# Eating only once a day?



## daycaremom2002 (Feb 3, 2006)

Maya has developed this habit of eating only once in the evening. She generally sleeps during the day because I won't let her out where all the kids are.(I am afraid they will hurt her) She doesn't seem to have any problems, but I thought I would ask anyhow.

Does anyone else have a dog who only eats once a day?

She is free fed (so I suppose she eats a piece every now and then) and for the most part, her entire amount(1/2 cup) is in the dish in the evening.


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## Kiffany (May 26, 2006)

I free feed our dogs and our doxie, Maggie usually only eats once per day, usually in the evening.


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## toby'smom (Jun 11, 2006)

some days toby eats in the morning and somedays he don't. He usually always eats his evening meal.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

mine are free fed too....there are days when they wait until the evening to eat...but not too often haha


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## Prosephone (Oct 2, 2005)

Mine will always eat in the evening, but rarely when I offer them a morning meal.


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## tofu (Apr 18, 2006)

i free feed mine too. Most afternoon he eat, but he eat more at night than during the day. but thru out the day he snack on a couple kibbles at a time. i guess they'll eat when they are hungry.


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## Jennifer Mcfly (Jun 1, 2006)

chloe's been like that since we switched her food. she's been more finicky  
I tried free feeding her but sometimes she'll go all day w/o eating. So in the morning i'll feed her (she'll eat all her food as long as I feed her from my hand little princess!) but sometimes I'll just feed her some from my hand so she has something in her belly for energy and i'll leave the rest for her to eat when she wants to.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

vixie and dodger are both free fed, they tend to graze during the day then have a "large" meal just before bedtime.
it doesnt them no harm and it seems to be preference.

My parents cocker is also free fed and he does the same thing, graze during the day then actually have a propper meal around 8pm...

Thats the nice thing abotu free feeding, especially chis, a normal helathy dog will ONLY eat when there hungry, by schedual feeding you kind of mess that pattern up...
when free feeding your dog knows...
oh its ok ot take my time, i can come back later.
Youll also find that "grazers" (free fed dogs) are LESS prone to hypoglycemic bouts because one peice of kibble can give them just enough energy...they run...ok i need more...take another peice...ect.
Ive NEVER had a problem with hypoglycemia in a free fed chi (not even the pups!) yet when i talked to a breeder friend who schedual feeds shed had many puppies have bouts in her pups and young adults, after hearing id had none she switched to free feeding and hasnt had any problems since!


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

rocky has had hypogylcemic episodes and hes free fed...so i dont think thats entirely true...but i have not had any problems with oscar


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## daycaremom2002 (Feb 3, 2006)

Thanks everyone for the feedback. She does seem to have plenty of energy when she needs it, so i won't worry about her. She loves her food now, and will eat the entire 1/2 cup serving in a short time, when she actually decides to eat. 

Now if I could just get her to lose her baby teeth before I have to pay to remove them....all would be good.


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## Kirsty85 (Dec 16, 2005)

When i first got Tegan i thought she didn't eat enough so i thought maybe there was something wrong with her, i decided to watch her eating pattern and she also only eats in the evening quiet late too! Sometimes she even misses a day but shes still healthy and bouncy so i guess chihuahuas have a funny eating schedual


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## *Chloe* (Feb 6, 2006)

i think its fine that they eat once a day i did ask at my dog training about eating and the trainers said really adult dogs only need to eat once a day

i schedule feed Twig cuz i like to know shes eaten (and i dont like free feeding) she has a small lunch and a larger meal at dinner time she wont eat first thing in the morning - my pet food advisor said i should try and get her to eat in the morning but she just leaves the food till lunchtime and she doesnt eat much then its mainly in the evening she likes to eat


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## Jennifer Mcfly (Jun 1, 2006)

it's weird, for some reason i just hate when chloe doesn't eat anything when she wakes up. i just feel like she needs it for energy. i think i'm just over reacting b/c of all the stuff i read about chi's and hypoglycemia...b/c my family dogs (2 half lab half rotties) eat everyday around 6pm and i'm not worried about them going all day without eating until the evening.
just goes to show how much i baby my little baby more then any other dog i ever had!!


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