I met a lady today who had a lovely, healthy, well cared for dog.We started to chat about feeding and she said she doesn't feed her dog anything one day a week,so he has a starvation day.I was really shocked (although credit to me this time,I didn't say what I really thought of this) I asked why and what the benefit was,and she said she didn't know,she had always done it.
I have never heard of this and can't for the life of me think what science is behind this?

I can't imagine what my dogs would do if I missed giving them a days food,leave home probably sticking a paw up at me.
any thoughts?

Fasting a dog on one day a week was quite a common thing a few years ago; not so common nowadays but there are still people who reckon it's good for a dog's digestive system to rest occasionally. After all, when wild dogs are fending for themselves they don't eat necessarily kill every day, so on unsuccessful days they wouldn't eat, and it does them no harm.

Can't help it,it feels wrong,but the dog looked really healthy.

I used to know someone who did this and she gave me the story of if dogs were living in the wild they wouldn't eat every day.  Although I agree with this, I also think that an animal living in the wild would have at least some days of plenty to counteract the days of going without. The woman I knew didn't give her dog the occasional pig out day.

I'm sure that a dog would be perfectly healthy being fed this way but they put their trust in us to provide for them and I just wouldn't feel comfortable eating myself if my best friends were going hungry.  But then I am very sentimental :)

Yup I've heard of this.I think it's more common with the holistic/natural feeding pet owners.I have many books where fasting one day a week is mentioned regularly.
It is also a good idea for us humans.One day a week of drinking just water, apparently is great for detoxing and flushes out our systems.
My dogs miss out a day here or there of eating,very rare,but this is their choice.Maybe they know whats best for them??
Bottom line,i don't think it would do them any harm at all to give their systems a rest every now and then.

Back in the late 40s/early 50s, my father would never feed our labrador (the one with the "N" name ) on a Saturday  - it was known as "not-fatterday"!!

Mind you, on Sunday he would get the remains of everyone's Sunday dinner leftovers plus the roasting tin scrapings after the gravy was made as well as his normal rations!

One of my raw feeding books mentions about fasting for one day, though i've not taken this part up myself when i was feeding totally raw food.
As someone else has said sometimes my dogs will choose not to eat for a day, this was happened on a more regular basis when i was feeding totally raw, again their choice.

I knew someone a years ago who had to miss a day each week with her dog.  he had bladder stones and was on one of the Hill prescription diets.  If he didn't go without food one day a week he would have a terrible upset stomach!  so for him it worked to give his system a rest once a week

My puppy is 6 mths and does this naturally, 1-2 dys a week she refuses her ood but I add an extra mid afternoon meal on the day after she has fasted
I have no idea why she does this, she always has been a small eater (for a large dog) but appears healthy and good in coat and condition, therefore I cna only guess that a day of fasting is no bother to a well dog?

One of my rough collies (rainbow bridge) would have a fast day of his choosing we got used to it.

For Nellie, most days are fasting days!  Funny little dog.  She won't starve herself, but generally she eats very little, and on some days she chooses simply to eat nothing.

My dogs are generally fed 2 meals a day - time varies.  But although I don't regularly starve them for a day they might miss the occasional meal which doesn't seem to do them any harm.  Or if they've had extra treats or a big bone in the daytime they might not have any dinner.

I know when I was growing up my mum never fed the dogs on a Sunday - this was their day of not eating, all dogs were very fit and healthy and lived long lives.