To feed several dogs, what works is giving each one its own spot, apart from the others, at the same time every day and with its own serving. With two or three dogs on a smallholding you can sort it out in an afternoon; with a breeding kennel or a pack it takes more thought, but the rules are the same.
What follows are those rules, along with what animal welfare organisations recommend and what we know about feeders. There are no tricks: place, schedule, servings and water.
Why should dogs be kept apart at mealtimes?
Because mealtime is when conflict most easily flares up between dogs that get along fine the rest of the day. The ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, points out that guarding food is normal behaviour in dogs, and that many dogs do it.
The ASPCA's practical advice is simple: leave dogs in peace while they eat and, if necessary, feed them separately, in another room, in a crate or behind a barrier.
There's also a quieter problem than fights. The dog that eats faster finishes its serving and eats part of the other's, so one gets fat and the other goes short, and from the outside it doesn't show until weeks have passed.
How far apart should several dogs' feeders be?
There's no fixed distance that works for everyone. The right one is the distance at which no dog feels watched while it eats and none can reach another's feeder without going the long way round.
- Better if they can't see each other. A wall, the corner of a kennel or the feeder itself between the two dogs already helps.
- Each dog, always in the same place. Dogs quickly learn which feeder is theirs and stop fighting over the one next to them.
- Poor eaters, further away. An older dog, a shy one or one that's recovering needs to eat without pressure.
- No getting in the way. While the dogs are eating, it's best to leave them in peace and clear away any leftovers afterwards.
Do all the dogs have to eat at the same time?
Whenever possible, yes. When all the dogs eat at once, each one is busy with its own serving and none is left waiting and watching the one that's already started.
A fixed schedule also works as an early warning. A dog that one day doesn't come to eat at the usual time gets noticed straight away, and the sooner it's spotted, the sooner the vet gets called.
What do I do if each dog eats a different food?
Each dog on a different diet needs its own feeder, away from the rest. That goes for puppies, older dogs, dogs on a diet and dogs on a veterinary food.
We say this about our own product too. The double Producan automatic dog feeder has two facing outlets that give the same serving, at the same time and from the same hopper. It's for two dogs that eat the same food in similar amounts.
The double Producan can't give each dog a different serving. If one of the two dogs is on a diet or eats a different food, what you need is two single feeders, each with its own settings.
How can you tell whether each dog is eating its share?
By watching the dogs, not the feeder. When several dogs are eating, the food running out doesn't tell you who ate it.
- Weigh each dog every so often. With large dogs, the easiest option is to use the scales at the vet's surgery.
- Ask the vet for each dog's ideal weight. With that figure, weight gain or loss is spotted in time.
- Note down how long each sack lasts. If, with the same dogs, a sack starts running out sooner, someone is eating too much or another animal is getting in.
How many feeders do you need for a pack or a breeding kennel?
As a rule of thumb, one feeder per dog, or one double feeder for each pair of dogs that get on well and eat the same food. That way each dog has its own fixed spot and its own serving, and who gets what doesn't depend on who gets there first.
With several automatic feeders, each feeder has its own timer. You can set them all to the same time or stagger the groups, and hand-feeding twice a day is over.
With hunting dogs, the serving also changes over the course of the year. How to feed a hunting dog before, during and after the season is covered in another post.
And what about water, when there are several dogs?
Water must always be within the dogs' reach, clean and in enough quantity for all of them. With several dogs it's worth putting out more than one water bowl, spaced apart, so that a dominant dog can't control the only water point.
An automatic feeder dispenses dry food, but not water. Water bowls need checking and refilling every day, especially in summer and when it freezes.
For two dogs that eat the same food, there's a double version of both models: the Producan P1, plugged into 220 V, and the Producan P3, with battery for smallholdings and enclosures with no socket nearby.