Originally Posted by clj05

Oh.... a question for you vetgroomer.... Do you suggest any certain time of day for this? Or would this be a breakfast 15 minutes, lunch 15 minutes, dinner 15 minutes kinda thing? Or should I just feed them once a day? I'm a rookie so those might be stupid questions, but I'd rather ask than wonder. Thanks.

I don't think there's a specific time of day that's better than another, but I do try to feed my dogs at the same time every day: 7:30 AM and 7:00 PM.

Pick times that work with your schedule, and try to maintain that schedule as much as possible. Sometimes I have to feed early, or feed late, usually due to work. I cover emergencies one weekend a month, and some holidays. So if I get a call, I have to run. The dogs may have to wait until I get home.

i would have to agree with vetgroomer to feeding around the same time everyday. i think that it easier on both the dog and the owner with schedualing

Ok, so today we have begun the new food bowl training. I was going to start it over the weekend but both Saturday & Sunday mornings, none of us (me or the dogs) wanted to get outta bed lol. So I have started it today since I'm back on my regular set work schedule and can start the pups on their new set feeding schedule. I get moving around each morning (Mon-Fri) around 7am'ish so first thing, of course, is to let those two characters outside. While they're out there, I put food & water in their bowls. They came back in and started eating (almost as if they knew we were starting something new today....it was weird lol) then about 7:15 or so, I put their food & water bowls up and left a different, large "community" bowl in a different spot in the kitchen with water so they could at least get drinks during the day. I made it a different bowl all together so as not to confuse them by using one dog's normal water bowl or the other's. This one is "neutral/generic" and is also in a "neutral location" versus where their food & water usually is. Hubby is a day sleeper and usually lets them out once or twice during the daytime if he takes a potty break himself. So letting them have free access to water all day I think is okay since they're let outside regularly throughout the day anyway. (It was so cute this morning, their first time sharing the 'neutral water bowl' - they were drinking out of it at the same time. It's just so cute how they've become SUCH great pals and do everything together now. Even drinking water together lol.) So anyway, then tonight I will give them their food bowls at whatever time we sit down to eat our dinner and then they can have their dinner.

I think this plan is going to work super good! I appreciate all the comments & suggestions... especially vetgroomer's! THANX SO MUCH! :-D