Hi, I was just wondering how many other dog owners free feed their dogs?  I have owned dogs for 20 + years and since the advent of dried food have always kept the bowl topped up all day and allowed them to 'graze'.  All my dogs have settled smoothly into this feeding routine, the 3 dogs we have at the moment are all ideal weights and they don't fight over food as they know it is always there.  It also minimizes the risk of bloat as the dogs eat little and often and are therefore never 'stuffed'.  As Weimaraners are known for their delicate tums, it is definately a great way to feed them - ours thrive on it!

The only dogs I've met who I know were free-fed were at least 30% overweight - instead of active gundogs they were waddling little blobs who appeared to get very little pleasure from their food but pick-pick-picked all day. I would never consider it.

I guess it does depend on the breed - I have 2 Weimaraners and 1 Rhodesian Ridgeback, and they all do fine but are very active.  Previous breeds I have free fed are Springer Spaniels and Standard Poodles, again all active breeds who received a lot of exersise.  It has been said that free fed dogs are harder to train as you can't use food treats as rewards.  I don't find this to be true though, my 3 love their treats - a bit like us humans treating ourselves to chocolate I guess!

but there is no 'routine' there for your dogs?

It is true that there is no routine attached to food, but our day has structure and routine in walks, playing, the dogs listening for husbands car in the evening (and knowing he will be taking them for a walk!). I just wondered if i was the only free feeder out there, and it appears so far that I am!

No, I don't and wouldn't free feed either.  

I have a HPR gundog breed too, and would not free-feed.

Hi

I use to do this with my pair before changing there diet. Neither dogs are greedy dogs and would only eat what they wanted. Some days they ate hardly anything. and I would have to chuck it as I mixed tinned meat in it and it got smelly Neither of them were over weight either in fact my GSD was under. I have since changed them to raw feeding and there is no way I could free feed them now. They eat the min is goes down and everything has gone. GSD has put on weight and looks lovely. They enjoy there food now and tell me when it is feeding time.

I much prefer this way to. I can say how much they have eaten and I dont have food around all day attracting flys in the summer

Wendy

I free feed with the two dogs I have now and the dogs I have had previously, (except one Lab I owned who would have not stopped till he exploded) none have ever been over or underweight, never fought over food and never bolted it down.
They have a very good routine as in walking, playing and resting and are very happy and content.

Bev

Mine don't bolt theri food or squabble over food or treats/chews, but they woudl get as big as a house if left to free feed, even the once anorexic.  Three of mine could have free fed in their youth (pre spaying) but certainly not as they got older.

It is I agree to do with the individual dog or sometimes breed.  Free feeding as I said I have been lucky enough to be able to do, and it makes life so easy, except with a lab I once had.

Bev

My dogs would explode :D

I have never nor ever would free feed my dogs, for various reasons.  Firstly I feed raw so I would not want piles of raw food around permanently, especially in the hot weather! :D

Secondly I think food is a valuable resource and is only available if and when I say so.

Thirdly I am sure my dogs would fight over raw food, but doubt it would happen over kibble! ;)

I do not have any routine with feeding, my dogs get fed when it is convenient for me, twice a day or sometimes their entire food intake is consumed during training sessions.

I am not sure if it would necessarily minimise the risk of bloat in dogs like mine who have never left an empty bowl in their lives and I certainly would not rely on them on NOT stuffing themselves.

Having had 4 Weimaraners and 1 GSD I have never known any of them to have "delicate" tummies, but perhaps I am just lucky.

I would not free feed raw either or tinned only dried.

Bev

I used to free feed successfully when I had one dog.  Now I have three there would be some problems with resource guarding but the still wouldn't scoff themselves.

I have to feed mine separately.

Don't think it would be possible with mine at all - apart from the raw side one would eat absolutely all the food with noone else getting a look in EVER!  He would explode and think he'd died and gone to heaven with food available ALL the time.

Wonder if it is a good or bad thing for a picky eater - I couldn't imagine it would be a good thing - can't imagine that Max would eat enough - by having two set meals I know he get's enough and he knows if he doesn't eat it then there is nothing til the next meal.

I only ever free feed dry complete food.  As I have never fed my dogs at 'mealtimes' I wonder if they would compete?  We have a very bossy Ridgeback, Lola who is fine with our Weimaraner bitch Freya, but bullies our Weimaraner dog Casper.  If they get chews and treats poor Casper only gets whats left when the other two have finished.  I get them a bone each but Freya usually steals Caspers too, and he is left with nothing.  I would be worried that there would be fights over the food if I were to feed them at mealtimes.  How do others with more than one dog manage?

Each dog has it's own area to eat in the same room (kitchen) with Sacha in the utility just off the kitchen.  No fights but Hamish does 'scoff' his down and will try to join in to eat Max and Charlie's - noone will touch Sacha's as they are too gentlemanly to interfere with her food.  I do move Hamish away and he then waits for them to finish before checking their empty bowls.  But even if he does poke his nose in there aren't any fights or grumbles at all.

With bones they all head off to a 'safe' area where they can eat in peace but I would never leave them alone with bones just in case.

I don't advocate free feeding.

Mine are fed on raw so this wouldn't be an option. I have an issue at the moment with my adolescent and lamb racks. She picks at them and then walks away..until that is, she sees the her brother appear then she will immediately resource guard it with absolutely no intention of eating it :rolleyes: I don't let it get to this stage now, if it's not been started within 10 minutes she looses it, quite simple.

My Dads dog is free fed, food sits around in his bowl all day, he picks, spreads it all over the floor and has no excitement for food unless it comes from a human plate :rolleyes: He is the most unmotivated dog regarding food and this IMO, is why.

my sister has been free feeding her gsd pup (12 months old) since she picked him up at 6 weeks ( the breeder fed all the pups 8 times a day and was advised to free feed),and had nothing but problems he would go to toilet in the house and was very large( 42 kilos ). i have been looking after him for nearly 3 weeks and have started to feed him along with my 3 at 7am  and again at 5pm and since i have changed his feeding to regular times he has not had any accidents in the house, and his waist is more visable now my sister has decided to stick to this routine