[qikolax]

Most people would never free feed their dogs because of its disadvantages including excessive eating tendencies, bacterial build up on food being left out, and not giving the dog a schedule to follow.

A friend of mine free feeds her dogs because they only eat what they need to consume. She's been doing it for years and so far her chihuahuas are healthy and never overweight.

What's your say in the matter?

[darieBarexish]

Free feeding IS really good, if your dog isn't the kind of dog that will go berserk, and eat everything it can see. When dogs realise they don't have to fight for their food, and that there's a constant source they will 'graze', and only take what they need. When I only had the one dog, we would free feed. However, since the arrival of our second dog, if we free fed, he'd eat all of his, AND go for the other dog's food. So we had to go back to timed meals.

However, we carefully weigh out the food, and make sure they're never overfed. As long as the food you leave out for free feeding is mixed up each day (as in you don't just add more on top, you mix the old with the new), then you shouldn't have to worry about bacteria. If you keep the bowls clean, and make sure fresh water is always there in terms of dry feeding, then it's awesome.

I've never fed my dogs tinned food, and never will. It's dreadful.

[dfuzioniag]

I free feed most of the time with both my cat and my dog. I find that if I'm feeding my animals a natural food with enough fiber and protein that neither of my animals gorges himself or eats just because.

I also foster dogs for the local humane society and I get donated food to feed them. This food can range in quality from the really expensive awesome natural food to the grocery store sale food. I notice when I free feed the foster dogs with the grocery store brands they eat much more than if I free feed with the natural food. And if my dog gets to the grocery store food, he'll clean up the bowl and then go looking for more.

I try to stick to free feeding, but I tend to try to be flexible about it. Does anyone else notice that free feeding grocery store foods tends to result in more eating? Or is it just my little piggy puppy?

[Hdzcxqoi]

I free feed the cats since they know the limits but the dog is dumb and just wants to eat until she pukes. One time we weren't home and she was still a puppy and knocked over her food and ate like half the bag. We came home and she was laying on the floor sleeping and moaning and her belly was sticking out so far. It was the funniest thing ever, until she pooped it all out.

[darieBarexish]

I try to stick to free feeding, but I tend to try to be flexible about it. Does anyone else notice that free feeding grocery store foods tends to result in more eating? Or is it just my little piggy puppy?

It's not just you, and here's a possible reason why.

A lot of store foods, that were made simply to compete with branded store foods, are filled with a lot of preservatives, things that make them smell and taste AWESOME, but are otherwise useless for anything other than coming out the opposite end. A lot of foods, especially those with colouring in them, are even worse, because they can make dogs hyperactive.

[teentodiefows]

I don't give my dog the "wet" type of food that comes in a can. I will put out a scoop for him and leave it so he can eat whatever he wants. The funny thing is that the vet told me he needed to gain weight when he was younger. I told him the food was down and my dog could eat anytime, he's just very hyper and active. I have an 8 pound toy poodle, at the time he was 7.5 pounds. So back then I would occasionally give him the canned dog food to try to get him to gain weight, but I wouldn't leave that out. He never did gain weight, not a single ounce! So I stopped giving him that too and the vet said he must just be that way naturally. I thought the whole thing was kind of funny. My dog's ribs weren't showing or any signs that he was starving or anything. He's gained a half of a pound now that he's 9 years old and doesn't have all that puppy energy. But he's still slim and has always been slim. That's how the toy poodle I had growing up was too.

[dfuzioniag]

Good to know! I try to keep my guy away from the grocery store foods, but he loves them. Especially the stuff with lots and lots of food colouring.

But working with the humane society, I take whatever food donations I get. At this stage in my life, I can give a few extra dogs a house and someone to love them while they wait on their own forever homes, but I can't afford to feed three dogs.

I had no idea about the hyperactivity! Thanks for pointing that out.

[CIAFreeAgent]

Since my dogs are outside dogs. If I tried free feeding, everything else in the surrounding area would end up eating it before the dog got to it. Also one of my dogs will eat anything in sight, and would probbaly eat up my other dogs food if I tried to do this. They get feed about the same time every day, they know thier schedual, and are out there waiting for the dog food when the time comes. We live in sort of a wilderness area and I know both dogs go out hunting and they get some of thier food that way to.

[zzquo0iR]

If her dogs don't end up overeating because of it, then awesome! Most dogs seem to want to gobble down a huge amount no matter what, though, so yeah, it'd result in animal obesity. I've never had a dog that would stop if I gave him food constantly....they'd just eat and eat and eat.

[qikolax]

My dog Peanuts is picky- super picky that it comes to an extent that she would rather leave the food until the next morning. I used to pick it up so she takes feeding on schedule more seriously but it never worked. She'd rather starve herself to death and beg for scraps from my mom than eat her dog food.

I free feed most of the time with both my cat and my dog. I find that if I'm feeding my animals a natural food with enough fiber and protein that neither of my animals gorges himself or eats just because.

I also foster dogs for the local humane society and I get donated food to feed them. This food can range in quality from the really expensive awesome natural food to the grocery store sale food. I notice when I free feed the foster dogs with the grocery store brands they eat much more than if I free feed with the natural food. And if my dog gets to the grocery store food, he'll clean up the bowl and then go looking for more.

I try to stick to free feeding, but I tend to try to be flexible about it. Does anyone else notice that free feeding grocery store foods tends to result in more eating? Or is it just my little piggy puppy?

This is quite interesting as the moment I switched to a higher quality dog food, their appetite had reduced with it. I never considered that it may have been because the servings make them full as they've already eaten enough.