[stealth]

hey guys,

I haven't been on for a while but i'm always checking in to read new post and check out adorable puppy pics. Stealth is now 1 year and 2 months old and doing great. Stealth use to eat two meals a day, three cups each meal but lately i've been noticing that he is only eating one meal/day and he seems to ignore the second meal when its's layed out. On random day's, he'll go for the second meal but lately not very often. So my question is, if this is normal as they get older or should I be a bit concerned about the absent meal. How many meals do your adult Dobermans eat a day?
Your advice would be awesome guys!

I know, I know i'll be posting pictures soon! LOL

 

[Murreydobe]

hey guys,

I haven't been on for a while but i'm always checking in to read new post and check out adorable puppy pics. Stealth is now 1 year and 2 months old and doing great. Stealth use to eat two meals a day, three cups each meal but lately i've been noticing that he is only eating one meal/day and he seems to ignore the second meal when its's layed out. On random day's, he'll go for the second meal but lately not very often. So my question is, if this is normal as they get older or should I be a bit concerned about the absent meal. How many meals do your adult Dobermans eat a day?
Your advice would be awesome guys!

I know, I know i'll be posting pictures soon! LOL

I feed all dogs (except for younger puppies) two meals per day. Feeding smaller quantities in multiple meals per day appears to significantly reduce the risk of bloat.

If you're feeding a quality kibble, then six cups of food per day is a MASSIVE amount of food. At 83 lbs., Rush eats a bit less than 4 cups per day of Wellness fish and sweet potato kibble. Razzle eats about 3 cups of Canidae daily.

So I'd try offering him less at each meal, and I bet you see him switching to two meals per day.

 

[charlesmdodson]

The right amount of food for your particular dog is whatever keeps him in good condition. Every animal is different. A bit of trial and error will let you know what amount is just right. Sherman is just short of six months old, weighs almost 60 pounds, and I have just begun feeding him a bit over 5 cups of Innova Large Breed puppy per day, split over three feedings. I can see his ribs when he moves around and he get a ton of exercise and is very lean. Right now, that seems to be the right amount for his age/activity level. Good luck with it!

 

[stealth]

Thanks for the advice guys, i'll take that into consideration.

 

[dobebug]

Hi Stealth,

I'm with Murreydobe on 6 cups being a huge amount for a 14 month old Dobe. At somewhere around a year for males I've nearly always seen a reduced need for large quantities of food. Between 6 months and a year a lot of intact male puppies seem to be able to consume huge amounts of food and use all of it.

My youngest dog--a big dog, who is 19 months will gain weight on 5 cups of food a day and lose weight on 4 cups a day. On average, unless he's getting exceptional quantities of exercise I usually feed him around 2-1/4 cups twice a day which keeps him at an optimum weight for the conformation ring.

But the fact is that I also look at him carefully practically every day and if he seems a little lean I give him a little more at the next meal and if he looks a bit pudgy I cut it down.

I also keep him on two meals a day not just because various studies have indicated that it seems helpful as a preventative for bloat but because it keeps dogs from having upset stomachs and vomiting up bile when they go 24 hours from one meal to the next. I think the breeder of the first Doberman I bought 48 years ago told me to feed twice a day and since it's worked well I've always stuck to that.

 

[Okie-dobie]

I also believe dog's should be fed twice a day.

 

[Acooper]

Orson is 14 months old too and up until I switched him to home cooked, he ate 4 cups of kibble a day.........2 in the am, and 2 in the pm.

6 cups is a bit much, he may be doing portion control for you since he is skipping that second meal

 

[JavasMom]

Java at just over 2 years is around 63-65 lbs. She gets two cups of food twice a day (home-made meals a combo of lean meat, brown rice, veg, yogurt, and/or egg). If she is going running that day, I will give her a bit more in the am or give her a bit of food after she comes in and rests up a bit. The more active she is, the more food I will give her. If it's been sweltering and she's been in the AC all day, with little or no exercise, then I stick to the 4 cups per day.

BTW - I've found that if I put 4-5 ice cubes mixed in with her food, it slows her down, and once the ice melts, she goes back for the cool water.

 

[charlesmdodson]

Java at just over 2 years is around 63-65 lbs. She gets two cups of food twice a day (home-made meals a combo of lean meat, brown rice, veg, yogurt, and/or egg). If she is going running that day, I will give her a bit more in the am or give her a bit of food after she comes in and rests up a bit. The more active she is, the more food I will give her. If it's been sweltering and she's been in the AC all day, with little or no exercise, then I stick to the 4 cups per day.

BTW - I've found that if I put 4-5 ice cubes mixed in with her food, it slows her down, and once the ice melts, she goes back for the cool water.

Sherman loves ice. He will pull ice out of his bowl, take it in the living room, and chew/play with it until it is all consumed.

 

[Kratty]

Depending on what food he is getting. When my girl was around that age, she was only doing about 4 cups of kibble a day. I have noticed in hotter weather, her appetite does change on occasion where she won't finnish a meal. As long as it is not consistent and she not losing weight, I kinda wait it out.

 

[Patches Mom]

Buddy also cutting back he is 14 months old I feed 2 cups am & pm but its hitting 90* plus high humidity so he is not eating the am feeding may just give him 1 cup in the am & 2 cups in the evening & see how it goes.Last month he weighed 90.5 # will weigh him again this week he is about 29" or 30" at the shoulder.
Patches Mom
When it gets in the 100's and higher will try feeding him in the crate in the house he usually just dumps it over when in the crate goes every where then pig oh I mean Patches try's to help clean up.She is finely loosing some weight so do not want her to eat any extra food.

 

[stealth]

I've been feeding Stealth Royal Canin since he was 6 months old. I live in Ontario, Canada and the heat has been kind of crazy in the last month or so. His weight is about 75 lbs right now and he looks good but I have noticed that he could use a bit more weight. You guys are all so helpful, thanks for the advice!

 

[frznbuns]

We feed our dogs 3 times a day. Spirit is 94lbs at 6 years old He eats 2 cups of food in the morning and afternoon and 8 to 10 oz of raw for supper.