Question:
Self-feeders, are they OK?
I have a 6-year-old Havanese. We just keep his food dish out and fill it up when it gets low, which is once every two or three days. We are now getting a Golden Retriever puppy. Due to the different breeds and sizes they should be eating different types of food. Also the Golden Retriever is supposed to be fed only two or three times a day. How can we regulate the food with the two different dogs?
Answer:
It is not recommended to leave food down for a dog for psychological reasons. Instinct tells a dog the pack leader decides when it is time to eat. Leaving the food down all of the time allows the dog to decide. If humans allow dogs to believe they are pack leader it causes various behavioral issues and sometimes it simply confuses the dog. A confused dog is not a happy dog. When a dog is not 100% clear about the order of the pack it does not feel secure. Therefore if you display leadership with some things and not with others, the dog will never be 100% sure.
Besides that, I personally do not know another way to feed two different dogs two different types of food unless you make a scheduled feeding time. Big dog eats in this corner, little dog eats in that corner. Your Havanese may decide not to eat the first couple of meals because he is not used to a schedule, however when a dog gets hungry enough, he will eat.