One of the main dilemmas for newly minted carers is the choice of feeding method. Often worried that our new family member will go hungry, we decide to give him constant access to the bowl, topping up the food as the dog eats it. Is this the right choice? But should we choose fixed feeding times? Many factors influence this decision.
Learning to be clean
In the case of a puppy, constant access to a bowl influences the learning of cleanliness. Remember that puppies will do their business after, among other things, increased exertion, e.g. play,
at times of heightened excitement, such as the return of a member of the household or the arrival of guests, after eating.
Feeding from a medical point of view
Why do set feeding times have such an important impact from a medical perspective? Here we need to focus primarily on three important points.
The first is that if a dog has constant access to a bowl, we are not able to see if he has a worse appetite on a given day. And it is precisely a deterioration in appetite that can be the first sign that something worrying is happening. With consistent meal times, we are able to react and protect our pets from various ailments.
The second issue remains the lack of control over when the dog eats. This is important because if we go for an active walk with our dog after a solid meal, the food may weigh him down. After all, even we humans are unable to perform effectively after a meal, for example, a workout, because the body uses energy for digestion rather than other activities. This is a completely normal reaction of the body, both human and canine.
From a medical point of view, we do not know how much a dog eats. This behaviour can lead to being overweight, which will affect his health.
Training with a dog – lack of motivation
The proverbial treat, in training, is the most common reward offered to the dog. However, by not controlling how much the dog eats, even treats cease to be attractive because the dog is not motivated by food. This is why it is so important to keep an eye on the amount of food so that we can give the dog less in the morning or subtract part of the dinner portion. In this way, we are able to build food motivation.
In addition, dogs of some breeds have an endless appetite and, despite having eaten their portion, will want to eat treats during training. Again, it is important to remember that not controlling the portion of dog food will result in an increase in our pet’s body weight, which will eventually end in obesity.
Food is, of course, not the only form of reward in dog training. You can also train with a toy, which is a less commonly used method. However, we also have to be careful here because a dog with a full tummy may not want to play dynamically. However, not being sure at what time the dog has eaten and how much he has eaten can lead to discomfort or pain.
A behavioural issue
Counterintuitively, deciding whether a dog has consistent feeding times or consistent access to food can translate into behaviour. Dogs love routines and introduced patterns. It makes it easier for them to find their way in our human world. This is very important in terms of anxious dogs, who even need predictability, as this affects their sense of security. It is easiest for us to build up patterns from daily needs such as fixed walking times or just feeding.
In addition, sometimes when looking for strategies in behavioural therapy, one looks for solutions that the dog presents on its own, such as sniffing. This behaviour can be caught and reinforced by searching for food in the grass. We should also remember that searching for food is also one of the behavioural needs.
Deciding whether or not to choose constant access to a bowl has a bearing on life together! Food not only affects the health, but also the behaviour of the dog, and therefore the relationship between dog and human.
