Did I overstep by feeding the dog ?

[choooch]

My sister has a dog and two small kids. Whenever I go to her house, if I see the dog food bowl is empty or the dog's water bowl is dirty- I change it / add food to the bowl. Their dog doesn't eat at set time, but tends to just always have food to pick on.

I'm just trying to help out, as I know my sister is busy, so when I notice it, I just do it.

I noticed her husband and her were a bit weird about it and told me not to worry about it and that they feed their dog.. It was a bit awkward and I felt like I annoyed them..

I'm a bit worried I was out of line. Was I ? Or are they out of line to make me feel awkward ?

Please don’t let your puppy gobble her food after exercise. Massive risk of bloat!

I don’t think it’s the feeding actually, I think it’s more the ‘oh I’ll do this as you haven’t’ (I know this isn’t your intention!) My sil used to do things like tidy or sweep the kitchen every so often and I’d automatically be saying‘I just didn’t get to it, I usually get it done’ and was paranoid (Now I’d kill for her to do it!!!)

Topping up the water bowl = fab for dog and human.

Topping up the food bowl = fab for dog but not for human who knows their dog will keep eating till they puke!

Most dogs have an insatiable hunger!! Do. Not feed them unless instructed!! A tiny (I mean tiny- the dog will still be happy) piece of cheese or ham to reward them if they've done something good (let you wipe their wet paws after going outside etc) is fine.

Just don't feed their dog again, problem solved. They're not out of line for not liking that

So many people are basing this on their own dogs, and yet the OP said.... Their dog doesn't eat at set time, but tends to just always have food to pick on.

My dogs are like this too. They never overeat but then they're greyhounds and they don't tend to eat more than they need.

Feeding the dog at the wrong time could be dangerous due to bloat. They shouldn’t eat an hour before or an hour after exercise because of the risk of bloat. Some breeds are more prone than others but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

I would never feed someone else's pet without asking. They could be on a special diet etc.

One of my pets gets an upset stomach if overfed.

Of course you are out of line - it’s easy to overfeed dogs, and why would you interfere anyway? How is it helpful for them not to know what the dog’s eaten.

water is fine, unless there’s a specific reason why not.

It’s not your house or your dog, have some boundaries..

I'd be very annoyed if someone fed my dogs. They are fed at a set time. Water fine. Why didn't you ask?

No they dont. Over the last 50 years I've had 6 dogs. There has always had food down for them all day and none of them were greedy or protective over food.

And none of my dogs have been overweight and all lived to a good age

I took this as "they just put food out for the dog and it grazes all day" as in they feed the dog once a day and it usually spreads the food out rather than eating it all at once as soon as it was put in the bowl; not that they constantly keep the bowl filled up at all times.

My parents dog gets fed once a day, she will usually graze all day, eating when she is hungry, so she doesn't have set times to eat but she does have a set time when the bowl is filled and when it is gone it is gone until the following day.

It's fine to top up the water but was a bit presumptuous to feed the dog.

When I had dogs they were fed between 7.30 and 8.00am and then again between 7.30 and 8.00pm.

I had a Labrador who literally hoovered up everything put down for him in seconds and who certainly didn't have a "full" setting. By default therefore, his food bowl would have been empty and I would have been annoyed if someone else took it upon themselves to fill it.

My poodle has access to food 24hrs a day and grazes like a cat. He is very skinny. However I would be alarmed if someone randomly filled his bowl without asking.

For dogs who graze and you top up their bowls how do you know how much you are feeding them. Our dog has a set amount of kibble he has each day, split between 2 meals. When he does things like agility which involve quite a lot of treats he will have reduced kibble in the evening meal to ensure he isn’t overeating. He is a breed of dog that you often see overweight, so we are determined to keep him trim.

Yeah you shouldn’t really be doing any of this when you’ve not been asked

Massively overstepping!

I am surprised that some people feed their dogs just once a day - that's a lot of food in one go - and very definitely increases the risk of gastric torsion (bloat). Two or three small meals per day is recommended

OP - filling the water bowl is good, but don't interfere with the dogs feeding regimen

I think you was out of line with the food but not the water bowl. I would have been annoyed.

My dog would be beer barrel shaped if someone kept topping up her food bowl.

Topping up the water is kind. I need to change my dog's water 3-4 times a day. I don't know what she does but she gets it dirty so quickly.

Yes you did overstep. My dogs are fed measured quantities at specific times otherwise they'd eat to the point where they'd damage themselves. Top up water by all means. Feeding other people's dogs - and feeding random, visiting cats - isn't on. Are you the 'concerned sister' who was criticising a sister's dog care on here a couple of weeks ago? If you are, the problem is less to do with dogs and more to do with you.

My dog quite often has food in his bowl and eats it through the day - I’d really not appreciate someone topping it up, it’s a measured amount, he just doesn’t eat it all in one go because he’s weird about food.

Water, no problem, if that’s empty or nearly empty it needs refilling, but not food.

But also, some people find it quite insulting if visitors start doing random household things every time they visit.

Do you feed their kids too if you happen to notice they don't have something available?!

I presume they monitor and know the amount of food they feed THEIR dog so if you just top up willy nilly they don't know how much extra he has had.

STOP feeding someone else's dog.

Thanks I didn’t know that. My first pup.