[mydogfred]

Hello! Do you let your dog graze all day and eat when they decide they are hungry or do you have set feeding schedules for them? I have a three month old and we currently feed him at set times but some times he will devour the bowl and sometimes he doesnt eat anything so I didnt know if maybe I should just have food down there all the time for him to decide when he is hungry or if I should stick with our feeding schedule (two or three times a day) Thank you so much for any advice!

 

[Thalie]

I feed (and fed puppies) at set times and in set amounts. Way easier to predict poop times that way and to manage later if you ever add another dog (or if you have dog guests).

At three months, I would feed three times a day for sure. If puppy refuses a meal completely after 10-15 minutes, I would take it up and present it an hour later to avoid empty tummy syndrome which leads to foamy throw up or a possible fall in blood sugar-level (more common with small breeds but with puppies I am more careful about consistency in eaing than with adults).

How much you feed depends on the brand you feed but sometimes the numbers provided as guidelines are too high so you might try to decrease the total fed per day a bit, divide that into three parts, and see if all meals are eaten with more gusto. Another solution is to make the mid-day meal a bit smaller than the other two.

What's your feeding schedule now, what do you feed, and in which quantities daily ?

 

[Oaklys Dad]

I would definately feed a set amount on an even schedule. Way easier on their digestive tracts. Golden's enjoy their kibble and most would end up over weight if left to free feed.

 

[Mssjnnfer]

If my dogs grazed all day they would be the size of a horse... LOL. I honestly don't know if they would stop eating. (I don't WANT to know!)

 

[Enzos_Mom]

I'm going to throw this out there from the opposite side of the spectrum - my Enzo is free-fed. BUT, he's a golden that self regulates. He's always stayed on the thin side. He doesn't overeat. I do put 2 cups of food in his bowl in the morning and 2 at night, but the food is left down all day for him to eat as he pleases. He still has a set potty schedule. He poops once in the morning when my husband takes him out before work and once right about the time my husband gets home from work.

 

[Megora]

I think my main issue about grazing is that with my dog he has to eat his food at certain times of the day because of his meds. I also like having some idea of what is "normal" for my dog. If my dog leaves any food in his bowl five minutes after I've put it on the floor for him, it means he's off his food and possibly dealing with an upset stomach or other health issues I need to take care of for him.

I also do not like leaving food out, because of bugs. I know the dogs don't care, but I do.

My first golden was a picky eater all his life (he had kidney issues, poor guy), so definitely I feel for anyone who has to deal with that.

I would wager that you are just dealing with a puppy thing. You can change the amount of kibble you are feeding at each meal. Either that or you can start weaning off the middle meal and feed more in the morning and night.