subject: How Often Should I Feed My Dog? [print this page] So you've adopted a dog into your home and family. Your new pet and family member will require plenty of attention and effort: you'll have to walk them daily, bathe them when they're dirty, give them love and attention and of course, feed and water them.
You might be wondering, however, how often should I feed my dog?
The easiest option, of course, is what is called "free feeding" or just filling the bowl and allowing your dog to eat at free will. To someone otherwise unaware, this might seem like the best option. This is, however, the least favorable option for feeding your animal.
Dogs' and cats' wild ancestors had long periods between their meals. These breaks allowed their digestive system to rest and get ready for the next meal. Free feeding removes the potential for breaks between meals and is, essentially, the equivalent of you having a 24 hour buffet in your home. Not a good idea. Free feeding lends to animals becoming sluggish, overweight and lethargic. Your dog should be able to get excited about their meals, not have them be something that are always available.
Food is one of the key motivators to use for dogs, in training, in praise and in their everyday feeding to boost their passion for things in general. If you can't get them excited about food, there isn't too much else you can get them excited about. Allowing them constant and free access to their food makes it much harder for them to get excited about it.
Usually, most people agree on either feeding your pet once daily or twice daily. Once daily is probably the best for your animal, although one of the drawbacks about it is that your pet may bug you continually during the day for food. While you can train your animal to stop such behaviors, it isn't easy.
So the second best option that may work out best for you and your pet is feeding them twice daily. This keeps the meals spaced out enough for your animal, but they are close enough that your dog won't fixate on his meals and pester you for them.
Another thing to be mentioned is that you should be sure to be consistent with how much, when, how often and where you feed your pet. Dogs thrive on routine and setting up a routine for feeding is best no matter how many times a day you choose to feed your animal. Being consistent will help your dog's temperament, help him to respect you as his superior and help him in any training you may decide to participate in with him in the future.
Another thing to be mentioned is the sensitivity of dogs' stomachs. When you do find a dog food that your dog likes eating, stick with it. Changing up your dog's food without slowly transitioning can upset their stomach and cause problems with their digestion.
