Glossary

Free feeding

Leaving food available all day so a dog eats when it likes, as opposed to measured meals at set times.

Also called: ad lib feeding, free-choice feeding, leaving food out, meal feeding, scheduled meals

Free feeding, or free-choice feeding, means keeping a bowl of food out all day. It is convenient and suits some dogs that eat only what they need, and it is sometimes used for nursing mothers and growing puppies under veterinary guidance.

The drawback is that many dogs eat for pleasure and gain weight, and food left out can spoil or attract pests. It also makes it hard to notice a falling appetite, which is an early sign of illness, and it complicates housetraining.

Scheduled meals, usually twice a day for adults, let you measure portions, spot changes and manage multiple pets. Food is picked up after a set time. Deep-chested dogs prone to bloat may do better with smaller meals rather than one big one. Ask a vet what suits your dog and keep an eye on body condition.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Calorie The unit of energy in food; dog food labels list kilocalories per cup or kilogram, which is how portions and weight are controlled. Obesity Excess body fat that shortens lives and raises the risk of arthritis, diabetes and other disease; it is the most common nutrition problem in pet dogs. Body condition score A hands-on rating of how lean or fat a dog is on a 9-point scale, more reliable than weight alone, with 4 or 5 as ideal. Kibble Dry, cooked, bite-size pieces of dog food, usually made by extrusion, that are shelf-stable, convenient and the most common way to feed dogs.