I did not ask for your respect, I asked for curtesy (manners);-

I have no problem with you disagreeing with me, but I think you will find that research probably backs my theory more than yours.

I have always free fed and have always had a multiple dog household. Some days they are obviously hungrier as I can fill then two or three times, sometimes only once.

I don't weigh out a daily allowance, just put food in their bowls when they are empty. None of my dogs eat out of each others bowls, I have no food aggression even when they are given chicken or other high value food, my dogs are not overwight and they don't gorge on food until they pop.

Many years ago I asked for advice on one of my dogs that just didn't seem to eat enough to keep a mouse alive and I was always being asked if I fed her I was advised to stop free feeding and to lift her food after 20 - 30 minutes and not put it down until the next meal time. I obviously had to do this for all four dogs or it would have been pointless.

The result? One thin dog that still didn't eat much, even less in fact, one that gorged on her food and ate so quickly that she was sick after every meal and two that were 'forced' to eat everything in their bowl or lose it until next time.

I put them back onto free feeding. It took months to persuade the one that gorged that she was not going to be starved and to stop her being stressed around food.

So yes, free feeding can and does work, not all dogs eat until they can't stop, not all dogs that are free fed are overweight and it's not just a fluke, I've fed this way for nearly 30 years with seven different dogs.

I wouldn't recommend free feeding because of all stated reasons in the first post. I do agree with all of them. I think that the higher chances of bloat is on that list not because it is directly caused by free feeding. It's because free fed dogs are more often eating without any supervision e.g. when the owner is at work. In case of emergency then, the owner won't be there in time to save the dog.
My main reason for not free feeding is the idea that dog must EARN his food. I know to most of us dogs are our four-legged family members, but I believe there must be an order at home. The dog is on the lowest step of hierarchy and he should know it. I always make my dog do some tricks before giving his bowl. If he doesn't eat his portion in 20 minutes then I take away the bowl until the next feeding. I don't see the point in leaving the bowl there for him. That way dogs just think that food is there for them whenever they feel like having a nibble. As someone said before in here - it raises picky eaters who soon enough stop eating the boring food and owners who will change food brands every month just so their darling pet would eat.
I also don't think dogs understand the meaning of treats. It's all food to them. Some is better than other. It's especially appealing when the owner is eating it and not sharing Of course the dog won't be begging for his kibble. I don't know... maybe because it's always there waiting for him? I mean would you be enthusiastic about a sunday roast if you would have it every single day? Finally, animals in general do not have the understanding of treat. If that would be the case then wild animals would regularly go have desserts after having the main course.
I understand that some people feed this way and feel their dogs are healthy and happy. BUT... there's always people who feed their dogs junk food and their dogs are healthy and happy. When it comes to practices that are recommended for certain reasons and then I see someone saying "Yes, maybe it's good for most but I do the opposite and my dogs are healthy" it always makes me think of my grandmother who lives in a village, keeps her dog tied to a dog house and serves him leftovers of her soups and porridge. And yet the dog is now 16 years old, healthy looking and happy. Yet, even in light of this "evidence" I would never follow her example myself or recommend to anyone else.
There's always an exception to the rule. But I believe the rule is there for a reason.

My main reason for not free feeding is the idea that dog must EARN his food. I know to most of us dogs are our four-legged family members, but I believe there must be an order at home. The dog is on the lowest step of hierarchy and he should know it. I always make my dog do some tricks before giving his bowl.

I don't agree with this. You don't have to do tricks for your food. Your parents never made you do this either, I assume.

If you truly believe that dogs are family members, you'd not make them have to jump through hoops to get their food. You'd not do this with a child, I presume?

Our dogs are our friends, our family, our children, or buddies. They are not to "work" for their food like slaves. I don't think that's very nice, but feel free to treat your dogs how you think they deserve to be treated.

First of all, I would never compare my children with my dogs My dog is my family member, my companion and works with me. But he will never be on the same place as my children. That's why he doesn't sleep in my bed or go into my bedroom. I don't really see how getting the dog to perform simple commands like sit is slavery how do you train your dogs? Do you just keep asking them to do something and then not give them a treat? According to your logic that's slavery too
I also don't leave my children food to eat at any time they want. They get their meal on time. They don't have a plate with roast beef left out for them to nibble through the day. They get their dessert when it's time to have dessert. They don't walk around the house with a packet of crisps in between their meals

I don't have children, so to me... my dogs are my children. I've known and seen people who include their dogs in their activities. As I said, you'd not make a child "work" for their food, so I don't see why you'd make a dog do it.

What good does it do? Why not do it with a child? Oh, right... because with a child it's mean.

Also, I know tons of people WITH children who DO allow their dogs into their bedrooms and onto their beds. So I'm not really following that comment.

As a child, my parents bedroom was off limits. When the door was closed, I knew not to open it as there wasn't a good reason for me to be in there. They rarely allowed me in there and when they did, I didn't stay long.
Their bed was also completely off limits. So I'm not getting that part of your comment.

Also, you said you "make" your dog do tricks before he gets his dinner. IMO, "sit" is NOT a trick. Is giving a child a packet of crisps in between meals so bad? For humans, food wouldn't be left out... it would be refrigerated and the people in the house would have access to it that way.

Oh, well!

I think giving children snacks between meals isn't a good thing. The children of the world are getting fatter and fatter on account of their dieting and too much junk food and snacks and you living in America should know that better than most! From a US newspaper Education section:

America is the fattest country in the world, and only ranks second to Greece in the proportion of children who are overweight, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. While obesity rates have slowed or stabled in other countries, larger increases were recorded in the United States, alongside Canada and Ireland.

And really Moyra it is not all that long ago you were being criticised by many here for the way you were treating one of your dogs. To say you treat them the SAME as you would treat children if you had them is a bit much! Anyone who kept a child the way Jade was being kept not long ago would probably be prosecuted.

It's good that you are now making great efforts but I don't really think you are the best person to dish out caring or responsible advice on how to keep a dog. Do your 'own thing' by all means but you're the last person I'd take advice from about dog matters.

I didn't say that I'd treat them the same as I'd treat children. After all, frankly dogs and children have much different needs. I'd never walk my child... but of course it would be needed with a dog etc. I have no children and frankly, I'd probably NOT be a good mother, thus am never going to have any children.

I won't even go deep into that story because the dog wasn't only my dog and I live with family and I cannot just do whatever I want. It DID result in the dog being mistreated, but I have the dog now and she'll never be treated like that again.

It wasn't only I who treated the dog that way, surely you could pick up on that. I totally would never treat a dog like that (didn't treat Brownie like that and would never treat Nigredo like that) and Jade will (never) be treated like that ever again.

Understandably, I get the bit about dogs advice. Just stating how I personally feel. Good day to you.

As for the obesity part, kids don't get enough exercise. When my parents were young, they ate tons of candy etc. and went outside and played for a long time each day and ALL of them were thin. With video games, cable, TV and all that... the calories don't get burned and the kids get fat. I don't think the chips is the real problem.. I think it's the lack of exercise.

Due to the fact that this has veered WAY off topic, I won't bother to post anymore in this thread.

I think given the conditions you kept one of your family members (jade) in a few weeks back,, calling someone out for making their dog earn their food is a bit much

Actually rearing dogs and children is pretty much the same, they both need love , direction, food, comfort and to feel safe.

My children were taught "tricks" (if you want to call it that) I call it manners, they were taught to sit at a table , not to grab food, they were taught restraint, they were taught manners , to say please, thank you... they were taught not to raid food cupboards , to ask first and be polite.

Bit like we teach our dogs, the please and thank you, is sitting and waiting , before they receive food/walks/ toys... this is not treating them like slaves, its common sense, you don't want an unruly dog, just like you don`t want an unruly child.

Dogs are not children, as much as I love my dogs, they do NOT or ever will compare to my children.

But at the risk of repeating myself, yes you do make your children work for their food, its called, saying please and thank you.

By teaching manners, you teach restraint, and both human and animal need to learn this to fit into society.

My dogs are not slaves, they are pets, they are members of my family , but I would never confuse them with the human members of my family...