Feeding times

[Licketysplits]

First time dog owner and a bit confused about feeding times. She came from a rescue and they told us to feed her at 8.30 and 4.30. We've moved the afternoon one to 5.30 as it fits in better with being able to walk her soon afterwards (as I'm home by 5.45 and otherwise OH would have to do all the walking), and she is fine with that, but for the mornings we're unsure what to do.

We get up about 6-6.30 most days and she wakes up with us, but she seems unhappy with waiting until 8.30 and spends ages wandering back and forth looking at the floor where her bowl goes. Is it more important to stick to a specific time, or would a routine (e.g. breakfast half an hour after waking up) be better?

We feed our dogs when we get up, usually 7ish, then again about 6 pm, both times followed by a walk, so I'd do whatever fits your lifestyle better

I'd move the time by 10 mins or so each day or every other day until it's the time that suits you.

Our dogs are fed after their morning walk, which isn't at a regular time depending on what I'm doing, so is anytime from 8.00 to 11.00, and 4.00 in the afternoon. They've grown up with this routine and are fine with it.

I feed mine when I get up. So about 7.15am on weekdays and between 8-9 am on weekends or school holidays. He's fine with it. Some mornings he eats the lot straight away. Some mornings he waits ten minutes or so before tucking in.

Mine get fed at 7 and 7. The puppy gets lunch at one.

It doesn't really matter when you feed them tbh, so do what suits you. Sounds like she was on a kennelled schedule before

I've always got up, let them out for a wee, then given them their breakfast. It seems to be the routine they recognise, not so much the times, in the morning at any rate.

As an aside, I don't think you should be walking them straight after feeding them. Perhaps this is only an issue with breeds who are prone to stomach problems though.

Breakfast is any time from 8-10 , I get up at 6.30 weekdays but I think that's too early and ddog generally doesn't get moving until 7.30 at the earliest . Tea is between 4.30 -5.30 . I agree with pp that walks are best before feeding or at least an hour after .

Ours are always walked after feeding - for the last 30 odd years, it's absolutely fine

It really doesn't matter the exact time they're fed so just set your own routine OP.

My dog is only fed once a day in the evening. I've tried feeding her in the morning as well but she looks at me in a sort of 'what's this craziness' way and refuses to touch it. It's just what they get used to.

Feeding immediately before a walk could be a problem with some deep chested breeds that are prone to bloat so it's usually advised to wait an hour or so.

As a novice dog owner, I was told to walk first and feed after, which is what we've always done. But I'm sure it doesn't really matter.

Nobody can tell you more accurately when to feed your dog more than, well, your dog!!
So whenever he gets the opener out or brings his bowl!!

I have a giant breed. The advice is to feed no less than an hour before a walk or two hours before a gallop. I also wouldn't feed immediately on return from a walk but I don't have any clear rules on that!
Risk of bloat.
We are on 5 meals a day at the moment!!! Hard to fit them all in!

I would just feed when it suits - I think that's fine. Our dog has breakfast at 8:30am..... Which she flatly ignores. She eventually eats her 'breakfast' at about 2pm, then has supper about 8pm.

I get up around 6.30 and he gets his first feed then naps all morning. Then has dinner around 5ish, treats now and again

The gap between exercise and eating is for large breeds, especially deep chested ones as yeah, there might be a link to bloat, which comes on suddenly and can be fatal if not caught in time...for breeds less prone to it, it's not something you'd particularly bother about.

The feeding times are just going to be what they were doing, it's fine to change them.

I feed when I get up, which is usually about 8 and then at about 8/9 at night.

Ours are always walked after feeding - for the last 30 odd years, it's absolutely fine
It's really not advisable to be honest. 30 years of personal dog ownership doesn't trump massive peer reviewed meta-analysis proving the increased risk of life-threatening GDV (and not just deep chested breeds).

OP - feed you dog at a time to suit you. Just be sure to make any changes gradually.

I just think it's common sense to do for the dog as you would do for yourself , I wouldn't eat my dinner and then go for a run so I don't expect my dog to .

They go for a WALK, not a run, about half an hour after eating

Fair enough then coffee, you didn't make that clear in your first post. You just said 'after feeding'. And for a lot of dogs (mine included) a 'walk' in reality means 'sprinting around like a complete nutcase'!

My dogs run, they don't walk. Same as most I'd imagine. Country dogs anyway.

Quite, I don't think mine has actually seen a lead in months!

Mine just told me it was dinner time. By trying to eat her own tail!

Our young lab has developed her own language. She has a whine for going out to the loo, and a different one for when I forget to feed her. If you ignore her she takes your hand in her mouth and leads you to the kitchen.
Being a lab she is clever and sometimes cons me into an extra meal when DH has already fed her. The first thing she did as a 9 week old pup was to bring her bowl to me when hungry, if we don't take it off the floor she will carry it and leave it all over the house, along with her bed!