Being a new pet parent means you need hand holding to see you through in the initial period of your new journey. When you bring a puppy home, it is natural for you to worry about a lot of things that consists of their daily routine like feeding time and duration and how much to feed them. At Waggfluence, we do not just promote the products on our website but also make an endeavour to guide you best throughout your pet parenting days. That is why we are here today to give you a basic guideline on their feeding time and whether they should be fed before or after exercise.
Number of meals
No two people are similar and this holds true for our canine friends too. Depending upon their age and activity hours, they need to be fed accordingly. Young pups need to be fed around four small meals a day whereas adult dogs may require two meals a day at a gap of around 10-12 hours. Some hyperactive dogs may need more meals than the basic two because their energy is consumed by all that continuous running and jumping. Likewise nursing or pregnant dogs may require more potions and should be fed as advised by the vet.
Meals and walk hours
The most commonly asked question about feeding hours is whether they should be fed before or after their exercise time. Normally dogs are fed twice around 7am and then again around 7 pm. A canine digestive system requires around 4-5 hours to digest the food. It takes around 8-9 hours for the dog to feel hungry again. Dogs have sensitive stomachs and bloating is common in them if feeding and exercise time is not regulated. If you choose to feed your dog after his exercise or walk time, make sure that it is at a gap of nearly 45 minutes to an hour. Feeding them right after walk when they are still warm and panting from all that running about may cause digestive problems. Alternatively, if you choose to feed your dog before their walk time, it is again advisable to wait for an hour before taking them out. Failing to do this, i.e., walking them right after meals may result in GDV or gastric dilatation- volvulus.
Effects of feeding dogs just before or after walks
When a dog has a big meal before or just after vigorous exercise, it affects their metabolism and may lead to nausea and vomiting. It can also cause bloating which besides causing a lot of discomfort to them may result in swollen stomach. This may further lead to increased heartbeat, harsh breathing and drooling. Feeding them right before or after a meal may cause dysfunction in the sphincter which is placed between the stomach and the oesophagus. When the sphincter muscles fail to function properly the food moves in the opposite direction and cause the dogs to throw up.
Treat time
Dogs love treats and since they are not the most nutritious of food, you may restrict them to make up 5% to 10% of your dog’s diet. Your vet will advise you to limit the treat intake based on their weight, breed and activity level. Use them only to reward them when they learn a new trick or respond positively to their training exercises. You can also make treats healthier by making a fruit lollypop or freeze the fruit to make an ice Popsicle or any such healthier alternative.
Let the dog be the master
A healthy dog with normal activity and falling in normal weight bracket may be left to use the free choice feeding method. This means you can leave food out all day and let your dog graze. Of course, in such a case you can use only dry food for fear of wet food getting spoiled when left out for long hours. Control portions if your dog always seems hungry and consult a vet to rule out chances of diabetes in them.
Like every parent, you will get used to their habits and needs gradually. Since you will begin to understand their individual requirements better with the passage of time spent with them, you will know for yourself what food quantity and duration you need to fix as a routine. For best dog foods adhering to the prescribed calorie intake, look for dog food and treats, Bowls and Feeders at Waggfluence. We happen to love your canine almost as much as you do!
