Interesting. I have always fed all my dogs twice a day and so far, all have lived to be 13-16 years.

 

Twice a day here always.
4-6 cups a day seems like a lot in one sitting but the vast majority of smaller breeds eating 2c a day or less would make sense.

 

Carmen has always fed once a day, from the day I met her, I’ve done the same. She also encouraged me to do gorge/fast days which I continue to do. I swear she is light years ahead when it comes to the health of dogs.

 

Can you elaborate on gorge/fast days? I’m completely ignorant on this

 

Guessing none of these "once-a-day" eaters get the empty-stomach pukes. If I sleep late one day, Willow will puke before breakfast.

 

Fern will also puke if we go once a day! But I’m sure like humans, dogs also have wide variance in what works.

 

I’ve always fed once day.

 

I used to feed once a day until we got our big-boy as a pup.

 

I am a once a day feeder as well.
Sheilah

 

I feed my dogs twice a day. That's in large part because of my current GSD mix Tsume. He's got a sensitive stomach and eating twice a day helps him out tremendously. Less gas, and no occasional vomiting.

 

I read about the study but didn't buy the entire research paper (too pricey). I need to give Deja some food in the morning or she throws up bile. I wonder if they took the deep-chested dogs into consideration. I believe that English Mastiffs have to be fed multiple meals a day to prevent bloat. Feeding my dogs a bit of kibble in the morning also adds extra nutrients to their raw-from-scratch meal in the evening. And they are not concerned that they may live a shorter life because of the two meals a day deal

 

Typically dogs adjust to once a day and the bill barfs stop happening. I do have 2 customers out of 72 who’s dogs didn’t adapt

 

I tried feeding once a day with Rogan until he started imagining my head was a pork chop ....

 

Thank your for sharing Car2ner!

Tried feeding Josie once a day for a short period. Concerned about bloat, especially being an active dog, with giving all her meals in 1 serving. We have been back to twice a day (raw) meals.


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Like I said, I'd like to see distinction between large breeds eating 4-6 c per day for instance and small dogs eating a cup total, no need to break it up. Plus, is free feeding or a dog that takes hours/all day to eat breakfast, still considered once per day? Details, details, details.....

 

Interesting however:

"Even though the data are consistent with our hypothesis, the design of the current study can’t “prove” less frequent feeding leads to better health. It is equally possible that dogs in poor health need to eat more frequently. There are many reasons why dogs with worse health might be fed more frequently (e.g., they need to eat when taking medicine). "

 

It feels like with most new breaking research, "more research needs to be done".

 

Thanks for sharing as a fun read. I did not read the officially published study. So in the end as someone who has done research this tells me nothing. My main concerns included are the sample of dogs used in respect to age and preexisting health or genetic predispositions. This is based on owner report and not objective trained researchers. Did feeding amount as a variable factor in? Quality of food given because would bet my life all fed different brands? Were there any blood tests done on the dogs or longitudinal data on liver or kidney function. Perhaps compare same dogs on 2x daily for a year and then 1x daily for a year giving same amount of food within 14 hours? Different breeds? Treats given????

 

I've been feeding 3x daily small increments of their daily portions just because they often don’t finish in one sitting. hope more research come out with more control groups

 

I have my gal-dog enrolled in the Dog Ageing Project. The questionnaires are pretty in depth but if course can't include every detail. It would get too long for many owners to want to deal with. They have also asked owners who's vet's use digital record keeping to share their health records with the DAP, so they can get more info.

 

Is it also possible that like with humans, it's not the intermittent fasting that improves weight loss, but rather those undergoing the intermittent fasting just end up eating less calories?

The study is behind a paywall but I'd love to see what confounders they considered - weight of dog, socio-economic class of owner, etc. I'd also love to see what the actual strength of association was. Was it 1.2x, 3x, 10x? Even if 2x, is it the difference between 1 and 2%? The article definitely doesn't give much information.

 

If you want the study, go ask the researchers. They usually provide it for free without an issue.

 

There must be also seemingly non-related variables. For example, the breed, owners who feed once a day and have them fast could be more conscious about their dog's health; the kind of food, weight, quality of life in general than someone who divides a full day of Beneful in two meals.

 

I would also point out that I don’t feed puppies once a day.

 

Carmen’s theory behind once a day feedings and fasting is……

A lot of resources are used when your dog(s) are digesting their food. Allowing down time for the digestive process allows the body to utilize those resources to make repairs in other areas.

It made total sense to me which is why I adopted the fasting/once a day feedings/gorge days.

 

A lot of resources are used when your dog(s) are digesting their food. Allowing down time for the digestive process allows the body to utilize those resources to make repairs in other areas.

The meal my two big dogs get is the evening meal. They are fed in their crates and after eating they nap or just hang out in their crates for an hour or two. Andy gets a little more than the teenaged Aussie because he is training during the day and will sometimes get food rewards. Once a week they all get raw meaty bones that I get from the traveling butcher for free.

The littles (the Toy Poodle and the Poodle mix) free feed their kibble. So far no weight issues with either one.
Sheilah

 

I don't see anyone has mentioned this yet, but once a day feeding has been associated with BLOAT!! The food weighs down the stomach, and may cause it to bloat and twist as a result.
DO NOT FEED ONCE A DAY IF YOU HAVE A BREED PRONE TO BLOAT!!

 

The studies I have read about bloat point more to genetics and family history. Carmen has never lost a dog to bloat so I was very comfortable with feeding once a day, limit exercise before and after by 2 hours. I always feed in the evening when physical activity is done for the day.

 

Like all dog studies, they are interesting to read and consider but not always useful. With a dog prone to bloat, they can’t exercise for two hours after eating. So if they are fed during the day, there is mandatory down time. Feeding a dog only at night could give the owner the entire day to work the dog. But a huge morning feeding right before a dog exercises or works could be dangerous and cause bloating. I would never do it unless there was a medical reason to switch to one daily.

 

Interesting perspectives here, I would also imagine bloat is more of a concern for kibble based dogs as it expands exponentially in their stomachs after consumption. Also rest after meals is always a good idea, I think.

 

Looks like only 1% of the dogs in the trial were raw fed. 84% of the dogs were fed commercial dry food.

 

I haven't read it yet but please find the attached research paper from the author.