opinions on free feeding wanted

Cooper's Mama · 11-22-2007, 02:52 PM

If it works for you, great! When we first brought Cooper home, we did not free feed because he literally INHALED his food. I think that while he was at the shelter, you ate what you could get and I think alot of them shared food bowls, so he ate as fast as he could. After a while he realized that no one else was eating his food, he relaxed and slowed down. Now, we free feed and it's perfectly fine for him. I never completely fill his dish, just a little under half way and sometimes he doesn't even eat all that. He's not a big eater, he just grazes when he feels like it. He's a healthy 53 pounds and he does get people food, but we've cut way back on it because he was getting a little chunky, which is totally our fault. It has nothing to do with leaving his food out all the time. It was for a while that he was getting more people food than dog food (even though his food was out) and when I realized that, we cut WAY back on people food. He now eats more dog food than anything, but he does get some people food.

SpudFan · 11-23-2007, 02:44 AM

For me free feeding means food and water is available 24 x 7. The dogs always have access to food and water and thus can always eat as much or as little as they want. The only exception to this is when they are given bones which are always supervised.

Priss and Pedro's Mama · 11-23-2007, 05:31 AM

I free fed Priss when she was younger. I basically thought that was just how it was done. She ended up a chubby 35lbs instead of a trim 28.5 that she maintains now. She also ended up diabetic from my ignorance (at least partly). With her being on insulin, I have to monitor her food closely so we feed 3x a day. Am and pm meals with a noon time snack at her lowest glucose time. Pedro will be on the same schedule simply because I'm too lazy to have 2 different feeding schedules LOL! The cats are free fed but self regulate. They mostly eat when I feed the dogs, but if I try to take up their bowls they stage LOUD protests

MagicToller · 11-24-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Nice, so I am being selfish because it's more conveinent? Your opinion is just that yours but don't make me out to be lazy and uncaring. I would and will do anything in my power for my dogs. I simply wanted to know what the big argument was all about, and if I was convinced that I was harming them I would change to scheduled feedings.

Somehow, I don't remember the words "lazy" or "selfish" being used to describe your situation.. if you're going to jump to conclusions on what people say, I guess you're headed for alot of upsets :/

I was simply trying to say that I thought, since you did ask for outside opinion, that free feeding only really benefits the owner - this didn't have to mean I'm calling you a lazy, selfish person who doesn't care about their dogs.. just that free feeding is faster and less stressful.

I've just had a way of training and living with dogs that keeps everything a fun game that encourages them to work and be challenged and stimulated by everything in their surroundings. Feeding, playtime, stepping outside the door; all require something, be it a simple sit or a heel-pattern. It's created incredible bonds and happy, healthy dogs to live with - but I also believe that dogs are unique, and circumstances apply. If free-feeding is working for you, wonderful.

Anela · 11-25-2007, 04:32 PM

anela, you really cant use wolves as a comparison. the difference is wolves have access to food all the time, all they have to do is kill it. that WOULD imply free feeding is the way to go.

I agree that wolves have access to constant food, but they don't kill constantly. They do have their failures when looking for a meal.

As for comparing dogs with wolves, how can one not make this? Scientifically, wolves are the domestic dogs closest cousin. If you look at a film of a wolf pack and have more than one dog (I've got three) you instantly see behavior that is similar.

Anela

SpudFan · 11-25-2007, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anela

anela, you really cant use wolves as a comparison. the difference is wolves have access to food all the time, all they have to do is kill it. that WOULD imply free feeding is the way to go.

I agree that wolves have access to constant food, but they don't kill constantly. They do have their failures when looking for a meal.

As for comparing dogs with wolves, how can one not make this? Scientifically, wolves are the domestic dogs closest cousin. If you look at a film of a wolf pack and have more than one dog (I've got three) you instantly see behavior that is similar.

Anela

Last time I checked I didn't see the great big dog bowl from the sky mysteriously appearing in front of the wolf for 5 to 10 minutes and then disappearing. The reality of wild animals is that they often do not eat. When they do they often gorge themselves as well as they may not be eating something else for a while. Interestingly they do not seem to be very concerned about bloat or 3 meals a day.

I'm also pretty sure they are not crate trained either, also live under much harsher conditions and generally have a much shorter life expectancy.

Whilst there are genetic relationships between wild dogs, wolves, hyenas and a myriad of other creatures they typically have not been domesticated and lead a very different existence. This point however seems to be lost on a lot of people.

I'm sorry but I am of the opinion that whilst there are some similarities it is general more of a romantic notion on the owners behalf as they would not want to subject their dear darling pet to the rigors of what the wild, undomesticated animals endure. Adding to this I see very little relationship between many canine breads and the wolf or wild dog.

KumoES · 11-26-2007, 01:09 AM

It is my personal opinion that scheduled meals are actually more of a convenience factor for owners than free feeding is. With free feeding, you need to check the bowl often to make sure the kibble hasn't gotten wet, and to check the levels to see if it's time to add more. Bathroom times are also more likely to come in the middle of the day when owners are usually not home.

I free feed kumo. He probably eats close to 5 cups of food a day, and about 1 cup at a time. His defecation schedule is still perfectly regular as he does most of his eating at night. That means 2 poops in the morning, and 1 around noon-2pm. I had absolutely no problems house training him, and in fact he *never* defecated in the house. We had piddle accidents, but dang if he didn't let us know straight off the bat that he needed to go outside to poop. He's not at all fat, and he doesn't beg for food as much as my previous dogs, who were schedule-fed, did.

My cats, however, are all schedule fed because they'd turn into foot-stools with tails if I left food out all the time, *and* I have a post-diabetic who cannot eat dry food.

Harmonybear · 11-26-2007, 10:19 AM

We free fed Luna for about 3 weeks because she had been sick, and the vet told us to. I think that for some toy breeds (especially toy puppies and the horribly undersized "teacup" dogs), this is the way to go. Two, or sometimes even three, meals a day might induce hypoglycemia in some of those breeds. Feeding five or six small meals a day isn't really that practical for all owners, and during Luna's sick phase, she even needed meals during the night - a total of 8 meals a day. She never overate that entire time, so it was MUCH easier just to make sure to have food available 24/7. Even now, although we aren't free feeding, if we hear her stomach growling during the night we'll give her more food to keep her from getting sick in the morning.

IMO, it really does depend on the individual dog. Some dogs would do great on either plan. Others will only thrive on free feeding, while many will eat themselves to death if they have access to food all day. A lot of being a responsible dog owner is being flexible enough to do what's best for your dog.

SpudFan · 11-26-2007, 03:48 PM

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Originally Posted by Harmonybear

IMO, it really does depend on the individual dog. Some dogs would do great on either plan. Others will only thrive on free feeding, while many will eat themselves to death if they have access to food all day. A lot of being a responsible dog owner is being flexible enough to do what's best for your dog.

I suspect that the dogs background will also have a big impact on how susceptible they are to being free-fed. To illustrate I would expect a dog that was always raised around food to be less likely to overeat then a rescue that has had prior bad experiences.

KumoES · 11-26-2007, 04:05 PM

I definitely agree about the background. My two previous pound pups would have eaten until they exploded, whereas my current guy whom I got at 9 wks old eats only when he's hungry.

bluesbarby · 11-26-2007, 06:48 PM

I use scheduled feedings. That way I can manipulate training sessions. Riley is much more receptive to learning a new command if he's hungry. I also don't want him having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the day since I'm not there.
Everyone I know who free feeds has an overweight dog. Especially beagle owners. I'm not saying those on the forums do though. Most people on the forums are the cream of the crop when it comes to dog owners and make sure their dogs get sufficient exercise. However, the average dog owner does not.

SpudFan · 11-26-2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesbarby

I use scheduled feedings. That way I can manipulate training sessions. Riley is much more receptive to learning a new command if he's hungry. I also don't want him having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the day since I'm not there.
Everyone I know who free feeds has an overweight dog. Especially beagle owners. I'm not saying those on the forums do though. Most people on the forums are the cream of the crop when it comes to dog owners and make sure their dogs get sufficient exercise. However, the average dog owner does not.

Im sorry I just have a moral issue with using hunger as a motivator. The flip side of the coin is all the dogs that I have seen that are fed on a shedule have some sort of food anxiety. Guess we see different experiences.

I wonder how people would take it if the school system used food as a motivator? Maybe only feed the kids if they did well in their classes?

Twinney · 11-26-2007, 09:00 PM

I free feed my dogs, and they are all fine. I like it, because then when I'm not home I don't have to attempt to have my parents feed the dogs on the schedule, then have it all messed up. I feed the dogs after I get home from school, or arond 2:00 on weekends, and they are fed once a day, enough to last them the rest of the day.

None of my dogs are overweight, or obese, and I really enjoy not having to go out and dump their food, just to refill it later. When they have their food with them all the time, they can eat when they are hungry, and don't have to wait until it's time to eat.

The only bad thing about it would be how when at night it can attract rodents like mice and rats, and larger animals, like minks and coons. People in the city with indoor dogs don't have such a problem, but for people who live in small towns, like I do, and people who live in the country, that could be a larger problem that what it could be.
We have only had 2 minks, a possum, and a coon (that never bothered anyone) out here.

GreatDaneMom · 11-26-2007, 09:28 PM

my real main reason for NOT free feeding is because i have danes and im petrified of bloat. the way my Chloe inhales her food, i just couldnt free feed her. as it is i put 2 big balls in her food so she has to eat around them and takes longer to eat. Now, my newest dane Lexi was free fed. Shes too overweight. Shes now on a schedual now that shes with me, and not eating as much and exercising more so we can get weight off of her. I dont need her developing any joint problems due to being overweight, danes are already prone to too much as it is!........... on the flip side, i think if i had something like a poo thing (i dont know, all the little poo dogs, im not good with small breeds, i only know large and giant lol) i would probably free feed and just watch their weight. but then again, ive never had a small dog, im a giant breed only LOL, so i cant be sure on that!