Are you planning on bringing home a new pooch? If the answer’s yes, then there’s also probably a million questions running through your mind right now. Questions like should you get a basket or kennel? What lead should you get? How many times a day should a dog eat? Best boy/girl dog names? Dog feeding…how much is too much?
While you figure out the rest read on to learn more about your dog feeding routine. When it comes to how many times a day a dog should eat, this depends on things like their age, activity level and overall health.
How many times a day should a dog eat if they’re a puppy?
Puppies younger than four months old should eat four meals a day. This should be reduced to three meals when the pup is six months old. It’s important to introduce your fur baby to a diet that will provide the nutrition for healthy growth and bone development.
Speak with your vet about the right kind of nutrition for your dog’s breed, health and age, as well as the right amount. You may even want to ask them for brand recommendations and signs to watch out for if you’re over or under-feeding them.
How many times a day should a dog eat if they’re older?
Dogs of 12 months or older should be fed one to two meals daily. Again, ensure it’s of the right amount for their breed and age, as well as their size and activity level.
For example, some smaller breed pooches are known to burn energy much faster than larger breed dogs so should be fed two to three meals a day. The key is to feed them little yet often!
Other must-knows about dog feeding
It’s also recommended that you put a feeding schedule and routine in place. This will help you stay on track and better plan your day around your particular pooch’s answer to ‘how many times a day should a dog eat’. Check in with your vet about the best-fit specifics for your pet.
Also read up on pet obesity and why it should be avoided. Overfeeding and/or feeding your dog the wrong things can be a quick path to health issues like diabetes in dogs.
What is a dog feeding schedule?
Don’t worry, there’s no need to get out the different colour pens or think of an elaborate planning system. A dog feeding schedule is a simple timetable that you stick to ensure you feed your pooch at the same time (or close to it) every day.
Keeping meal times to the same (or similar) time every day helps keep your pooch’s digestive system regular and makes his trips to the toilet more predictable. A schedule will also prevent your doggy from having accidents inside the house as he’ll grow accustomed to the schedule.
Further on dog feeding tips and tricks, read this: can I feed my dog Weetbix? And this: what else can dogs eat?
What is the best time to feed a dog?
Before setting a daily feeding time you should consider factors like your own schedule and whether the times fit in with that.
Also consider how meals fit in with your dog’s activity timeframes. Just like in humans, it’s not advisable for dogs to eat right before or after exercising. This can result in a life-threatening condition called bloat, especially in large breed dogs.
Keen to know more about how much activity your dog really needs? Read about dog breed exercise requirements.
Dog feeding tips for your pooch
Questions such as how many times a day should a dog eat and what a dog should eat may still be bugging you. So, here’s a list of dog feeding tips you may find useful:
- A balanced diet of quality dog food is recommended for your canine.
- Be vigilant of feeding them too much. The recommended amount by food manufacturers may not suit all dogs. Now that you have a better idea on how many times a day should a dog eat, watch out for overfeeding. If you have a fat dog read our article on how to help your pooch shed the kilos.
- Don’t change your dog’s diet abruptly. Amend your pooch’s diet gradually over a period of 7-10 days.
- Try not to feed your dog before travelling. Your pooch may end up with carsickness if you feed them too close to the time you set off on a road trip.
- Use a raised bowl for medium to large breed dogs. This prevents them from swallowing air while they eat.
- Taking your dog’s bowl away while it’s eating will cause anxiety and aggressive behaviour. Serve them the right amount at each timeslot in your feeding schedule and you won’t need to.
Insurance to help in unanticipated situations
It’s no secret that the cost of unplanned vet bills can escalate quickly. If your pet must go in for a non-routine vet visit, surgery or some other treatment, you want to be able to pay for it without stressing about finances.
If you’re looking for cost-effective dog insurance in New Zealand that gets the nod from pet owners with Canstar’s 2022 Most Satisfied Customers – Pet Insurance Award then PD Insurance has a solution for you. Why not try us out?