# Free Feeding Dogs



## littlejohnsmom (Jan 4, 2010)

What do you people think of free feeding dogs? I've always done it with all my dogs with great success, yet I hear a lot against it. Could you please tell me why?


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## railNtrailcowgrl (Jul 24, 2008)

1. Many dog don't regulate their own intake well, over eating causes obesity and a myriad of other health problems stemming from that.

2. No schedule in, no schedule out. It makes house training (especially puppies) very hard. Hard to take your dog out xx minutes after he eats when you don't know when he's actually eaten.

3. Could cause problems in multi-dog house holds, with one dog eating more or resource guarding so the other dog isn't getting adequate nutrition.

Just 3 reasons off the top of my head, probably could think of more if I took the time.


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## piraha (Sep 2, 2009)

I don't free feed for 2 reasons.

1. I'm afraide that because I feed Orijan, if I let Deegan free feed he would become overweight.

2. I find it easyer to train if a dog is treat/food orientated.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

Those are all good relivant reasons but in my book the number one reason not to free feed is that if a dog is sick or "off feed" it is harder to tell exactly how much they're actually eating if you don't regulate food, esp. if there are multipul dogs in th same house free feeding.


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## Vira_Lata (Nov 11, 2009)

I free feed and have multiple dogs. I can put the food down and some will eat, other wait till later. i have one dog who likes to eat after we go on a walk. Luckily none of my dogs over-eat and are all in good weight.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

I free feed a certain amount. For example I'll free feed half a cup a day and if she eats all of it, that's the right amount. If she doesn't eat all of it, I measure the remaining to determine how much she did eat. It works great for us and a lot of other Papillon owners/breeders because Paps are such picky eaters that it's hard to put them on a schedule without them frequently skipping meals.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Only the humans free feed at our house (and that's a little risky.)

Even visiting dogs that are normally free-fed learn pretty quickly that, at meal-time, it's now or never.

I think people interpret the idea of free-feeding 2 ways: You put down a measured amount of food and the dog eats it at his own pace. We do that, but their own pace is in about 30 seconds flat.

Other people think it means refilling the dish any time the dog empties it. That wouldn't work for us for a dozen reasons.


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## RedyreRottweilers (Dec 17, 2006)

No free feeding here.

I am the food goddess. The food goddess giveth, and the food goddess taketh away if necessary as well. 

And the also all the other reasons. I am a raw feeder, free feeding simply would not work. 

I MUST know immediately if any dog is off food. This is a significant early sign of illness, and I will not put myself or my dogs in the position of missing it.

I also need to know exactly how much each dog is eating. My dogs eat different amounts to keep in proper condition. Amounts fed are related to the amount of exercise, the weather, reproduction condition, etc.


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

RonE said:


> I think people interpret the idea of free-feeding 2 ways: You put down a measured amount of food and the dog eats it at his own pace. We do that, but their own pace is in about 30 seconds flat.



Yup that's how "free feeding" is done in our house too!


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## kafkabeetle (Dec 4, 2009)

Every morning I put my dog's portion of food in her bowl. She eats it throughout the day. I've never had any problems with it, or with her. When my parents did the eat now or don't eat thing she would get overzealous about it and end up throwing up unchewed food every couple of days. It probably isn't right for all dogs, but free feeding is ideal for mine. She doesn't overeat because I don't let her. Plus, she has no problem with leaving food in her bowl till the morning if she isn't hungry (aka, when someone gave her too many treats in a day).


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## Vira_Lata (Nov 11, 2009)

RonE said:


> Only the humans free feed at our house (and that's a little risky.)
> 
> Even visiting dogs that are normally free-fed learn pretty quickly that, at meal-time, it's now or never.
> 
> ...


Thats what I do.


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## Hallie (Nov 9, 2008)

Hallie is free fed and she did fantastic with it and it wasn't until about a month ago she started gaining weight due to an injury so I might have to start measuring her food.


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## RBark (Sep 10, 2007)

Kobe has been free fed on and off at multiple points of his life, for various reasons. Kobe is way underweight, and even when free fed, mostly eats the same amount.

However, the other two dogs I've had would eat until they vomit it out, then eat more. So they were fed on a schedule.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

Try as I might I cannot get my girls to eat on a schedule. I've done everything. What is working for us is kind of a mix between free feeding and scheduled feeding. In the morning I put food in their bowl (just enough kibbles that the bottom of the dish is almost covered) and leave it out. They will usually go over and eat half of it, then finish the rest piece by piece as the day goes on.. Then in the evening, I do the same thing.. They usually finish the evening meal all in one sitting.. but not necessarily as soon as I put it in the dish. 

Neither of them resource guard the food and neither scarf it down.

It's not a problem with house training for us either.. it never was for some reason. Probably because I'm home all day to take them out. By now I don't usually take them out to go potty until they tell me they need to go, probably every 5 hours or so they will want to pee, and twice a day they want to go out and poop. 


I'm bringing home a foster dog on Thursday, so everything might have to change then.. I guess we'll see.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I have always free fed my dogs and have had no problems with house breaking. It really helps when I have to be away for Agility trials, etc. as my dogs are on self feeders and self waterers so I just have to have someone come and check them once a day. I have some big secure pens with attached indoor pens for when I am away, otherwise all my dogs are in the house with me. They never fight over food as they are raised with food and water down at all times. I know it is not for everyone, but works for me. With my small dogs, I have never had any of them overweight as they get lots of exercise.


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## littlejohnsmom (Jan 4, 2010)

Thank you for all your replies. Luckily, I don't have overweight dogs, or dogs guarding the food.


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## Ayanla (Jun 11, 2009)

If I free fed, Kira would be a blubbery ball with little stub legs sticking out in four directions and Odo would be a furry skeleton.


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## HersheyPup (May 22, 2008)

If I had one dog that was a "delicate" eater I wouldn't mind free feeding, but as it is my two dogs would eat themselves into oblivion if I let them have access to food for more than a few minutes every day!!


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## PappyMom (Jun 5, 2009)

I just now stopped free feeding..when I realized it wasn't helping Roxy gain weight in any way.. Now I put the food bowl down, let them eat to their content, and then pick it up when they walk away to play. That's it for the day. They're more eager to eat at the next meal if they've jipped themselves.


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

I have a dog because I want doggy behavior. Scratch that...I want *controlled* doggy behavior. The only tried, true, and tested method in controlling dog behavior is by maintaining priority access to the dog's resources. Food being a primary resource, has too much control over the behaviors I want to give it up freely. Many dogs can be well behaved without such control over their food but...I'll blame my inadequacies for not being able to find the same, however, what would I have lost?


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## Jordan S (Nov 21, 2009)

Yes it screws with digestion, can make some dogs picky, and some fat. And you never know when they are going to poo.


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