...did you ever drop that routine and why? Did you go to two meals or one meal? And how much do you feed/how big is your dog?
Growing up, after the puppy stage my dog got a milk bone for breakfast (ducking...hey, what did we know!), a meal for dinner (varied throughout the years, usually kibble, somtimes wet food or that crappy burger stuff with kibble), then a milk bone before bed. She wasn't a Spoo, but a mixed breed of various origins, retriever, etc. As a senior she was overweight. She also was a very inactive dog due to fears of being outside alone.
At age 1 1/2, Bella still eats three times per day. I'm wondering if this is a good or bad habit to keep up, as long as our lifestyles permit? At the moment we can usually keep to this routine, or I should say at least 5 days of the week, sometimes more.
Of course I have the bloat paranoia, so in that regard the three smaller meals seems like a good idea. She gets around a cup per meal. Right now it's the craptastic and miraculously-healing Z/D but I'm hoping that won't be forever. She is VERY active out in the yard, where she is off and on at least half of the day. Her top weight was 47 lbs, a few months ago, though at the vet last week she is 42 lbs. I am thinking it could be that she has missed a meal here and there lately that she's lost weight, because she seems otherwise healthy. Perhaps I should be giving her extra during the meal following the "missed meal," but I worry about overfeeding and making her sick.
Occasionally she gets more kibble in a kong or as rewards if out on walks, etc.
Thanks for your input.
Growing up, after the puppy stage my dog got a milk bone for breakfast (ducking...hey, what did we know!), a meal for dinner (varied throughout the years, usually kibble, somtimes wet food or that crappy burger stuff with kibble), then a milk bone before bed. She wasn't a Spoo, but a mixed breed of various origins, retriever, etc. As a senior she was overweight. She also was a very inactive dog due to fears of being outside alone.
At age 1 1/2, Bella still eats three times per day. I'm wondering if this is a good or bad habit to keep up, as long as our lifestyles permit? At the moment we can usually keep to this routine, or I should say at least 5 days of the week, sometimes more.
Of course I have the bloat paranoia, so in that regard the three smaller meals seems like a good idea. She gets around a cup per meal. Right now it's the craptastic and miraculously-healing Z/D but I'm hoping that won't be forever. She is VERY active out in the yard, where she is off and on at least half of the day. Her top weight was 47 lbs, a few months ago, though at the vet last week she is 42 lbs. I am thinking it could be that she has missed a meal here and there lately that she's lost weight, because she seems otherwise healthy. Perhaps I should be giving her extra during the meal following the "missed meal," but I worry about overfeeding and making her sick.
Occasionally she gets more kibble in a kong or as rewards if out on walks, etc.
Thanks for your input.