Feed 1x per day vs. 2x per day

[bionerd76]

I just purchased a 4yr. old GSP. An unfortunate situation for the previous owner turned into a fortunate one for me as I am the proud owner of an absolutely great dog. The previous owner would feed the dog only one time per day at 5pm. The dog seems to do well on this and I don't plan on changing this for the time being. However, during hunting season, I have a hard time believing she would be able to hunt strong on one feeding in the evening.

Any thoughts/opinions on the subject?


Chris

[Karen]

If you feed before strenuous activity you risk twisted gut. I'd leave her on once a day feedings, especially during hunting season.

[BigShooter]

Chris,

You may not have to worry about this. The 6 y.o. female GSP I hunt with refuses food in the a.m. and during the day while we're hunting. In the mornings she's only interested in relieving herself and in how soon she can "kennel up" in the truck. I use a performance feed during the hunting season and will rarely feed additional canned food during the day if she starts to lose too much weight.

Mark

[big steve46]

My dog has his doghouse in a small building and I have a fence in the front. Therefore, I can freefeed as the feed will not get wet etc. I usually feed every three days. Keep in mind he's a Llewellin which makes him smart enough to not gorge his food.

[Dave Quindt]

My dogs get fed 2x/day at home, and 1x/day when hunting or with my pro.

While there are advantages to feeding 1x/day when the dog is in the field, it does put the dog through a huge daily blood sugar swing. Feeding 2x/day reduces this swing and in my experience leads to a more relaxed and "level headed" dog in many cases. It also can reduce the amount of food you feed, although this may be minimal.

JMO,
Dave

[pear]

My dog has his doghouse in a small building and I have a fence in the front. Therefore, I can freefeed as the feed will not get wet etc. I usually feed every three days. Keep in mind he's a Llewellin which makes him smart enough to not gorge his food.

:roll:

[Rick Hall]

Here's a link with some science speaking to your question, among others, on feeding for top performance: http://www.proplan.com/sportingdog/Pro% ... eeding.htm

[ezzy333]

Steve, I understand now why you can't train that dog, since I read that you have to be smarter than the dog to train it. Your pic gives it away.

Ezzy

[Chaingang]

Ditto Dave's comment. Twice a day here in the offseason or when not hunting or training. Once a day when hunting for sure.

[kninebirddog]

1x a day

[BigShooter]

Rick,

Thanks for the interesting link. I'd never heard of "cecal slap" before.

Ezzy,

That 70+ y.o. humor gets me every time. How old will you be when you finally get serious?

Mark

[bionerd76]

Thanks for all the insight! I planned on keeping her on 1x a day just because she looks great. My other concern is the feed. He had her on Nature's Recipe brand dog food and I'm feeding her the rest of it. I know everyone has an opinion. However, I was just wondering what you 1x/day feeders feed their dogs?

Chris

[big steve46]

Ezzy, Thanks for complimenting my dog. I need to get a new avatar to show you how handsome and smart looking I am.

[Sharon]

Thanks for all the insight! I planned on keeping her on 1x a day just because she looks great. My other concern is the feed. He had her on Nature's Recipe brand dog food and I'm feeding her the rest of it. I know everyone has an opinion. However, I was just wondering what you 1x/day feeders feed their dogs?

Chris

Oh no!! Here we go again. See the "Ol'Roy Hi Pro thread "

[Killer Instinct]

also see "Dog Food around the Country" thread.... lots of info about who's feeding what....

[bionerd76]

also see "Dog Food around the Country" thread.... lots of info about who's feeding what....

I've read the whole thing! I was just wondering what the 1x/dayers feed their dogs. I didn't want to turn this into "that dog food is crap, this is what you should feed her" type of thread.


Chris

[Rick Hall]

I know everyone has an opinion. However, I was just wondering what you 1x/day feeders feed their dogs?

Chris

I happen to feed Purina One's 26/16 chicken and rice formula in the off season and Pro Plan's 30/20 chicken and rice formula during the months when they're really busting hump every day. But I'm old enough to remember when bird dog pros whose dogs worked a whoooole lot harder than most thought corn one the keys to their ability to do so, and I'm thinking most folks today seem to worry too much about what they feed and too little about how they condition...

(The ranting of a 58-year-old who runs 4-7 miles most off-season mornings and then makes a 2-4 mile training circuit afield with his dogs before brunching on baloney and cheese sandwiches and Doritos or Tony's frozen pizza.)

[romeo212000]

I feed Doamind Premium once per day in the evenings. I feed in the evenings so if we are trialing or hunting in the morning the dog will not be running on a full stomach if fed in the morning. I like once per day. Food in, poop out.

[big steve46]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I'm curious to learn if anyone else feeds twice a week like I do?

[rockllews]

Bigsteve- Out of curiousity, I've got some questions for you.... Mostly want to know your reasoning/info for feeding twice a week? (More 'natural'?) How much do you have to feed him each time? And what kind of work load does your Llew have? You feed him 2x/wk during season, too? I've heard of fasting dogs once a week or so, but never feeding so seldom. But obviously, it works for you.

[BigShooter]

My dog has his doghouse in a small building and I have a fence in the front. Therefore, I can freefeed as the feed will not get wet etc. I usually feed every three days. Keep in mind he's a Llewellin which makes him smart enough to not gorge his food.

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I'm curious to learn if anyone else feeds twice a week like I do?

bigsteve,

Putting both posts together, it looks like you free feed twice a week. Do you think the total caloric input is any different for your dog than others that feed once or twice a day? Do you do it because you think there is less wastage because the dog and it's digestive system have learned (faced with potential mild starvation) to better optimize and conserve nutrition?

Mark

[ezzy333]

His twice a week feeding simply means he fills the feeder twice a week. Doesn't really matter how often you feed if the feeder i big enough to hold 50 lbs or so. I woud much rather know exactly how much each dog is eating each day. I find it much easier to tell when the dog may not be feeling up to par when I watch her eat each day.

Ezzy

[Sharon]

I can't believe I'm talking about dog food but.......
I agree Ezzy. Being off their food is an early sign that my dogs might be unwell. I want to be able to watch for that.
If you have a big operation though, free feeding is maybe the only way to go.

I've fed Purina since 1950 , as a 4 year old with my dad , to now. Bag name and price has changed a few times. LOL Now I feed Pro Plan Performance all year ( once a day). I cut the amount back in the off season but don't change the percents. Dogs look great/feel great.

[rockllews]

I forgot the post about his free-feeding routine.... thought Steve was setting out one bowl of food, twice a week. Big difference... my bad!

[big steve46]

I feed my 59 lb. eleven yr old Llewellin Setter about every three days. I give him a large coffee can full of Diamond Premium. He gets a little exercise every day and lots of exercise about every other day. He eats sl more in cold weather. He does not get hunted hard. He does not gulp his feed obviously.

[BigShooter]

Ezzy,

Thanks, but my questions to bigsteve were not answered by him. I have free fed and fed daily. I currently feed daily because I too prefer to know promptly if a dog is off its food.

So Ezzy in answering for bigsteve you are representing that you have such intimate knowledge of bigsteve that you can state with no uncertainty he has no other reason for feeding this way except for his own convenience.

With all due respect, sometimes I'd just like to get the answer from the person the question is posed to.

Mark

[ezzy333]

With all due respect, sometimes I'd just like to get the answer from the person the question is posed to.

Mark,

With all due respect I did not answer for Steve as to why he feeds like he does. I just answered the question about how he feeds. I think you will get your answer from Steve about why since I have no idea why he does it. Hope this makes it a little more clear for you.

o Ezzy in answering for bigsteve you are representing that you have such intimate knowledge of bigsteve that you can state with no uncertainty he has no other reason for feeding this way except for his own convenience.

Steve and I have never been intimate or are we planning on it in the future. But yes, I can answer with no uncertainty as to how he feeds. But there is quite a difference in how he feeds and why he feeds and I have no idea why so I didn't answer that for you.

Hope Steve answers your questions and I am sure he will so that should get me off the hook for something I didnt do.

Ezzy

[BigShooter]

Ezzy,

rockllews and I both asked for bigsteve's reasoning for feeding twice a week & rockllews asked how much he was feeding each time. bigsteve eventually responded by saying a "large coffee can full". I'm sorry I missed who asked the question you answered about "how he feeds". As your response came after rockllews & I both had asked different questions there was a clear (to me) implication you were responding to our posts in some fashion.

For what it's worth I have noticed a tendency on the part of a few posters to jump in so quickly the individual to whom a question is addressed appears to have his/her response unduly pre-empted. Personally I think it is slightly more courteous to allow them to respond in their own words first.

However I appreciate your sincere efforts to provide clear, concise and meaningful education to members of this forum.

I have no desire to become your personal pen pal.

Regarding intimacy ... yes, the age difference might be a barrier.

[ezzy333]

Regarding intimacy ... yes, the age difference might be a barrier.

Not just the age, have you seen his picture! :roll: :roll:

Ezzy

[nowicki2005]

I have a friend that just graduated college and is a vetrenairy technician. She says its wrong to feed a dog just once a day because it causes bloating....

[MikeB]

OMG... I'm not even going to comment. BUT... Someone will have a field day with that statement. :roll:

[big steve46]

Ezzy, please don't be jealous of my good looks! BigShooter, not all dogs can be fed the way mine is. I've owned and fed 1-2 Setters at a time for over 30 years. They tend not to gulp their feed. For the last several years, I've only fed one Setter. My coffee can holds 10 cups, and lasts him about three days. I think he's efficient with his food. I believe if you let a dog get hungry, it will eat more in a short period of time. By the way, getting advice from a Vet Tech about nutrition would be about like asking advice from a nurse about human nutrition. No thanks!

[Rick Hall]

I have a friend that just graduated college and is a vetrenairy technician. She says its wrong to feed a dog just once a day because it causes bloating....

I've seen once-per-day feeding listed as one of many possible factors associated with gastric torsion, but I don't know that the timing of that feeding, with regard to exercise has been considered. And that is a question I've frequently raised in vain hope of clarification whenever the possible relationship comes up.

(Given that I feed once a day after the dogs' last serious exercise, it's clearly not something I'm fearful of.)

[ezzy333]

Rich,

I think you are right on. Full stomach leads to bloat or torsion and not how many times the you feed. Just make sure you are feeding as far as you can away from the time the dog is let lose in the field.

Ezzy

[Greg Jennings]

I feed 1 or 2 times per day according to need. But I always run my dogs on an empty stomach. I do try to get them a glycogen replacement soon after finishing up. Used to like the ProPlan PowerBars, but they are no more. Glycocharge seemed to work, but was something of a pain. Ended up ordering CarboGain. It was cheap and efficient.

Greg J.

[rockllews]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I'm curious to learn if anyone else feeds twice a week like I do?

Hi Steve, Sorry to have jumped to conclusions when I read your message, above. Thought you had a different technique/research I hadn't come across, rather than figuring out the obvious... free feeding. Seems to have put you on the spot. Obviously your dog is successful on your regimen... hope it didn't sound like I was implying otherwise or asking you to 'justify.' And thanks for the suggestion on Joe's forum.

And in answer to your question (and the thread's question)... we don't feed twice a week, but rather we feed at night when we kennel the dogs back up. They may or may not eat all of it right away... it varies.

We used to have the sort of self-feeders that you filled and it emptied into the bottum, as the dog eats... didn't have a problem with overeating, but we did eventually have a problem with ants, beatles, and meal-sort of worms. Now we use feeders that we can hang up on the kennels... less spills & bugs and we can keep an eye on the dogs' feedings/intake. The trade-off? Magpies love perching on the feeders and helping themselves to free meals if our dogs haven't cleaned them out. We might have to changes some things to fix that....

Have a good day!
Chelsea