[HappyB]

I was talking with a friend today about how our ideas differ from others in the way dogs are raised. I found out one of the top show breeders in Texas keeps hers in crates, and lets them out twice a day for potty time. She feeds them only a certain amount at a certain time so she can control when they potty.

 

[rubyjeansmom]

so sad...

 

[Toby's Mom]

 

[lani]

which breeder??? so curious....

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

That is cruel!!!

 

[dhodina]

I am be unpopular for this but.... I agree with feeding your dog a certian amount at a certian time. It builds a routine that everyone is used to and you also know when they have to go outside. And I want to clarify are they only let out of their crate twice a day or just let outside twice a day to go potty. Also what size "crate"? before I comment on that.

 

[jmm]

Just to add something, I've heard about some breeders having a hundred dogs in their basement and this that and the other thing. I visited one who I had heard tons of bad things about and they had about 20 dogs, all well cared for, rotating free in the house and in nice sized crates, plus a nice area outside. So much for their basement full of dogs.

Moral of the story: Don't believe everything your hear. A lot of badmouthing goes on.

 

[saltymalty]

Just as in anything else, there are good ones and bad ones. I think that regulating food isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if the poor animals are confined to their crates all day, and only let out twice, then that's not good. Even though Maltese is a low activity breed, they still need exercise. Does she have a dog run or a play area for them? I understand that certain circumstances may require long crating times, but to be let out only twice a day to me is not enough time out of the crate.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by dhodina@Apr 12 2005, 09:04 AM
I am be unpopular for this but.... I agree with feeding your dog a certian amount at a certian time.  It builds a routine that everyone is used to and you also know when they have to go outside.    <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=51768

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I agree with feeding at a certain time. It is the only let out of their crates twice a day I don't agree with.

 

[ButterCloudandNoriko]

Nothing wrong with giving food at certain times of a day to build routine, but to give them a certain amount to control their potty sounds cruel. So she's not feeding them enough. OH well. You never know.

 

[sheila2182]

Alot of ppl.feed thier babies two times a day in recomended amounts.It does help to have a routine maybe "control" is just a bad word for it.I feed my babies this way per my vet. To make sure they do not become overweight,and it helped with potty training.I also question the crate though.I loved the create way of training when potty training.Once they were trained though that was the end of the crate.I know breeders use them and hopefully what JMM said rings true.

 

[Laceys mom]

I agree with feeding twice a day...but Lacey doesn't. She gets a measured amount in the morning when I wake up and she eats it during the day. I finally figured out that she eats most of it at 4 am. Don't know why but that is when she gets up from bed, goes into the kitchen and eats most of her food. She then comes back to bed and sleeps until I get up. Tried giving her the food right before I go to bed but she didn't want to eat the fresh food. She is a silly little girl so I figure as long as she is happy and eating I'm not messing with her routine. As far as hearing about that breeder in Texas I would want to see for my own eyes before I believed. A few weeks ago there was a thread on her about Brittany Spears. Now I for one don't know her so I have a really hard time believing that she is not a good doggy mommy without proof...not from the National Enquirer.

 

[NC's Mom]

My dogs have free access to food and water at all times, 24/7. They also have free access to our apartment, 24/7. And, they regulate THEMSELVES when it comes to pooping. They both wait until I come home during break and take them out for their walks. They also hold their morning pee until then. They don't have to, they have places to go inside, but they want to. In the afternoon and the evenings, Little C will piddle on her piddle pad and Sir N will pee on the bathroom floor. If it is a rainy day, they HOLD their poo until the next day. Now we'll see how long they hold it--just found out that I have bronchitis AND a cold that are both going after my asthma and this IS the month of yellow dust. Argh. So, we won't be going on walks for awhile. I'm hoping that they won't hold more than one day will just go in the house. Sir N will give up and go on the bathroom floor, but Little C? She's the wild card. She'll probably hold it till she makes herself sick.

Anyway, perhaps it is necessary with very young puppies, but I certainly don't think that it is necessary with older dogs to only give them food at certain times to make them poo at certain times. At least anyway, it certainly isn't necessary for me.

 

[Puddles Mom]

Puddles had food available to him all day. I worry about putting food out at a certain time due to the fact that if something should happen and I can't be home at feeding time.

He holds his poop until I get home and if I can't be here when I should, he is welcome to poop in the kitchen (this has not had to happen yet).

 

[HappyB]

I would not post information unless backed up by known facts. I can tell you first hand that people in the show world like to start rumors. Someone tried to make something out of my having some of the dogs I do. My gosh, I do rescue, and the first thing I do is take them for a spay. I don't foster males.
I was very tired and stressed with paperwork last night when I made the post. I was downright mad when I heard what I did, and I acted before I thought. To say my mind was tired with the long day is no excuse, but I guess saying my brain was fried for the day may apply. I do not crate my dogs here, and wonder about people who have so many that they have to crate them for most of the day (except when in show coat, and then I prefer an x-pen). It is a personal thing with me. I also want mine to be able to go relieve themself when their body dictates. I've done free feeding for over 30 years without any problem. I like to go to the refrigerator and graze, and I give my dogs the same option. I want mine snuggling close to me, not in a cage. I rarely sit without having at least two in my lap, sometime more. If I had wanted to get nasty with it, I could have posted a name, as well as more facts. I do regret that I put a state as someone did send an email asking if it was a certain breeder--it wasn't. In fact, it's not anyone I've read about on Spoiled Maltese. I guess we all have our own way of caring for our dogs. For me, I just don't plan to ever have so many that I have to stack them in crates.

 

[puppylucy]

thats sad..

not the feeding twice daily thing, but the no playtime thing.. it kind of takes the joy out of having a malt, imo

 

[jmm]

I don't treat my toys a lot different than I would a large breed dog. That means they can hold their urine and bowels for a few hours and we eat on a schedule...imagine free feeding a labrador! You'd run out of food long before the dog stopped eating!

When I have 4 or more dogs in the house, I rotate them. Everyone has some crate time and everyone has house time. That is safest for my dogs and allows me to give everyone individual attention. My dogs are certainly not neglected or abused and get right in their crates happily (other than Jonathan LOL who does nothing happily unless it is sitting on your lap and even then he'll grumble for affect).

I agree that being crated 23/24 hours a day is wrong...but, I know many dogs who live in a kennel situation quite happily. They are exercised, fit, healthy, and emotionally stable. They are happy, well-adjusted dogs. Not all kennel situations are bad.

 

[Caesar's Mommie]

Awww that is sad

 

[dhodina]

Originally posted by JMM@Apr 12 2005, 09:19 PM
I don't treat my toys a lot different than I would a large breed dog. That means they can hold their urine and bowels for a few hours and we eat on a schedule...imagine free feeding a labrador! You'd run out of food long before the dog stopped eating!

When I have 4 or more dogs in the house, I rotate them. Everyone has some crate time and everyone has house time. That is safest for my dogs and allows me to give everyone individual attention. My dogs are certainly not neglected or abused and get right in their crates happily (other than Jonathan LOL who does nothing happily unless it is sitting on your lap and even then he'll grumble for affect).

I agree that being crated 23/24 hours a day is wrong...but, I know many dogs who live in a kennel situation quite happily. They are exercised, fit, healthy, and emotionally stable. They are happy, well-adjusted dogs. Not all kennel situations are bad.
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as the owner of a choc lab I couldn't agree more he would til he blew up... he got in the food bin one time he looked like a tick his body was so swollen from over eating.

 

[HappyB]

Our family has had Labs for over 25 years. I have two right now who were pulled from a shelther and have been here two years. Free feeding works for them too. Sure, they will overeat at first, but then they learn that the food is there, and they eat what they want and no more. I've gone round and round with this issue with a friend, and she finally realized that my dogs are healthy, not overweight, and have sense enough to eat what is good for them and leave the rest for later.