In the past when I had my last three, Bear, Bella, and Lady, I worked full time but always made sure they ate in the morning at 6:00 am and then when I got home at 5:30 pm.  Our schedule was that I would let them out first thing when we got up, fed them as soon a they came in, and let them out again before I left in the morning and then when I got home, I would let them out and then feed them dinner.  This worked well because I had them on a schedule and dogs love schedules.  Sometimes they didn’t finish all their kibble and I just left it there for them to nibble on during the day if needed.  If I was running late, my dad would come over and let them out for me which was a big help.  

But what is the best time to feed your dog?  If you have a normal, healthy dog, the recommendation is that you feed your dog twice a day at 7:00 am and at 6:00 pm.  The reason is that the anatomy and physiology of the canine digestive system requires about 4 to 6 hours for the food to fully digest and absorb into the system.  After about 8 to 10 hours the receptors in the dogs stomach will send hunger signals to its brain.  

The feeding schedule is different if you have a puppy, an older dog, or one who is highly active they should be fed 4 times a day.  Or if your vet wants you to be on a certain feeding schedule, you should follow that.  I have to admit that when I was younger, I had no idea my dogs needed fed 4 times a day but there was typically food left out all day long.  Jake and Maggie are on a twice-a-day feeding schedule but do leave food in their bowl for later.  I do not work full-time anymore and it’s a stress taken off of me not to have to worry about them being alone during the day.