I go by the old rule "the eye of the master maketh the horse". It applies to dogs as well. You may start with a rule of thumb, but pay attention to what your eyes tell you and you won't go far wrong. If your dog is gaining weight past the ideal, time to cut back, and vice versa.
Feeding Schedule
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I have a Basenji book that advocates feeding your adult Basenji just once a a day to simulate the conditions they have adapted to over time. Mine is a long way from adulthood, but I thought I'd see if you had any thoughts on this.
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IMO I totally disagree and think its a bunch of BS.
Okay that soap box done, sorry, it is much better to feed them twice a day, part because they don't get the empty stomach and throw up bile because of it. Also, I look at it like this, how would you like to only eat one big meal a day, wouldn't that hurt your gut? Once a day can also lead to bloat, not saying it does but it can cause it. Twice a day also helps in regulating their weight better.
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Jazz throws up if she's only fed once a day.
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Jazz throws up if she's only fed once a day.
Yep, so does Bella, and Querk. Lots of Basenjis have 'empty tummy urkas'.
And actually the theory is pretty ridiculous…if you think about semi-wild dogs, roaming around the village, they would be scavanging on stuff all day. Even if they were only involved in a hunt and subsequent feeding once a day, they would be spending the rest of their time eating what they could catch themselves, mice, bugs, bark, plants, garbage, etc. So it makes MORE sense that biologically we see a need to eat frequently.
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With Senji's liver disease, the vet told me to feed him 4-5 small meals/day. If he eats too much at any one meal, he throws up bile the next day.
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Both my pups get up at 7 15 on the dot in order to get fed, if i wake up only at 7 30, they let me know 'Im hungry!!!" lol…Nike will throw up if he is not fed at once, and Mia will throw up after she's eaten if I fed them a little bit later. So I can't imagine them going all day with only 1 meal. I think there digestive system would be under less stress if fed 2-3 small meals a day compared to the whole shabang at dinner.
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I feed twice a day too. They throw up bile if I don't
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Medjai makes it all day on one meal, but because he is a little on the small side, i feed him twice a day. Unfortunately, he isn't getting much bigger, he just runs a little more. I try to make him gain weight, but holistic dog food leaves him nice a lean.
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The one day I slept in a little late & Dallas didn't get breakfast until around 11 vs. his normal 9ish, he threw up. I felt so guilty!!! I read that in my basenji book too & thought it was a bit ridiculous. I'll always feed Dallas half in the AM & half in the PM.
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I feed once a day. Not for any particular reason. That reasoning sounds silly. It works for us. They get a biscuit in the morning and then nothing else until about 3 then dinner until 7:30 on the dot. It helped with housebreaking in the beginning.
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My puppies are fed 2 to 3 times a day depending on their age… and I used to then feed the adults their main meal in the evening, with cookies in the morning and a treat before bed... however now that I have elders, I find that twice a day feeding is much better... And I don't think that size has anything to do with it... being small doesn't mean that their system is any different, only that they don't need as much food, in most cases.
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I feed Sahara in the am and pm, if I don't she throws up also. When I first got her this happened and I would be so worried b/c I didn't know what caused it. This yellow stuff coming out of her mouth, I was so concerned and then I learned on this very forum that it was her bile. Well, that didn't happen anymore you can bet on that. My baby is fed twice and fed well, haha!! and anything else she wants, haha!!!!! Yea, she's spoiled!!!!:D
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i feed mine twice a day too.. i dont think they could go once a day.. one morning when i fed them late one of them also threw up bile like many people said before me..
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I fed my B twice a day, same time each morning and afternoon… She get some small treats, too, in the afternoon... I think, just like humans, the body (dog or human) works harder to process a big meal... I was watching a medical show on cable last week that also said having smaller meals, but more frequently (like snacking for humans), is easier for the body to process...
Having said that, it seems to be more of a personal preference on how often to feed... I think the frequency of feeding does change as the doggie gets into their golden years and if other circumstances warrant it...
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My dogs eat on the same schedule that I do: three small meals a day. They also get a few treats outside of feeding time. They do great on this schedule and have never thrown up, even if their meal is a little late.
Lori
The Z-Pack: Zen, Zoe, and Ziggy
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My puppies are fed 2 to 3 times a day depending on their age… and I used to then feed the adults their main meal in the evening, with cookies in the morning and a treat before bed... however now that I have elders, I find that twice a day feeding is much better... And I don't think that size has anything to do with it... being small doesn't mean that their system is any different, only that they don't need as much food, in most cases.
I did the same when Nala was a pup (2 - 3 times per day) and once she was an "adult", it's been twice per day.
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My sheltie is fed two times a day, but she actually doesn't eat her first meal.. She looks at it and then walks of. She only wants to eat in the evening.
Tonight I had to dissect a heart of a sheep and I took it for her afterwards. (it was tested) She has eaten half of it and I think she won't mind eating the rest of it tomorrow morning
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EL D lets me know with big time basenji noises if he doesnt' get his morning breakfast (smaller meal) on time and gets aboslutely obnoxious if I don't feed him his evening meal on time.
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Jack throws up too, if he doesn't get to eat! I'm so glad to see that is normal.
Jack will only eat a tiny bit in the morning, maybe 2 or 3 bites, and usually I have to coax him into it with a treat on top. Then he won't eat until I come home from work, and then he scarfs it down, no treats needed. Sometimes he acts like he is hungry later, so I will feed him a second time at night. Sometimes I wonder if that is okay.
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Jack will only eat a tiny bit in the morning, maybe 2 or 3 bites, and usually I have to coax him into it with a treat on top. Then he won't eat until I come home from work, and then he scarfs it down, no treats needed. Sometimes he acts like he is hungry later, so I will feed him a second time at night. Sometimes I wonder if that is okay.
The only reason I might see it could be a problem is the second evening meal might be why he doesn't eat breakfast and why he scarfs down his evening meal.
