How Many Times Per Day Should You Feed a Pomeranian Dog

Pomeranian owners often ask how often should i feed my Pomeranian and how many times a day should i feed my Pomeranian?

or Feed Schedule or Free Feed? Should you have a scheduled meal time for your Pomeranian or is it better to let him eat whenever he wants? There are two sides to this controversial topic.

Scheduled Meals for your Pomeranian

The owner decides when it's the best time(s) to feed his dog and this may vary according to the age of the animal.

Free Feeding Pomeranian

The owner leaves food in the dog's bowl all day so the dog can choose to eat when he feels the urge. There are clear pros and cons for each method of feeding.

Neither method is wrong or right. People have their favourite way to do it and many critics claim that owners who don't do their favoured method are only harming their beloved dog. Dog owners who use a schedule for feeding claim that the dogs who can eat whenever they want will end up disobedient, fat and will face lots of health problems.

Another school of thought is that scheduled eating times can lead to eating problems and a dog with more aggression. The debate can become extremely messy and many owners face the conundrum – is one method truly better than the other one?

Pomeranian Scheduled Meals

Owners who deliberately choose a particular time to feed their dogs believe this way helps build a structured environment that offers the pet security and safety. Some say the dog views you as the "Alpha Dog" because you control when he eats.

This realization can encourage your dog to listen more and have better behavior. Once the dog understands that you're the leader, training will become easier to handle.

It's also useful if you're going to cook some of your dog's meals and/or put him on a commercially-prepared diet. Dogs don't usually have much trouble with obesity because you control what, when and how much food he eats at all times.

However, it may cause reverse problems. Owners who have no idea how much food to give often give too much. A scheduled feeding time means the owner has to structure their day so they're home to feed the dog at the appointed time. If it's a few minutes early or late, that doesn't matter but if it's any longer, your dog start feeling anxious because dogs have an inner understanding of time. Your dog must ALWAYS have water to drink 24/7.

Scheduled Pomeranian Feeding

Pros:

• Easier to housebreak.
• Perceived that training is easier when food is controlled by owners.
• Can be accomplished with a larger variety of foods (canned, raw or home-made).
• Quantity of food can prevent obesity and other health issues.

Cons:

• Owner must ALWAYS be available at the chosen feeding time or a substitute can be arranged if that's impossible.
• Overfeeding may cause obesity.
• More time-consuming.

Free Feeding your Pomeranian

Owners who choose the free feeding method can remind others that a dog will only eat when he's hungry, regardless of how much food is available. He won't feel pressure to eat at a specific time, even if he's not hungry.

This way of feeding helps dogs work out how much food they really want. If they're lazy and get no exercise, they'll eat less food than if they spent all day running around. The single greatest benefit of this method is that you only feed your dog once a day.

A big self-feeding container can be bought and it should have enough food to last a couple of days. This is a clever idea, especially for very busy households where the dog may get overlooked accidentally.

They'll be happy that their dog won't ever go hungry because a method has been put into place to prevent this from happening. Unfortunately, this method can make it more difficult to train your dog. Also some dogs don't know when they have had enough food and so may keep eating and eating.

Pomeranian Free Feeding

Pros:

• Easier to do.
• Less time involved. Fill an automatic feeder and that can last your dog for days,depending on his appetite.
• You don't need to follow a schedule.
• Prevents hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).
• This is ideal for dogs who only eat when they're actually hungry.

Cons:

• Housebreaking may be harder and take longer.
• Training may also harder.
• It's best used with kibble that's commercially prepared.
• This method won't work with food that can spoil.
• May cause obesity, especially in dogs who have no idea when to stop eating.

Is a Pomeranian Feeding Schedule or is Pomeranian Free Feeding Correct?

The right method is the one that is best suited to both you and your dog. Many fed free Pomeranians don't become obese.

Dogs fed on a schedule don't generally get aggressive towards their food and/or bowl. Lots of owners go through excessive stress when trying to do the "right thing" when they instinctively know which method is best for them and their dog.

So forget about "what's right" and pick the perfect option for you and your Pom. Remember that if you wish to use scheduled meals for any small breed of puppy, he should have multiple meals.

A young Pomeranian puppy needs three meals each day and adults and adolescent Pomeranians only need two meals a day.

Please note: while I do discuss health, care, and behavioral issues, you should never use this information as a replacement for advice from qualified veterinarians, diagnoses, or recommended treatment regimes. If you have any worries about the health of your Pomeranian, your first contact should be your regular vet or, if you don't yet have one, a vet that works locally. Never ignore or avoid treatment and/or advice from your vet because of a piece of information you have read on any website.

Copyright Pomeranian.Org

References and Further Reading:
[1] Denise Leo "The Pomeranian Handbook".

Pomeranian Food Recipes

mcdonaldmuche1987.blogspot.com

Source: https://pomeranian.org/is-a-scheduled-feeding-time-better-than-free-feeding/

Share this post