How many times a day?

[JazznChase]

How many times a day do you feed your boxer?
Does it go by age? I read somewhere that you should feed them 4 times a day until they are 6 months? Is this right? Jazmine will be 6 months this Friday and she is still really thin. I think she only weighs 35 lbs. I do feed her 4 times a day now-and she eats pretty good. Should I continue this? I am not sure.

Thanks, Jazmines mom-Lisa

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

I believe I've read that at about 5 months you can start weaning your dog from 3 to 4 times a day feedings to two or one times a day. The AMOUNT of food should be the same regardless of how many times a day you feed. If you feed a total of 4 1/2 cups of kibble a day (about right for a 6 month old pup), you can divide that up 2 or 3 times depending on how often you feed.

I've said before that I believe dogs have internal clocks too, just like humans, which tell them when to eat and sleep and so forth. I free feed Maggie now and she eats MORE than when I was feeding her 3 times a day and having to throw so much out because she wouldn't eat it when I put it down. Now she eats when she's hungry (she likes to eat later in the day and at night before bed) and she almost consistently eats at least 4 cups of kibble a day. She is growing marvelously and with all the exercise we get, her muscles are incredibly strong.

Use the chart on the dog food package as a rough guide as to how much to feed your dog according to its age and weight and prospective size (Boxers are considered Large Breed dogs). If you notice your dog eats better at certain of the four meals you put down, then you might want to try feeding more at those meals and slowly (over a couple of weeks) eliminate the meals she doesn't eat much of. (I hope I'm making sense here, its early and my coffee's not ready yet :D)

Good luck.

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Dan from Brooklyn
Proud Pappa to Maggie Mae, Born 6/16/00
Flashy Fawn (Red), docked tail, natural ears.
Pictures: http://maggie.artshost.com

 

[tedjax]

I feed my two twice a day. In the morning and around 5:00 or 5:30 (when I get home from work). Indy will eat whenever he's ready, but Beauty eats every bite when put down. Indy really likes to eat around 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. He doesn't have much of an appetite and never has. However, he's not skinny and weighs around 100 lbs. He's very lean so I don't worry too much about him. Beauty is a fatty!! She's on a diet. She'll eat anything she can get her precious little mouth on!!!!

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Trish
Indy-Neutered, Natural, Fawn, Flashy-10/6/98
Beauty-Spayed,Cropped, Fawn, Black Mask-9/20/94; Adopted from rescue in New Orleans
Shiloh-10/18/85 to 10/14/98; Waiting for me at the Bridge

 

[Alisha Mobley]

I used to feed mine twice a day. I started them out this way. Once in the morning and again around 8 or so. I now leave food out all the time. I started this after my other 2 were brought inside and they all lost weight. Leaving food out all the time isn't good for larger breed puppies. It can cause them to grow too quickly and cause problems with the joints so I'm not suggesting this. I have never heard of feeding 4 times a day but 3 times seems to be the norm for Boxers until around 6 months then drop back to twice a day. As for being thin that is also normal for Boxers. They will look thin until they reach their full height and start to fill out. I always made sure mine ate all they wanted before taking the bowl. I would'nt just give them a measured amount of food, I kept filling the bowl until they were done then took the bowl away. It's hard to say if 35lbs is a good weight for your Boxer because she might be a small one and not under fed. Pru was very small and I don't think she weighed 35lbs at 6 months. She is now 16 months and still only weighs 48lbs. Sheeba has always been much larger, she is 11 months and weighs 53 lbs. I wouldn't worry too much about weight unless she quits eating.

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Tyson - brindle male, cropped ears (6/18/98)
Prudence - brindle female, cropped ears (8/29/99)
Sheeba - fawn female, cropped ears (1/17/00)
Alisha - Indiana

 

[crabby69]

We feed Clio twice a day. She is fully grown at just over two and a half years. She has breakfast when Steven gets up at 5 a.m. and eats dinner around 6 or 7 p.m. She gets an occasional treat. I am starting to worry though. We visited my daughter-in-law a couple of weeks ago (Clio's other mother) and she commented that she was getting a little chunky. I hadn't noticed until she pointed it out but her ribs are getting a little harder to feel. I don't think I will cut down her food, though. She only eats about four cups a day altogether. Instead, I will work on a little more structured exercise program.

Leta
Mother to Clio, flashy fawn, natural eared female with sox.

 

[JazznChase]

Well, it sounds like some of you are feeding them 2-3 times a day with about 4 cups for the whole day.
Well, I think Jazz gets about 1 cup 4 times a day. So, does it really matter?

Thanks, Lisa

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Well, I think Jazz gets about 1 cup 4 times a day. So, does it really matter?
[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think so. As long as she's eating and at a good amount then it is really only a matter of convenience for you. If she wolfs her food down at each of the four meals, then I would think you're wise to feed smaller meals, more often, to avoid possible bloat. Some dogs just can't stop eating if it is in front of them. Luckily Maggie doesn't do that or I would not be free feeding her.

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Dan from Brooklyn
Proud Pappa to Maggie Mae, Born 6/16/00
Flashy Fawn (Red), docked tail, natural ears.
Pictures: http://maggie.artshost.com

 

[malinda]

We free feed Megan too. (Well I guess you would call it that we never pick up her food). Depending on whether she has doggie day care or not depends on if she gets lunch. When she is home she eats three meals a day and when she is at the day care she eats either one or two meals. SHe doesn't eat lunch there and sometimes doesn't eat before she leaves.

No matter how we feed her she still eats about the same amount a day somewhere between 3 and 4 cups. If her bowl is empty and she goes back, we give her more. She isn't over weight and it is working so I don't worry about it too much.

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Mom of Megan-flashy, female, fawn boxer. Natural ears and docked tail. Born 5/23/00.
<A HREF="http://people.ne.mediaone.net/younme/megan.htm" TARGET=_blank> http://people.ne.mediaone.net/younme/megan.htm </A>

 

[Julie Davis]

I feed Boomer twice a day, and I'm not quite sure exactly how much I feed him. I just fill up his bowl! I feed him Pedigree Puppy, and add raw foods to it as well. He'd much rather get into my cat's food however!

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Boomer, flashy fawn, 2/19/00, natural ears, docked tail and Baxter the terrible tabby, 3/96