Hi everyone, I’ve got a dog that’s a year and a half old. I usually wait two or three hours after he’s eaten before letting him out into the garden or taking him for a walk in the hills. In your opinion, how long should you really wait before exercising a dog after a meal (to avoid bloat)?
Translated from French
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Normally we always feed the dog after his walk, but this time the walk wasn't planned for so early, so we fed him as usual and then took him out an hour and a half later. My dog is a Golden who is quite active compared to other Goldens, and regarding the risk of bloat, I'm not sure if he's at high risk but you can never be too careful. Thanks a lot for your replies, but since my dog is a bit of a nutcase, you just never know! Anyway, thanks very much. Usually we always wait 40 minutes after his walk before giving him his meal. Thanks again, I've learned so much about my dogs thanks to all of you.
No worries, I didn’t make myself very clear either. I knew what I meant, but I wasn't sure if everyone else would, so it’s better to clarify.
We’ve got a Boxer, so she’s at risk of bloat too and she gets excited quite easily, but she doesn’t seem to have any issues going for a walk after a meal. She doesn't run as much or she's a bit calmer; it really depends on the individual dog, even if the breed plays a part. Obviously, we’re careful not to take her to see her doggie mates right after eating; in those cases, she’ll have her food after her walk once she's had time to settle down.
That’s what I meant when I was talking about excitement levels, but it’s just one factor among many.
"It mostly depends on the state of the puppy/dog (if they're really hyper or excitable...)"
Sorry Boxy, I must have misread that.
The main thing to consider isn't the dog's mood, but whether the breed is at risk of bloat. That’s all I was trying to say. After a meal, even a calm German Shepherd running around can be fatal.
It mostly depends on the puppy/dog’s state (if they’re really hyper or excitable...) and their activity outdoors.
In our case, we might feed before or after walks.
But generally, we feed 30 minutes after the big walk (if she’s calm and has settled down well beforehand, we might feed her 15 minutes after getting back; conversely, if she’s panting quite a bit in the summer or after intense activity, we wait longer than 30 minutes). In the evening, we might feed before or after, but we don't necessarily leave a 30-minute gap.
It depends on your dog and their activity level. If they’re fairly calm in the garden, for example, it’s not necessarily essential to wait 3 hours after a meal before letting them potter around out there.
