Feeding schedule solution...help. One dog prefers 1 meal, other needs to eat twice

[iluvterriers]

Okay both my dogs pretty much just eat 1 time a day but I know it would be better for my Terrier to eat twice a day.

We used to measure our their serving for the day and split in half...half in the am and half in the pm.

But....with one of my dogs (a minature poodle) it actually works better to feed him once a day, he is rather finicky but we have learned by feeding him just once a day he will eat his whole serving for the day. Before he just pick at it, that is when we were feeding him twice a day. (Back then we would split his serving in 2 and he would eat in the am and pm, except he wouldn't eat it then and he started losing weight and everything...he was a sickly dog to begin with but he is finally healthy) (He suffers to this day from bad GI issues, but they are now under control)

Our Terrier though, its a bit different, we can't give her all her food at once or she will suck it down so fast she puts herself at risk for her stomach flipping (I think they call it bloat) so we have to feed her in small increments. We are looking to get her a special bowl this weekend. Right now at dinner time we have to put her serving in a little at a time over the course of a few minutes


Should I try to put them both on a twice a day schedule and see what happens?

If I have to go back to feeding my poodle just once a day due to not wanting to eat in the morning, how can I feed my Terrier 2 times a day and my poodle only once without any problems?

If I put my poodles food down and he doesn't eat it, my Terrier will eat it and we don't need that happening either.

The dogs aren't crated, they haven't been since they were a year old. We feed them both in the kitchen being that we have a small apartment and typically if my poodle eats the Terrier won't bother his food, if he doesn't she will suck it up faster than we can take the bowl away. She loves food, my poodle I think only eats because its necessary

As you can see we have a bit of a dilemma. I also run into the issue my poodle will not eat unless he is eating with my Terrier. He won't eat without her. (I've tried separating them with gates and everything)

[MonicanHonda]

Well, just feed your poodle in the morning or night when your terrier has one meal, and then don't feed your poodle at night when you feed the terrier again. You can give the poodle a snack if you feel bad, like one treat. You can try putting a big ball in the dog dish so your terrier has to eat around it. We did that for Remy for awhile, it worked.

[Freedom]

I was going to suggest a good size stone / rock (wash it good, first) in the bowl, for the fast eater. A ball "could" be nosed out.

Feed them together once per day, and the terrier only the other time, with the poodle closed in the bedroom or on leash with you. Would that work?

[Seravieve]

Petsmart sells the slow down bowls.. we have two. They work really well. Even better if you feed any amount of wet food.. then they have to lick it out. Takes forever! We had a big problem with Zeke inhaling his food.. would choke he ate so fast.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Try turning this one on its head - when do YOU want your dogs to eat? When and how is up to you then you can work out how best to cater for their dietary needs