Changing puppy to 2 meals

BrodiePup · 2024-08-20T06:23:09+00:00

Brodie is 6 months today, and I was planning to start reducing his lunch and increase his breakfast and tea. However, he's started to not be interested in breakfast, so I was wondering if I should feed him later in the morning and at teatime and skip lunch? Obviously working his quantities out. I could give him a snack in a toy or his snuffle mat through the day. Does that sound ok? How does everyone else feed their dogs?

sunsetsandboardwalks · 20/08/2024 07:52

Mine lost interest in breakfast around that age too - he's six now and gets his main meal at lunchtime but with a small handful of kibble chucked about the garden/house for breakfast and dinner.

So we do a small handful of kibble when he wakes up, then lunch, then he gets a chew around 4-5pm, and then "dinner" (more kibble) at 9pm and a bedtime biscuit when DH brings him to bed around midnight.

Pyreneansylvie · 20/08/2024 08:06

With regard to Brodie it sounds as if late morning and teatime/early evening might end up being your best option for feeding. One of our girls, Rose, never ate much of her breakfast, she just wasn't a morning person, she preferred a lie-in.

Happy half-birthday to Brodie 🍰

Because ours is a giant breed with deep chest it's high risk for torsion so we continue to feed 4 meals in adulthood but I thought I'd respond anyway because it's an interesting topic. My mental health issues mean I'm home all the time and my husband works from home so keeping to 4 meals has always worked out well for us. The dogs eat slowly and we train them to eat lying down because we used to feed 3 together in the kitchen so routine was key.

Interested to see what works for others re feeding.

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 20/08/2024 08:14

What breed is he? Some dogs move onto two meals quicker than three.

That said, I always think big breeds should stick to three meals given risk of bloat etc

Mindymomo · 20/08/2024 08:20

My border collie stuck to 3 meals until around 1 year old, then he started not wanting breakfast, so since then we’ve cut it out completely. He has lunchtime meal, a chew whilst we have dinner, then evening meal and a couple of biscuits before bed. He’s 6 years old, this is his routine now.

steadywinner · 20/08/2024 08:27

Do whatever you think will suit him - as long as he's getting the right amount through the day it's fine.

Beth216 · 20/08/2024 09:33

A lot of the dogs I know that aren't complete foodies aren't bothered about eating until they've been for a walk.

Original poster

BrodiePup · 20/08/2024 09:40

It seems quite normal then.
He's a working cocker spaniel, so a medium breed, his mum and dad were both quite compact, so I think he'll be smallish for the breed.
I tried him at 6:30...not interested
Took him for a walk (drag 😡) and tried him again about 9:15...still not interested.
I don't think it's a food issue as he wolfs it later in the day. 🤞🏻 as I've just bought a new sack!

OP posts:

CaptainBeanThief · 20/08/2024 11:09

I started feeding Milo 2 meals around 8 months
( As you know Milo and Brodie are very ... Familiar 🤣)

I don't feed his first meal until around 10-11am
Usually I will walk him before I feed him
I give him his evening meal around 5pm.
Treats in between.
Suits him fine and hes maintaining his weight ( 13.5 kg)

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 20/08/2024 11:18

If he’s being fussy about when he eats, you could always leave food down during the day (assuming he’s the only dog).

I do it with my fussy girl as she is a grazer rather than a full meal eater. Works wonderfully - although it means her food bowl sits in the study with me and not the kitchen so I can stop my other dogs trying to eat it, which they would 100% do if they thought they could get away with it!

drivinmecrazy · 20/08/2024 11:43

Pyreneansylvie · 20/08/2024 08:06

With regard to Brodie it sounds as if late morning and teatime/early evening might end up being your best option for feeding. One of our girls, Rose, never ate much of her breakfast, she just wasn't a morning person, she preferred a lie-in.

Happy half-birthday to Brodie 🍰

Because ours is a giant breed with deep chest it's high risk for torsion so we continue to feed 4 meals in adulthood but I thought I'd respond anyway because it's an interesting topic. My mental health issues mean I'm home all the time and my husband works from home so keeping to 4 meals has always worked out well for us. The dogs eat slowly and we train them to eat lying down because we used to feed 3 together in the kitchen so routine was key.

Interested to see what works for others re feeding.

We have a deep chested breed too, though not giant.
He's a Weimaraner.
We feed him with a slow feeding bowl which has been a godsend for us.

His meals last a few minutes as opposed to seconds 😝

We do however need to be aware of when we feed him in relation to his walks. Either feed him after a walk or at least an hour after.

Just another pain in the bum that comes with having him, and believe me there are many 😝

Pyreneansylvie · 20/08/2024 13:03

@drivinmecrazy
Oh the timing of walks is a real pain, I agree. It always shocks me how few people are aware of the food/exercise bloating risk. We have a neighbour with a black Lab and she feeds him immediately after his walk 😱 I'm just too wimpy to try to tell her as she'd probably think I'm a know-it-all. It worries me a lot. I do think it cannot be over emphasised how great the risk is in the larger breeds.