Scottsdale Dog Walker | Scottsdale Pet Sitter | Scottsdale, AZ

As dog owners, it’s common for us to question if everything that we do is the right thing for our dog.  Especially when it comes to something as important as it’s diet.

We have enough worries trying to figure out the BEST possible food for them.  Particularly if we have a picky eater or a pet who suffers from food allergies. 

One important issue we face is the feeding schedule. 

There are multiple reasons why a feeding schedule is so important for your dog.  Let’s start with the health risks.

First, it’s important for dogs to eat multiple times during the day.  Most common is two times.  Puppies sometimes have their feedings broken up into 3 or 4 times daily due to their metabolism.  You want to avoid feeding only one large meal.  It is believed that dogs who eat one large meal of the day are more at risk of suffering from bloat or torsion.  Both conditions are fatal for dogs who do not receive immediate veterinary attention. 

Scheduled meals are also important because it helps keep track of just how much food is being consumed during the day.  Overweight pets have become an epidemic over the past decade.  More and more pets are being diagnosed with serious health issues such as diabetes, due to years of being overweight.  A life-altering condition which may have been prevented.

Most common with free-feeding pets, the food bowls are being topped off or refilled, but an accurate amount of food isn’t calculated.  

And lastly, scheduled meals plays a vital role in housebreaking your dog.  Dogs are creatures of habit.  They very much enjoy their daily routines.  And a regular feeding routine will most likely result in a daily potty routine.  When your dog eats the same amount of food, at the same time everyday, it will likely develop a regular potty time as well.

Thanks for caring!

Tim Heise
– Certified Pet Care Specialist
Absolute Pet Care, LLC
Scottsdale, AZ
AbsolutePetCareAZ.com