Why Your Pet Needs a Mealtime

• Posted on 27 May 2014
• By Dr. Jill Tack
• Posted in food guarding, free feeding, picky eater, reinforce your alpha status, training, weight control, Why Pets Need a Meal Time
• 0

Do you free-feed your pets or do you have a designated mealtime for them? Many clients tell me that they leave food out all day for their dog or cat. But, I am personally a strong believer in pet mealtimes.

Do you free-feed your pets or do you have a designated mealtime for them? Many clients tell me that they leave food out all day for their dog or cat. But, I am personally a strong believer in pet mealtimes.

Designated pet mealtimes are beneficial for a number of reasons. In addition to the anatomical fact that a dog or cat’s digestive system is designed more to gorge than to graze, there are numerous advantages to feeding your pet set amounts of food at specific times of the day.

6 Reasons Why Pet Mealtimes Are Important:

• Monitor intake. If you feed two meals a day, you’ll know the instant Fido stops eating, which is sometimes the first sign that he’s not feeling well.

• Food Guarding. By having specific mealtimes for your dog, you minimize her opportunities to get in the bad habit of guarding her food.

• Training Time. You can use feeding time as training time by making your pet's food a treat. Your training sessions are more likely to be successful if you train when Fido’s stomach is empty rather than full. By having a set mealtime, you will know when your pet is full and when he’s empty.

• Reinforce Alpha Status. You can take advantage of feeding time to reinforce your role as the higher-ranking member of your social group. While you can’t be the “alpha dog,” you certainly are a member of your pet's social group. Enforcing your status within in that group is key for all pet owners.

• Weight Control. Set mealtimes will help you control how much your dog or cat eats per meal and make adjustments if necessary.

• Spark Fido or Fluffy's Appetite. People with fussy eaters often make the mistake of leaving food out constantly. When cats and dogs graze all day, they never get hungry and thus they will never be eager for the food you want them to eat.

Knowing what your animal is eating and when will help you have greater control over their weight, health, and well-being. And when food is given by you, it reinforces training and your alpha status. Take control of your pet's mealtime and reap these wonderful rewards.