05/03/2026
Are you feeding your dog too often? ⏰🍗⏰🥩⏰🥕🐶
Dogs fed once a day are less likely to be diagnosed with age-related conditions than pooches fed more often, study claims.
In the largest largest study to date of feeding frequency conducted in companion dogs, University of Arizona-led experts analyzed data on 24,238 pet dogs from the US and found:
• Being fed once a day lowered the risk of nine types of canine health problems
• These included cancer, dental issues and either kidney or urinary complications
• Similarly, dogs fed only once daily scored lower on tests of cognitive problems
• But the team said it is too early to advise owners to change their pet's diets
“We view these results as an exciting first step of an ongoing exploration of the impact of diet on companion dogs living in human environments. Given the intense interest in, and popularization of, ‘longevity diets’ such as intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding, these types of studies in dogs are both timely and important. We believe these studies will ultimately offer insights into factors that promote health and longevity for both dogs and humans.” - The Dog Aging Project
The scientists and researchers we interviewed for The Forever Dog book agreed that one meal a day for healthy dogs is ideal, in terms of maximizing autophagy and minimizing metabolic stress.
To learn how to transition your pup to a new eating schedule and create an eating window (which allows your pup to receive the benefits of intermittent fasting while offering the same amount of food) check out the section in our book “Personalized Meals as Medicine” found here: www.foreverdog.com
