Do your dogs have regular feeding times and amounts, or do you just leave food out for them to eat whenever?

Question

The last few months, my dogs haven't seemed hungry in the morning like they usually were, so I'm wondering if I should just leave the full bowl out for them when I go to work. Or, if they don't want to eat in the morning, should I put the bowl away for the day and just feed them when I come home in the evening?

I still leave water for them and they're doing fine otherwise, so I'm not worried about their health.

Answer 1

never leave the food out. Puppies get fed a couple times a day. Adult dogs get fed once a day. I have 8 dogs. I feed them right after I have my dinner then I walk all of them right after they eat. The amount you feed them depends on the size dog. Generally look on the back of the dog food bad. It will tell you how much to feed the dog.

Answer 2

I put out a cup of food for my little dog and 2 cups for my lab every morning. The little one never finishes her bowl and if the lab does I put out another  11/2 to 2 cups for him in the evening. They are crated during the day while I am at work so they usually eat the rest of their food after their walk in the evenings.

Answer 3

I feed my dog two cups of food in the morning, and two cups of food at night.

I should add that he's a 100 pound Golden Retriever gets fed high protein food and isn't very active in the way of running and what not.

If given the chance, he would eat and eat and eat eat eat until he was sick. (Which he has done. He ate ten pounds of food one night when we were gone and he was upset!)

Answer 4

My dogs have scheduled feeding times.  Morning around 6:30 - 7:00 am and then again at 5 pm each gets a cup of food at each meal.  I put food down they eat and get nothing till night time.  If you put food down all day then they eat and p**p all day.  If they don't want to eat in the morning then pick it up and try again at night.  Depending on breed usually the larger barrel chested dogs should have one large meal broken into two small meals to prevent bloat.  If you don't have a large barrel chested dog then feeding once at night should be fine.

Answer 5

No I would NEVER leave the food just out all the time. I take it away the second my dogs go lay down away from the food. I would feed them twice a day once in the morning and once in the afternoon. My dog knows that if she doesnt finish her food she has to wait till the next day.

They will be fine.

Good luck.

Answer 6

My dog has 1 set feeding time that's it. If he doesn't finish all the food he doesn't get more until the next day.

Answer 7

Being that my dog isn't all that crazy about food anyway I just leave his food out for him.  He'll eat when he's hungry and will ignore it when he's not.  But not a lot of dogs have this self-discipline and will gladly eat everything left out for them.  

It's probably better to have your dog on a set schedule.  Mine does it on his own, but for your dog just put out the food at the same time every day and leave it there for 15-20 minutes.  If he doesn't touch it just take it away and let him starve until the next time to feed.  Once he's hungry enough he'll eat and get on the schedule.  A healthy dog will not starve himself to death.

Answer 8

My dogs are fed twice a day (morning and night) I do NOT leave food out for them. If they don't eat breakfast, the food is picked up and they don't eat until it is time for supper.  

Answer 9

Whe I initallt had my malteese and pom terrier mix I did leave food out for them so they could eat when ever they wanted.. well as one person previously stated they eat whenever they  will pee and p**p whenever. My dogs are not in crates during the day and I know have the pom terrier mix and a setter. they are fed in the morning at 6:30 and then again in the evening at 6:30 if they dont eat Its gone until evening

Seem s to be working great

Answer 10

I free feed my three Jack Russells and have very good results with it. Years ago when I had boxers, I did the same thing. It works for me.

Answer 11

My dog's food stays out all the time but she will eat when she's hungry and ignore it the rest of the time......or guard it from the cat....lol. But she does not "over eat".....unless the kids add water to it and make it soft.....then she will eat it all and throw up.

However, most dogs (in my opinion) if left with full access to their food would eat all of it and end up overweight.

My brother has his dogs on "full feed-full time) and they are both very much overweight.....but that's a lazyness issue on his part.

Maybe.........if you see they aren't wanting to eat in the early am......leave them only 1/2 their portion. That way they aren't hungry later but aren't eating too much either...

Sorry, I'm not much help