Changing from 3 Meals a Day to 2 - Upset Tummy

[Jaime + Oliver]

On our recent vet visit we were told to start transitioning Oliver to 2 meals a day.  He's nearly 11wks old now.  We started to increase his breakfast today and have been dealing with "back-end" potty issues all day.  The vet said to watch and wait for 24hrs.

When did everyone start to make the switch to 2 meals?  How gradually did you do it?  Anyone experience issues from overeating as you increase the meal portions?

[Itims]

I can't remember for sure but I think we did it quite late, closer to 5.5 or 6 months. We transitioned by reducing the amount of food in the mid-day meal over a week or 10 days and increasing the morning and evening quantities by little at a time. After about 10 days, we stopped the mid-day meal. 100% pumpkin puree (not pie filling) helps firm things up. So you could try that too. 

Good luck!

[Julie and Charlie]

We did the reducing the mid-day meal too- it seemed to work. 

But, due to bile puking, we've re-instated a third "meal"- more like a bedtime snack!

[Kimberly Cook]

Aww poor Oliver. We switched to 2 meals when Chopper was 5 months old. 11weeks seems early to me but I'm no expert. Is it because he is having tummy issues? Last time we had an issue we stopped food for 24hrs then just fed rice and ground beef or chicken breast in small amounts twice a day for day then gradually added his food back till he was back to his usual serving size. We also add in some pumpkin a few times a week. :) Hope Oliver gets better soon.

[Linda And Loo]

Loo went to 2 meals around 6 months. It was a gradual change, slowly eliminating the noon meal! She had no problems! Good luck!

[Gail and Bailey]

Jamie....I think you should post this in the Food Group so our expert, Karen, can see it and give you advice.

I am certain she will tell you that 11 weeks is way too young to go to 2 meals a day.  Young pups are still babies and need to have their food in smaller amounts to spread the calories out.  Is there a reason you can't feed your puppy 3 meals a day? 

[Jaime + Oliver]

Great advice, will post over there.  We were just following the vet's advice as to when we should start the transition from 3 to 2.  Unfortunately it seems like upping the breakfast even a little bit was too much for Oliver.  I'll still be dropping by at lunch every day to make sure he gets his midday meal for a few more months.

[Jaime + Oliver]

Thanks all!  It sounds like it was probably too much too early.  He slept most of the day but he's drinking water and currently experiencing his usual evening zoomies - hopefully all a good sign he'll bounce back quickly.  Just so scary to see a little baby not feel well, especially with all the scary things out there.  We'll go back and reset a schedule for the transition once he's a little bit older.

[Katrine]

We transitioned Stella at one year to two meals per day. We forgot about Stella's late night snack last night and she puked up bile this am... She will be 2 in November.

[Judith and Griffin]

Griffin is 6 months and still at 3 meals a day. The vet is happy with his weight and hasn't even brought up dropping down to twice a day.  He did puke at night for a while til we figured out the bile issue - bedtime snacks cured that right away.  Luckily he's outgrown that issue by now.  I'll probably slowly transition him in a few weeks or so, as our schedule is changing anyway.  We'll see how it goes :-)

[Ricki Shine]

Our Lucy just turned one. She's still on 3 meals a day although the 2 days she goes to doggie daycare each week she's effectively on 2 meals because she's a grazer and she barely touches her breakfast before we have to leave. Her weight is stable and she has never had an issue with bile so I don't see a reason to try to go to 2 meals.