The arguments against free feeding include:
[The following discussions are geared toward multi-dog households]
If an owner free feeds how can he tell how much each dog eats? The aggressive dog may keep the less aggressive one from eating enough.
If you have one of those greyhounds who are real "chow hounds" he could eat so much that he could make himself sick. This could be a potentially life-threatening situation.
It is known that dogs of any breed can very food aggressive. Free feeding can be a possible invitation to a dogfight.
If the dogs eat all day, they will need to go outside for potty breaks more often. If the owners work during the day, the extra times needing to go out could be a problem.
Those living in rural areas or inner city areas where mice or other small creatures are a problem say that leaving food out all the time is just inviting these populations to increase.
From the Allpets site comes this opinion:
"Never free feed. Many dogs will overeat if food is constantly available. They also may be more finicky about their food because they are never really hungry at mealtime. Allow 15 to 20 minutes for your dog to eat his meal and remove any left over food. Let his gastric juices and digestive system take a rest in between meals."
The defenders of free feeding have these opinions:
As far as aggressive dogs go, the possession of food loses its momentous place in the dog's life when the food is available all the time. The dogs will gradually figure out that no dog is ever going to be without food.
Some believe that deep-chested breeds such as greyhounds who are prone to bloat will be safer with the free feeding method. The free feeding method will help rid a dog of their gluttonous urges, thus making bloat less of a possibility. Dogs who are always thinking of food have a tendency to eat very fast, thus making the danger of bloat more probable.
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