Feeding frequency.

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

I wonder if anybody knows when I should start Oscar on onece a day feeding schedule. I have noticed that he is not so crazy about eating twice a day anymore. He is 3 mos old and does not look much interested in food in the morning. I feed him between 6-7PM and he eats about 2 cups of dry food. In the morning I try to feed him around 6:30 with another 2 cups of dry food and he does not seem interested much. Sometimes he eats half, other times only sniffs it. I am also not sure if he is that crazy about the new dry food (Blue) I started feeding him with. He used to eat Puppy Chow but his vet said it is not a quality food at all and suggested the change. He was more interested in Puppy Chow and used to "swallow" it both in the morning and in the evening. I know that he is eating more treats than he used to because I am training him and the trainer said to "pay" with treats. I cut them in tiny pieces, however, it is still some kind of food for his stomach. I am taking him to the doctor this Friday for follow up shots and will talk to the doctor about it. I just wanted to hear what others have to say about the feeding frequency.

[April S.]

My goldendoodle is 8 months old today and is "food crazed" - I can't imagine feeding her once a day she would eat the cat or something.  I feed her about 3 1/2 cups of kibble total per day - breaking half in the morning and half in the evening.  Both times she is crazy for it.    I am feeding the Blue Buffalo large breed puppy... curious what other doodle owners have to say about this as well!

[F, Calla & Luca]

The same for Calla except we have no at. Luca often eats most or all of his food late in the day but he occasionally will eat breakfast or brunch : )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Typically, young puppies go from three feedings per day to two feedings, and never to one feeding, even as adults. It is much healthier for a dog to have his entire day's worth of calories spread out rather than consumed all at once; the latter is a risk factor for bloat.

 I'm surprised your breeder/vet didn't tell you to feed him 3 times a day from the beginning, but at this point it doesn't matter.

The first thing you need to do is check the feeding guidelines on the Blue. Chances are you feed less of it than you do Purina, so if you are giving the same amount you were when you fed the Purina, you're overfeeding. 

Crappy foods like Purina Puppy Chow are very appealing to dogs, because they are sprayed with rancid fat. It's not uncommon for dogs to prefer them to the better quality foods, just as kids prefer candy to broccoli. 

What kind of treats are you using? You might look at something like Zuke's minis, which are very low in calories. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

See my comment below on the feeding amount, with link.

You might also want to join the Food group, we have lists of recommended treat brands as well as ideas for small training treats. :)

[Lynda Kamrath]

You are feeding him too much.  He needs to have two feedings a day, but only a cup at each feeding.  My ALD eats 1 cup and my 85-pound goldendoodle eats 1 & 1/2 cups twice a day.  If he is not interested, take the food away.  Do not leave it out for him to browse feed when he is interested.  Yes, I think pups like junk food just like we do.  Talk to your doctor about it but don't use what they have stocked in the veterinary office because they have sales persons who come around just like our doctor's offices do with drug salesmen.  I would buy your food from a feed store and they have lots of options.  You need to do your homework and get what is best for your pup.  Watch the fat content and read labels on everything.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Lynda, every food has a different calorie content, and that can vary by more than 200 calories per cup. You can't just arbitrarily say "feed one cup at each feeding" without taking into account the calorie content of the food as well as the age, weight, and activity level of the dog. A three month old puppy is growing and may need more than twice the number of calories per pound of body weight that an adult dog needs. She needs to follow the feeding guidelines on the food she is feeding for her puppy's age and weight.

I would also not change foods again at this point. Blue is on the Food Group's list of recommended brands and is a good quality food. Too many changes in a short period of time contributes to picky eating, and can also cause tummy issues in a young pup.

I agree with picking up the food bowl after a reasonable amount of time, and not free-feeding.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Marta, if you are feeding the Blue Chicken & Brown Rice for puppies, you are definitely feeding too much, unless your pup is expected to weigh more than 100 lbs at maturity. Here is a link to the feeding guidelines: http://bluebuffalo.com/dog-food/lp-puppy-chicken  Notice that it also recommends three feedings per day until the puppy is 6 months old. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

When you look at the range of 2.5 to 4 cups, you also have to look at the range of 51 to 100 lbs. :)

The upper limit (4 cups) would be the suggested amount for the dog who is going to be 100 lbs, and the 2.5 cups would apply to the dog who is going to be 51 lbs. If this were my puppy, I would start with about 3 cups per day and adjust upwards according to his appetite, rate of weight gain, and activity level. 

[Wendy and Myla]

That equation means 2 1/2 cups per day if the mature weight will be 51 pounds up to a maximum of 4 cups per day if the mature weight will be 100 pounds.  If Oscar should mature at 70 pounds he should probably get 3 cups per day of that particular food.  If you feed him twice a day, give him 1 1/2 cups per feeding.  If he still leaves some and he's not underweight, I would just leave it - I know Myla leaves some food when it's really hot outside and she gobbles up her food when she's had a lot of exercise (swimming).  I would never give him more than the recommended amount unless your vet thinks he's underweight and advises to do so.

[Wendy and Myla]

Ha - just noticed that Karen has already replied!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Libby is two and she is still on two meals a day.  Her morning meal (6:00am) is not her favorite but she always eats.  Her afternoon meal (3:00pm) is her favorite and loves every bite no matter what we feed her.  She gets l cup of kibble with both meals and then I also put in vegetables, chicken or a scrambled egg every now or then.  I don't think she will ever be on one meal a day.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

One meal a day is really not recommended for any dog, especially larger dogs and breeds that are prone to bloat, which includes all of the doodle parent breeds.