How to Change a dog from free feeding to scheduled
However, Panda doesn't eat enough if free fed, and since I want to get her to put on a few more pounds I'm finding it difficult to do since I never know for sure exactly how much she has eaten. I have tried over the last several months to switch all my dogs to scheduled feedings, but it's just not working. I've tried putting down their food, then picking it up after half an hour or so thinking they would get the idea and eat it all one of these times. That hasn't happened. Even when I add yummy things like macaroni or mashed potatoes and gravy they just don't seem to be able to eat it all, or aren't interested anyway. I'd like to get to the point where I can put down 2 meals a day for them, have them eat it within a half hour or so, and that's it. Any ideas for non food motivated dogs? |
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| That's a hard one as they are so into there routine of how they feed.
I would try seperate bowls in seperate areas for them away from each other so there is no distractions. A morning feed down for 15 minutes at a set time each morning, then again in the late afternoon or early evening at around the same time again every day. If it is not eaten then the bowls taken up straight away and nothing till the next scheduled feeding session. Eventually they will get use to the routine of scheduled feeding. Having no treats in between then eventually in a day or so they will realise it's time to eat. After they are eating on a regular basis then you can bring back the treats. Having them feed seperately for awhile helps and also helps you too to see how much each dog is eating. This enables you down the track to up one feed on a particular dog or reduce a feed if that is needed too. So you are mintoring & knowing all the time how much each dog is eating. Don't worry if for a day or two they are not interested in food, eventually they will get the idea and get hungry to know that this is the time for food now when mom puts down the bowls. So feed seperately in a quiet area for each of them so there is no distractions and when they are eating on a regular time basis then you can feed them all together in the same area when it is dinner time. 
Also try raw grated carrot in there food, great for them and makes it appealing, same with liver sprinkles, they are great for fussy eaters too. Make the food appealing somtimes just heating it a little too helps if there is a mix of dry with meat and vegies even sardines in their dry is enticing. The aroma helps entice them to eat. |
| My first OES was very, very food driven so scheduled feed was simply what happened: he never left food longer than 15 minutes, if that. In fact, he was an accomplished liar and once managed to con 3 people into feeding him dinner during a very hectic afternoon
("Why didn't you feed Merlin?" "I did, at his regular time!" " Well, he complained to me, so I fed him. Guess he got two dinners." "Two? I fed him, too. He was complaining to me and his dish was empty!" "Uh, me, too." He was an only dog at the time, and his food dish was empty when we discovered his deceit. I had run to the store for something last minute for dinner. For a while, he had a weight problem. Go figure). Archie is much less food driven. He'll let his food sit all day. We tried picking it up after 15 minutes and it didn't matter. He's ok skipping meals for a day or two. Maybe we just didn't wait him out enough. Some days he wants to eat breakfast and dinner, some days he prefers a late night dinner only. This means that sometimes he only gets half his daily ration. He never seems ill, always is happy and bouncy, but he skips meals sometimes. Doesn't seem to bother him. He is tall and slender (Merlin was very boxy, even when he was very thin) and energetic. I guess it's like people: some are naturally more thin than others. I don't feel bad if I need/want to pick up his food for any reason if it isn't meal time. I know he's getting fed and that he's healthy, so I don't worry about it. Merlin came and found us if breakfast or dinner was 5 minutes late. Or not. With the puppies, at first it was them just eating everything really fast. They started at 3 x per day, and gradually lost interest in the noon meal, so that got dividided between their breakfast and evening meal. Now, they've slowed down considerably and will leave food behind sometimes. They seem more like Archie in eating habits. Hopefully it will continue and we won't have to fight their weight as they get older. Archie and puppies feel just right, weight wise. |
| I agree with what lisaoes said. Keep them separate for feeding for now.
If you continue with a set routine they will follow. It may take a while but there will be a point where they are hungry enough to eat when you put the food down. After that it's only going to be routine. Sometimes I think these changes are so much harder for us than our dogs! I am not great keeping routines. I am actually having the opposite problem. I would really like to go back to free feeding. With the two dogs somehow free feeding turned into one feeding time. When Zeke was younger it seemed like there was usually food in the bowls, but now they really wolf it down as soon as it hits the bowls. I know we purposely were feeding a little less, and at specific times when we were trying to get some control over his housetraining. It was easier to predict when he would need to go out, but now we have a problem. Zeke is now resource guarding and I think it is because of the feeding. Any suggestions? Will free feeding again help to eliminate this guarding? I wonder if he will just hog all the food until he pops? I really prefer to free feed, and my dogs have never been overweight because of it. Am I asking for trouble? Anyone have any insight here?? Shellie |
Shellie wrote: Zeke is now resource guarding and I think it is because of the feeding. Will free feeding again help to eliminate this guarding? I wonder if he will just hog all the food until he pops? Shellie Personally I have not found that foodbowl guarding is developed by scheduled feeding. A dog either has it or so doesn't. Out of the many fosters that I have had over the years I can count on one hand the number of food bowl guarders...and all my dogs feed eat when I feed them. Dogs don't have the same sensation of being full as humans do, so many will eat non-stop. Dixie once ate 9 cups of food on one sitting...and she weighs 53 pounds.  Dogs have evolved to be gorgers, or opportunists, so will devour when available. Not to say all dogs, do, though. Many are fussy eaters, or perfer to pick.
I like to control the amount of food the dogs gets, and I can tell when they are off a bit when they are not eating their normal amount, and whne. Yes, the odd time they many not be hungary, but a couple of untouched meals is something I know about right away. Plus it makes it easier to schedule trips, as I can feed them before or after, or whatever...knowing that their body is responding as scheduled. Hope this helps. |
| Zeke never guarded before this. I can't think of anything else that
may have prompted the behavior. None of my dogs have ever done this. I always free fed, up until we started having accidents inside when Zeke was little. I'd really like to go back to it...I guess if I try it for a few days and Zeke eats constantly I'll know it isn't going to work. Shellie |
| I have always free feed my animals. I put down a bowl in the morning and one in the evening. I feed Violet and China in two seperate rooms. More times then not Violet will eat all of her food as soon as it is served. China on the other not get to hers until later. Violet leaves China's food alone and China leaves Violet's food alone. On the other hand, our cat Pearl, will sneak around and eat China's food. China will also sneak over and eat Pearl's food. It is like a game to them. I am sure it is just China trying to show dominance over Pearl and it is Pearl just looking for something to eat. lol
Good luck with your feeding. Once thing I have noticed about Violet, that is different then China is that she ia a creature of habit. Once she learns something one way, it is hard to train her to do it differently. Helen (Mom to Violet, China & Pearl) |
| Just thought I would let you know that tonight, for the first time, all 3 dogs emptied their bowls completely within 15 minutes tonight! Woohoo!!!
It has not been easy sticking to this, and I must admit that tonight I gave in and put some beef chunky soup in their food LOL But at least they ate it all! LOL If I can get them on scheduled feedings then hopefully it will be easier to encourage them to eat without me adding stuff. LOL They have me trained I know  |
WOO HOO, there going great. 
Stacey you will find it so much better too, free feeding is harder especially with a pack as you are never sure who has had how much. This way you know and can monitor how much each of the girls are getting and need. I have one I have to encourage and is a slow eater, the other one I am forever cutting down the amount and monitoring how much she gets. So two ends of the scales there literally. 
Free feeding ,one would eat till she exploded and the other would starve because of the oinker |
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