I'm having this issue with my cat, he is very much overweight and apparently I've really only helped him loose 1lb over the last 1.5 years I've had him
No more free feeding, and trust me when I say it's really hard with a cat. He lets me know when his food dish is empty and he wont leave me alone until there is more food in there. I'm trying to figure out a way to feed him his daily intake in 5 or more meals a day so he can chill out about not having food in his dish.
Good luck with trying to get your pups to their healthy weights. It would be good to see a vet to see where they should be, and they could give some tips on how to get there.