Cindy's Answer:
I'm not a fan of free feeding dogs or puppies, for a number of reasons. I like to use food for training rewards and a dog that can graze all day typically doesn't value food like a dog that has set meals.
I like my dogs and pups to eat on a schedule, which also means they eliminate on a schedule. By 4 months my puppies are usually on two meals a day, they get 15 minutes to eat in the morning and if they don't I pick it up. They are then offered a meal at dinner time, which at our house is around 5 or 6 PM. Same thing, 15 minutes and if you don't eat then you have to wait til breakfast. Letting a puppy eat from the morning til 8 PM doesn't create a schedule for pooping that works for me :) I don't want to get up in the middle of the night if I don't have to.
She may be thirsty from eating dry food all day too, if you must feed kibble I always recommend soaking it for a half hour or so with hot water. That way it rehydrates and the dog won't be so desperately thirsty in the middle of the night.
Dogs have a short digestive tract and they do best when the eat a meal and then go a period of time without food, that is the way they are designed. Horses are trickle feeders and need to eat a little bit all day to be their healthiest, it's not ideal for dogs.
If you would decide to put her on a feeding schedule you should be prepared for a couple of days where she may not eat as much because she's used to just free feeding. I find the owners often have a harder time with this than the dog :)
Just some ideas for you which may long term make things easier for all of you.
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