Hi everyone,
Hope you're enjoying this cool summer day!
As a dog trainer I never could wrap my head around free feeding a dog. Free feeding means the dogs food bowl is "topped off" and left out throughout the day as to always have food. Feeding time is the best time to work on basic manners and reinforce good behavior. Its also a great time to take a small handful of food and put it away for training later in the day.
While reading the new edition of familydog magazine (July/August 2009 issue)we came across an article about obesity in dogs. It's a very common issue and we at You Lucky Dog see it many times per day. It's so sad to see, and something we can take easy steps to fix and eliminate from our dogs lives. Simply feeding to the dog's DESIRED body weight helps, not what the dog actually weighs! If you love to give treats, remember to hold back some kibble to balance out the amount of food intake. Treats are very high in calories and put weight on quickly.
Purina Pet Foods recently did a study by following a litter of Labradors over their lifetime. Puppies were separated into 2 groups, one being fed 25% less than the other, a free choice fed group. Free fed dogs aged faster, as evidenced by graying and died an average of 2 years faster. 2 years! The free fed dogs also had more costly and frequent health issues than the restricted diet dogs. (page 41)
Let's take a minute to think about that...then start feeding on a schedule. Two meals per day with plenty of water available at all times. Let's do our part to insure our pups live a longer and happier life!
Mike
a tired dog is a happy dog
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1 comment:
Hi Mike - what do you do if the dog doesn't eat? We are finding/struggling with Lex not eating - period. Vet says she is healthy - do we just take the food up after 15 minutes anyway - and put back down at dinner?
In my mind I was leaving it hoping she'd eat at some point... but maybe that is the wrong approach.
thanks for advice...
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