# hot weather and food



## DirtyD (Apr 16, 2011)

So it has been insanely hot here and I was wondering if affect the dog negatively when fed bigger meals as opposed to smaller ones when its hot out? Or should they eat bigger meals? or does it not even matter?
I guess my thinking is that with smaller meals the dogs body would have more energy to keep cool and use less energy digesting or am I wrong on this?


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## Eagle (Jun 6, 2011)

My dogs eat the same winter or summer (it's 98 here now!), but it depends on their activity. Just be sure they have fresh water around always.


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## DirtyD (Apr 16, 2011)

Eagle said:


> My dogs eat the same winter or summer (it's 98 here now!), but it depends on their activity. Just be sure they have fresh water around always.


I have been keeping a close eye on my dog today because it is hotter then normal out. He keeps getting fresh cool water about 3 times a day when its super hot. I was just curious if it could negativity affect a dog if you feed a large meal in heat. We have a heat warning out right now till midnight with a heat index of 104 and no AC. I am thinking about stealing his kiddie pool that he wants nothing to do with lmao.


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## Blue_Nose_Bella (Jan 16, 2011)

Hmmm. I dont think it matters and you should feed what you normally do and just make sure your dog has plenty of water at all times. It's about to be a 100 degrees here tomorrow and muggy. Its muggy today but not as hot. I work Bella out at 5:30 am every morning with a 3 mile fast walk so it is cooler than it would be later in the day. Then I feed her her normal meal around 8 am before I go to work and then dinner when I get home around 6. Not sure if I answered your question but just giving my input lol! Oh and my girl has it real hard laying around in her air conditioned room all day lol! She is such a neglected little thing


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## Firehazard (Dec 4, 2009)

When its real hot dogs only need food once aday unless they're working .. I feed less in the summer and I feed mornings only one week evenings only the other.. I give nutrition boosts like hunks of elk/deer/beef etc.. as rewards for working in the summer and I feed raw when its fall-spring adding milk, egg, or a tsp of grease in the kibble on the coldest of days as a mid day warmer. I do my best not to support mass commericalism although as city dweller I had to use BilJac Frozen instead of raw game. WHich WORKS wonders.. You can use BilJac Frozen as a meal reward .. its good stuff. Great for the summer months if you cannot harvest game. 

In short; yes a dog eat less on the hottest days.. The food could set for two days if your over feeding.. Dogs need to be fed in portions; dont leave food down all day thats not conducive to healthy dog. Pay attention to when your dog is the hungriest and feed him once a day at that time bout 2 1/2 cups (figure out how much in weight your dog eats and that will help you with managing his diet) that should do him good or you could knock half a cup off or so and feed him twice in smaller portions. 

what ever works best for you and your dog... That up there is what works best for me.


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## pitbullmamanatl (Jun 1, 2010)

I only feed once at night during the summer. Just make sure you wait a few hours to feed after exercising.


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## DirtyD (Apr 16, 2011)

right now I have it broke down to 3 meals. half cup in the morning before I go to work, three quarters a cup when I get home (after work outs usually) and another half before bed. Right now I am giving him a half in the morning and afternoon and waiting till it cools off then give him his three quarters of a cup. All the kibble gets floated in water. I am usually a raw feeder but dont have freezer room at the moment so I am feeding him EVO. Thank you all for the input! I will check out that biljack frozen for sure.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Less is more  I reduce the feed in the summer my dogs do not need that added calories to keep warm. So in my kennel I feed less when it is hot and if I need bigger meals or feed only once a day because I was training in the morning, I will fee at night when it is cool. I don't think feeding 3 meals is necessary and having a full belly in hot weather IMO does not sound like a good thing. IDK I would feed twice a day and depending how the dog looks adjust how much you feed. I would break the meal up in tow portions and the morning portion less than the night portion but JMO


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## DirtyD (Apr 16, 2011)

performanceknls said:


> Less is more  I reduce the feed in the summer my dogs do not need that added calories to keep warm. So in my kennel I feed less when it is hot and if I need bigger meals or feed only once a day because I was training in the morning, I will fee at night when it is cool. I don't think feeding 3 meals is necessary and having a full belly in hot weather IMO does not sound like a good thing. IDK I would feed twice a day and depending how the dog looks adjust how much you feed. I would break the meal up in tow portions and the morning portion less than the night portion but JMO


a very good opinion. I think I will stick to two meals and cut down a tad since its very hot out.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

My pup kinda made the decision for me. he just isnt eating in the morning when it hot and sticky out. Jeesh as soon as the sun goes down (I was 87 yesterday and at 9 it was 51) He is instantly zoomies and wants to eat. He just gets his nighttime servings though, I don't give him the morning's kibbles that he ignored.

BNB totally NOT looking forward to tomorrow, we are going back to the beach! It was 89 at my house when I got home from the beach today, it was only 72 at the beach. Huge difference!! Lucky Bella in the AC, lol.


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## DirtyD (Apr 16, 2011)

lol I would kill for an AC right now


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