[nellrae215]

I am in need of some advice. I feed my schnoodle one cup a day quality, organic dog food to keep him healthy. My problem is that I live with a roommate who free feeds her dog who is four times the size of mine. Literally. My dog has put on some weight despite my efforts to prevent him from eating the other dogs food. I did speak to my roommate about it and she was willing to put up a gate in the kitchen (where her dogs food is) to prevent mine from getting to it. She ended up taking it down after a day because her cat couldn’t get by the gate to go downstairs to her litter box. I don’t know what to do but I don’t want my dog to be unhealthy because she free feeds her dog. Should I crate him while I am working?

[DieselJunki]

Is the reason she free feeds because she doesn’t want to put her dog on a schedule or because she’s to busy?
Could you offer to put her dog on a feeding schedule for her?

I guess if that doesn’t work then crating him would be the other option.
I’ve never seen a cat that couldn’t jump a baby gate. Unless perhaps she is older.

I know some dogs do fine being free fed and can regulate themselves but it is tough if you have another dog in the household that doesn’t.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Yeah a cat that can’t jump a gate? I have three dogs so my entire house is a maze of gates and my two senior cats (12 yrs.) have no issues jumping the gates. It gives them their exercise.

Is there any way you could gate your dog into a room – as in gate the other dog out and make it so your dog can’t get to the room with the food? I’m not sure what the weather is like where you are or what kind of yard you have, but if you have a yard and it isn’t too hot fencing in the yard, investing in a kennel or pulley run would be another option. I would only use crating as a last resort – I hate seeing dogs crated all day.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Oh – also, just thought of this. There are gates available that have small openings in the bottom for cats to go through. I’ve seen them online. Investing in one of these could be an option.

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