Open feeding

Question
Our fed our old chocolate lab twice a day.  He lived and died for feeding time.  We were slaves to it.
We just got a new puppy [our old one passed last year] and are considering open feeding.
Any advice on this would be helpful.
Thanks, Sincerely, Melissa Bickel

Answer
Open feeding works well for many dogs, but many Labs will over eat.  I really don't suggest it for them.  All dogs suffer from overweight, but the larger the breed, the worse.  

There was an extensive discussion of weight in a recent newsletter from a service dog school.

''Obesity is the number one nutritional disease affecting dogs. It's estimated that 25-45% of dogs in the US are obese. Studies have shown that joint and locomotive problems increase by 57%, circulatory problems by 74%, respiratory problems by 52%, skin problems by 40% and cancer by 50% in animals that are overweight.

Large breed dogs that are overweight also are more prone to developing hip dysplasia. Obesity is especially dangerous for young puppies, as their underdeveloped frame cannot support the extra poundage that it must carry.''

You should be feeding a puppy chow now. Switching to an adult chow for the larger breeds at 4 months, slows growth and helps develop sturdier joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

A puppy's food should be divided into 3 meals a day until it is 3 months old.  At 6 months, you can cut a large breed to one meal a day.  Once our puppies are a year old, we feed once a day in the morning when we get up.  That leaves us free the rest of the day not to worry about meals.  Also the puppy tends to have its bowel movements in the morning and not later if it take it out somewhere.  

You could try free feeding, but if you have another Lab, it may eat until it throws up.