There are three types of regimen that can be adopted for our dogs feeding:

− Ad libitum (free-choice)
− Timed feeding method
− Portion control feeding.
 
Each of these methods has pros and cons; the owner will know the method that is more adequate to his/her life style, the number of dogs owned and, needless to say, the one that is most suitable to his/her animal(s) considering the size, age, level of activity, etc.

1. Ad Libitum

As the name suggests, this regimen allows the dog to eat the amount of food that pleases him, any time of the day; it is based on the animal’s capacity to self regulate the food intake to meet his energy and nutrients needs. For the owner this implies having a bowl of food available for the dog at all times. In this instance only dried food can be used, because it lasts longer, it does not need to be refrigerated and it keeps all its flavour all day long. Needless to say that the bowl must be refilled with fresh food daily!
 
The ad libitum regimen is suitable for owners who are away from home all day, because it only requires minimal work and knowledge on their part. This is also the ideal regimen to use at kennels, once it reduces the frenzy and noise that are usually associated with the food distribution. Another of the advantages observed at kennels, is the minimization of undesirable behaviours, such as the coprophagia and excessive barking.

Dogs subject to the ad libitum regimen tend to eat small meals several times a day. This feeding pattern can have an advantage from the energy balancing point of view, because several meals a day cause a bigger loss of energy induced by the digestion when compared to two daily meals. This larger loss of energy is compensated by the fact that the animals being subject to the ad libitum regimen tend to increase the total daily intake. Therefore, for dogs that eat little or that have more demanding energetic needs, it is a regimen that is more advantageous than the one of two daily meals.

Regrettably, problems such as the anorexia and the excessive food intake may escape the owners’ attention. If a dog is sick, or, when there are various dogs, if the dominance hierarchy results in a submissive dog not being allowed to eat, the food intake decrease by the submissive dog is not noticed until the animal has lost substantial weight. Besides, when the reduction in food intake is associated with a disease, valuable time may have been lost before the diagnosis.

The excessive consumption of food and consequent obesity is also a problem with some dogs fed under this regimen. Most the animals are capable of eating only to satisfy their caloric needs, but sometimes the mechanisms that regulate the food intake may not function properly especially when the dog has a sedentary life and the food is very tasty and energetic. The overconsumption by animals in the growth phase may cause an accelerated rate of growth and increase of body fat; adults will become obese. The dog’s adaptation capacity to an ad libitum regimen will depend on the physiologic conditions, level of energy, temperament and lifestyle of the animal.

However, generally the overconsumption only occurs when the animals are first introduced to the ad libitum regimen. Progressively, most of the animals will adjust the food intake to their caloric needs. An important clue when introducing this regimen is to present a bowl of food immediately after the dog has finished a meal. This will prevent the dog from eating too much when a larger amount of food is available.

2. Timed feeding method

Just as in the regimen ad libitum, in the timed feeding method it is also the dog that self-regulates the intake of daily energy. This method involves making a large portion of food available for the dog to eat during a specified period of time. After that time, if the dog has not consumed all the food, the bowl is removed. Under normal conditions 15 to 20 minutes will be enough for the majority of the adult dogs to consume the amount of food necessary to satisfy its daily energy needs.

Although a daily meal is enough for adult dogs during the maintenance period (meaning normal healthy adult dogs that are not pregnant, nursing or hardworking), two daily meals are healthier and more gratifying for the animal.

One of the advantages of the two daily meals is the decrease in hunger and appetite between meals, thus reducing some behavioural problems associated with food deprivation such as stealing or asking for food.  Another great advantage is the decrease in the probability of development of gastric torsion or gastric dilation, often referred to as bloat. The incidence of this problem is more frequent in large breeds but it can occur in any breed. It is a very serious and life-threatening condition.

Some animals never adapt to this regimen, either because they are slowly eaters and don't consume enough food in the period of time given, or they are voracious and gluttonous, consuming the food in a matter of seconds, because they know that they just have the food momentarily.

3. Portion control feeding

This is the method chosen by the majority of dogs’ owners, for it allows the control of the food intake and the precocious detection of behavioural changes associated with food intake.

The quantity of food required to satisfy the dog’s daily caloric and nutrient needs is divided into two or more meals (we have already referred to the advantages of feeding the dogs more than once a day), depending on the age and condition.

This method will allow the precocious correction of under/overweight problems and inadequate growth rates. The great disadvantage of this regimen is to demand a greater effort on the part of the animal’s owner, which is not always possible.

As a starting point, owners can follow the instructions given on the food packages, which indicate the amount of food that should be consumed by the animals according to their age and size.

As dogs are not all alike and, fortunately, individual differences do exist, additional information and clarification of any doubts can be provided by the vet during the periodic check-ups.