Multiple Dog Question

[mom of 3 dogs]

My Minnies weight fluctuates between 41/2 and 5 pounds. with only 2 meals a day, she tends to lose some weight which i think she's too thin at.
i like Minnie and Peyton eating as much as they want cause they are small and not overweight and Tootsie i can control the amount
3 meals works best for me. all 3 of them are at good weights and they are happy with the schedule i have them on.
i'm sure they'd be ok with 2 meals but i think 3 works better for us

[ladyjane]

Just separate them! That's what I do with pups that get into other's food. They only get about 10 minutes to eat and the bowls get picked up. They quickly learn to eat when the food is offered.

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Just separate them! That's what I do with pups that get into other's food. They only get about 10 minutes to eat and the bowls get picked up. They quickly learn to eat when the food is offered.

Do you put in separate rooms? I don't have an xpen or anything.

[miabellaamoure]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Just separate them! That's what I do with pups that get into other's food. They only get about 10 minutes to eat and the bowls get picked up. They quickly learn to eat when the food is offered.

This is exactly true and in fact (kind of funny) but, I do scheduled feedings also. My kitty, Tallulah who was free fed behind a gated room where her food & water bowls were located...one day became overtaken with ants (repeatedly) so...she joined the scheduled feedings with my Yorkie girls.

I love it...now, she wakes us all up on schedule, every morning to get the breakfast on a roll! When I walk in the door in the evening...there she is already perched in her spot in the kitchen giving out the chow line siren!

She was so used to free-feeding but, now I think she actually eats better because she is committed to eating her meals instead of dilly-dallying around all day...nibble one bite here and a few more bites there.

[Ellie May]

We have the same problem. E can only have one food and can throw a pancreatitis or a severe IBD episode with one bite of something else. We had a few bumps when using two foods in the same house, but it has worked out. Rylee is usually fed in his crate. He eats and comes out. Ellie is too focused on me putting down her food to care what he is doing in the crate..

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by BabyGirl Rosie

Do you put in separate rooms? I don't have an xpen or anything.

Yep....every room in my house gets used at meal times.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by miabellaamoure

This is exactly true and in fact (kind of funny) but, I do scheduled feedings also. My kitty, Tallulah who was free fed behind a gated room where her food & water bowls were located...one day became overtaken with ants (repeatedly) so...she joined the scheduled feedings with my Yorkie girls.

I love it...now, she wakes us all up on schedule, every morning to get the breakfast on a roll! When I walk in the door in the evening...there she is already perched in her spot in the kitchen giving out the chow line siren!

She was so used to free-feeding but, now I think she actually eats better because she is committed to eating her meals instead of dilly-dallying around all day...nibble one bite here and a few more bites there.

How cute!

[Maximo]

I used a babygate to separate the boys when I first brought Teddy home because he wanted to eat out of the same bowl as Max. Teddy finally learned that they have separate bowls. They eat about 2 feet apart now, and they eat the same food/same quantity.

[LovinOurYorkies]

Whether eating wet or dry food, my girls have each their own bowl... which will make the transition easier if I ever have to feed them different foods.

[capt_noonie]

I got a new bag of NB Venison and Sweet Potato and all three seem to like it. Uni gobbles her's down like a vacuum. In the am Chloe and Smokey don't really seem too hungry and they take forever to eat. They all get their own bowl, but after Uni is done she goes for the food of whoever's not at their bowl. I have to hand feel Smokey, if I don't he won't eat. Chloe takes a piece and goes into her crate to eat one by one, which leaves her open to Uni's predatory skills LOL. I am going to have to try the different rooms technique.