How often do you feed your dog?

So I have four dogs now. One joined me recently. The thing is that when I am not at home all day or a great part of the day things can get a little out of sorts. My older dogs are feed twice a day and because of my roller coaster life, the times tend to vary but generally there isn't a problem.

Now that I have a new family member things are getting a little complex. It gets really tricky when I am gone for an entire day. Sometimes I can leave home at 9am and not return until 9pm. Initially the new addition was being left in a room by herself, but when my son realized she was getting too busy in his room he asked that she be kept in the same area as my older girls. Some discourage free eating (leaving the food out) which I have been doing, but right now I have no clue how to approach the matter. Any ideas?

 

My friend always leaves food for her dogs out, because she spends a lot of time at work. They eat whenever they're hungry. It works great for them
We feed Homer after every walk, four times a day.

 

4 doggies? That sounds so tough! Can't your son check on the girls during the day? I'm guessing he does already? Feeding that many dogs can be so hard, but I'm sure your son helps, or he works and goes to school? What about your husband?

I feed my dog twice a day, she is a bit old now, so she eats less than before, she likes to have breakfast and then eat some for dinner I just give her a little food, put it in her bowl, wait for her to finish, then if she signals she might still be hungry I throw in a bit more food into the bowl.

 

If I am being honest, it is starting to drive me a little crazy and it's messy with the new kid. The other three had a schedule. I'd leave them something eat for the entire day if I knew I would be gone morning til night, and the poor darlings would wait until I got home to go to the bathroom.

Now this little one is added to the equation, she apparently eats to her hearts content and as she eats it come right out. It's looking like she eat three times a day. Help!

My son is something else. He doesn't help the way I think he should. He thinks it's enough to clean a spot if she has an accident and have her ( the recent addition) sleep with him in his bed. He's not great at thorough consistent care. As for my husband, he's happy to just buy the food and play with them occasionally. He thinks they should be all kept outdoors but I am not having it and will have to do the work.

 

Oh no.... so she is not potty trained at all? Jesus, that is the part I never liked about getting a puppy, because it takes a while to potty train them (kudos to your other girls for not going to the bathroom til you get home!!!!). Have you thought of leaving Ginger outdoors? Leave some food out there in the yard for her? So she doesn't do her business inside? I'd hate seeing the other imitate her!!1