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I volunteer for our local animal shelter which is trying to be a 'no kill' shelter. We have several volunteers who clean the kennels and feed the dogs daily.
Several of us have suggested we need to feed the dogs first and then put them out in the yard to play while their kennels are cleaned. One very vocal person has said we are wrong, they should be put out first and then fed. She wants us to prove we are right!!!
I seem to remember I read that if you feed them first, they will go do their business within 30 minutes, but I can't find anything online.
There's something called a 'gastrocolic reflex.' What happens (and this happens in people, too!) is that the animal eats. The walls of the stomach are stretched and there are stretch receptors in the wall of the stomach, small nerve endings that detect stretch. These stretch receptors send impulses to the spinal cord and there, without any active input from the animal, these nerve ending synapse (connect) with other, outgoing nerve fibers that control activity of the colon and increase it when the stomach is stretched. In effect, this makes 'room' for what's coming from upstream.
This is also why many people visit the 'reading room' after breakfast!
Doing this in the other order will only end up with dirty dog runs sooner!
I think ViralMD is correct. In fact, the physiological fact that puppies generally defecate after eating is a critical component of housetraining success. So, I'd feed the shelter dogs, then turn them out to play.
While it hasn't been clinically proven that exercise after eating is a risk factor for GDV, some people have anecdotal evidence and strong opinions to the contrary. However, feeding once per day has been statistically linked to bloat. If you have large, deep-chested dogs in the shelter and feed once per day, it's just something to be aware of.
Thanks, I will be sure to bring that up. Right now we mostly have mix beagles, labs and pits mostly young dogs. Lots of puppies too. Of course, we do have some older dogs.
To argue the other side of the issue, you may have calmer dogs if you exercise first, then feed. Some behaviorists say this mimics the natural schedule of wild dogs/wolves, which exercise/hunt, then eat, then rest. By exercising first, then feeding, the dogs then fall into the natural resting state more easily and will be calmer when in the kennels. At least, that's what I've read. And it seems to follow what my adult dog does - sleeping all day and potty-ing when we go out before meals.
Maybe you could let them out to play, then feed, then take them out again an an hour or so for potty breaks?
I haven't read the other replies yet. I work at a boarding kennel and the first thing we do is let the dogs out and clean their kennels while they are outside.
After getting them all in (we board over 100 dogs on a good weekend), we begin feeding the ones who came in first and continue on. With most we feed once a day, the same amount they are given at home. There are a few bloat risks that we feed multiple meals to for that very reason. We do have everyone fed by 1:00pm-2:00pm as digestion is normally a three hour process in adult dogs. This wa most will finish their business when taken out for last time of the day.
There's no way we're feeding right before we go home otherwise we'd have no idea if anyone had a severe problem until we got there the next morning and we're not taking that risk!
I always take the dogs out after they eat. I like them to wait a few minutes (5-10) before heading out because I want them to digest a bit.
I feed twice a day too, that works very well in my house (no food anxieties or aggression issues...they know they get 2 squares a day ).
Also, I mentioned on another thread about my vet telling me to continue wetting the kibble. By wetting it, you reduce the risk for bloat even more. He said this was a technique used a lot in kennels. Just something to consider.
Just got a puppy and it came with "instructions" on potty training. They stated that you feed the puppy and then immediately put it outside to eliminate. It has been working so far. Except when my 3 year old got it out before we were up and put it on the coffee table to poop! ha
I have always fed the dogs after excercise - preferabley about an hour or so afterwards and never do before excercise due to concerns about bloat. I have GSDs, a breed prone to bloat/torsion.
A full stomach is easier to flip. I also feed them twice a day small meals instead of once a day big meals. I usually have about 2-3 hours of "non-excercise" after a meal. Bigger meal is at night before bedtime. No free feed. Food is measured.
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