When to Feed your Dog

Being consistent with the times when your feed your dog will help to keep him happier and healthier. Some people simply leave food out for their adult dog to eat whenever he feels like it but setting up a scheduled meal time once or twice a day is usually preferred. Whatever your dog has not finished within half an hour should be covered and stored for the next meal or thrown away. If you have a litter take care that all of the puppies are being fed sufficiently and receiving proper nutritional intake. If you see that the weaker puppy or puppies are not getting sufficient milk you can give them extra feedings every two hours or so. Bottles for feeding newborn puppies can be picked up from your local veterinarian or pet store.

Puppies that are seven to twelve weeks old need to eat about four times a day. Once they are four months to six months old feeding them three times a day should be enough. Puppies six months old and up only need food two times a day.

Hunting dogs and other working dogs do better with being fed at least two times a day.

Snacks should be avoided between scheduled meal times. Giving your dog to many treats throughout the day can lead to problems with begging or obesity. If you do give your dog a treat make sure that he understands that it is a reward because of his good behavior and not something he should demand.

Fasting your dog: Many experts agree that a fasting your dog for a day once in a while is beneficial for his digestive system. In the wild it is not uncommon for a dog to go day without food. If your dog is sick and develops a fever he will naturally eat less. Whether your dog is fasting due to sickness or for his own good you should still make sure that he has some good and healthy broth available to him.

Dog feeding bowls