Trying to establish feeding schedules for your pet shouldn’t be stressful for either you or your pet. There is really no hard and fast rule for pet diets. There are arguments on both sides of the fence. To Free Feed or to Schedule feed…what is the answer? Pet diets really depends on the individual pets themselves. I know of pets who can graze all day and ones who would eat until they bust. Once you have determined which kind, free feed or schedule, you have to start there. Does your dog eat a few kibbles every hour? Then by all means free feed them. If your pet needs a schedule then set them up on one. Morning, and early evening are common routines. Just put together the best routine for you and your pet. There is really no one size fits all.

Your pet is expected to reach 90% of their adult weight by nine to twelve months. Once they hit that weight then they are considered adults and should begin to be fed an adult maintenance diet.

Read the labels on your pet’s food and ensure that is what they are being fed. Another debate that continues is that it is the type of diet that rules supreme. Again, not a one size fits all
category. Largely, it depends on your purse strings, your dog’s preference and if it meets all of your pups nutritional needs. Kibble tends to have a better shelf life and is easier on the pocketbook. Wet food needs to be stored with a bit more care and can be more expensive. Raw pet diets or homemade pet diets can work well however, they can be more expensive and most importantly it is very hard to ensure you cover all the nutritional bases. Vitamins, proteins, minerals and fatty acids all need to be prepared in your pet’s food for proper nutritional guidelines. If you want to go that route, please work with a certified nutritionist or under the advice of your veterinarian.  Most importantly, educate yourself on exactly what it is that you are putting in your pet’s tummy!

If you have questions or are not sure what would work best for your pet, visit with your vet and discuss your pet’s individual needs. You may have to adjust and readjust schedules and diets until you find the best fit for your pet and your lifestyle.