My hubby and I have an ongoing conversation about when to feed our dog. When we first got him, I tried feeding him in the morning and again at night, but he seriously had *NO* interest in food until much later in the day, so I changed it to where I fed him when I get home at 5:30, then again about 9:30 or 10 (after we get home from our evening walk). Chris thinks I should be waiting at least an hour after his walk to try the second half of his dinner because of a risk of bloat/twisting stomach... I always thought bloat was more of a risk if you ate THEN exercised - as his schedule is now, he eats, waits about 3 hours, goes for a walk, then finishes his meal. Also, Nikolai is a really slow eater. There's no gusto when it comes to food. He'll take a bite, walk around a bit, take a bite, go lay down for a while, watch the cat come in and eat a few bites, take another nibble, etc. It's really, really rare for him to actually eat his whole meal at one time. Bloat caused by fast eating is NOT his problem. So... help me decide this once and for all and tell me your dogs' schedule of feeding and exercise. Thanks!

well we have no problem with eating! our 2 will sit in their crate and TELL me its time for food! in the morning we do a 10 min walk then they get breakfast, we are gone all day for work so when we get home food comes first since we are not left alone till food is in the bowl! then we go for a 30-45min walk either right after or a few min after, once we get ready from walking in the door to take them out. never thought of health issues with the eating and walking thing. mainly because while out hiking we always feed before during and after a big long day of hiking and never have issues.

Bloat can be caused by exercise HEAVILY immediately before or after eating, but this is generally only an issue with large-x-large breeds. I wouldn't be worried so much about Nikolai getting bloat, especially if he's a slow eater, from simple walk before his meal unless he is truly exerting himself.

However, I would be slightly concerned in his lack of interest in food. Is he like that with all food, or just his kibble? Is he more interested in it if you put, say, a raw egg on his dinner?

we feed outs at noon, go to the dog park for an hour - hour and a half at 230pm and then i feed them again between midnight and 1am, when i get home from work

Koda wrote:

Bloat can be caused by exercise HEAVILY immediately before or after eating, but this is generally only an issue with large-x-large breeds. I wouldn't be worried so much about Nikolai getting bloat, especially if he's a slow eater, from simple walk before his meal unless he is truly exerting himself.

However, I would be slightly concerned in his lack of interest in food. Is he like that with all food, or just his kibble? Is he more interested in it if you put, say, a raw egg on his dinner?

Nod - I'm gonna let Chris read this thread, because I agree, I don't think we're doing anything to really worry about. :-) While our nightly hikes have started to get me into better shape, he still wants to keep going after our 2.5 miles. We're kinda pokey, definitely not major exertion.

He's a skinny guy and generally a very picky eater. We've had him on Wellness Core since we got him, mixing in a third of a can of grain-free canned food (variety of brands/proteins). We tried a couple other grain free kibble formulations (TOTW, Orijen) and they were a big NO GO. About once a week, I'll crack an egg over his kibble, mix in a pinch of cheese and let him at it, but even then, he'll eat it, but there's always a few breaks and a dawdle pace about it... he's not very food motivated. He's gotten marginally better now that I've started making about a cup of The Honest Kitchen Keen and stirring his kibble into that. We're slowly transitioning out of kibble (finish off this bag) and going to try THK + raw. As for treats, we've found he likes Marrow Bones & the occasional T-Bonez (Pedigree... nutritional equivalent of cheetos), cheese, and homemade turkey cookies. He also likes some fresh baked ones from our local boutique shop, he's a fan of peanut butter (in his Kong), Cheese Whiz (again, to seal his Kong), and boiled chicken/turkey... puree'd and mixed with cream cheese and stuffed/frozen in his Kong. Oh, and table scraps. He'll actually beg for those, but he doesn't get them.

Hmm. You're doing all the right things, so I'm just going to agree with you and blame it on the food motivation! I can't recommend much more, so good for you for doing all you can to help him find a meal that he goes nuts for! Transitioning to THK/raw is a great idea if you have the time and money

And yeah. Bloat is a major problem for breeds like Great Danes, St. Bernards, Bernese Mt Dogs (to name a few), even some Malamutes... but huskies are considered a medium sized breed. Even some large breeds don't have to worry so much about bloat. It's good to be cautious and we still try to have ours "calm down" if they get too excited for meals, but I don't think a walk is a problem. In fact, it's a good way to work up an appetite for a non-food-motivated dog

Koda wrote:

Hmm. You're doing all the right things, so I'm just going to agree with you and blame it on the food motivation! I can't recommend much more, so good for you for doing all you can to help him find a meal that he goes nuts for! Transitioning to THK/raw is a great idea if you have the time and money

And yeah. Bloat is a major problem for breeds like Great Danes, St. Bernards, Bernese Mt Dogs (to name a few), even some Malamutes... but huskies are considered a medium sized breed. Even some large breeds don't have to worry so much about bloat. It's good to be cautious and we still try to have ours "calm down" if they get too excited for meals, but I don't think a walk is a problem. In fact, it's a good way to work up an appetite for a non-food-motivated dog

Thanks!! I really do try to do what's best for mah doggle. ;-) It's a learning process. Yeah - THK isn't cheap, but at this point, it's worked the best in terms of getting him to eat.

Chris' aunt and uncle have three labs and they're *very* active, so they have a waiting period between when they're fed and when they exercise and an hour "calm down" before they eat treats, etc. He just assumed that since they do that, we should be too... so he sent me an article about it (and it listed all the LARGE breeds) and said it proved his point. Hahaha... ummm... no. I'm not staying up super late to put food down, watch him pick at it for 30 minutes, then pick it up before I can go to bed. After his walk is usually his BEST time to eat, just because like you said, he works up an appetite.

Ridik does the not eating thing. Annoys the hell out of me because he'll whine and whine for his meal just so he can sit by it and guard it. Barely eats half a cup if I leave it there. Put an egg in it and he will eat the egg and lick the kibble leaving it behind. My remedy for this has been skipping meals to make him hungry enough to eat.

As far as the bloat thing, there's nothing I have come across that really addresses the causes. I quit caring. Even with the Saint, he would eat within a 15 minute window of exercise. Not really advocating for you to do that, just kinda implying bloat isn't a big worry for me. My vet thinks that a lack of exercise in most pets these days is part of the problem. Something about the structure inside that holds the stomach in place and a lack of exercise weakening it or never developing properly.

What is it with some huskies and not wanting to eat?! So annoying...

CoffeeK8 wrote:

What is it with some huskies and not wanting to eat?! So annoying...

You could blame it on breed too. Sibes were bred to need very little in terms of food so it's not uncommon for sibes to self regulate and eat only what they need and even skipping meals is normal for the breed. I really wouldn't be too concerned over Nikolai's eating habits.

CoffeeK8 wrote:

What's your dog's "schedule" for food/exercise...?

Back on topic. I usually exercise my dogs before feeding. First, so I don't have to worry about stomach upset or bloat, and second, exercise stimulates the appetite.

Our daily exercise and feeding schedule:
7:00 AM - 2 mile walk + a 15 minute run in the yard
8:00 AM - Breakfast (biscuit and dehydrated chicken)
11:00 AM - 2 mile walk
12:00 PM - 30 minute run and playing in the yard + 5 minutes of training
12:30 PM - Snack (I rotate meaty treats)
3:30 PM - Dinner (3 days a week is raw, 4 days a week is Honest Kitchen)
4:00 PM - 5 minutes in the yard to potty, if he runs it's not very hard
8 :00 PM - 1/4 mile potty walk
9:00 PM - a meaty treat before bed


FWIW, when our husky was the only dog in the house he routinely did not eat all the food in his bowl and he also had a habit of skipping meals too. He self regulated very well when he was an only dog. lol But when we started adding more dogs to the house he suddenly got greedy and always finishes every little bit he is given. Nothing like healthy competition for food as motivation to eat!

jbealer wrote:

well we have no problem with eating! our 2 will sit in their crate and TELL me its time for food! in the morning we do a 10 min walk then they get breakfast, we are gone all day for work so when we get home food comes first since we are not left alone till food is in the bowl! then we go for a 30-45min walk either right after or a few min after, once we get ready from walking in the door to take them out. never thought of health issues with the eating and walking thing. mainly because while out hiking we always feed before during and after a big long day of hiking and never have issues.

Basically same deal here! We work all day so I walk Mya for 10-15min in the morning and then walk/run Kody for 10/15min. Can't walk them together just yet and my hubby has a bad knee so there's only so much exercise wise that he can do. Unfortunately it takes me a lot longer having to walk them separately =\ When we get home I let them out and then feed Kody b/c he's begging for food. While Kody is eating I walk Mya for about 20-30min and then take Kody for the same, but run with him more b/c he has lots of energy. Once I'm back I'll feed Mya b/c she won't eat after a walk. She needs to calm down first. Never had any issues with feeding them before or after exercise though. Mya has her stages of being picky and guarding food. Now she's on an EAT stage...licks her bowl..lol

6AM drag myself out of bed and let them out to pee for 15 mintues.
7:30AM actually get out of bed for real and give them a walk around the block.
And then it's pretty much i'm at work until 1 (and they come with) or we're home until 1 and then I go to work (with them) OR it's a super lucky day for them and i've got no work and we go to the park around 4PM for 2 hours. Seriously I have THE laziest Huskies ever. If we're at home... they're sleeping

Dinner is fed anywhere between 7PM and 9PM. I only feed once a day.

Feed 1 cup of kibble at 6:30.
Run 3-7 miles at 7:30-8 AM.
Walk 3 miles at 4 PM.
Feed 2 cups of kibble at 6 PM.
Walk 2 miles at 8:30 PM.

6:30/7am - 20-30 minutes walk or jog (not run - I do not run unless it's to save my life)
breakfast when we get back (scant 1/2 cup of THK Zeal with a sprinkle of Orijen kibble)
9:30/10am - 1 treat (2 ingredient treat of freeze dried fish or chicken or half a carrot)
10:30/11am - 20-30 minute walk or jog
noon/12:30pm - lunch (same as breakfast)
2/2:30pm - 20-30 minutes walk or jog
3/4pm - 1 treat
5/6pm - hubby takes her for a walk or run (he runs)
dinner when they get back (same as breakfast)
7/8pm - 1 treat
10/11pm - snuggle in bed before going to sleep

I and Sibhee go for a walk every morning. We also have a built in treadmill in our house and I let Sibhee use it sometimes especially when I'm lazy to walk.