Free Feeding

[Brooke&Ryan]

Hey All,
I found some posts on the board about free feeding but none of them are accepting new posts. Anyways, here is my question. After reading the threadClick Here and I have a few questions. Julius has been offered food three times a day; yes we have tried two times a day also. Some times he chows down and other times he will pass up a meal and not eat all that much the next meal. We are not planning on free feeding Julius but I am confused with the post I linked for you cause, if a dog is only allowed so much food a day, what is the difference if he gets it in 2 meals or 4 through out the day? Is there a nutritional difference? Does this induce over eating in general? Or is it the other way around, do Dogs over eat because food is not available to them when they are hungry? With my Mother’s lab mix she had he free fed and never gained weight, he was also exercised very well. I asked my Mom how much he would eat in a day and she said it never varied; it was always the same amount she would put in his bowl two times a day. Free feeding, good or bad? Why and why not?

Thanks!

[Judy Chrusch]

JMO, it's much better for their digestive track to feed twice a day and try to have them around the same times every day, if that's possible so they can be regular as far as their bowels and not eat all different times. Free feeding doesn't give any routine and I think it's a necessity. I personally don't know of any rottweiler that would not eat the whole dish at one sitting just bc it's their. So if you put out, lets say, 5 cups of food and he eats it all at once, now what , you will be tempted to give more later in the day, not good!!

I think dogs need to have a routine, feed twice a day and that's it. By allowing them to eat freely, can develop poor eating habits, IMO. I've always been a routine and consistent person and never even thought about free feeding. Hope this helps. Perhaps someone who does feed this way can share why they do;) .

Judy

[Carina43]

Also, it's good to be able to control when your dog eats - if I was planning on taking mine for a long hike, or to training, I don't want them eating alot right before. My mom has had working Border Collies (for sheep) for years; they eat only at night, so they're not sluggish when they have to work. And those dogs work hard!

I guess free feeding works for some dogs; I have a friend who had a Cocker who was free-fed & did just fine, she was healthy and trim. That changed when they got a second Cocker; the pup of course wanted to eat every little bit of food, even if it would make her explode. So with multiple dogs it would most likley not work.

I think there's many more reasons NOT to free-feed than to do so. Plus, like Judy says, the routine is good.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Awesome!
I would love to hear more on this subject if anyone else wants to put their two cents in. Julius' schedule is ALL ABOUT ROUTINE, and I know exactly what you mean about car rides!


Thanks!

Ryan

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally posted by Carina43
Also, it's good to be able to control when your dog eats - if I was planning on taking mine for a long hike, or to training, I don't want them eating alot right before.

That's a very good point. It will reduce the risk of bloat. I didn't think about that......

Thanks!

[chivas]

I actually free fed my Chivas when she was a young pup, but as she grew older, she didnt eat as much. Why? I have NO idea but as soon as i started feeding her 2 times a day, she ate every bite and gained weight. Course she was a special dog! LOL Miss her forever.
Kim

[sable375]

I have always free fed. Started with my chow 6 years ago. Then I got a greyhound and he was used to wolfing down his food from his track days. Within just a few days he got used to the fact that if he walked away full, the food would still be there when he got back. While I had the grey I got a rescue great dane, both continued to be free fed. They out of their own bowls with out any problems. Found him a new home then came a rottie rescue, same thing. Then grey died and rescue found new home. Then came my 2 new rescues. Couldn't free feed the male but could the female. So went to feeding 2x day. Male found new home, back to free feeding female. No problems. She gets her bowl full in the am when we get up, eats, the when I leave for work I add more to it. Then when I get home depending on how much she ate, she may or may not get any more at night. Just what is left in the bowl. My chow eats 4 cups a day, every day... free fed. My Rottie eats 6 cups a day every day... free fed. I think it depends on the dog and thier past and such too. It took me about a week to get the greyhound to realize that he didn't have to wolf down his food in one sitting like he did at the track. But he learned and everyone was amazed I was able to free feed a greyhound. :)

[Luvs]

I free feed our four dogs. I fill their bowl when I get up (unless we have class) and then I usually fill it up again when I get home from work. All four dogs eat a little bit here and there through out the day. They never wolf down their food. If we are going to class or doing some heavy exercise I put their food up for a while before we go. Both of my puppies are a very good weight. Neither of them are heavy nor are they too thin. If at any time they begin to get to heavy or too thin then I will definately change what we are doing.

Even though they are free fed thay are on somewhat of a schedule since they get their bowl filled up at certain times of the day.

[sparklemom]

I free feed Sparkle. I tried switching her to scheduled times, but she just wouldn't eat. For whatever reason that maybe I'll never know, she prefers to nibble throughout the day and I don't mind that. She is thin and healthy.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Thanks All!

[C Ross]

I had a GSD that I free fed. He would go days without eating and then consume huge quantities of food over a couple of hours. Then we got a lab, and the free feeding days were over. I swear, in his younger days my lab would eat until he exploded! The GSD adapted to twice a day feedings and then once a day feedings just fine.

Christine