i know what your breeder is getting at... you physically placing his food on the ground is a way of telling him you are in charge. however, you don't know if he is getting what he needs. If you can't home cook, make sure you are feeding a food that is not available at a store like PetSmart.. you want to look for a store that carries brands such as Solid Gold, Wellness, Fromm, and so on... Layla is free fed her kibble.. it is always on the ground.. however, i home cook and i give her 3 meals a day... so what you can do.. is free feed the kibble so he knows he can eat when he wants (these little ones are SO picky about when they eat and how much) but you can be the person that gives him something "special" like a bit of boiled chicken.. or yogurt, cottage cheese, some apple sliced up.. those things.. i think that whitholding food might work for a bigger dog.. but not our yorkies
OH AND WELCOME!!!