Tasty Tuesday

This week's topic is how you feed your dog. Do you free feed or do scheduled feedings?

When you first bring your new dog or puppy home, this is one thing you may not think about, but is actually very important. There are pros and cons to each option and it eventually comes down to your needs and your dog's needs.

Free Feeding:

Free feeding is when you leave the bowl out at all times for your dog with food in it. This way they can eat when they want.

Pros: Your dog can eat when they want too. You will not be "gently reminded" to feed your dog when you are a few minutes late.

Cons: It is harder to potty train a dog because you do not know when they eat. Harder to control how much your dog eats.

Scheduled Feeding:

Scheduled feeding is when you have a scheduled time that you feed your dog, whether it is 1, 2, 0r 3 times a day. The food is either left until the dog eats it or it is taken up after a certain period of time.

Pros: Very easy to control how much and when your dog eats. Much easier for potty training as you know when they eat. Food is more valuable and it may be easier to use for training.

Cons: If you have a picky dog they may not eat when you let them. Your dog can become very schedule orientated and let you know when you don't feed them. May be hard to travel if you are during feeding time.

It all comes down to a personal preference and what works best for you and your dog. There may be medical reasons as well, so consult with your vet.

How do you feed your dog?