It also depends on the breed. Some dogs are ok to free-feed, and others (lab) will eat until they blow up.

Both of our dogs have food out 24-7. They are pretty routine about when they eat.

 

Labs' are probably a bad example. A breed more prone to over eating are Beagles.

My lab was VERY good at moderating food intake on his own. Free feeding was never a problem and he always maintained a very trim physique.

 

[QUOTE=jah,Sep 14 2006, 10:00 AM] i leave dry dog food, which makes up 95% of their diet, out continous.

 

i had a black lab and she couldn't stop eating... if there was food in front of her, she'd eat it. she got into her bag of dry dog food once and just about ate the entire bag. she also ate her shit and puke...

then i had a shih tzu (Mikey! ) and he was very very disciplined about eating his food. and i don't think i ever once saw him eating his shit or puke. he'd eat grass sometimes... but that was about it. he was also trained not to lick people, or jump on your legs... he was the BEST dog EVER.

 

My chitzu, 8 years ago, ripped opened one of the fertilization bags (cow manure), and ate at least 3 big scoop fulls of it. Unsupervised of course...

He ended up leaving shit and puke marks all over my basement which I ended up cleaning.

 

I would hope so!

 

Your lab must be more controlled than mine. My AKC registered 110 lb male Choc Lab (not fat but sure is big!) is one of those eat 'till you puke animals.

When he was younger he was an incurable chewer. Ate through the satellite cable multiple times and didn't care if I coated it with bitter apple or Ben-Gay!

 

Sounds like you have a Choc Lab similar to what I had. Mine was 120 solid muscle, but yeah he was incredibly well behaved. We didn't really need to train him either. He just listened to whatever we said. Best dog in the world no doubt.

We used to make fun of him since he would control his eating when he felt he was getting to "fat" Truly a once in a lifetime pup.

 

I buy a dozen feeder chiwawas at the pet store each week. Once I left the whole bag in the garage and the neighbors kid that threw rocks at my car. Well the kid let the chiwawas out! 12 chiwawas and whole 6 year old and he didn't puke. Its amazing what he can hold down.