Free or scheduled feeding??

Pharaoh07 · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:19 am Post subject: Free or scheduled feeding??

When we got our puppy, he was underweight and hardly ate at all, so we allowed him access to food at all times. He's now 3.5 months old, growing like a weed, and eating his entire bowl of food each day (I think it's 4 cups worth but not sure). He's not fat by any means, but I feel it's time for him to start feeding him on a schedule.

My husband disagrees. He feels scheduled feeding would make him gulp his food quickly, leading to bloat. I feel that scheduled feeding would help on housebreaking (we're having trouble with that still) and it'll keep him from becoming complacent about food and later becoming overweight.

What is everyone's thought on this? It's so much easier to leave the food out all day, but I don't know what bad habits may crop up -- this is our first Weim Smile

PamK · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:14 am Post subject:

I free feed. I have heard that it does cause house breaking issues.

Derek who is 20 months has never been over weight. He did have house breaking issues until I put him in a crate at night and really watched him.

Ridley is 12 weeks and still poops in the house when I am not watching. But that is my fault not his. Its my responsibility to watch and recognize the signs.

The only issue I have is when they go overnight without me. Most places do scheduled feedings.

freespiritmom · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 11:21 am Post subject:

We are on a schedule at our house. They get fed twice a day. and usually within 30 minutes they are at the door ready to go out. I think that the schedule works best for us because then we know when its time to poo.

bgoode11 · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:15 pm Post subject:

We free feed Bailey. She will be two in Dec.

We never had problems with house training. We just rewarded her GREATLY when she would go outside. It took some work because we took her out every hr or so.

We would thump the doorknob whenever we would go out. Now she just thumps the doorknob when she has to go.

I hope you get it worked out cause there is nothing worse than having to watch where you step in your own house.

Allyson · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 5:10 pm Post subject:

Hannah gets fed in the morning when we are fixing breakfast and she gets her dinner when we have ours. Most of the time there is still a bit of food in the bowl when we dump the new stuff in, so I don't think she is going hungry. She gets about 3 cups a day + her Kong filled with peanut butter, oats, apples, pumpkin and some kibble. (oh, and dog cookies too!)

When she was a little puppy we had no feeding schedule because I always believed that they ate when they were hungry with mom and didn't want to take that privilage away when so many other new things were being done. She was potty trained in less than a week. We too used lavish praise when she did her business outside.

waitingonmyweim · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 6:17 pm Post subject:

Lincoln came to us as a 8 week old puppy with a voracious appetite and would eat everything in sight! We always had planned to keep him to a feeding schedule (started with 3 times/day now we're down to 2).

There's no going back now, as he'd scarf down everything in his bowl if I gave him a whole day's worth of food!!

7:30am and 5:30 are when he gets fed.

simis · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:05 pm Post subject:

Rosie is pretty much a free feeder - she rarely eats everything immediately - she likes to pick at her food and treats. She'll have a few bites, walk away...check back an hour later for another snack, etc. etc

Last vet appt she was 54 lbs and got many compliments on her looks...she is 1.5 yrs old and has just begun really filling out. If free feeding works for you and your dog, great, if not, I wouldn't worry about it. Dogs can be like people with varying appetites, etc.

SirSilver · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:07 pm Post subject:

Calvin and Lincoln sound like long-lost brothers. Calvin too was a hungry 8-week-old when we got him. We started off at 3x/day but weaned him down to two around 4 months or so. He would definitely eat everything at once if we free-fed. (Plus our cat has a newfound love of dog food, so she'd get into it too...)

We feed Cal 2x/day, 6:30 and 6:30. He loves to eat but is just figuring out the schedule...now if we're late he gets a little antsy!

bgoode11 · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:10 am Post subject:

its funny how dogs can tell time.

My girlfriends parents have a beagle mix who will stand at her dads feet EVERY night at 9:28 until she gets her microwaved hotdog at 9:30.

Sorry, off subject.

anne · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:00 pm Post subject:

I would never free feed. For one thing I feed raw, but even if I fed kibble, I'd want to know exactly how much each dog was eating and when. I also think my dogs would get enormous if I free fed.