Free Feeding

[jenypri]

I wanted to get other members feelings about free feeding. With my past experience with boxers, free feeding was never an option because food never lasted long enough around them, but with my mastiff babies, they eat at a leisurely pace and eat little by little at a time.
Right now we never go with an empty bowl, if it get low we fill it. The girls eat when they want and leave it alone. They are still a very healthy weight and seem to be growing a nice healthy pace.
Does anyone else feed this way?

 

[VentiandMe]

I have been free feeding my EM since I have had him at 11 weeks. He doesn't over eat, only as much as he needs and his weight has always been healthy.

 

[raechiemay]

IMO, some dogs this works with, others it doesn't. My little dog is free fed & regulates herself just fine. I tried this with Duchess at first & she just refused to eat. She was free fed with the breeder & I think she thought she would always have access to food. I have a feeling she has still not learned this yet. Ugh.

 

[VentiandMe]

^^ I agree, this only works with some dogs...My old girl beagle would eat until her stomach was twice the size of normal and drug on the floor....then she would BARF. LOL.

 

[mx5055]

How old are your dogs?

 

[raechiemay]

Mine are 6 years & 1 year

 

[mx5055]

I wanted to get other members feelings about free feeding. With my past experience with boxers, free feeding was never an option because food never lasted long enough around them, but with my mastiff babies, they eat at a leisurely pace and eat little by little at a time.
Right now we never go with an empty bowl, if it get low we fill it. The girls eat when they want and leave it alone. They are still a very healthy weight and seem to be growing a nice healthy pace.
Does anyone else feed this way?

In my opinion Chloe and Gracie might be a bit young for free feeding. They are still babies, and I think when they are this young it's really important to monitor when/how much they eat in case you need that info for dealing with other issues that might come up. I especially feel this way since you have 2....how do you know who is eating what and when? I also raised boxers, and when they were adults I did free feed them, but never has puppies. This is only my opinion, and I am sure you will do what is best for the girls...you are after all the one that knows them the most. Good luck

 

[raji]

We had not planned on free feeding Indy(19wks), but ended up doing so because he does just what your describing. We call it drive-by eating, as there always seems to be something catching his attention, and then he's off! And, if anything he's on the thin side-60lbs. I spoke with my vet, who thought it was fine as long as he doesn't start gaining too much weight.

 

[southbeltdon]

I tried free feeding before and my boxer just became overweight and I had to stop and put her on a diet

 

[jenypri]

Even though the girls have their own bowls, they both eat out of the same bowl. They are pretty close in weight so I havent had any red flags pop up yet, and luckily they are both grazers. If one was a gobbler and one a grazer, I would have a big problem. I think I am going to continue to monitor their weight (we weigh them every week), just to make sure one isnt gaining faster than the other.

 

[DennasMom]

We let our Dane/lab puppy eat as his leisure, but we did measure out his daily intake, so we could keep tabs on it. If it got low or empty... he waited until the next scheduled meal time for more.

When we added a second dog to the house, bowls were always empty (competition), so no more grazing for anyone.

As long as you know both are eating and healthy, sounds ok to me. I'd also want to be monitoriong the other end to make sure you know their poops are doing well for each, also. That's sometimes the harder end to monitor. LOL.

Also... with two puppies at once - eating out of the same bowl - I'd be concerned they're bonding more with each other than their humans. I hope your doing what you can to spend time with each individually so they bond to you, too.

 

[Bigdaddyjak]

We have always free fed. Our boxer is 6 and our EM is 12 weeks. This is our 2nd boxer and 2nd EM. We have not had any problems with them overeating, and if someone slows way down on their eating we have always been able to tell by changes in their mood and activity level. It has worked well for us.