Guest mongo Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Hi there, I'm getting two borders in three weeks time, having never had terriers before I was looking for some feeding advice. I'm free feeding the two dogs I have now, they've always been a good working weight and I've never had any problems. Does anyone free feed their terriers or is this not a good idea. Cheers, Mongo............ Quote Link to post
Guest foxtrack Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 what do you mean by fre feeding Quote Link to post
Guest mongo Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 what do you mean by fre feeding I feed them dry food which is always available, they snack whenever they want. Quote Link to post
Guest foxtrack Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 ok , i dont thnk this is a good idea little and often = fat dogs mate. adult dogs should only get fed once a day and one day off is a good idea to Quote Link to post
jultaylor1972 2 Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 ok , i dont thnk this is a good idealittle and often = fat dogs mate. adult dogs should only get fed once a day and one day off is a good idea to Quote Link to post
skycat 6,173 Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 Dogs evolved to have a good feed up when the pack has killed, not 'graze' continually like herbivores. Not natural for them to have food permanently in their stomach, or gut. Why do you do it anyway? I like to know HOW MUCH my dogs need to eat, that way I can make sure they don't get overweight or underweight (not ever had that happen though LOL) They're greedy buggers. Far too many dogs are overweight nowadays: has the same consequences on dogs as humans: heart failure through obesity etc etc. Quote Link to post
Simoman 110 Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 Don't like food being left down, as skycat says I like to know exactly how much my dogs are eating, plus I feed raw meat and in summer this would be especially unpleasent, although my dogs never leave any food in the bowls anyway........... Quote Link to post
Guest SJM Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 I agree with whats been said so far about free feeding, I like to see a dog polish off a dish of food or munching on a raw carcass, I think if you have a set meal time the dog looks forward to it as well, its a big part of their daily routine and the anticipation coming up to feeding time promotes digestive juices to flow, meaning the meal is better absorbed, thats just my wee theory anyway Quote Link to post
Guest mongo Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 Dogs evolved to have a good feed up when the pack has killed, not 'graze' continually like herbivores. Not natural for them to have food permanently in their stomach, or gut. Why do you do it anyway? I like to know HOW MUCH my dogs need to eat, that way I can make sure they don't get overweight or underweight (not ever had that happen though LOL) They're greedy buggers. Far too many dogs are overweight nowadays: has the same consequences on dogs as humans: heart failure through obesity etc etc. Thanks for all the advice, I was expecting the feedback to be honest. I free feed my other two dogs at present and it would be hard to keep food down for these two if my new dogs were feeding once a day without separating all the dogs. My dogs are 13 and 14 and have always been a great weight if not slightly lean. It does not seen to be doing them any harm, people always comment on how fit they look. I understand that my two are now working dogs and what's OK for one type of dog could be wrong for another. I'll have to separate them when there's food down. Again thanks for the advice Quote Link to post
Pipey Magregor 0 Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 I have a set time for my Terrier aswell. Raw Rabbit some times chicken or fish (raw) and raw veg. The first feed in the morning about 8 and I give him a second feed in the evening at about 6 of the same. Some mornings I'll sling a raw egg in with it and he'll always get it down his neck. Quote Link to post
cappie49 0 Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 I like to know how much my terriers are eating,any change in feeding is usually the first sign that somethimg is wrong ie sickness and I pick it up quickly.I have a friend who free feeds but it wouldnt work for me anything that is put in front of my terriers is quickly eaten. Mainly feed raw chicken carcasses with the odd rabbit,raw eggs and our leftovers. Quote Link to post
mackay 3,312 Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 If I free fed I'd have dogs built like pigs and a food bill that resembled the national debt. Quote Link to post
valerio 32 Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 I free feed my boars hounds with dry food,and they are never too fat,I use low energy dry food when the hunting season his closed and change it to hight energy when hunting starts.My terrier lives in the house and I feed him one time a day,he is fatter than the hounds Quote Link to post
jigger 0 Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 what do you mean by fre feeding I feed them dry food which is always available, they snack whenever they want. If you keep your dogs outside you could get a serious rat problem with this food always available. yis Jigger.JMO . Quote Link to post
valerio 32 Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 You'll not have problems with rats if the recipients are hight from the floor Quote Link to post
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