who "free feeds" their yorkies?

[LaurenThig]

I free feed too. Lily will eat a pretty good meal early in the morning when I put it out, and then she nibbles during the day. Usually she also eats when we eat meals. But she eats such tiny amounts at a time that I don't feel like taking her food up and denying her when she gets hungry. She's a good size and by no means overweight. I put out 1/2 a cup a day, starting at about 7:30, and most of it's gone by 10:00 pm or so.

[Belindtch]

I have 3 yorkies...a l0 pounder, a 7 pounder and a 3.6 pounder. I have always free fed my girls. Everybody in our house has access to the food and the refrigerator 24/7. If I am hungry I can get food. If I am thirsty I can get something to drink. My girls are no different. I measure out what the three should be eating per day. They eat at different times and two of mine pick up a mouth full of kibble and take them to their crate to eat. My Alyssa stands over the bowl. I would never put them on a scheduled feeding schedule. I can see where the peeing and pooping might be an issue but I try to take them outside every 2 hours. They have a pee pad inside when they need to go and I am not here.

[maxmom]

Originally Posted by nancyfancypants

I leave Gus's food and water out all day. He's not one to overeat or undereat, but he doesn't like to eat alone. If I'm not sitting with him because I'm getting ready for work, he won't eat a single bite, and I don't want him to go all day without eating. If I happen to have some time to sit in the kitchen, maybe putting on makeup or working on my laptop, he'll eat, but he'll stop if I leave the room. But he just seems to be more of a grazer anyway, preferring to eat a bit here and there spread out over the day.

We serve fresh kebbles in the morning, and also have to seat down while he eats, otherwise, he just won't, he rarely eats all his food, so I leave it out for him during the day, with fresh water, in the afternoon while I'm getting dinner ready he would start jumping and whining because he knows that he'll get home cooked meal, just a bit, but I've notice that he really likes it and it is not hard to prepare, so I mix whatever amount of kebble left from the am with the home cooked, for that he wont need me to seat down and keep him company, that meal he eats in a second

[Rae Rae]

We free feed as well because my schedule is never the same each week, even though my fiance's is the same. I work retail, so my work hours vary, and my school schedule changes every 3 months too. I'd rather not free feed them, but right now that's what works best for us.

[Nancy1999]

Free feeding means having food available at all times, and many breeders recommend that all puppies be free-feed. Most breeders recommend scheduled feedings after the age of 8 months. Some, but not all dogs, will eat them selves to death if given all the food they want. It is also very difficult to tell if your dog is overweight if you are not familiar with what to look for. Joey was a pound overweight and he looked perfectly fine to me, but the vet said this extra weight was very bad for him. Puppies usually go through periods of being really hungry or really finicky, probably due to growth spurts.

[Pinkluver]

Ava doesn't eat meals well, she gets sick to her stomach with 'meals' and then if she doesn't feel like eating she wont. She really only eats on her terms. So we free feed and it works much better for her. We finally found a food she seems to like and she is begining to put on a bit of weight!

[mel Vincente]

We also free feed kibble all day with fresh water... Like people, it's healthy to eat small portions all day rather than over indulge.. All dogs are different and there really is no wrong or right way. If it works for you and your pup then I would continue. However I have notice my dog will not eat at all if we are not home, so before i go out for long periods of time I make sure she has a full belly

[Leanne7b]

I am taking my furpup to puppy kindergarten at PetSmart. Before the first class a free fed but when we were there the trainer asked about potty training and free feeding said that feeding at two specific times during the day would eliminate some of the accidents because you are aware of when they had food and water, which made it easier to estimate when to take them out.

[BethPurk]

I have always free fed all of my pets. Sadie is no exception.

[Ashley V]

We free feed! I tried to get Chip on a schedule for a long time, but he takes forever to eat! He takes a bite, walks away and chews it, takes a bit, walks away and chews it, so on and so forth and when I say bite, I mean, one piece of kibble. I'm a really busy person and don't have time for him to take an hour at a time to eat his food, so when we got Smokey, I just decided, what the heck, we'll free feed them.

[silyjillie]

I free feed Meeko. I use to think that Meeko wasn't eating enough, too. I started measuring it out everyone morning and then again at night. I did it for about 6 weeks. He averaged eating 3/4c, sometimes 1 cup.

[pookiebear]

I used to free feed Bernie when he was a tiny pup, because the breeder did. But after a hypoglocemia attack I learned my lesson. Just putting the food down for him wasn't enough. I thought he was eating enough, but he wasn't. Now, he gets his raw put down for him at 7:30 a.m.. and 6:00 p.m. Regularly. He will actually go to the kitchen at those times and wait. He has his grain free kibble down all day, but never eats too much of it.

[allisongaines]

im a freefeeder!
just because im a college student and my work schedule is unpredictable..
she eats pretty good in the morning.. and nibbles here and there during the day. by nighttime, i have to refill her bowl and shell eat most of it. shes a tiny thing so she gets full fast.

[ketters12]

I leave kibble out for Tobey all the time and he gets plenty of treats.

[GoofyBritt]

I free feed. He used to barely touch his food until we switched from Iams to Eukanuba Small breed formula (puppy). He is still a picky eater but he certainly eats enough to be healthy for him. :-)