allison04 Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Ever since I got Kody 4 years ago, I have always had food in front of him and he can eat whenever he feels like it. He isn't fat or anything close to it. I am wanting to make the switch to feeding him twice a day. How would be the most healthy way to get him used to this feeding schedule? Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I don't see anything wrong with just doing it cold turkey. He's not going to go hungry, so don't let him fool with some sad puppy dog eyes. I'd just pick up the bowl now, and start feeding him twice a day, he'll probably adjust quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 ^^What she said. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthfieldNick Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I normally feed twice a day, but my young dog is so unmotivated to eat that I had food down for him most of the time. Unfortunately, that started to cause some snarliness between the dogs, so I started picking his food up after 20 min or so. To encourage him to eat all at once, I mixed some goodies into his food to make it more exciting. A few tablespoons of milk did the trick. It only took him a few days to "get it" that the food went away if it doesn't get eaten right away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Yes, ^^^ what everyone said. I normally feed twice a day and one (of my 2) dogs can be 'finicky' about 2-3 times per month. Her food is left down about 5-10 minutes (I have to watch to make sure the other dog doesn't snarf it down.), and is then put away. She does not get fed again until the next meal, regardless of the sad eyes. At that point, she is usually eager to eat. I prefer feeding at specific times, rather than ad libitum feeding, because I can monitor the amount and speed of eating and my dogs' demeanors when eating. If anything is off, it may be cause for concern, or not, but at least it might be a sign that something is not quite right with the dog. I am not sure it would be noticed as rapidly if I wasn't paying attention to their feeding habits. Jovi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted July 12, 2011 Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 As everyone said, just start doing it. If he misses a meal or two at first, or fails to clean his bowl the first few goes, don't worry about it. I promise he won't starve before he figures it out. Plus you can entice him to eat more in one sitting by adding a tablespoon of canned food or or some other goodie, until he gets the hang of it. I am a firm believer in scheduled feedings rather than free feeding, since it enables me to keep a much better tab on how much or if my dogs are eating. Especially as they get older, if a dog goes off his feed or eats less, you notice it much faster than if you just top off his bowl whenever needed. Hope this helps! ~ Gloria P.S. Don't go by suggested servings on the bag. They always over-measure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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