Feeding Time

[Sergio M]

I have two chocolate labs one is 1 year old 90lbs male and the other is 6 years old 60lbs female. I have been feeding my male 4 1/2 cups once a day and my female 3 1/2 cups once a day. I was wondering if its a good idea to feed them half of the food in the morning and the other half at night. It seams to long when you feed them once a day. What do you guys and gals do?

Thanks

[Harmonica Bear]

My dog has food out all day long. But he only eats at night when I get home. So, once a day I guess, but not by choice.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Splitting it into 2 or even three portions is a good idea. Although not terribly common in labs, feeding in smaller, spread-out portions is generally believed to help prevent gastric torsion (aka bloat), mainly because the dog is not gulping down large quantities of food (not as big of a deal if your dog is a nibbler as opposed to a gulper). You definitely don't want your dog to bloat. On the chance that you catch it before it kills the dog, you've got some hefty surgical bills to pay (we went through it last November).

[gr8icefishinmind]

I would think it would be a better idea to spread it out between 2-3 feedings per day! I feed my 8 month old lab 2 cups in the morning and 2 at night! That would be like a person having a huge breakfast and not eating again til the next morning....i don't think i could do it!

If anything i would feed that big meal in the morning so your dog is able to work off the food and have the nutrients to get through each day!!

[Bryce]

Once a day (after 6 months or so old) has worked for us for 4 generations. We feel it makes for a less finicky eater. Last thing I want after a hard day of hunting is a slow/non eater.

[tweedlap]

I agree with Bryce. I have feed my labs one meal a day for 30 years.

None of them have ever gotten bloated. That is how they ate before

they were domesticated. Just like wolves and other predators they kill

and then eat until they are stuffed.

tweed

[Sergio M]

If I feed them once a day should I feed them only the recomanded amount or tell they are full?

Thanks

[deerminator]

I leave an open dish but our beagles are very active and never seem to overeat. I know that won't work for every dog, though.

[MuleShack]

I've been doing a morning and evening feeding of 1 1/2 cups each since the get go.

Just my opinion, but they are getting more nutrition out of it rather than just passing the bulk thru and dropping it in the grass.

This way they will take a nap in the evening while we are eating after they eat.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

My 10 Year old Yellow Lab eats ONCE a day normally around 6:00 AM.

It is what I have done since owning dogs 20 some years ago.

However: If in hunting season and it has been a rough day I give her a small amount in the evening with the amount depending on how hard the day was.

[CJH]

I've been doing a morning and evening feeding of 1 1/2 cups each since the get go.

Just my opinion, but they are getting more nutrition out of it rather than just passing the bulk thru and dropping it in the grass.

+1 exactly for my 65lb Lab. 4 cups seems like alot (especially at one time), unless they are in the field or blind every day. Of course I like to keep mine a lean mean, bird hunting machine!!! He does get extra after the hunt.

[Ralph Wiggum]

4 cups seems like alot (especially at one time)...

LOL, my dane gets 4 cups in the morning, 1 cup mid-afternoon, and 4 cups in the evening, and I'm pretty pleased with that. During his growth spurts, he was eating 8 cups in the morning and 8 cups in the evening and skinny as can be

[pureinsanity]

My lab gets half a coffee can in the spring summer and fall and a full coffee can when its winter and the colder days of spring and fall.

He does not have a feeding schedule. He usually doesnt get fed until the evening before he goes to sleep. However, early evening he usually is getting table scraps and old left overs before he eats his food.