I would like to feed two meals a day.

hermann muenster · Member Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Posts: 304

Does anyone have any tips for getting my 7month old berner on a twice a day feeding schedule?

I wanted to get him on a twice a day schedule at 6 months and then once a day at 12 months. When I gave smaller portions for the mid day meal - he would get so hungry and started chewing and eating things that he normally wouldn't.

He has always been our "hungry puppy" and is still always hungry.

I am starting to think I should let him have three meals a day for a little while longer but I don't want him to start getting chubby.

P.S. he doesn't have any parasites and is in tip-top health.

elizavixen · Senior Member Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 683 Location: SC

I would maybe give him more the first meal to hold him over until dinner.

Why do you want to only feed him once a day? I think 2x a day is best. Especially for large breed dogs, smaller meals reduce the chance of bloat.

DeLaUK · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 4:40 pm Post subject:

I dont know if this helps, you may have already seen it.

http://www.bmdcsew.org/pbg/pages_pbg/feeding_tips.php

According to this you should be at about twice a day now but if your pup is still hungry then maybe the 3 feedings a day for another couple of weeks.

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

Why would he get chubby if you take the same total amount of food and divide it into 3 meals instead of 2 meals? I would continue with the 3 meals for now, since it seems to make a difference to him. Nala is a very hungry dog, but she got to a point where she wasn't really interested in the mid-day meal and that's when we stopped doing it. It's amazing to think back to that, because now she would eat as often as we fed her - but at the time she was an only dog and I think that makes a difference.

hermann muenster · Member Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Posts: 304

I think I am going to work harder with a larger feeding in the morning, just a cup for lunch and then an earlier dinner. He is eating a total of about 8 cups a day.

No he won't get chubby - the amount stays the same it is just divided throughout the day.

For some reason, maybe his tummy isn't ready for two feedings a day.

I like feeding my dogs once a day. For several reasons, I am not restricted to be home during the day for a feeding. And, it is easier for me with poop patroling - they stay pretty regular!

By the way, my adult dogs eat only 2-3 cups of dry kibble a day. This little guy is eating me out of house and home!!! But he is so cute!

elizavixen · Senior Member Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 683 Location: SC

Twice a day feeding really isn't all that inconvenient. You feed them in the morning when you get up, and at night when you go to bed. Your day is free.

But really, with a large breed dog, bloat is something you should be very aware of - to know the signs and symptoms, and ways of prevention.

boditosabear · Member Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 25

what kind of food are you feeding him 8 cups a day sound abnormal. we feed bodi our 120 pounder a total of 4 cups of innova " the green bag" 2 in the morning and 2 around dinnertime. he is 15 months old. good luck

elizavixen · Senior Member Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 683 Location: SC

hermann muenster · Member Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Posts: 304

He is at his peak for chow intake right now. At about 12 months he will be down to about 4-5 cups a day and then make the adult chow transition between 14-18 months (depending on how he has grown and his body has matured) At 18 months he will probably be getting 3-4 cups of adult chow a day.

For my lifestyle I still prefer one feeding a day ---
I don't like getting up that early to feed and make sure the dogs have had enough time to relieve their bowels in the mornings. My house is too rushed and always behind schedule as it is. The evening feeding is very relaxed for my life. The dogs get a good meal and have all evening to go in and out and in and out to relieve themselves.

I am aware of bloat - I feed in a wide bowl so the dogs eat a little slower. I had an inhaler once - and I had all sorts of digestive problems with him until the vet gave me this little tip.

Nik · Member Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 258 Location: UK

elizavixen · Senior Member Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 683 Location: SC

Its as easy as that for me. I wasn't being completely literal when I meant right when you get up and right when you go to sleep. I'm just saying that it doesn't tie up your whole day. Honestly, if your lifestyle doesn't allow you time to feed your dogs twice a day, you shouldn't have dogs b/c you don't have enough time for them. I really don't see how it is asking that much. Especially when it is something that concerns their health.

Think about it..if you give your dog 8 cups of food at one time. That is 8 cups of food sitting in their stomach. And from the amount of food you feed, I'm guessing it has a lot of fillers. I'm assuming you have seen what happens when a piece of kibble gets wet. It blows up, like doubles in size. So then your dog has at least 16 cups of food sitting in his stomach. That is just not healthy.

I'm not trying to get rude here, which I think I'm getting and for which I apologize, but I just don't get it.

hermann muenster · Member Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Posts: 304

Eliza - What kind of dog eats 8 cups of food in one meal?
I didn't understand what you meant about 16 cups of food in their stomach.

Please explain.
Thanks.

Mary_NH · Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 8:27 pm Post subject:

I feed my 8 month old GSD pup 2x a day. Hasn't caused an inconvenience in my morning. Once you both have the routine down it's what 5-10 minutes.
Molly eats when I get up and by the time I get out of the shower she's ready to go outside and do her thing. I also have 4 cats to deal with. And when I have foster cats I have them too - so talk hectic. And getting my nearly 17 year old son out the door to school on time adds to the rush, and I have to get to work.
I find once everyone gets used to the routine it doesn't make life anymore hectic than it already is.
Then Molly eats again at 5pm.
And she's regular as an alarm clock!!!
6:30 am she gets breakfast and 5pm she gets dinner. I do give her more for dinner than I do breakfast as she has more hours to go between meals.
Schedule works fine for her.

Dukesdad · Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:01 pm Post subject:

What elizavixen is telling you about bloat is true. When you feed a large breed dog only once a day they tend to be so hungry they gulp the food down. That is thought to be a leading cause of bloat, especially in older dogs. I posted a page on bloat after my old Lab survived an episode. It is usually a fatal condition so please take a minut or two and read my page.
http://home.flash.net/~jdebess/index.htm

hermann muenster · Member Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Posts: 304

Dukes Dad -
Thanks for the link. Great web site! I loved the Christmas cards - it reminded me of my Golden and how his face grayed as the years passed. We lost our Golden when he was just a couple month shy of 13.
His face was like Jake's - almost all white! What great dogs the retrievers are! Truly an "Every man's dog!"

Oh - and the bloat info was good to read.
Thanks