How many times a day to feed

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Rosey (12 mos). & Bandit (8mos) currently eat 2 times per day, 6 am, 6pm.  My husband thinks we should start feeding them 1 per day just in the evening.  I would like to continue to feed them twice, especially when they are so young and active.  Bandit is still on puppy but Rose has been on adult for a while. Any suggestions/recommendations?

[Laura & Chewie]

I feed Chewie (15 months) twice/daily and will continue to do so unless he starts to show a lack of interest in the morning meal. He always acts hungry now...can't imagine feeding once a day. On the other hand, once had a dog who lived to be almost 17 years old and only feed him once a day as an adult. The more I think about it, I wouldn't want to eat only once a day...LOL.

[Cheri & Bonny]

Bonny just turned 11 months and in the last few weeks has been less interested in eating in the morning. I changed the morning meal to just kibble (EVO, soon to be Orijen!) so that if she doesn't feel like eating it right away it doesn't go bad. Some days she scarfs it right up, other days it sits until about an hour or so before dinner. In all cases, she still eats all her kibble at dinner with some added chicken rice and pumpkin puree. I plan on continuing this since it gives her the option to eat when she's hungry. I don't want her to get so hungry at night that she starts to scarf it all down...she's been known to bring it all back up if she does that....

I don't know if that technique will work for you with two dogs... As it is, our cat gets a few treats during the day out of the dog's bowl...

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Oh goodness no, Bandit LIVES to Eat, and Rosey I think just eats to live so we can't do the open feeding. Her interest in eating too has slowed down. She sometimes seems more interested in puppy kibble so I will give her a little of Bandit's food to entice her. I am in the process of changing their food from Innova back to Wellness, I kind of sense she isn't to thrilled with her food. We tried Orijen but we got blood in the stools, which I read can happen with 100% protein dog food.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Orijen isn't 100% protein; it is approx. 40% protein, 22% carbohydrate, 18% fat, and the remaining 20% is fiber and water.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

sorry I meant grain free.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I pretty much have the same routine with my two.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I feed twice a day, and do exactly what Cheri does with Bonny; plain kibble (Orijen) in the a.m., kibble with fresh foods added at dinner. Jack almost always eats his dinner when he gets it, but varies with his morning meal. Some days he eats it all up as soon as he gets it, other days he grazes. Sometimes he hasn't touched it at all by dinnertime, but that's rare. Jack is 5.5 years old.
I used to feed my adult dogs once a day (puppies should get 2-3 feedings, depending on age & growth). We do have some FG dogs who for one reason or another, are fed once a day and do fine. But I have come to believe that for most dogs, especially large breeds, it is healthier for them to be fed smaller amounts of food twice a day as opposed to one large amount at one time. For one thing, it will definitely help prevent bloat in dogs who are prone to it, and most of our dogs' parent breeds are prone to bloat. For another thing, eating smaller amounts of food more frequently as opposed to eating large amounts less often is a tried and true method of regulating human metabolism and helping to prevent obesity. I have to believe the same would be true of dogs.
Bandit can probably be switched to adult food at this age, if your vet feels he is close to full skeletal growth. But I would continue feeding both dogs twice a day unless there is some compelling reason not to. Why does your husband want you to switch to one meal a day?

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

He says it's easier on them if they are home all day to only eat in the evening. But would you want to be left home all day hungry? Besides, they go to doggie daycare and burn off all the calories most days. Maybe too because he has morning feedings (6 am) and I have evenings:)
I am going to switch Bandit at 9 months , do one more puppy kibble for the Wellness and then switch to Wellness Adult with Rosey. He scarfs food down, even with his brake-fast bowl so I like the kibble to still be a bit smaller.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

With the doggie daycare, you must feed twice daily. I agree. If they are eating consistently in the morning, I would be very resistant to changing anything!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Offer to switch feedings with him if that's the issue. He is 100% wrong about it being "easier on them" to have no breakfast on the days they're home- in fact, resting after eating is best. Running and playing immediately after eating is what can cause problems. Calories are not really "burned off" in relation to specific meals- calories are units of energy, and food intake vs exercise has no time realtionship, i.e. exercising ten hours after a meal burns the same amount of calories as exercising 30 minutes after a meal. In either case, that meal has to be digested before the calories are available to be burned off anyway, and that takes 8-10 hours. And even if he had it right, they apparently aren't home most days, anyway, lol.
A dog who scarfs down his food and is a "chowhound" is the worst possible candidate for once-a-day feedings. For that kind of dog, mealtime is one of the highpoints of his day. I certainly wouldn't cut his highpoints in half!
Seriously- switch feedings with your DH.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

If you are not having any problems, don't make a change! Peri is 16 months and is starving in the morning - we do breakfast with kibble only and then dinner with some green beans or carrots (or another veggie/fruit) on top for a treat.
My chihuahua refuses to eat in the morning - he is a 1x/day eater. That is how he is. But I won't change Peri's habits until she stops eating in the morning and that may never happen!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Chihuahuas aren't in much danger of bloat, either!