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I have an 11-year-old Bichon Frisé. She is in good shape (8.9kg) and eats mostly ration. Exceptions include occasional tiny pieces of carrot (she loves it!) and some dog chews (only whites) 3-4 times a week.

The recommended daily amount of dog food I should give her is printed on the package of the dog food I buy.

  1. Should this amount be given at once?
  2. How many times daily should I split this quantity to maximize health benefits?
  3. What are the best times of the day to feed her?
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  • Never trust the amount of food printed on packages, it is usually too much for most dogs. Better to buy a scale, weigh your dog regularly and ask a vet about the ideal weight for your dog.
    – Baarn
    Oct 9, 2013 at 18:13
  • I would say it depends on the particular dog's physique and health. One can't give a specific answer unless you want a general answer.
    – Mistu4u
    Oct 9, 2013 at 19:08
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    Possible duplicate of pets.stackexchange.com/questions/74/…
    – Flavin
    Oct 9, 2013 at 19:12
  • I think there should be a good answer backed by science for this question. Obviously the wild kin don't get feed twice a day.
    – James Jenkins
    Oct 9, 2013 at 19:12
  • I think it depends on the particular breed of dog, her age, etc. This is one of those questions where the best answer might simply be "ask your vet". Perhaps more details about your specific dog will make this a more interesting question?
    – Steve D
    Oct 9, 2013 at 19:24

2 Answers 2

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For my Bichon (she's 10 months) and my Mother's bichon (4 year old) the rationing has been the most effective (for the 4 year old, we tried the unlimited method, but she gained weight because she's greedy like most dogs!).

The numbers on the package are a rough guideline and (as others have said) can often be slightly higher than what's recommended, they are a good base line to use though.

If you don't have one already, invest in a Dog food measuring cup, something like:

enter image description here

First thing on a morning, fill up the cup with the dog's daily allowance and then give her a portion of it throughout certain times of the day (We do breakfast, late dinner, supper, but you do what works for you :))

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The answer to this question depends on your preference and as well as how the dog likes it. I am not familiar with the specific breed (especially not how hungry they are). You can feed your dog once a day, if it completely eats everything this is OK to do. We normally give our dogs a small morning snack, something like a slice of bread, their main meal at noon and a snack in the evening, normally a slice of bread and a toothbrush-treat. (note: slice of bread means German-style whole grain bread)

As I already noted in a comment, dog food manufacturers tend to print recommendations that are too high for the normal household dog. Talk about your dogs ideal weight with your vet. Then get a scale and measure your dogs weight regularly. You can adjust the amount of food your dog gets according to his gains or losses, especially when it is hard to notice any optical changes due to a thick fur.
This also makes it easier to adjust the food for additional treats or snacks that you give throughout the day.

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