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Mastiffs => Old English Mastiff Discussions => : mastiffmommy April 22, 2005, 11:30:39 PM

: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: mastiffmommy April 22, 2005, 11:30:39 PM
It would be interesting to see what you all think about free feeding, do you free feed or not??? If so why did you choose to. There are a lot of discussions going to about the pros and cons when it comes to the different methods of feeding.

Marit
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Lupine April 26, 2005, 07:20:05 AM
I free-feed Wolf dry food throughout the day (he only ever eats about a cup or two), but I also feed him a can of wet food every 12 hours or so.  This isn't a set schedule yet, because he's currently on meds for an infection he picked up at the shelter, and he really doesn't want to eat.

I have to sit there and point at his bowl to keep his attention on it.

 :P
sonya
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Carolyn April 26, 2005, 08:30:59 AM
It's tuff with 3 dogs to free-feed, 1 senior, 1 adult & 1 puppy finally going off puppy food. Theres always the cat food bowl to steal a snack from!
Speaking of can food, Iv'e heard a lot of bad things about processing plants that you may want to reconsider using can foods.
Carolyn
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: mamadog April 26, 2005, 10:44:52 AM
I free feed my babies. I usually end up filling their dishes 2-3 times a day, but they don't eat it all at once so they have food in their dish at all times. We put the cat dishes up on the counter so the dogs can't reach them, and we don't allow them to eat out of eachothers dishes either. (if someone stops eating, or is eating a lot more I want to know. You can't always tell if they share dishes)
Finn didn't always free feed. When he was housebreaking we had him on a schedule but he's almost a pro now.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: mastiffmommy April 26, 2005, 12:01:11 PM
I have heard a lot of people free feeding and loving it. I have never done, I think mainly because I have always had more than one dog. I think if is a great way to feed if it works in your home, here hmmmm well Buffy would end up as a rooli pooli, Zeus would sit infront of the dishes, guarding them, but not eating and Hera well she would suck up as much she could as fast as she could and then cough it up sounding like an automatic weapon. Also now when we have the puppy, it would complicate it even more and getting them potty trained I imagine would be way harder if they could snack all day long. Ohhhh and the cats food, the poor cat would never get any food at all if she had her food on the floor lol.... She has her own dining table on top of the dryer. I feed twice a day, morning and late afternoon and at lunch time I give a snack, they love carrots. And like the previous poster said, you may want to look into the caned food.

Marit
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: kildeskennel April 26, 2005, 09:14:03 PM
I used to schedule feed at certain times, about a year or so, I now free feed.  I fill bowls a few times a day when empty.  My two always eat throughout the day and I never have to worry if I am running late they are waiting hungry.  I also worried about bloat with schedule feeding, especially with the boys, they tend to eat so fast and seemed so hungry even when they had plenty to eat!  I was sure they were swallowing a ton of air to boot.  Now they feed at an easy pace and I love it! 
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: mastiffmommy April 27, 2005, 10:56:11 AM
Thats great to hear, I take it you never have any problems with the boys getting "into it" over who is to eat in which bowl lol....

The bloat is an issue with these breeds, well not only with the giants but all breeds with deep chests, but more so with our big guys since they eat more. But after having followed the "bloat discussion" for ohhh gosh 25 years maybe, you realize that there are so many things that play a roll in wether they get bloat or not. When it comes to the feeding. A few things that makes it less "bloat risky" hmmmm okay that english is not very correct lol.... Anyway To feed them three times a day instead of two sometimes helps, also putting water in the kibble, not for so long so it gets soft, just so they have a slower eat, I also heard one breeder who used rather large pans/dishes put a couple of real large rocks (big enough for them not to be able to eat or swallow) then they ate around them, and that slowed them down quite a bit. I like to feed three times when they are young, then go over to two times a day, one of the danes I had, was eating three times a day alway though, it just worked better for her.

Marit
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: mirthfuleyes May 19, 2005, 11:34:38 PM
I think its always easier to free feed. Plus, the mastiff learns to provide for herself (nto always a good thing!). We free feed all our mastiffs and they are perfectly healthy and of good weight. The dogs know when they are hungry far better than I do!
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: nickerbokker May 19, 2005, 11:42:27 PM
so i have two crazy dogs....as soon as the bowls touch the floor they go friggin nuts and scarf it down, sometimes, followed by throwing it right back up and eating it again.  its lovely.  SO...heres my question....if i want to free feed, how do i go from schedules to free feed...im scared that if i put out lotsa food, they will eat until they die...seriousl y.

any suggestions?
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Leah-n-boy-os May 20, 2005, 09:24:06 AM
We free feed throughout the day, as Zeus is somewhat slow to eat, unlike Apollo.

We were having issues with the "bloat" in Apollo. My Vet recommended aquiring a "raised" feeding tray, so that Apollo did not have to bend down to eat. I cannot tell you how much this has helped!!! Both his food and his water are now at just the right height that he just dips his head , and the bloating is almost completely resolved. We got the "rack" (it's just a wire frame with two holes for the bowls to sit in) at PetSmart.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Jason May 20, 2005, 09:30:57 AM
I've always had Oreo on a scheduled feeding. Breakfast and dinner. If he leaves it in the bowl after 15 minutes, it gets taken away. The Dane rescue I got him from recommended it. Of course I have the opposite problems that most of you have, he doesn't want to eat everything and often leaves some food left in the bowl.
I too was concerned about the Bloat problem from the beginning, but even with scheduled feeding and all the other precautions, we still ended up at the emergency vet with bloat and torsion a few years ago. May you never have to experience that.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Rufiesmom May 20, 2005, 09:51:41 AM
Wow! Did everything turn out okay?  What were the first symptoms?  Did you recognize it right away?  We were told to feed twice a day and take the bowls away after 10 minutes.  It has worked out well.  I think bloat is a scary thing for big dog owners. 
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Jason May 20, 2005, 12:00:44 PM
Wow! Did everything turn out okay?  What were the first symptoms?  Did you recognize it right away?  We were told to feed twice a day and take the bowls away after 10 minutes.  It has worked out well.  I think bloat is a scary thing for big dog owners. 

Oreo is fine now. Basically he woke me up around 2 AM one evening. He was stumbling a bit (kinda like he was drunk), blue gums and a distended abdomen. Got him to the emergency vet in time, they cut him open to get everything twisted back the right way. After a few days in the hospital, a few weeks of rest at home, lots of boiled chicken, rice and cottage cheese and he was good as new.That was about 3 years ago. I'm just glad it happened when I was home, because timing is critical.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: GR8DAME May 20, 2005, 12:30:03 PM
What a nightmare. Thank goodnes they were able to successfully treat him.
Stella
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: mastiffmommy May 20, 2005, 12:34:31 PM
I have been there Jason, and it is horrible. I used to have danes and one of my girls had bloat, almost the same happened as with yours, it was real early morning and she started to puke, or rather try to puke, just foam and some kind of yellow gue, by then her belly was not bloated up, but I figured what was going on, so called my vet and he went into the office, she wasnt too bad that time, but when it happened again, we opted for the surgery. Scary isnt it..

I also feed on sched. but some of the big dogs I have had have been on 3 feedings a day. The bloat is a constant concern, and they keep changing what they say about how to prevent it. What they say today is partly but not all together the same as they said 20 years ago. So It can be hard to know how to deal with it and how to best prevent it. One study they have done shows that as good as all the dogs that come in with bloat has an empty stomach, so the key seems to be to not feed too much as once  but rather make sure they get food more often so they dont totally empty their stomachs, since it is the muscle bands that hang the stomach up that get stretched out and allows the belly to "turn" when it is empty. So freefeeding is I am sure a good way to prevent it, but for me it has never worked. I have always had older dogs and puppies or younger dogs at the same time, and for different reasons it has been easier to feed two or three times a day, and the potty training is so much easier on a dog that is not freefeeding. Had I only had one or maybe two, I probably would try it but for now it works well. One other thing that Linda Arnt, a K-9 nutritionist spec. in giant breeds say is that if we give the kibble in a little water (not warm or hot) just mix it in and feed straight away, that prevents moisture from the stomach having to be used when they eat, and that she states can prevent bloat.

Marit
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: pndlake May 20, 2005, 01:38:33 PM
I tried free feeding but after awhile Niki gained too much weight.  I think how you feed depends on what you want to accomplish.  I like to keep her a little hungry during the day.  She works and gets treats during the day (I use a variety of doggie treats).  If she isn't  hungry, she works VERY slowly. She is fed at night.  Everybody's dog and what they are doing, is different thus feeding methods are different.  I do not like being a big know-it-all so I remain open to other ideas.   :-*
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Luvmydanes May 20, 2005, 01:44:51 PM
We schedule feed Dane. Morning and night. He usually is always done after 10 minutes or so. Jasmine eats very very slow as it is, so we have been leaving what we give her down, and thats all she gets all day. I hope I never have to experience bloat, it scares the daylights out of me.

Kandi
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: pndlake May 20, 2005, 01:52:37 PM
I have experienced bloat but never with a dog.  I lost a ewe (sheep)
to it last year.  I have saved them from it too but it required an all nighter walking the barn.  I suppose a Great Dane is like that too - not fun.   :(
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: GYPSY JAZMINE May 26, 2005, 06:12:59 PM
Samson gets a measured amount of food everyday & i used to leave it out all day long...He never really touched it until evening though which is what his breeder said he did when he was there too...So now he gets the same measured amount but I don't put it out until supper time...He never wolfs it down...It usually takes him until sometime during the night to finish...When he finishes I don't know because it is after I am sleeping for the night.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: fcsantos July 02, 2005, 12:24:42 AM
We never free feed. Our dog trainer said it creates bad habits the main one being that we can't predict when she will go to the bathroom. So we feed our baby three times a day about 2 cups of food and she is very happy with it and so are we, at this crucial potty training stage we need to control her eating.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: DCMastiffs July 02, 2005, 04:57:23 AM
2 if my dogs actaully stayed a bit too thin when I free fed.  I now feed 2X/day, with a little water and tiny bit of satin balls mixed in.  With free feeding, I look at it this way...say you're on a diet, and don't want to overeat.  You eat a piece of toast for breakfast, an apple mid-morning, a small lucnh, snack mid afternoon, small dinner, small snack in the evening.  You never really get hungry, so you never really eat a lot.  When I free fed, it was the same with my droolies.  They'd get a mouthful here or there, and never really eat a full meal.  I fed less then, because they all (well, 3 of them) ate less overall.  Would've been fine, except that I show, and had scrawny looking Mastiffs.  I like to keep them on the lean side anyways, but not that much.  Everyone's at a perfect weight now, and I KNOW if someone's not feeling up to par immediately, just by monitoring their bowls everyday.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: TwoNewfies July 02, 2005, 09:44:12 AM
We don't free fed. I measure out their food every day and they eat in morning and late afternoon.  Of course Rocco would eat all day if there was food out for him, he tries to eat Bella's food so I really have to watch.  When we had our last dog, a golden, we began free feeding him and didnt realize how much he was consuming daily.  He became a bit overweight and we were told we had to measure out his food by the vet, because he was too heavy, and coild develop health problems.  That was years ago and we've stayed in the habit of measuring the food.  It helps me to know too how much both are eating, so I'm not guessing.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: button-kite September 19, 2005, 07:51:40 AM
Well if a female is pregnant or nurseing you should free feed since it takes more than normal to give the nutrients they need. Also depends on what type of dog food you use. Some are better than others. Also by feeding more than once or keeping food avaliable can cut the chances down of them  getting bloat especially on big dogs.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: RedyreRottweilers September 19, 2005, 08:20:45 AM
NO.

NO NO NO NO NO.

Free feeding is NOT natural for dogs. Dogs are genetically designed and programmed, like all canids, to eat when food is available. This is a survival instinct for wild animals. They MUST eat when food is available, and most will gorge themselves.

When you free feed, you dampen this instinct, and you can create a dog who will NOT eat properly when it needs to.

In addition, you cannot accuately judge how much your dog is eating. Healthy dogs eat vigourously with good appetite. Not eating well or being off food is one of the main signs of illness or distress in your dog. With free fed dogs, you may lose valuable early detection of a problem.

I never ever recommend free feeding.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: GYPSY JAZMINE September 20, 2005, 07:48:02 AM
I've taken to giving my guys a measured amount of food each day & just leaving it out...I put some in in the morning & give them the rest of their allowed amount of food in the evening...I don't take it up anymore though...My guys tend to graze...I'd say only 2 days of the weeks they actually finish everything in their bowl by morning...If I add some yummies they are more apt to finish but not always.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Kirsten September 20, 2005, 01:16:03 PM
I've taken to giving my guys a measured amount of food each day & just leaving it out...I put some in in the morning & give them the rest of their allowed amount of food in the evening...I don't take it up anymore though...My guys tend to graze...I'd say only 2 days of the weeks they actually finish everything in their bowl by morning...If I add some yummies they are more apt to finish but not always.

that is word for word what we do with shakespeare.  Occasionally when he does finish all his food for the day early, and seems real hungry still, he gets extra, then wakes up taller all of the sudden.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Kiahpyr September 20, 2005, 01:17:33 PM
I free feed Kiah because if I don't she eats to fast and throws it back up. I do keep a close eye on her weight.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Kirsten September 20, 2005, 01:27:12 PM
yeah, it is crazy how fast they can grow sometimes.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: Tulsas' Dad September 20, 2005, 01:55:43 PM
Tulsa is a grazer.
I put out her 2 cups in the morning, and 2 cups in the early evening.
She finishes everthing by the next morning.
Of course she gets treats.
The weight watchers Salisbury Steak is her fave. I have never seen a dog who would eat green beans before the meat!
And I adjust to that.
I want to hold her at 90 Lbs.
And she looks good!
John
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: ZooCrew September 20, 2005, 05:50:08 PM
Keiko used to be a free feeder, until we got Gunther.  Then she got afraid he would eat her food, so she chowed down on it right away. 

The pros?  I have them both on a schedule and don't have to worry about her eating too much.

The cons?  B/c Keiko is no longer free feeding, her metabolism has slowed down b/c she eats it all at once (fed twice a day) instead of throughout the day.  She gained 5 lbs pretty much right after we got Gunther and has yet to lose it.
: Re: FREE FEEDING OR NOT???
: BabsT September 20, 2005, 05:56:14 PM
My doggers eat raw...Zero eats once a day and is a lean mean fighting machine at 10 mths and Misha eats 2 x a day at 16 weeks...

Free feeding raw I assume would be smelly

Here is what they look like body wise...Misha has the build of a Mack truck and Zero is in the process of filling out to be a hunka hunka burnin love

There really arent many treats except for some marrow bones