# Free Feeding to a Schedule....



## polo (May 6, 2008)

I have been free feeding my dogs since I've had both of them. Lately I have been worried that they are not eating enough. Everyone, including the vet, says they are at a good weight and they would not starve themselves...but I still question it. 

I fill each bowl and it usually takes about 2 days before I need to refill it. They are small bowls that I fill each with 8 oz of food. Should they be eating more? Should I switch them to a new eating schedule?

They eat Canidae. I was worried yesterday and went and got some canned food as well and mixed it with the kibble. I thought maybe they just didn't like their food that much and that's why they weren't eating. They both loved it and CHOWED down. After seeing them not even stop to take a breath, I'm worried If I continue to feed them that, they may get fat??? haha

So...my question is...continue to free feed or start a schedule? And if I start a schedule, should I mix canned food in? at both meals? or just at one? And how much food should they be getting? When is gives the recommendations on the bag... is that per day or per serving? 


Thanks for any advice!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Lauren, I like scheduled feeding for a few reasons, but the main one is that I can always tell which dog is eating and how much he/she has eating. If one of the dogs hadn't eaten in three days, it is harder to tell with free-feeding.

I think food recommendations usually say if they are for the day or for the serving. If not, I'd assume it is probably for the day since a lot of adult dogs move to one feeding a day.

You can always check the ribs of your dogs to see if they are too fat or too skinny. You should be able to feel the ribs, but not feel each individual rib too easily.


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## polo (May 6, 2008)

Thanks Kimberly!

Maybe my Hav is too skinny? The vet has said he looks great though.... but I can def feel a lot of his ribs. He is 13 months old and is about 9-10 lbs.

He is who I am most worried about because I know my poddle will not go without food. I see him eating the most and he is a food hog, lol.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

You _should_ be able to feel most of his ribs. They just shouldn't be as boney as to be able to feel every single one distinctly - like your knuckle ridge on your closed fist. (Close your left hand into a fist and use your right hand to feel the top of your knuckles. If his ribs feel like that, he's way too skinny.)

If your vet says his weight is good, then don't worry about it. He's fine.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

You could always go to one scheduled feeding a day and free feed the rest. I used to do this with my girls and they always ate up their breakfast. I just put a little dab of my own breakfast or dinner the night before (you could use some canned) in and it was a special treat. Then just have out food for the rest of the day.

I have since gone to scheduled feedings since I am trying to put weight on Dasher and my girls love it. In fact, my maltese weighs more than she ever has and I am goign to watch how much I am giving her and the fact she cleans every one's plate when they are done!


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## Krimmyk (Dec 7, 2006)

Sully had strict feeding times when he was showing. When he arrived here, we filled the bowl in the morning and left it till 8-9pm and pulled it up. All seemed good and well till I discovered he was hording food!:jaw: to eat at his leisure later in the evening an over night. So, we decided now that he is older and out smarted us we just leave it down. He eats at 10pm, he better poo after eating or hold it till morning. As he is over a year now, going on two, he does. It works for us. You will figure out something. 
As for how much he eats, we put a cup down every other or every 3 days, and 2 caplets of fish oil. No more hording, he just several times a day pulls out ALL the kibbles across the whole floor and grazes. I think I like the grazer over the mower. Grazers show they can stop eating when full. I have had both types.


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## Krimmyk (Dec 7, 2006)

polo said:


> Thanks Kimberly!
> 
> Maybe my Hav is too skinny? The vet has said he looks great though.... but I can def feel a lot of his ribs. He is 13 months old and is about 9-10 lbs.
> 
> He is who I am most worried about because I know my poddle will not go without food. I see him eating the most and he is a food hog, lol.


Sully was 9.6 lbs at his one year. Perfectly healthy for a Hav according to my dog. He took into account his height and length. Sully is just a smaller dog.


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

I noticed you said it took 2 days before you need to refill. Well, I was keeping Sissy's food in a container and she was turning her nose up to it and I opened a new bag (same food) and she ate like crazy. I think her food was stale and the fresh right out of the bag tasted better to her. Since then, I keep it in the sealed bag and she's doing great.
I always throw away what is left over from the day before and start fresh everyday.


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Krimsin - oh that is such a funny story - a food hoarder in a dog so young. I love it.

I personally prefer a schedule - I think they eat better and you know what everyone's consumption is. I think 8 ounces left in a bowl for two days sounds like a lot of food at one time and the possibility it will get stale. I'd go to a schedule of 1 or 2x per day. I use 1/4 cup with 1 tbsp. canned for each feeding twice a day and mine are about your size.


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

It the food is put outside for a day, I believe it goes stale as Benji and Lizzie both don't eat it. I prefer scheduled feedings.


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## radar_jones (May 6, 2007)

I remember I always used to give Radar two separate meals each day and I would split the amounts so I knew what he was getting. Nowadays I just give him a full bowl of food and he goes at it whenever he wants. he especially likes it when his food is freshened up with some hot water half way through the day. It makes the food nice and moist and the bottom portion of the food gets brought to the top and he really likes it. It creates a nice aroma for him and right now I have the Natures Variety and Radar will now eat it without any topping whatsoever.

Derek


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

I guess I'm one of the few free feeders. I had always done it with all my dogs until I got these havanese and they are very picky. After months of food problems I finally decided to leave the food down and they will eat if they are hungry, and they do. They seem to be the right weight for their size, full of vim and vigor and happy so I am leaving things like they are. If your dogs are doing well, why rock the boat?
Carole


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

One problem with free feeding is that you lose one of your most valuable training devices. Also , some dogs can become food protective more so if food is sitting there all the time.Twice a day feeding is better. And like Kimberley says , it is easier to monitor what is going on.


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## Krimmyk (Dec 7, 2006)

I see the positives on both ends. We are not consistently home at times during the day. As for training. He came to us trained, so it is NO problem. We decided after see he doesn't always poo a set time after eating that a free graze the times we were home. I don't think staleness or taste is the issue with him either...he is just the messiest eater in the world. Thank GOODNESS we are not feeding him raw! My carpet cringes at the tought. Karen told me all about his "habits" before we got him. Just picking it up it 3 times a day (the same amount she fed him BTW) is almost comical. Three kibbles in the one big pillow, a couple 1/2 chewed in the dog bed, a stash in his crate, then the rest of the bowl (fresh or not) in different bits of chewed state all over the rest of the carpet. At least he is consistent! I think the fact Sully was over a year when we decided to free feed him. I can only speak for my dog. Like I said we have done it both ways with dogs.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

That is pretty funny with Sully's habits!

I do leave food out all the time. I had an underweight maltese. I think she is probably at her ideal weight now but sometimes I get busy and dinner comes late and Dora will sometimes nibble at the kibble bowl. I have never had a food aggressive dog- I think with having the bowl out, it becomes just opposite, it has never been empty so why worry


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Krimsin, that is too funny! 
Personally I've never had a dog be food protective by free feeding. My dogs don't even want to eat their food much less protect it, lol. As for training my dogs are so un-interested in food that it is not tempting to them. My trainer comes to my house does a wonderful job without food. When Vinny and Lulu get treats then they never eat their kibble because just a little treat makes them full enough to hold out and not eat. However, I can see why different ways to feed can work for different situations and life styles. I think what works for you is the best way.
Carole


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## polo (May 6, 2008)

Thank you everyone for all the great advice and suggestions!!

I'm not quite sure what I've decided to do yet though. Since they liked the canned food so much I may just give it to them as a special meal, or as one scheduled meal and free feed the rest of the day. Like Krimsin said, my schedule is not always the same and I'm never home at the same times each day to have them on a strict schedule for feeding. I do know that I am very lucky to have grazers though and don't have any little ones who will eat everything in sight!

Everyone here always gives great suggestions!


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## shauu (Jul 9, 2008)

Momo is going to be 4 months old tomorrow and I'm thinking of starting on schedule feeding. My only worry is she will eat her own feces which sometimes I suspect she does as I saw some stain on the newspaper but could not find any stool. How can I make sure she doesn't treat her feces as delicacies as her food bowl is empty?


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Shauu, you can do crate training when you aren't around, but the main thing that I've found to be helpful is to work on potty training. Scheduled feeding also helps immensely with potty training. 

When you can get Momo going outside regularly with your supervision, you can pick up the stool immediately after she goes which removes that ability. If it is happening in the house, you might want to consider crate training and taking her out when she needs to go. 

If you leave her unattended in a pen, I have been successful with drizzling some pineapple juice over the dog's food. You will need to continue this for at least one week after she stops doing it too. I believe they get into a habit of doing it, so they need to know it doesn't enticing to them (pineapple juice changes the acidity and makes it unappealing for many). She may test it a couple of times, but if she is still getting the pineapple juice for a little while, she will realize it is still unappealing.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Since my guys are so picky, I leave dry food down at all times. I also feed them 2 meals a day. I don't feed them too much at meal times, hoping they will eat some dry during the day. I was feeding raw, but they got finicky with it. Tonight I decided to try something new. I gave them boiled chicken sprinkled with, "The Missing link". All 3 loved it and and also dipped into the dry food bowl. I hope it works!


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## shauu (Jul 9, 2008)

Havtahava said:


> Shauu, you can do crate training when you aren't around, but the main thing that I've found to be helpful is to work on potty training. Scheduled feeding also helps immensely with potty training.
> 
> When you can get Momo going outside regularly with your supervision, you can pick up the stool immediately after she goes which removes that ability. If it is happening in the house, you might want to consider crate training and taking her out when she needs to go.
> 
> If you leave her unattended in a pen, I have been successful with drizzling some pineapple juice over the dog's food. You will need to continue this for at least one week after she stops doing it too. I believe they get into a habit of doing it, so they need to know it doesn't enticing to them (pineapple juice changes the acidity and makes it unappealing for many). She may test it a couple of times, but if she is still getting the pineapple juice for a little while, she will realize it is still unappealing.


Cool, thanks! I will get some pineapple juice later. But is it ok to feed Momo the juice since she's only 4 months old?


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## Judy A (Jan 13, 2007)

I love the schedule feeding....mine eat two times a day and Doc chows down, while Izzy takes some time to think about it. She has gotten much better about eating and rarely skips a meal anymore. Doc has maintained a good weight eating 1/3 cup twice a day. Izzy gets the same amount, but rarely finishes it.....she's only half Doc's size, so I don't expect her to. It sure makes their potty schedule easier to handle and I know exactly what they are eating. Our Lab gets feed three times a day because if she eats too much at a time, she throws up......so the little ones get one piece of the lab's kibble at noon and they think they've gotten a real treat!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Shauu, yes, it's okay to give her the pineapple at 4 months. I was giving it to Kubrick around that age myself.


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