Do you starve your dog one day a week?

[CorvusCorax]

For any number of reasons (I think the idea has been around for a long time, judging by the average age of people I know who do it ) I like the idea of a dog who's world doesn't collapse if it doesn't get a meal at a certain time every day, for whatever reason (medical procedure, long journey, competition, family emergency, serious obesity, a gorging episode etc)

I've seen a dog not so motivated as mine, not eat for a couple of days. He knew how to get the food, what to do, he just decided he couldn't be bothered to do it. All he had to do was pootle along with his nose on the ground and look for it. His choice! He's retired now!

 

[Leo Walker]

I have a whippet and a whippety lurcher. If I tried to starve them, they would just steal food from where ever they could. They are natural born thieves and I am locked in a constant battle of wills over theft! My young dog can get up on the kitchen work top and open the cupboards if the fancy takes him

I do raw feed though and vary the amounts so they have feast days and famine days. The last 2 days they have had a lot of food, probably 3 times the recommended amount and somewhere around 1kg each a day, and today they've had hardly anything, probably a 100gms, whereas a normal amount for them would be 500gms. I also "work" them harder than most pet dogs, and they are kept racing fit. Over the weekend they have done 3 hours of hill walking both days, hence the extra food. Today they had a half an hour sprint walk just to stretch their muscles out.

They have superfast metabolisms, they can lose and gain weight over night, but by varying the amounts, and feeding by eye and "work" done they both stay at 15kgs most of which is solid muscle as they dont have an ounce of fat. Terribly skinny by most peoples standards, absolutely spot on by mine

 

[soot]

Only if we all forget - i.e. humans and dog - usually this would occur because we've been on very long walk/run in the afternoon and then everyone has fallen asleep by dinner time. Dog never wakes us up for food. If sleeping occurs before eating, then she doesn't eat. But neither do we, so I assume dog just think we are pretty useless humans who occasionally fail to scavenge enough food ...

 

[Dry Rot]

I've always fed my animals (not just dogs!) according to their condition and certainly not by rote. I sometimes wonder why I feed the GSD at all. Everyone comments on her lovely shiny coat! That's what comes of nicking hens' eggs! She won't get fed today either. That rabbit she caught should be more than enough -- and I will have to suffer the resultant farting! AGAIN!

BTW, I do understand why an owner would be reluctant to fast a miniature pet dog. But all the dogs I see walking through town look as if they could comfortably cope with a week's fasting, let alone a day.

Has anyone ever heard of fasting, even for a few days, killing a healthy dog in good condition? On the other hand, there are plenty of diseases caused by obesity. I once lost a dog on the hills of Morayshire for over a week. When I got her back, almost where I lost her, she was in perfect condition. It was March and there was snow on the ground. God knows what she had been living on, but she had not only survived but flourished! Dogs are tougher than most would believe.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Lordy, no, Zak wouldn't stand for it! He started pestering me at 5.20 today, so I suspect the kennels were feeding them early. He knows when it's 6pm and there's no rest til he's fed! My lot are all lean, big dog too much so after 12 days in kennels.

If they needed a digestive rest due to a tricky tummy, they get a resting diet of easy to digest food, rarely starved unless they're really sick.

They're fed by eye but at the same time. They're not interested particularly in food when out and are trained that finding the dummy is the reward as opposed to finding food, although I love the idea.

 

[Leo Walker]

I once lost a dog on the hills of Morayshire for over a week. When I got her back, almost where I lost her, she was in perfect condition. It was March and there was snow on the ground. God knows what she had been living on, but she had not only survived but flourished! Dogs are tougher than most would believe.

My 2 would be fine as well I reckon. I often say if theres some sort of apocalyptic type event, Walking Dead style, then my 2 would get by much better than me!