I have recently heard that I should not "free feed" my pets. What is "free feeding" and why should I not be doing it?
Free feeding is very common among pet owners. It is much easier and more convenient to put a bowl of food out for your pet, and fill it as needed. It makes many owners feel that their pet can nibble at any time they and won't go hungry while the owners are out running their busy lives. The problem with this is that dogs and cats are not grazing animals. They are "hunt-kill-eat" animals. When a dog or cat's protein levels drop, it signals hunger. At this time, the hydrochloric acid in the stomach begins to build up. This would be the time in the wild when our pet would be hunting. By having the stomach acid reach the appropriate pH, the pet is able to fully break down and digest its food. It is also the reason why our pets can handle high loads of bacteria without causing harm. When the food bowl is left out all day, even though your pet might not overeat, it does not go into "hunt-kill-eat" mode. Feeding twice, or even only once a day is a natural, safe, and more effective way to feed our pets.

I feed my pet at the same time every day, and now I hear that it might not be the best idea. Why would it make a difference when I feed my pet?
In the wild, animals do not have a set feeding time. Dinner is served, when dinner is caught. When we feed our pets the same time every day, we condition them to expect it. If you feed your pet every evening at 5:30pm, your pet begins to expect this. In response to this expectation, the stomach acids begin to build. If, for some reason, you are running late and do not feed your pet on time, you may find yourself returning home to find that your pet has vomited stomach bile. This is one of the most common reasons why pets do this. Instead of feeding at the same time once or twice a day, change it up every day.

I heard that a pet should eat the same thing every day. Is this true?
It is more a marketing approach than anything else. We are taught to find a food our pet likes, is affordable and convenient to obtain, and to stick with it to ensure our pet's health. The problem with this, is by feeding the exact same thing every meal, we actually make the digestive system weaker. We also set our pets up for stomach upset if the diet is ever changed. If we ate the same thing every day, say a slice of cheese pizza, and then sat down to a meal of salad and a high quality steak, chances are we would be sick too. Humans, and pets are designed to eat a variety of different foods.