the type of food you give them. And my advice is based on my own forty years experience of feeding both kibble and raw, to dozens of different dogs.You can check out what I feed my own dogs each day in this article

Considerations

Is it cruel to feed a dog once a day?

The short answer is no. Traditionally almost all adult dogs were fed once a day. This was the norm when I was a kid. The rationale behind this schedule is that dogs are carnivores, and it is natural for them to eat a large amount of food in one go, and then fast for many hours, before eating again.

In those days most dogs were fed on a mixture of canned (wet) dog food, and dog biscuits together with scraps leftover from human meals.

However, most modern dogs are fed on kibble. And with dry food, feeding once a day has some disadvantages. Lets dig into those, and help you decide how often to feed your dog.

Natural feeding patterns

Its true that your dog is genetically almost identical to the wolves from which they descend. Wild wolves or other dog species hunting in groups may bring down a large prey animal, and feast on it. Then not eat for a day or two.

Its also true that dogs have been catching much smaller prey and scavenging from humans for thousands of years, and have adapted well to eating smaller and more frequent meals.

Pros and cons large vs smaller meals

Feeding once a day is convenient. And with a raw diet, it can be safe and satisfactory for most medium to large dogs

The natural diet of a dog, raw meaty bones, organs, eggs, and even invertebrates such as worms and beetles, are all processed very quickly by a dogs digestive system. Its designed perfectly for the job. And because there are no fillers or carbs in this food, it isnt very bulky. Everything is digested with little waste.

With kibble, feeding once a day only, can be problematic for some dogs. Its all to do with the portion size. And of course once daily meals are twice as big as twice daily meals.

Big dogs

It can be risky to feed a large or deep chested dog their whole days ration of kibble in one hit. Thats because these types of dog are more prone to suffering from bloat.

When we feed our dogs on kibble, we are asking the dogs digestion to take on a task that it isnt quite designed for. Along with the protein, fat and minerals that your dog needs, are a lot of bulky fillers.

While the food looks and feels light and compact when you pour it into the bowl, at that point it is completely dehydrated. It starts to swell up inside your dog as soon as they start to drink.

Its worth thinking about what happens to the bowl of kibble your dog just ate, when they head over to their water dish. Try dropping a few pieces into a glass of water to see how much they expand!

Your dog needs that water so dont ration it. But be aware that they can end up with a lot of heavy food sitting in their stomach, and this may increase their risk of suffering from bloat.

Little dogs

Small dogs often need a minimum of two meals per day, in order to feel well. My own Jack Russell terrier will often vomit if she misses her breakfast, and this is quite common in little dogs.

Some small dogs also find it hard to consume enough in one sitting to keep their weight up. So feeding twice a day may be necessary for many dogs weighing much less than around 20lbs.

This rule applies with both raw food and kibble.

Puppies

All puppies need feeding more frequently than adult dogs.

Most kibble fed puppies need at least four meals a day until they are three months old, then three meals a day until six months.

Some raw fed puppies can drop a portion a bit sooner.

Food should be fun

Aside from the health and safety issues around eating kibble, food is a source of great pleasure in our lives, and dogs feel the same way. They enjoy their meals. And look forward to the next one.

Most dogs eat kibble quite fast. Its unusual for a dog to take more than five minutes over their meal. And twenty four hours is a long time for a kibble fed dog to go between meals, especially when the last meal was over so quickly!

Raw meaty bones take a lot of time to consume, and can keep a dog occupied happily for half an hour or more. But even so I think there is a lot of pleasure to be gained if this experience happens twice in each day rather than once.

Which is best? One meal or two?

Your adult dog will most likely thrive whether you divide their daily ration into one meal or two. However, if your dog is large or deep chested, and fed on kibble, I recommend you feed twice daily, dividing that ration into a morning and evening feed.

Obviously, twice daily meals doesnt mean twice the quantity. You feed the same daily ration but divide it into smaller portions

I do think it means twice the fun though!

And while once daily feeding is suitable for all but the smallest raw fed dogs, I feed all my dogs raw, and, twice daily

Let me know what you decide to do!

Im always interested to hear from readers about how they feed their dogs, so do drop a comment in the box below!

Get Pippa's free dog training tips delivered to your inbox

Is it ok to only feed a dog once a day?

For years, they taught us that it was best to only feed our dogs once per day. It seemed a little strange, but thats what the professionals said, so thats what we did. However, now, they say different.

Now, professionals are saying that it is not good for your dog to eat only once a day, that it can cause health problems, as well as behavioral problems. Lets see what experts have to tell us about feeding our beloved canines.

Is it ok to only feed a dog once a day?

You want to know if its OK to feed your dog once a day. Well, there is more than that goes intofeeding your dog. Read on.

Why should my dog eat on a schedule?

First, know that dogs should always eat on a schedule. The more ordered a dogs life, the happier they are because a routine makes a dog feel tended to and secure.

Besides, if your dog eats on a schedule, he will need to relieve himself on a schedule. Usually, a dog has to go to the bathroom within 15 minutes of eating his food. This not only helps us to know when hell need to go out, but it aids greatly in potty-training puppies as they will associate the urge to potty with the outdoors.

Also, it will be much easier to tell when he has lost his appetite. This will aid in knowing when he isnt feeling well so you can look for other signs of illness to try and determine what may be wrong with him.

What if he wont eat on a schedule?

If your dog wont eat on a schedule, its easy to change his habits. Its a matter of teaching him to eat when food is offered to him.

To teach him, at feeding time, offer his food for only around 10 minutes. If he hasnt started eating by then, take up the food and dont offer it again until its time for the next feeding. Then, offer it for 10 minutes, doing the same thing.

You can offer the food for 15 or 20 minutes instead of 10 if he hasnt gone off to play seek other endeavors but no longer. To reiterate, the idea is to teach him to eat when the food is offered. Eventually, he will learn.

Is it better to feed a dog once or twice per day?

Now that you know you should feed him on a set schedule, its time to find out how many times per day you should feed him. Whats the answer?

How many times per day should I feed my dog?

Just as a humans does, a dogs tummy empties within only a few hours after eating, and within around 8 hours or so, he is hungry again. It only stands to reason that he should eat at least 2 times per day.

As a standard rule, you should feed puppies under 4 months old 4 times per day. They are small and very active, so they dont have a lot of stored energy, plus they burn it very quickly.

Puppies, from the time they are 4 months old until the time they are 6 months old, should eat 3 times per day. They are growing now and have more room for stored energy.

After the age of 6 months, feeding a dog 2 times daily is sufficient for most dogs as they have the ability to store much more energy and are usually less active.

However, these are only standard guidelines, and there are many other considerations that should be made.

When should I feed my dog?

If you feed your dog twice per day, you should feed him around12 hours apart, no more than 12 hours apart. This is because when a dog goes more than 12 hours without eating, it causes him to have an acidic stomach and nausea.

However, feeding an adult dog 2 times per day is not a hard and fast rule, you can also feed an adult dog 3 times per day, which is even better for him. In this case, you should feed him around 8 hours apart. This is much better for his stomach and his blood sugar.

What other considerations need to be made?

When deciding how often to feed your dog, youll need to consider his breed, age, size, health, the amount of activity he gets, and his energy level.

Weve already discussed that puppies need to eat more often than adult dogs because they need to supplement their energy levels, but what about dogs who are in bad health or who have dietary restrictions? They may require customized feeding schedules.

Teacup breeds need to be fed more frequently for the first few weeks of life because they are prone to low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. They have extremely low energy reserves, and this can be mortal. Early on, they will need to be fed every 2 or 3 hours.

How many times should I feed a dog per day?

So, you can feed your adult dog 2 or 3 times per day. Can you leave food out for him all day long and let him graze? Is this good for him? Lets see.

Is it ok to leave food out for my dog all the time?

Do not use a contraptionthat constantly fills your dogs bowl. This is called free-feeding, which is not good for your dog, mainly because it can cause obesity, but also because it attracts roaches, mice, flies, and more.Also, it makes it hard to tell when he has lost his appetite, so it is difficult to tell when he may be ill.

For puppies, grazing or eating at will can cause binge-eating, juvenile obesity, diabetes, orthopedic problems, and more. This makes for unhealthy adult dogs.In adult dogs, overeating can lead to obesity, diabetes, orthopedic problems, and more.

It is believed that there is a genetically determined set point for each dogs adult size, and a slow, steady, controlled growth tends to ensure optimal body condition in an adult dog.

How do I make a plan for feeding my dog?

In America, most dogs are fed too much food and exercised too little, leading to lots of canine obesity. This may look cute to humans, but it can be very uncomfortable for dogs, especially certain breeds, which are prone to orthopedic problems anyway.

For instance, aDachshund is prone to disc disease in their necks and backs anyway, so when they are allowed to become overweight, especially since their torso is so long, this can cause them serious problems and lots of pain in their spines.

To feed your dog, you should first know your dogs weight and also what weight is ideal for his specific breed. If you cant figure out the ideal weight for his breed, your vet can help. Also, PetSmart or Unleashed by Petco will weigh your dog for you.

Now, your dog food will list the daily recommendations for caloric intake. Divide that number by the number of times you intend to feed him. If you give him treats, make sure to subtract the number of calories in the treats from the calories the daily recommendation before dividing to get your serving size.

Make a rough plan and start feeding your dog. Weigh him once per month, as this will tell you if he is getting too many calories or too few. You can adjust your feeding plan until you get it right.

What should I feed my dog?

The most important thing to do is to choose high-quality food, like Ollie.

More and more people are going to human-grade dog food. This dog food is made from ingredients found at reputable farms. There are no by-products, fillers, preservatives, or artificial flavors.

This is a meal-delivery service, delivering frozen dog meals to your door. According to your dogs breed, age, health, and more, these meals are customized specifically for him.

They are pre-made, pre-portioned, and they even make your schedule, and they deliver in as few as two days.

Dogs who use human-grade food say their dogs have decreased allergies, shinier coats, improved appetites, and more.

Is it cruel to feed a dog once per day?

It is up to you how many times per day you feed your dog, but consider how you would feel if you only got to eat one meal per day. Would your stomach growl? Would you get weak?

If your dog goes more than 8 to 10 hours without food, he gets very hungry. If he goes without food for over 12 hours, he likely vomits up bile, which is secreted when a dog has an empty stomach.

Bile not only tastes nasty, but it can damage a dogs throat, gums, and even teeth.

Can I feed my dog once a day at night?

It is best to feed your dog at least twice per day once in the morning and once at night. Feeding him in the morning gives him the energy to go happily throughout his day doing whatever he needs to do, and feeding him at night allows him to sleep in peace without hunger pains, feeling loved and cared for.

What happens if you feed a dog once a day?

Of course, he is your dog, and it is ultimately up to you how many times you feed him. The professionals can only tell you what experience has taught them. Following are some dangers of feeding your dog only once per day.

Angst

Long periods between feedings can cause dogs to become extremely anxious about their feeding experience, so that when their feeding time does come, they gulp their food down, possibly overeating and making themselves feel sick. This is because they anticipate going for another long period without food.

Angst can cause irritability or even obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD in dogs is one of the causes of hot spots, painful, oozing lesions that often end up as bacterial infections from the biting and scratching the dogs do.

Aggression

Dogs, especially puppies, that get excessively hungry can become aggressive, chewing up everything in sight and causing mass destruction. There can be secondary causes, also, but again, think how you feel when you are hungry. Dont you get irritable and possibly get a headache?

If you insist on only feeding once per day, consider making a puzzle toy available. These toys are filled with kibble, chicken, or cheese, and your dog has to work to get a piece of food out. He will only get one piece out every once in a while, but it will keep him from being hungry.