mocha Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I was told that it is a good idea to fast my dogs once a week, is this true? for what benefits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 i do it with my dogs.. every sunday they skip a meal... the younger pups dont naturally but my 12 month olds onwards do. I have learnt thru training that keeping them a little hungrier helps keep them keener, and much easier towork with but mine normally get 2 meals a day not one i have a weird method in feeding my dogs i guess. however maybe someone with more experience could give you advice OR contribute to this thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 (edited) I dont fast here at all.No need for it in my belief.I dont like to be hungry & food is our fuel.. Edited February 12, 2008 by settrlvr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I can understand why people do it when relating fasting back to a natural diet or have a dog that works/trains better on an empty stomach. My personal opinion is that my dog's lifestyle is anything but natural in that I expect him to be active every day rather than, perhaps, gorging himself on a big "kill" then sleeping it off for a day or two. Plus I have never had a dog (or cat for that matter ) that wasn't an absolute food vacuum cleaner so training with a dog that is not hungry for treats is never a problem. I'm actually trying to wean Zig off having breakfast (for health reasons specific to Dals) and it is very hard to get him to settle without giving something to eat. Do what works best for you and your dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 The only time I deliberately fast my dogs is the day before a sporting comp. Charlie isn't food or tug motivated and you cant play fetch in a flyball/agility ring like I would at training. I need him to want the treats. It still isn't true fasting though as I feed them the day before, I just feed them in the morning/lunch time instead of at night. My dogs never know when to expect their food. Sometimes they get fed in the morning, sometimes at night, sometimes their meal is split. If I get home late and they fall asleep I dont bother feeding them dinner, I just give them breakfast the next day. Sometimes I then feed them again that night Poor things must be so out of whack but at least it means they don't start hassling me when its "dinner time" like my mums dogs (fed at 6pm sharp). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I think the idea of fasting stems from the idea that a dog in the wild probably wouldn't hunt successfully every day and therefore wouldn't eat every day. I don't do it myself, but I know people who do and to be quite honest I don't think their dogs are any healthier or look any better than mine. The only time I don't feed my dogs is before a show and there is no doubt in my mind that a hungry dog is a keener dog, but other than that I can't see any point to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I don't fast my dogs I don't think it has any benefits whatsoever, occasionally all but the two older dogs will skip a meal by choice anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VintageDiva Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I fast my Stafford occasionally. I do this either the day after a big meal (say a large rabbit or a turkey frame) or on the rare occasions when he's eaten something that didn't agree with him, and he's had diarrhoea or obvious stomach pain. Then, the fasting is simply a way to keep any further irritants out of his system. 'The Complete Herbal Book for the Dog' by Juliette De Baïracli Levy has a fair bit to say about the benefits of fasting, so if you're interested in finding out more mocha, maybe that would be worth a read. She encourages fasting for sick dogs, simply because: "It is the natural instinct for all animals to fast when sick or wounded, because immediately all food is withheld, all the forces of the body are concentrated on fighting the disease or healing the wound, for the strength of the body is no longer being used up in the normal and continuous daily activity of food digestion, absorption and elimination. Actually, when an animal is ill with fever, nature discourages the intake of food by removing a desire for it and suspending senses of smell and taste; during acute fever, food digestion is checked almost totally." While I don't fast Bean weekly, I don't see anything wrong with doing so. I use fasting when I know it will benefit my dog, as mentioned above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I fast my dogs and I will fast also on occasion. I started when I first learned about raw feeding and at the time was having awful problems getting my GSD to eat a decent meal, he would often go days without food and I couldn't keep weight on him. I changed his diet and started fasting him once a week a few years ago and I can't even remember how long it has been since he has voluntarily skipped a meal. For the most part the concept of fasting has nothing to do with ensuring that the dog is hungry and therefore more keen to work for food during training. Many people believe that because dogs evolved from wolves, who live a 'feast or famine' existance of gorging on food when it is available and then going for days without anything, their digestive system is less suited to a daily meal. There is also a school of thought that fasting enables the body to spend the time that it would normally spend on digestion on other things and so it is beneficial to fast, or liquid fast, your dog if they are or have been unwell. There is more info on this in "the Nature of Animal Healing" by Martin Goldstein, among other titles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddii Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 My dogs never know when to expect their food. Sometimes they get fed in the morning, sometimes at night, sometimes their meal is split. If I get home late and they fall asleep I dont bother feeding them dinner, I just give them breakfast the next day. Sometimes I then feed them again that night Poor things must be so out of whack but at least it means they don't start hassling me when its "dinner time" like my mums dogs (fed at 6pm sharp). LOL this sounds like our household. Never get hassled for food or rushed when the food comes out, but there is definitely a keenness to work if they haven't eaten that day! We don't fast intentionally or on a program, but it doesn't seem to hurt them when they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 Nice job haven....so you like to starve dogs hey....lol...whos the troll now?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 hmmm fasting when youre pregnant cant be good either honey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 hmmm fasting when youre pregnant cant be good either honey What the.... ----- I don't fast Kyzer, except skipping breakfast on training day but that is pretty tame anyway because the treats more than make up for it I have heard the argument that it is good though, just don't feel the need to do it to my dog. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 hmmm fasting when youre pregnant cant be good either honey :D :D What the.... Think they're talking about me Amypie, I wouldn't worry about it. Clearly either someone who has taken offense to something I've said at some point and is so gutless they can only respond by hiding behind a new profile name or just somebody spiteful with too much time on their hands. Is it school holidays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 The only time I've ever fasted one of mine was when he had an upset tummy. Some raw feeders do it to emulate a wild dog's diet - they don't eat every day. However when they do eat, they tend to gorge themselves if possible. For some reason, that aspect of wild dog diet doesn't tend to be copied. I figure my dogs aren't wild so they deserve to eat daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Mac gets fasted if he had a big meal the day before (I don't think this is a 'gorge' meal as he still eats everything given!). I don't think fasting is going to make my dog healthier or better, but I choose to feed by a raw/prey model and I think varying meal sizes (including nothing!) and meal times is part of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centitout Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Mac gets fasted if he had a big meal the day before (I don't think this is a 'gorge' meal as he still eats everything given!). I don't think fasting is going to make my dog healthier or better, but I choose to feed by a raw/prey model and I think varying meal sizes (including nothing!) and meal times is part of that.leema ,i do the same.i will feed them nothing every now and again for a day,some days,particularly hot days,i may feed once instaed of twice,bloodhounds are more prone to bloat on hot days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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