# Feeding Frequency + Volume



## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Wondering if anyone feeds their Hav only once per day? And how did you reduce the amount of food as they move from puppy volume to the lower adult volume? Lola eats every little bit of food ever near her, so I fear she'll start eating her toes if I reduce the amount of her food at one year old. 

As always, your wisdom is appreciated.


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

When we just had Carmen she chose to only eat once per day but we put food out in the am and pm. Now with the puppy and Carmen we put food out in the am and pm, but they only eat once.... and it switches between breakfast and dinner. It is silly and annoying but I dont have the patience to isolate it to one time only. I think as they mature they just eat less, so dont worry about switching volume. Tito used to eat his body weight in food now he has slowed down.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Estrella,

I'm happy to hear you say that because Bailey seems to inhale food. He can't get enough. No wonder he had the pudgy little belly when he got here. I bet he nudged all his litter mates out of the way when the dinner bell rang.


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## lulubella (Mar 25, 2008)

I only feed Molly once in the a.m. The woman I got her from said that's all she ate. She gets 1/3 cup of Eukanuba at around 7:30 am. 

I'm assuming that's enough. Remember, she's only 7.5 lbs full grown.


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

Anne,

She is still a puppy and if she eats all her food and wants more, I wouldn't just decrease her volume. Do you feed her once a day now? If so, maybe she would do better to have her eat the same amount but twice a day. Also, what do you feed her and how much does she get?


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

lulubella said:


> I only feed Molly once in the a.m. The woman I got her from said that's all she ate. She gets 1/3 cup of Eukanuba at around 7:30 am.
> 
> I'm assuming that's enough. Remember, she's only 7.5 lbs full grown.


Wow! Bailey is getting a 1/4 cup three times a day. Of course the others are stealing some, but that' only fair, he steals theirs too. He really seems ravenous. His breeder told me his sire and dam are 10/12 lbs. respectively and he shouldn't be heavier than that. I don't know, I think he's going to be a blimp.


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## lulubella (Mar 25, 2008)

Geri,

Milo is definitely a lot bigger than Molly, but I don't think in a bad way. She's just really little, but she's doesn't look unhealthy.

I guess they're all different shapes and sizes! Like us!


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Mine eat at least one meal per day and sometimes 2, depending on how early they eat breakfast. They get 1/4 kibble plus 1/2 Little Cesar added in, or some chicken, beef, turkey.


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## Alexa (Jun 17, 2007)

I'm still trying to figure out what the right thing is for Marley...his parents are 8 and 10 lbs and he has arrived at a whooping 15 lbs at 11 months.

He typically eats a thick slice of Natural Balance food roll for breakfast, and eats about 1/3 cup of kibble later in the day plus some jerky treats and the occasional flossie. He'd eat all day if I let him and tries hard to supplement his diet by snatching snotty tissues every chance he gets. He is built pretty solid, but when we go for our 1 year checkup I'll check with the vet to see if his weight is appropriate for his frame.



pjewel said:


> Wow! Bailey is getting a 1/4 cup three times a day. Of course the others are stealing some, but that' only fair, he steals theirs too. He really seems ravenous. His breeder told me his sire and dam are 10/12 lbs. respectively and he shouldn't be heavier than that. I don't know, I think he's going to be a blimp.


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Puppies under 1 year of age should be fed twice a day - young ones like Bailey are three times a day. The amount depends on the activity level and calorie count of the food you are feeding. For example, my 9 lb Havanese and 15 lb. Pomeranian get the same amount of food due to age and activity level. My 10 lb Maltese gets the same amount but his food has 1/3 fewer calories per cup.


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

juliav said:


> Anne,
> 
> She is still a puppy and if she eats all her food and wants more, I wouldn't just decrease her volume. Do you feed her once a day now? If so, maybe she would do better to have her eat the same amount but twice a day. Also, what do you feed her and how much does she get?


Lola eats 2x a day, at 6a and 6p. She gets one freeze dried NV medallion and 1/2cup NV Prairie kibble each time. She eats it all in about 3-4 minutes. Without fail. I used to feed her NV INstinct (all protein + veg, no grain)kibble 1/3 cup each time, but I was afraid that all the protein was what was leading to her large volume of poop and her desire to "recycle" her poop. Since we moved to the Prairie meat and grain kibble , she gets a little more, and poops a little less. Looser stools, for sure. But she hasn't lost her appetite for "recycling". She poops 2x after breakfast, and none after dinner until she wakes at 6am. Much less frequency on the Prairie than the Instinct.

She also is not housebroken. Not reliably. I was thinking if she ate once a day, we'd have more success in housebreaking. Lola is 9mos. She goes out and plays for 2 hours a day, and pretty much sleeps the rest of the afternoon, evening, and night, with one play party in there. Lately she hasn't been bugging for food at night. Hence, the thoughts all come to the idea of once a day morning feeding.


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

Anne,

I am a big believer in eating twice a day vs. once a day. If she is not as hungry for dinner, how about giving her 1/3 cup of kibble at each feeding instead of 1/2 cup and see how that works. I think it's better for the metabolism to have two small meals per day rather than one large one (just like for humans). I am not sure if feeding her once a day would help with potty training, as Bugsy ate 3 time per day till about 8 or 9 months old and then switched to twice a day. 

good luck,


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

Mine both eat twice a doay and I would not decrease to once until they are only eating 1 time on their own.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

What Cheryl said.

Kubrick has currently slowed down on eating his breakfast. I now give him about 1/3 cup at breakfast, instead of 1/2 cup (like Julia mentioned) and 1/2 cup at dinner. He eats both in full. Eventually he might taper off the breakfast altogether but until he has flat out refused it for a week straight, I will still keep putting it down for him.


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

I feed Cicero twice a day, but he has about stopped eating in the AM and only wants his dinner meal. It has worried me that he is not eating enough, but his vet said if he was hungrey he would eat. I have started giving him a "Whole Meal" late morning and he will eat a litte...hide it behind something...and eat a little more later...this goes on till he finishes it in the afternoon. He loves them and goes nuts if we pick it up. I think he is trying to make it last...LOL He weighs 7.5 at 5 months. He also gets some treats during the day when we are training for different things.


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## Tritia (Nov 17, 2007)

Cooper would eat alllll day if I let him. I was doing just once a day, till we got the pup. Now I feel guilty, so I'm splitting that. And feeding Cooper (and Daisy) twice a day.


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## dotndani (Mar 19, 2007)

Duncan gets fed twice a day around 7 am and 7pm.
He gets a little bit of kibble mixed with about 2 tablespoons of canned food.
He gets treats during the day as well.
I guess it all depends on the dog.


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

When we first got Sissy I fed her about 1/2 cup three times a day because that's what the breeder was doing. Then in a few weeks we limited it to twice a day and she did fine. I have always just left it down and let her free feed (we always have meal time - where I give new food but I leave it down til the next time). Now that she is three years old. I feed in the morning and leave it down all the time. That is when she eats most of the time. If I go by and her food bowl is empty I will add more food.

When we have dinner she thinks she should get something too so we normally give her a little cheese, egg or a treat. She loves cheerios and rice krispies.


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## wannabe (Feb 3, 2008)

I feed our 8 month old puppy Cash, a cup of food a day. Usually 3/4 of a cup at night and another 1/4 as treats for my students or my kids to feed him.
He is 8lbs.


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## RCKNROB (Nov 27, 2007)

I think feeding is the most difficult problem with my Havs. I have not been able to find a kibble that they like and I have them on a raw diet as well. Augie eats everything in the raw meat diet and Divas food too. Diva eats so slow and such little bites that i feed her by hand just to make sure she gets some food. I would like to just put down some kibble and forget the raw diet. I think after they get use to the meat, kibble is like eating cardboard. I say each day I am stopping this, but I give in to make them happy. They have me wrapped.

Robin


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