Every dog owner knows that most dogs would eat as much as they can, at any time of the day or night. However, allowing a dog to eat ad libitum, meaning “at its own pleasure,” is not good for its health. It often leads to overweight, obesity, and related complications such as diabetes, orthopedic problems, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, and decreased heat tolerance. To prevent these health issues, it is not only important to feed dogs a healthy, well-balanced diet with the correct amounts and proportions of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, but also necessary to provide them with the proper portions and frequency throughout the day. So, the question arises: “How often should you feed a dog?”
How Often You Feed Depends on the Age of the Dog
The growth phase is a critical time in a puppy’s life. Errors in feeding amount or frequency during this phase can lead to slow or stunted growth, as well as other developmental health problems. During the first 4 weeks of life, puppies should be fed their mother’s milk or, if unavailable, the milk of a foster mother. If natural milk isn’t available, puppies can be hand-fed with commercially available artificial bitch’s milk, which can be administered by mouth through a syringe (without a needle, of course!) or a nipple bottle. The total daily dose of artificial milk should be progressively increased over a period of 4 weeks from about 15 mL to 20 mL per 100 g of body weight, divided into 5-6 equal portions throughout the day.
The transition from a milk-based diet to solid foods is a gradual process called weaning. It usually begins at 3 or 4 weeks of age, depending on the dog’s breed, and should be completed by 7 to 8 weeks. During this period, puppies are fed solid puppy food diluted with enough artificial milk or water to achieve a liquid consistency. The amount of added milk or water should gradually be reduced and eventually eliminated over about 4 weeks, until the puppy can eat solid food and drink water on its own. During this time, the amount of food fed at each meal should increase, while the feeding frequency should decrease from 5-6 meals to 3-4 times a day.
After weaning is complete, puppies should be fed 3 to 4 times a day with highly digestible, nutrient-rich food specifically formulated for growing dogs. This schedule should continue until the puppies are 4 to 6 months old (9 months for giant breeds). After this, the feeding schedule should be gradually changed to twice a day, using regular dog maintenance food. This feeding frequency is recommended for young adult, adult, and even senior healthy dogs.
A special note must be made for pregnant and lactating bitches due to their increased energy and nutrient requirements. During the first 6 weeks of pregnancy, the energy requirements of bitches do not change significantly, so the normal adult feeding schedule (two meals a day at regular times) meets their needs. However, during the latter stages of pregnancy (from the sixth month until delivery), the energy needs of bitches increase due to the rapid growth of the fetuses. This increase is even more significant during lactation and peaks about three weeks after delivery, when the bitch’s energy and food intake can be 3 to 4 times higher than maintenance levels.
In this case, the daily amount of food required should be divided into several small meals (at least three per day) to avoid overloading the digestive system. Alternatively, food can be offered ad libitum, but care must be taken to ensure the bitch does not gain excessive weight, especially during gestation. Keep in mind that at the end of pregnancy, the bitch’s weight should not exceed 125% of her maintenance weight.
Feeding Frequency for Dogs with Health Issues
So far, we’ve answered the question “how often should you feed a dog?” focusing on healthy dogs. But what about dogs with health problems? Generally, the nutritional management of many dog diseases involves changes to the formulation and composition of the diet rather than changes to the frequency of feeding. Therefore, a twice-a-day feeding schedule is a good, if not the best, option for almost all adult dogs.
Exceptions exist for dogs with gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, or those needing low-calorie diets to treat obesity. In these cases, dividing the daily amount of food into several smaller meals (at least three per day) can be an important part of managing the condition. Feeding frequent small meals helps prevent the corrosive effects of gastric acid on the stomach lining in dogs with gastritis, reduces intestinal overload in dogs with diarrhea or malabsorption disorders, prevents significant blood glucose fluctuations in dogs with diabetes, and helps control hunger in obese or overweight dogs.
As we’ve discussed, a unique answer to “how often should you feed a dog?” does not exist. It depends on the dog’s age, physiological condition, and any specific health issues.
