FREE FEED OR SCHEDULED FEEDING with Multiple Dogs!!!

[eaglez28]

Free Feed OR Scheduled Feeding with Multiple Dogs!!!

We had a Dog Trainer over a week ago & she suggested to stop free feeding the yorkies & feed all 4 of them twice a day in separate bowls.
I have not tried it Yet!
Does anyone do this that owns multiple dogs?
It's seems it would be a big challenge to keep everyone at their own bowl!!!
How do you do it & how did you begin at first???

[ch774]

I have 5-dogs 2-yorkies, 3-schnauzers. Feeding time is so un-setting. I have sent out free feeding for the schnauzers and my female she eats till she will blow up. Then no one else can eat so there you go again I give another feeding and the others can't get in to eat with all the others.

I once tried to take the yorkies in the other room with out the others but that did not work they are worried about the others. We even told our vet and he just shook his head and laughed. We have to stand and watch over the eating and make sure everyone eats.

Hope this helps you are not the only one.

Cheryl

[littlewhip]

I have 5 and I have akways free feed, It works well for me, Mine are grazers, they take turns eating and nibble thru the day they really only eat in the morning & evening around 7.

[Dior'sMom]

Well I only have 2 babies and they are fed at 7 am and 6 pm. Scheduled feeding works very well for us and I wouldn;t have it any other way

[eaglez28]

I don't have any that eat alot now.
2 of them would eat till they got sick as puppies!

The Trainer suggested putting them each on a separate leash with a bowl of food in front of them.
OK one hooked to the coffee table leg, one kitchen table leg, one end table leg, one hooked to my arm.
I really don't think they would eat - they would be worried about what the other is doing.
I only have one that eats 1st thing in the morning - this could take some time.
I don't kennel them at all - so I couldn't feed them that way.

[eaglez28]

Originally Posted by littlewhip

I have 5 and I have akways free feed, It works well for me, Mine are grazers, they take turns eating and nibble thru the day they really only eat in the morning & evening around 7.

Thats exactly how my 4 are - Grazers.
I really would worry about Stormy not being able to eat during the day.
She is almost 4 lbs & eats just a little every few hours. I would worry about bloodsugar.

[Gracie2006]

I kind of do both. I free feed in the morning and early afternoon, then I feed a canned mixed with dry meal in the evening. Gracie was on scheduled feeds only until she had surgery, then I left food out all the time because she was not eating very much and I wanted it available. Holly was free fed from the time I got her. Once she is 6 months old, we are going to a scheduled feed for both.

[Grayson's mom]

I have one food hog so it has to be scheduled otherwise Grayson would never have anything to eat, Abby gets bossy over water too so I have water bowls all over the house for everybody

[Patti]

I feed my 3 at 4:00 am when they wake me up, Maya eats in the kitchen and Pixie and Cali eat in my bedroom and they respect each others plate until they are done than they go to each others to look for crumbs, With the puppy I feed her atthe same time in the bedroom and 2-3 other small meals and I have been teaching the others to leave her alone while she eats. Most times they do. It is more difficult than free feeding but mine were all gaining weight from free feeding.

[yorkiecrazy]

I feed both ways. They have dry Solid Gold wee bits down all day. Early morning they have a little fresh cooked chicken. I feed solid gold canned in the evening. This has been working out well for them.

[Hokule'a]

I have 3 and have them on scheduled feedings. I put their bowls in different corners of the kitchen and they will each wait by their 'spot'. Fortunately they all eat at about the same speed so noone's food gets stolen

[yorkiecrazy]

I also wanted to say.... They also each have their own dish. I have to watch Katie... if she gets done before Gracie, she will help herself to Gracie's food.

[mojo]

I have always free fed, up until I just got this new puppy who will eat until she pops, so now I have to feed her seperately and pick up any leftovers from the other two yorkies.

[tumismom]

I have 2 girls. I give them NV raw so i pretty much hand feed them both. so they both get equal amount of food. I tried putting food in seperate bowls before but they just wanted from the same bowl. so i just end up hand feeding them so one would not just eat all the food..my little tumi can be a piggy! I feed them 2x a day. I schedule feed because that way i can predict their potty schedule.

[mojo]

Originally Posted by tumismom

I have 2 girls. I give them NV raw so i pretty much hand feed them both. so they both get equal amount of food. I tried putting food in seperate bowls before but they just wanted from the same bowl. so i just end up hand feeding them so one would not just eat all the food..my little tumi can be a piggy! I feed them 2x a day. I schedule feed because that way i can predict their potty schedule.

Wow, they eat out of the same bowl?? How interesting.

My 3 & 4 yr old boy and girl eat out of their own bowl and then swap Maybe they think the other is getting something better?? LOL