Reducing meals for pup to 2 a day

[barb1314]

Hi to everyone.Hope you are all well.Lottie (14 week black lab pup) is doing really well.Feel very lucky to have such a well behaved dog.Just one question.When would you suggest I can cut her meals to 2 a day.Lots of opinions all over the net! Thanks.Will ask the vet but also interested in what you all did or are doing.Thanks.

[lankeela]

Not until she is at least six months. You can change the amounts given if she is not clearing up, but she needs regular intake of food through the day whilst she is growing. Four meals, then three, then two until a year old when you can either keep to two meals a day or drop to one. Bearing in mind Labs are greedy, don't be fooled into giving her too much. IF she is leaving any, then give a smaller portion at that meal or a milky meal for breakfast instead of meat, and give her a more substantial meal in the evening with a lunch time snack.

Keep her on a high protein puppy food until she is at least a year old, then she can go on junior. Adult food should not be fed until she is at least 15 - 18 months, as it does not contain enough protein for a growing puppy.

[jules77]

I agree with Lankeela, I always feed four meals up to between 12 / 16 weeks, then reduce to two meals at six months, I tend to leave mine on two meals right into adulthood. If you have a greedy puppy you sometimes wonder how you will reduce the meals, but they usually tell you by leaving some food in their bowl.

[barb1314]

Hi Lankeela,Iwas hoping you would answer and what you said has reinforced what I thought.She is on 3 meals a day and eats really well but never looks at us for more so something must be right! She is under a strict NO HUMAN FOOD rule and seems to love her James Wellbeloved Dried Puppy Food.So 6 months to reduce to 2 meals is what I was going to do.Thanks again Lankeela for your advice.

[thugulike]

Thanks to Lankeela and Jules from me too. George is now 14 months old and weighs just over 14 stone. It feels weird to be feeding him puppy food but he is still growing so I'll keep him on it a wee bit longer.

[lankeela]

Thug - have you thought about a large breed junior food?

Also I note that George's dad got Best of Breed at Welsh Kennel Club.

[thugulike]

I think the next bag of Fromm will be the adult or junior big breed.

We're up in Edinburgh tomorrow for SKC and George will be competing against his dad. There was a critique in Dog World this week which said George still had a lot of growing to do!

We've had family here this weekend including a child who locked himself in the car he was so scared. Within a short time he was draping himself over George asking if he could keep him. George worked his magic again.

Apologies to barb for taking over the thread

[lankeela]

Yes apologies to barb, and thug, just a question, whatever happened to 'no we haven't even thought about showing him!"

Good luck at SKC, I will be away so won't get the results till very late Monday.

[barb1314]

Hi Lankeela and thug....no problem at all.It's lovely to read about the events answerbankers do with their dogs.Good luck to George. When Lottie is older I would love to look at agility with her,when she is ready and if I can find a good class that we both enjoy.Puppy training is starting the last week of September...I can't wait.I hope she enjoys it. x

[thugulike]

Lankeela we really didn't intend to show him but after being rushed and flattered into the SKC in May and seeing how much he enjoyed it we sort of got sucked in. When the show rucksack comes out he goes wild with joy. We are only going to the Mastiff Association show in Coventry next month then we're having a break until next year.
Do you know anyone who has a catologue from Sunday by any chance. I bought one and some kind person stole it. I only want a photocopy of the mastiff pages. I decided that I'd keep proper records of the entries and critiques with the catalogues. Hmmm, the best laid plans.... George was placed First in the Junior Dog. I think we have to be careful now as a fourth win would put him in a higher class for Crufts. Is that right?