What is your opinion on when to cut off water/food intake?

[Honey's_Mom]

I have always thought it was cruel not to have fresh water down for Honey all the time, but the more I read here on Yorkie Talk (which I love, by the way! how did I ever make it without checking in here like 5 times a day???), y'all say to pull the water up and that helps with sleeping through the night.

What is the correct/best time to pull the water/food up?

When is too early/too late?

Anyone disagree with this practice?

Thanks!! Your feedback is so appreciated!!

Honey Magoo's Mommy
(I hope to post a photo of my little girl as soon as I get a chance...)

[jbarile]

I always believed in free feeding! Sami & tilly always have food & water available who really knows when they are truly hungry or thursty? schedules to me are telling them you can eat when I feed you, although some pets have to be scheduled feedings or they will gobble it down! But they both eat when they are hungry or thirsty and they dont eat all their food at one time.
I put fresh food & water down every morning & there is always food left in the bowls from that morning, upon rising the following morning, water I fill once in the morning and once in the evening, and there is still water remaining in their water bowl in the morning. I had started free feeding when I was working about 10 yrs ago as I would'nt be around to maintain schedules and I didn't have to worry about tilly starving or being thursty until I got home So sami has done very well knowing that there is no shortage of food or water, so there is no need to eat all their food at once Have you noticed that dogs that are on a schedule how they are jumping for the bowl before you set it down? and how fast they eat it up? this is just my opinon and not to offend mom's that due schedule feedings.
and nothing disturbs sami & tilly from their sleep

[Chelsie1978]

Iv would never take thier water away just to get a good nights sleep..I know how awful it is to wake up thirsty and not be able to drink so I wouldent want that for Lady and Jess.They have both food and water down 24/7 although neither of mine get up at night to eat.
Where does your yorkie sleep? Both of mine sleep with me and if they want to eat,drink or pee they just get down from the bed and do what they have to do,then of course its back to bed.As pups they did want to eat at night sometimes,but after about 4 months they stop needing food at night and just sleep.I woudent take their water away,that just seems cruel to me even if its just for the night
I have to agree with jbarile on this one because I just dont like the idea of schedule feeding.I eat when Im hungry and my dogs have the same right...they have never scarfed it down or eaten more than they need and Im sure its because they know its there and know there is no rush to empty the bowl.My m.i.l feeds her dogs on a schedule and they scarf it down with such desperation that sometimes they throw up! This (as a rule) doesnt happen with dogs that free feed.If you want to take your puppys food away at night I think thats fine because at night they dont usually get up to eat..but please leave water out

[Honey's_Mom]

Yes, I had always thought it was cruel myself as well and that's why I had not done it yet. However, we do leave the food down for quite a while and don't take it up until she has eaten a good amount of it. She has never scarfed down her food like some do because her schedule (and I even hesitate to use that word) is very loose. Her breakfast is down all during the day (she eats a little when we put it down) because she doesn't eat much when we are not at home. But in the evening when we are there, she eats it in an hour or so, so jabrile, my "schedule" sounds a lot like yours.

Chelsie1978, she does sleep with me and I wish I had never started that. I LOVE her being in the bed with me (although sometimes I am afraid I will roll onto her). We have great cuddle time. However, she gets up about 3-4 times a night and each and every time I wake up so my sleep is never all that deep! It would be great if she would go and do her own thing (she is paper trained to go to the bathroom next to my bedroom) but it seems like in the night she has a hard time making it all the way to the papers so I wake up with puddles on my tile or carpet.

I guess it is just hard to find a happy medium with our schedules. I baby her and spoil her (which is probably a lot of the problem) and she is our little girl! BUT I have to say that she doesn't have to go to work and stay awake all day either!

Any one else have an opinion on this one?

[jbarile]

Originally Posted by jbarile

I always believed in free feeding! Sami & tilly always have food & water available who really knows when they are truly hungry or thursty? schedules to me are telling them you can eat when I feed you, although some pets have to be scheduled feedings or they will gobble it down! But they both eat when they are hungry or thirsty and they dont eat all their food at one time.
I put fresh food & water down every morning & there is always food left in the bowls from that morning, upon rising the following morning, water I fill once in the morning and once in the evening, and there is still water remaining in their water bowl in the morning. I had started free feeding when I was working about 10 yrs ago as I would'nt be around to maintain schedules and I didn't have to worry about tilly starving or being thursty until I got home So sami has done very well knowing that there is no shortage of food or water, so there is no need to eat all their food at once Have you noticed that dogs that are on a schedule how they are jumping for the bowl before you set it down? and how fast they eat it up? this is just my opinon and not to offend mom's that due schedule feedings.
and nothing disturbs sami & tilly from their sleep

OH Yes! They both sleep in our bed, tilly has been for 10yrs since day one!when I brought her home, sami 5 mo both have a pillow above our heads with their own cases, but you know how these babies will sleep anywhere they want

[diesel's mommy]

I don't think you should take water away ever. It should always be available. Diesel eats twice a day and has a snack but he can have water any time he wants it. You wouldn't want to take a chance at your baby becoming dehydrated.

Reagan

[milliecorrales]

I too am a proponent of free feeding. The boys used to wake me up several times a night (they also sleep with me) but sometime right around a year old, they outgrew that. They sleep from about 10 pm until I get up at 4:30 am and I let them out on the patio and they do their business, then they (lucky dogs) get to go back to sleep, I have to go to work. I would never want someone to tell me when I could eat or drink. Be patient, they get more control over their potty times as they get older.

[StewiesMom]

I free feed. Stewie never wakes up to potty in the middle of the nigth and he has food/water 'round the clock. I don't think you should ever take their water away from them.

[Pmoore]

I have a 12 wk old pup who was ALWAYS every night pooping in his crate so I decided to take his food away at 8:00 and try to get him to go potty both pee and poop before 10 when he goes to bed and it has done wonders for us... he has no pooped in his crate these past 4 days im sooo excited.. I take his water at 9 because he has never went pee in his crate but just to make sure... good luck!

[bettyeanne]

In making a decision on this subject ... I had to put myself in her place. I wouldn't be able to sleep if I thought Toto were thirsty, hungry or needed to potty!! I feed Toto 1/8 cup Nutro Ultra for breakfast and at dinner. She always has clean fresh water 24/7! Several times a day I give her a clean water bowl with fresh water. When she drinks she gets yucky stuff in her water from her face hair sometimes and I just can't stand it. [Toto probably doesn't mind ... it's a "Mom thing"! ] I also give her about 1 tablespoon of the Royal Canin Yorkshire 28 dry food every day. Sometimes she eats a little of it, sometimes all of it or sometimes she just plays with it! Regardless of what she does with it ... if she is hungry, it's there for her! At night she can get up and down from our bed [via steps] and get water, snack or go potty all by herself and usually we don't even wake up!!

[Laura]

I have always left food and water out for the babies. They sleep in a 4'x4' cage with their water, food, puppy pad. They stopped using puppy pad at around 4-6 mo. when I replaced it with a third bed. I tell them it's time for nite-nite, they run into the cage which I lock for the night. I get up about 5:30, let them out and we go outside to go potty. Then they usually come to bed with us til we get up. They get into so much, I just dont like them to run free at night. They have not gotten fat from having food down all day. My sister has to cup feed her dog as he is an overeater. He is on a very specific diet. She also lost a beloved dog a couple of years back who stuck his head in a chip bag and suffocated. She was so devistated. I worry about things like that a lot. They love to play with anything they find, and I have two messy teenage boys!

[Chichi]

Please never take fresh water away from your pet and for the food at least wait for a year to put hours of feeding.. although the vet says you should always have dry food available at all times.

What I do is that I always wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom so I wake her up and put her in her wee wee pad she'll go and then I go... its just a matter of minutes you wont loose much sleep!!!

[Trish]

On the packet of dried dog food that I feed Pip it says that fresh water should be available at all times.

[browniesmom622]

Originally Posted by jbarile

I always believed in free feeding! Sami & tilly always have food & water available who really knows when they are truly hungry or thursty? schedules to me are telling them you can eat when I feed you, although some pets have to be scheduled feedings or they will gobble it down! But they both eat when they are hungry or thirsty and they dont eat all their food at one time.
I put fresh food & water down every morning & there is always food left in the bowls from that morning, upon rising the following morning, water I fill once in the morning and once in the evening, and there is still water remaining in their water bowl in the morning. I had started free feeding when I was working about 10 yrs ago as I would'nt be around to maintain schedules and I didn't have to worry about tilly starving or being thursty until I got home So sami has done very well knowing that there is no shortage of food or water, so there is no need to eat all their food at once Have you noticed that dogs that are on a schedule how they are jumping for the bowl before you set it down? and how fast they eat it up? this is just my opinon and not to offend mom's that due schedule feedings.
and nothing disturbs sami & tilly from their sleep

totally agree ^^^^^