Tucker doesn't like waiting for breakfast...

[corgimom]

For the longest time, Tucker would throw up what looks like just stomach acid, around 3 or 4 am. Very thin, almost water like, liquid. We figured that there was just too much time in between dinner (5-5:30pm) and breakfast (7:15/7:30 am), so I started making their dinner later. He isn't "throwing up" anymore, but the 2 dogs beg like crazy from 5 until I feed them (usually around 7/7:30, to try and make it 12 hours between each meal).

Is this normal? It's just strange to me that he always gets sick if he has to wait 14 hours for breakfast, but doesn't get sick if he only has to wait 12.

[jennawing]

What are you feeding and how much? Most dog food bags - or their websites- have a chart to go by weight. But then again, are they really wanting to be fed or just acting pathetic because the people are eating?

[millie121]

I've read similar complaints pretty frequently, and it usually boils down to the dogs having the stomach empty too long and excess acid production, which leads to upset stomach and vomiting. This is remedied by more frequent, smaller meals, and maybe even a snack before bed. If the dogs are really wanting their food earlier in the morning, maybe it is because their tummies hurt; that would seem reasonable based on Tucker's history. But then again, maybe they are just trying to train you, lol.

[LuvMeTrue]

when i was groing up we feed our dog onve a day and left it out for her to eat when ever she got hungery and she never ate it all, she would eat when she was hungery but made sure that it lasted her all day. everytime we brought her to the vet he would tell us she was under weight and then would weigh her, he always seemed shocked that our dog was actually the weight that a dog her size is suppose to be. I never really understood the limiting when the dog could eat but then everyone is entitled to their own opinion. In this case it seems like tucker's stomach can't handle too long with out having food in it and like the others ahve said try feeding more frequently just less food and see if that will help out, as well as giving tucker a bed time snack before bed just like u would a child. all the best to you and yours

[Vanilla_Rat]

I feed my foster dogs 3 times a day...morning,luch time and supper time and they never have problems.Maybe try this?

[jennawing]

It definitely depends on the dog. I feed my dogs once a day- but they do get snacks. I used to free-feed, but Hogan is so active and being unneutered, it is hard to keep weight on him and it is important he maintains a certain physique- he pays more attention to his food when he is eating in competition with the other dogs. It is really not necessary to feed most adult dogs multiple times a day- but some small dogs- or some rescues whose stomachs were once accustomed to being empty- will need their meals broken up.

[corgimom]

Quote: Originally Posted by LuvMeTrue I never really understood the limiting when the dog could eat

I used to free-feed, but Ein turned into a little piglet after he was neutered. He went from grazing on the same bowl of food all day long, to eating so fast, he barely chewed. He's slightly overweight now (29 lbs, should be 25-27), and his top weight was around 32. If I let him free feed, he'd probably weigh about 40 by now, because he eats so much. He's definitely not underfed-he's just a pig. And a lazy pig at that. He is forever getting fussed at for begging when we eat, guarding the stove while I'm cooking, guarding the treat jars, etc.

Tucker has very brittle nails and seems to have a sensitive stomach in general, so I just switched them to ProPlan for Sensitive Skin and Stomach. (I read online that extra Omega 3 fatty acids/fish oil/etc is good for brittle nails, and this proplan formula is high in omega fatty acids and has salmon as the #1 ingredient) Today is the first day that they had 100% ProPlan, so I don't know how he'll do on it. I feed Ein the low end of the recomended for his size, and Tucker the high end for his size, so he's fuller.

Previously, they were on Beneful (bad, I know. I took Ein off of premium food because he was actually gaining weight on Nutro Natural Choice Lite formula, even though I was feeding him less than what the package said-at the vets reccommendation). When we adopted Tucker, they gave us a bag of science diet, but he wouldn't eat it. He wanted Ein's food (beneful healthy weight). Tucker was thin when we got him, so I got him regular beneful. When Ein got his weight down to about 28-ish, I put them both on the regular Beneful.

Tucker doesn't throw up stomach acid as much as he used to, but he still does from time to time (for awhile it was every day). I wonder if the fact that he was thin when we got him had anything to do with it. I also started giving a small treat before bed (Ein gets a tiny treat, since he's already a tad chubby) and that seems to have helped.

[Riddick]

That's probably part of the reason why Tucker is having problems, and Ein is overweight...they are on terrible food.

Try switching them to something like Wellness, Eagle Pack, Solid Gold, Innova, Chicken Soup of the Dog Lovers Soul...food that actually has nutritional value to it...then they won't have to eat as much, and they won't always be hungry.....

The guidlines for dog food should be:

the first five ingredients in your dog food should be real food, something you know and can pronounce.

The first ingredient should be a meat (chicken, lamb, beef) without "meal" or "by-product" after it. The second ingredient should be another meat, again without "by-product" but meal is ok because it is human grade meal, meaning it's good stuff like heart and liver, unlike low grade meal which consists of feet, feathers, beaks, and intestinal bile. Then you next ingredients should be a good grain like brewers rice or oatmeal. Last you NEVER want there to be corn in the food AT ALL. Corn is a filler, it is in the food to make the dog feel full, and eat more food, also it is very hard for the dog to digest.

Switching over to a higher quality food will make your dogs have to eat less, but actually be full and stay statisfied longer because your dogs will be getting much more nutrients out of the food....Good luck...

[corgimom]

Quote: Originally Posted by Riddick That's probably part of the reason why Tucker is having problems, and Ein is overweight...they are on terrible food.

Ein was on Nutro Max Puppy for the first few months of his life, and then was switched to Nutro Natural Choice puppy. Then Nutro Natural Choice Lite when he turned a year old and was a few pounds higher than he should be. The whole entire reason I took him off premium food is because he was gaining weight on it. We took him off the Nutro, put him on Beneful, and the weight came off.

Giving Ein the ProPlan is an experiment to see whether or not he can go back on premium food without gaining weight. If his weight does not stay down, the vet will put him on Science Diet prescription light food. I doubt the ingredients in SD are any better than ProPlan.

If he can tolerate the PP without gaining weight, we can consider going to something like Wellness, but considering how much and how quickly he gained weight on the Nutro (even with the vet setting his feeding schedule), I don't know if he can handle it.

We're taking it one day at a time; one step at a time.

Tucker was on the Beneful because Ein was. Animal Control gave us a package of Science Diet when we adopted him, but he wouldn't eat it. He wanted Ein's food. Any time I saw a freebie trial package for anything else, I'd get it and mix it with his food. He'd eat the beneful and leave the rest. I'm actually very surprised that he's eating the ProPlan, because he is sooo fussy. I think he just likes the salmon flavor. If I remember correctly, the Healthy Radience beneful (the one he was eating) had fish. I guess he's just a fish-loving doggy.

[Riddick]

Wellness has a light fish formula, try that. Also Solid Gold Holistique blendz is for overweight dogs, and it also has salmon in it.

[corgimom]

Thanks, I'll look into those.