Doesn't that make her turn into a Gremlin?!

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Odie is free fed, mainly because if her stomach is empty, she throws up bile and is ill all day. However, instead of just filling up her bowl whenever some is eaten, her food is given typically twice a day and we know exactly how much she's consuming. She is great at self-regulating, but that's definitely not true for all dogs. She was free fed as a puppy as well, during house training and we had no issues. You just need to find what works for both you and your dog.


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Hahaha terrifying! I still haven't seen those movies because I was terrified of even the ads when I was little.


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I think that if my girl would bathroom outside I would have a schedule, that way you know the time they go. However we use the pads for this, so we dont have to "predict". I have her bowl out with her food in it (dry) and she eats whenever she wants, "grazes" as above mama mentioned that her Luna does.

I put out a certain amount and at the end of the day I pick it up. Her weight is fine. I really cant say she likes her food but when she gets hungry she goes over and crunches. She usually does this more at 6pm, on her own. Works for us.

I free feed (leave Ziwi Peak down at all times) but I also feed a home prepared diet 2x daily but only because I started feeding a home prepared diet for the chis. I have always free fed my dogs and have never had an issue. I have had all kinds of breeds. I have never had an overweight dog. I feel they aren't as food fixated when they never have to get hungry. That said, my dogs have always lived on acreage and have led very active lives.

One exception to the active lifestyle are the 6 chihuahua mixes i recently rescued (dumped family by a fast travelled road in the middle of nowhere). I have 6 female chi mixes living in kennels and getting out for 2 short walks a day. This is the best I can do until I find them homes or willing fosters. But they are free fed a quality kibble. Not one is overweight or had a single problem. You would think these dogs would gulp food as they had been starved. But each one is a perfect body weight, even the chi/doxie mix!

Good luck with whatever you decide!

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My dogs are my heart!

I free feed Poochino because my schedule is too unpredictable to have set feeding times. It wouldn't be healthy or humane for me to make the kid wait. He is 4 yrs old and his weight has been stable until he started his Seizure medication. We were warned that a bump in weight would occur. Would've tried to offset that by increasing exercise but he has Patellar Luxation. So we get his heart rate up by getting him to battle his toys.

Bottom line is, what's best for your chi is the right thing to do. If what's best causes other complications then you have to address those secondary issues additionally.

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See Poochino at www.YouTube.com/HazardSports or Instagram & Twitter @HazardSports
Last Chi YouTube video: "Chihuahua Epic Battle - Slow-motion 720p"

I schedule feed. When I free fed, my guys were too thin. We also ran into a few hypo spells with free feeding. I find schedule feeding works great for us.

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If you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

I free fed my 2 chihuahuas for the last 5 years. They are slow eaters and it allowed myself flexibility to be away and not worry being home to feed the dogs. Both were of a good weight. 4 months ago a Standard Poodle joined our family. He is very food driven so I cannot leave the chi's food out and had to figure out a schedule to feed each so each can eat their own food and not grab another's. The poodle's food is in a raised dish so the chi's can't get to it. I feed the chihuahuas at the same time while i stand ready to grab the poodle when he's done to direct him to his cage. As long as I say "Sophie & Joey have to finish eating" he's quiet. It took me a while to figure this process out. It works! I'm retired now, but if I were working away from my home, this would be a time consuming process.


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