# Feeding schedule?



## Roxynightmares (Jul 14, 2018)

Hello, all. I have some questions.

I've had my puppy (and my in-laws, who I live with, have had his brother) for about a month now. When we first got them and got their pen, we set out dishes of wet puppy food. They would eat a little here and there, but it was left out day and night.

I would love to get Orion on a feeding schedule because all of my animals before have been on one and it makes things much easier.

Here are my issues with trying to accomplish this:

1) I work from 6a-2:30p, meaning I leave the house about 5:30a and don't get home until 3-4 depending on the day
2) my in-laws (aside from the puppy) have four big dogs who are free fed. Bowls get filled and set down and left all day until they're empty.
3) my in-laws don't seem to care (my mother-in-law said she was going to buy pedigree puppy food and I said no, but she will most likely do it anyway)

That said, I'd like Orion to be on something that isn't Pedigree. I know lots of people feed it to their dogs with no issues but I don't like it. I always seem to adopt food sensitive dogs and they've always done good on grain free. Also, the two pure Labs we have are clearly sensitive to the Pedigree and very little effort has been made to help them. Their food has been changed a couple times but gone right back to Pedigree when it runs out. Completely off topic but...

When the puppies showed interest in hard food, I went out and bought a small bag of Pure Balance. After mixing it with a little wet food, they loved it. But leaving two tiny bowls out for them and all the bowls of pedigree out, they started to snuff the Pure Balance (which makes me wonder how it's gone, b/c a five pound bag should have lasted two 2lb Chihuahuas longer than a couple of weeks).

My boyfriend works nights and sleeps all day, so I can't really count on him to help set a schedule for Orion and his parents are very 'if it's good for the Goose, it's good for the Gander'.....even though one of the big dogs is a glutton and overweight.

If I could get Orion crate trained, and get permission, I could probably take him to work with me. That's the only way I know I can set a decent feeding schedule. But him being home all day while I'm gone, it's next to impossible. Him being home without me in general just seems to undo everything I'm trying to teach him. (I'll go into that more on another board)

Anyone have any tips or advice? Because I really don't want to have an overweight dog in the end.


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## Ari1405 (Apr 18, 2017)

I want to start off by saying unless your mother in law stops allowing all her dogs to free eat or you keep the dog completely separated from the rest (in a pen or a room) the pup will probably always eat other dog food. 
Have you asked her if you could switch them all to a different food and tell her she can see for herself how the 2 Labs will have a difference on however the Pedigree is affecting them. Plus explain how having the chunky one be a bit thinner will only help have him live longer. You can switch them all to Pure Balance and offer to put them on a feeding schedule. Tell her she can still give them treats and if she wants she could help you feed them all. You could feed them early in the AM, she could feed at around noon and you both can feed for dinner. 
How old is your puppy? Is the pup still at the age where you have to feed more than twice a day? 
I feed my dogs (all adults) at 7AM and get fed again at 8PM That's their "normal" Mon-Fri. Sat&Sunday is usually later. And they do just fine, all Chihuahua's (mixes) Pure Balance is a pretty good food, I had Jr on it for a while because he needs grain free. 

I'd crate train the pup right now (if you haven't started now) and take him to work with you because it seems like your mother in law won't change her mind. Plus she probably takes the dog out to go bathroom (unless it's being pad trained. And the dog will probably sneak in everyone's kibble.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I can't understand how someone would feed a food that they knew upset the Labs??? There are many grain free foods around and some at the grocery store too. This tiny little one HAS to be fed when he can eat uninterrupted. A pen or crate would do. There are lots of tips on crate training here. Good luck on getting him on schedule. You are right, it will be much easier to house train him.


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