Why Scheduled Feeding is Better Than Free Feeding for Your Dog

At K9 Kamp, we often hear from dog owners who practice free feeding, which means leaving a bowl of food out all day so their dog can eat whenever they want. While this might work for some dogs who self-regulate, it’s not the best feeding approach for most dogs, and here’s why.

Health Monitoring Made Easier

The biggest reason we discourage free feeding is that scheduled feeding helps you better monitor your dog’s health. When dogs eat on a set schedule, they typically consume their food promptly. If a planned eater suddenly refuses their meal, it can be an early indicator of health issues. Catching these signs early allows for timely veterinary care, which can significantly improve your dog’s well-being.

Boost Training and Potty Success

Another key reason for scheduled feeding is its impact on training. We often use mealtime food as training treats to engage and motivate dogs during sessions. If a dog nibbles throughout the day or eats slowly, it becomes difficult to use food effectively for training purposes. Teaching your dog to eat on a schedule helps build consistency and makes training more productive.

Structured feeding also benefits potty training. Knowing when your dog eats helps you predict when they need to go outside, making it easier to establish a reliable bathroom routine. This is especially important for households with multiple pets or new puppies.

Our Recommendation

Feed your dog twice a day, morning and evening, and remove uneaten food after about 20 minutes. Most dogs won’t starve themselves and will learn quickly to eat when food is available.

In short, scheduled feeding promotes better health monitoring, training success, and potty training efficiency. At K9 Kamp, we’re strong advocates of this approach to help your dog thrive.