2 if my dogs actaully stayed a bit too thin when I free fed. I now feed 2X/day, with a little water and tiny bit of satin balls mixed in. With free feeding, I look at it this way...say you're on a diet, and don't want to overeat. You eat a piece of toast for breakfast, an apple mid-morning, a small lucnh, snack mid afternoon, small dinner, small snack in the evening. You never really get hungry, so you never really eat a lot. When I free fed, it was the same with my droolies. They'd get a mouthful here or there, and never really eat a full meal. I fed less then, because they all (well, 3 of them) ate less overall. Would've been fine, except that I show, and had scrawny looking Mastiffs. I like to keep them on the lean side anyways, but not that much. Everyone's at a perfect weight now, and I KNOW if someone's not feeling up to par immediately, just by monitoring their bowls everyday.