We'd recommend feeding puppies three meals a day until they are aged between 8 and 10 weeks, reducing this to twice-daily feeds until their rapid growth phase has passed which can be anything from 8 months of age for a small dog to two years old for a large breed.
Switching from three to two meals at six months old is likely to be ok for most small breed dogs as they finish growing sooner than large breeds. Large breed pups can continue growing up until 12-16 months of age and for this reason, they might need to continue three times daily feeding until then.
How often should my puppy eat? Puppies should eat three times a day from weaning through four to six months, if possible. After six months, twice-a-day feedings are fine.
Many puppies reach maturity around their first birthday. Some large breeds take 18 months to 2 years to fully mature. Once your puppy has reached full maturity based on his breed size, you can feed him once or twice a day. Choose the feeding schedule that works best for both you and your dog.
The best time to switch your puppy from three to two meals a day is when they are between six and 12 months old. Keep in mind that most toy and small breed dogs can make the switch to two meals a day when they are between seven and nine months old.
It is best to spread out your dog's meals when he is transitioning from three to two meals. Due to their adjustment to their meal times, it is easier to keep two of the scheduled times and eliminate the midday feeding at this point.
Most veterinarians (including myself) recommend feeding adult dogs twice a day. Some people feed their dogs once a day, but dogs that are only fed once a day can get hungry and also sometimes can be prone to bilious vomiting (vomiting caused by an empty stomach).
Feeding an hour or so before your walk means your pup will be full of healthy nutrients and won't be starving before walkies, helping them feel energized and ready to take on the park!
The frequency of feeding puppies goes down to 3 times per day at around 3 to 6 months of age, and 2 times per day at around 6 to 12 months. After about a year, most puppies can transition to a nutritionally balanced adult dog food diet 2 times per day.
Starting around four months, puppies can begin eating about three times a day, and after that, puppies will quickly graduate to twice-a-day feedings. AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc.org.
Adult dogs – particularly the large and giant breeds – can be maintained on one meal a day, while small breeds, which have a higher metabolic rate may require two feeds per day to meet their energy requirements.
Adult dogs should eat twice daily, breakfast-time and dinner-time. After making the jump from three times a day as a pup to twice a day as an adult, many people enjoy giving their dog a snack or a small portion of food at lunchtime.
3–6 months: Sometime during this period, decrease feedings from four to three a day. A pup should be losing her potbelly and pudginess by 12 weeks. If she is still roly-poly at this age, continue to feed puppy-size portions until body type matures. 6–12 months: Begin feeding twice daily.
“Growth” foods necessary at the puppy stage have higher protein levels and calorie counts to meet your pup's developmental needs. But once your pup is six to 12 months old those needs change. That's usually when your puppy is nearing his adult height and can transition to adult food.
Generally, dogs need to relieve themselves 8–12 hours after digesting their previous meal. Dogs often (but not always) poop shortly after waking or roughly half an hour after eating. If you're feeding your dog two meals a day, they may defecate twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening.
Dogs should eat at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart. But a breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule is an equally great option. If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyperacidic causing nausea.
Leaving out kibble all day may lead to a loss of aroma. Dogs may turn their noses down to stale food that doesn't smell fresh and may get picky about eating it. For this reason, several dog owners place kibble inside airtight sealed containers so to preserve freshness.
Low energy is a symptom of not eating enough. If they don't have enough calories they will not have the energy to play. Their fur starts to fall out or they start gaining bald patches because they do not have the resources or energy to spare to grow their normally luscious coat. They will be more prone to illness.
Don't leave food out for your dog to graze on — take it back within 10 minutes if it hasn't been eaten to help cement the idea of mealtimes. Use your dog's kibble as treats, and only offer meals for short periods of time. This leaves your dog no choice but to eat their food and hopefully get used to it.
As a general rule of thumb, puppies are ready to transition to two structured meals at around six months of age. At this point, your dog is still a growing puppy. But, you'll notice that your young companion's development is starting to slow down a big.
Feeding your dog twice a day aids in his smooth digestion. Like humans, his brain sends the signal after eight to ten hours that his stomach has been empty and he needs some food. Feeding him twice a day will make his digestion run smoothly and on schedule.
That said, overeating can occasionally lead to a life-threatening condition called gastric dilation-volvulus or bloat, which causes the stomach to hold gas, stretch and cut off circulation to the heart. It's a good idea to call your vet if you accidentally overfeed your puppy, just to make sure they are ok.