Is It Okay That My Dog Only Eats Once A Day?

Some dogs are slow eaters, while others munch on just about everything that comes their way. You must be curious to know if it is okay that my dog only eats once a day? What’s healthy and what is not? How to manage the feeding schedule of your pup? 

Don’t worry. This blog post covers all your queries related to feeding your canine companion. 

We will also throw the light on how much food a dog needs to grow from small puppies to adults and how many meals per day are recommended. 

Is It Okay That My Dog Only Eats Once A Day?

How often should you feed your pouch?

The experts believe that feeding your dog twice a day is essential – both morning and evening. However, the puppies under five months of age should be fed three to four times a day or per your veterinarian’s directions.

Most dogs dig in the place where you put the bowl; it may help you determine that your adopted friend is a fussy eater. After getting into the new home, he may be nervous. You will have to set his eating schedule in such conditions and teach him to stick to that.

Put the bowl containing food on the floor for a certain time, like 15 min and then pick it up, whether eaten or not.

Note: If your pet eats slowly, extend the period to 25 minutes.

At the second feeding time, place the bowl on the floor, again for 15 min. After some time, your pup will learn that he must eat when you offer him the food.

• A scheduled feeding time offers huge benefits like it makes a routine and helps you check your dog’s health. If he doesn’t pick up the food and eats heartily like before, you may monitor eating abnormalities. You must seek the veterinarian’s recommendation when you notice a sudden lack of appetite.
• Another advantage of a set feeding schedule is that it adjusts the poop timing.   
• It also makes it easy to change the necessary food for your dog. When your dog is scheduled to eat at a certain time every day, his body expects the food at that certain time. Hunger can be a huge stimulus! If you offer the food to the hungry dog regularly, switching to a new food will often be simple and easy.   

What are the consequences of feeding your dog only once a day?

Dog owners with the bust schedule can conveniently feed their pets once a day, especially in the morning. They have no idea that how an empty stomach affects the dog and makes him anxious and irritable.

However, if your dog already has some behavioral problems, then the condition may aggravate. The studies suggest that satiated dogs are less likely to be anxious than dogs that are not fed properly.

You must be wondering is it okay that my dog only eats once a day if he doesn’t show aggressive behavior. No, it’s not okay because he may get involved in chewing and ruining your stuff.

Do you feed a big portion to your dog but only once? Yet, it’s not ideal because a dog can stay empty stomach for only 6 to 8 hours. The stomach anatomy of the dog suggests that if emptied for longer sends the signals to the brain that evokes hunger.

Eating a big portion at one time causes bloating and other stomach problems that ultimately affect digestion.

Tips to encourage your dog to eat twice or thrice a day

1. Take him to the vet

 Firstly to should seek the suggestions of the veterinarian. It will help you to determine the diet-related health issues or underlying problems associated with eating less.

2. Switch their food

If necessary, switching the food to low carbs and low-protein diet may help a lot. You can also go for high-quality dog food or freshly cooked food.

3. Change the eating schedule

Finally, switch the eating schedule and offer them to eat high-quality food after the walk. They may also feel hungry after exercise. Once you are done with your food, provide the food for your dog as the food smell may make him feel hungry.     

Conclusion

Dogs are the animals of habit. Different dogs have specific feeding schedules, but most of them prefer two to three meals a day. Such definite feeding times assist in digestion and manage their metabolism. So feed your dog more than once a day and let him live a healthy life.