Pet owners usually debate whether a “Feeding Schedule For Your Dog” is better or whether is it preferred the other way around. The argument here is that what matters most- is what you provide your dog on the schedule.
According to us, it is both. Your dog’s diet is an essential part of its well-being and health but having and following a feeding schedule is also a very good way of conditioning your pet. There are numerous other reasons for the same, which we have listed below. Let us look at why you should consider the feeding schedule of your dog.
Can Turn Scheduled Meals Into Perfect Training Opportunities
Meal times are a perfect opportunity to teach your dog that they will be rewarded for good behavior (behavior training). Asking them to Sit, Stay, can easily be conditioned before meal times. Since they know their owner will be the one giving them food, they are bound to obey.
This will help teach the dog to behave patiently and wait for its food—one of the main reasons why it is important to have a regular feeding routine.
Feeding Schedule For Your Dog makes it Easy To Potty Train
This can facilitate potty training, making it much easier and minimizing mess and accidents for dogs left in their kennels for longer periods. Most dogs will go within a certain amount of time after eating. Hence the owners can better regulate when the dog needs to use the bathroom.
For The Dog’s Trust and Reliability of the Owner
Feeding a dog on a set schedule will help the dog see their owner as a reliable person. They will know they can trust their caretakers, keeping them calm and comfortable. It will also help reduce any anxiety the dog might have and create a stronger bond between the pet and its owner. Having a schedule will promote better emotional well-being in the dog’s overall health.
Helps Watch Their Calories To Avoid Obesity
The only way to avoid overeating is by following a set feeding schedule. If not, it can turn into serious health issues for your dog, such as obesity. Without knowing how many calories the dog has been fed during a meal, it won’t be easy to treat them while training or for other purposes.
Just as it is unhealthy and a direct threat of suffering obesity in humans to consume countless calories, dogs possess the same risk and thus their intake needs to be controlled.
Set a Feeding Schedule to Monitor your Dog’s Health
It’s important to be observant of changes in your dog’s appetite, as this can signify several serious health problems. Having a strict feeding schedule helps you understand this better and act accordingly.
They might be suffering or may not just be in the mood. In either case, it requires your attention. It could be a medical emergency, or they might be simply upset, which needs more cuddles and petting.
Overall, scheduled feedings give the owner an immediate indication of their sickness if their dog misses a meal or eats much less. The sooner a sick dog is seen by a veterinarian, the better the chance of recovery, making scheduled feedings a crucial part of pet ownership.
Easier To Create Dog Meal Manners
It’s especially important to train your dog(s) to have good manners around food if there are multiple dogs in your household. This may also be necessary if they are often fed in the presence of other dogs. Suppose you don’t establish rules about mealtime behavior; your dog can develop some negative behaviors, such as becoming possessive over their food and acting aggressively around other dogs when it comes to eating.
Dogs Can Have Variety In Their Diet
Free-feeding your dog by leaving food out for them to nibble on throughout the day has its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that your dog can eat whenever they’re hungry.
However, the main disadvantage is that you can only feed them dry food because any other variety of food will spoil and attract pests if it’s left out for too long. But if they are provided at the proper times of the day, then you can feed them a variety of things from cooked meat to tasty jerkies.
Keeps The House Clean
No free food means no mess! With timed meals, your dog knows that this is what they will get and tend to finish it. This means that there will be fewer crumbs and food being thrown out in the garbage.
Another hygienic benefit is that there will be no exposed food to attract pests such as flies or insects to enjoy your dog’s food as their diet. You can maintain a hygienic and clean environment even with pets to feed.
FAQs
How often should I feed my dog?
Dogs and puppies have to have different diet plans and schedules. Puppies need to eat more frequently than adult dogs because they have smaller stomachs. A good rule of thumb regarding meals is to give the puppies four times a day that are evenly spaced throughout the day. Particularly small puppies may need to be provided more often than this.
However, it’s generally recommended that adult dogs be fed only twice a day. Their daily ration should be divided evenly between the two feedings and offered at consistent times each day.
What is the best time to feed the dog twice a day?
Most adult dogs fed two times a day should have their meals around 12 hours apart. For example, if you leave for work at 8 a.m., you would want to come home and feed your dog at 8 p.m., so they’re not going too long without food.
To Sum It Up
Having a feeding schedule for your dog helps keep their diet on track and makes your life much easier. When you get your dog into the habit of regularly scheduled feedings, you can start to anticipate when your dog will need to go. This is especially helpful when potty training a puppy or housebreaking an adult.
Maintaining a healthy diet and feeding schedule is crucial for the well-being of your dog and will make your job as their owner much easier in the long run. So why should you consider the feeding schedule for your dog? – because it is better.
