Do you think free-feeding or feeding your dog at specific times is better?

Question

My boyfriend wants to "free feed" the dog, and I think feeding her at specific times like two or three times a day is best. What do you think? She is still a puppy right now.

Answer 1

Is she is still a puppy feeding her a specific times is better for her in the long run. Firstly it allows you and your boyfriend to house-break her easier because you know when she has eaten last. If she is free feed you'll have to monitor her far more closely.Not only that but it helps you to keep an eye on any changes in her eating or drinking habits. This is very important as changes in eating habits can tip you off to any possible medical conditions that may need treatment as soon as possible. If she is still a young puppy you should generally feed her around three time a day until around six months or so then you can begin to cut her down to twice daily.

Answer 2

During my time working at the local SPCA, I have learned that a scheduled feeding time is the best all around. While there are several factors that are normally looked at (such as breed, age, gender, dominance), in the long run that schedule is very important for many reasons.
First and foremost, a scheduled feeding allows you to bond with your dog. You are giving your puppy something good to eat, and he is associating that with you. Best way to a puppy's heart is a full belly and a tummy rub, right? ;-)
Secondly, giving the puppy his food on a schedule allows you to show the puppy that you are the dominant one. Like the leader of a wolf/dog pack, you decide when and where he gets his food. You make the decision.
Third, if the dog has any sort of food issues (ie: growling any time someone gets near his food), your feeding schedule will help you train him to be more comfortable with someone being near him while he eats.
And last but certainly not least, a scheduled feeding time helps you to keep an eye on his eating habits. Any change in his eating habits could be a sign of a medical issue, and might need to be looked into by a vet. It also helps you keep an eye on the weight of your dog and make sure he is not being over fed.
I hope all of this helps! Congratulations on your new puppy!

Answer 3

I musch prefer to free feed if possible. If you have a puppy start now and they will most times eat enough to hold and maintain a good weight.
Free feeding makes the dog less interested in food and not as motivated by food. They have food all the time and most just nibble when they are hungry rther than wolf it down really fast.
It also is better for large deep chested dogs as if free feed most do not have problems with bloat.
I had free feed all of mine until the last puppy who ate non stop.
Now I have to feed twice per day nad the dog will do anything for food she is the most food motivated dog I have ever seen.
It makes it easy to bribe her to do things but I hate how she acts for food.

Answer 4

It depends on your dog. Some breeds won't stop eating as long as there's food available. Others only eat if and when they're hungry. Free-feeding may also not work for some people who have multiple dogs because you may not realize it right away if one dog's not eating well.

However, I've always had dogs who were free-fed (sight hounds don't seem to ever over-eat and neither did my beardie). I prefer it because the dogs can eat whenever they're hungry, they always have dry food available and at supper time, they often get things like veggies or rice or some meat added.

So I think it depends on your dog.

Answer 5

It depends! I have a small dog, she has heart disease so needs to be fed at regular times, and she responds well to fixed feed times. My other dog (See pic) is on a different diet and will simply not sit to eat at regular times. He is not a huge eater, prefers to snack! So i've long left him to help himself when feeling like it. He is on dry food that my small dog does not like. Although left free to feed when he likes, he's kind of got himself in the habit of eating mid morning, afternoon and usually about 8PM. However he does have a nibble from time to time. Vet agrees with me that he's better off this way because! I had to get him in a kennel once while i was away. They brought his food then took it away to try and train him to eat at fixed times. He responded by starving himself for a few days before eating too much and vomitting the lot! Dogs are not too different from us! In my case ... I have a stomach ulcer so can only eat in small quantities and a few times a day! Whereas someone else will sit and have three square meals! It depends on the individual.

Answer 6

As many people have said, it depends on the breed and the dog. I have six chihuahuas and I free-feed them. This way, they are not agressive and don't have to worry about competing for the food. Also, this small breed doesn't like large meals, they prefer to nibble throughout the day, they just eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full.

Good luck & have fun with your puppy.

Answer 7

There are certain amounts to be fed at certain ages in a dogs life. Free feeding is not good. There should only be enough food out that the dog can eat at a single sitting, and any leftover should be discarded....

Answer 8

I believe in 'programmed' feeding. Feeding at the same time(s) every day. This sets up a routine that the dog will be comfortable with.

Answer 9

A dog should only be feed once a day, you pick when.If you free feed the dog that's how they get FAT. Killing a dog with Kindness, free feeding , to many treats ect... this will make your dog fat and this creates in an early death..... Over weight animals die sooner that in shape animals with a good diets, Just like people!

Answer 10

I've always free fed my dogs. My dogs have never had a problem with overeating. After they eat their main meals of the day they always leave some leftover. They snack on it here and there, the same way kids and adults do between meals. I've never had a problem with overweight dogs though.