Quote:
Originally Posted by cvasquez  We feed on a schedule. Before we got Paisley we had just gotten a lab puppy and my main concern with getting a dog was potty training. I did a lot of reading and found that schedule feedings help predict bowel movements. So this is what I did. It works for us to feed on a schedule. I am a stay at home mom so I am able to feed Paisley (and my lab) three meals a day.
I never had a concern of over eating, just a goal of successful potty training. |
I believe this may be the one of the main reasons others feed on a schedule. puppies who free feed tend to poop more and their BM's are hard to predict. By keeping them on a food schedule you can predict or control (to a degree) when they poop. If you are still trying to housebreak your puppy, scheduled feeding is
one of the "keys" to success.
Another reason to feed on a schedule is so that the owner of the dog has "control" of the food. Dogs with "alpha" or aggressive issues must have a strong leader in order to mainstream them back into a beta role. Dogs establish their position in the pack by the amount of control they have over possessions (
food, toys, doorways, furniture, etc). Dogs that demonstrate aggressive issues in other areas within the family should never be allowed to be free fed.
I think you will find that these are the 2 main reasons along with the weight gain issue.