Fueling hard hunting dogs

[jeff100]

What do you guys do to make sure your dogs have the energy they need in the field when you go hunting?

Prior to taking your dogs hunting, do you do anything to your dogs food to give them any extra energy in the field?  As example, the night before and the morning of a hunt, I add olive oil to my dogs dry dog food before adding some hot water and mixing it all up.  I've heard of people adding canned dog food to a dry mix.  I tried that once, but couldn't take the smell of the 'end' product...  

I've also heard of people adding sardines packed in oil, or raw liver to augment dry dog food mix during hunting season.  I'd be afraid of the liver causing toxic levels of vitamin A?....

I'm interested in any suggestions on what to carry in the field to give my dogs an energy boost in the field.  I've thought about carrying cut up cooked hot dogs to give my dogs an energy boost.  I've also occasionally bought and carried dog snacks I thought might do some good.  But I've never really found any dog snacks to carry in the field that I thought would give my dogs a useful quick energy boost.  As the cold weather is coming, I really become concerned about my dogs energy levels....I hunt over Brittanys, and I don't really consider them hearty cold weather dogs, for example as compared to a Labrador...

They hunt hard regardless of the temperature, but I worry about them when the temp gets near the teens or below...

[MichaelJ]

Red Bull baby!   

Just kiddin man I honestly don't have a clue...  sorry 

Michael

[quacker whacker]

ill give my dog a raw egg over his food in the morning befor we leave

[tlbradford]

When my dog hit 9, I started giving him half a can of wet with his dry.  The day before and afer his hunt he gets a double portion or triple portion of dry, depending on how many miles we are going to cover.  While hunting I don't worry about food, just keep him hydrated and cool.

[bow4elk]

It won't hurt to give them glucosamine for joint lubrication and general joint health, especially labs.  I highly recommend it for labs over 6 years.

[Intruder]

Increase their protein (raw egg/unspiced meat/cottage cheese) intake a few days before the hunt as well as their caloric intake... at least 1/3.  Be careful feeding them in the morning before they hunt.  Generally speaking you should really limit food intake just before and during activity.  There are potential deadly consequences to feeding too much before high activity.  But make sure you give big calorie intake after the hunt.  Hydration is super important too.  Try to force liquids in the days before the hunt.  I spike water w/ a lil non-fat milk to entice more drinking.  A single asprin morn and eve can really help their sore muscles. 

I've started just generally giving more food just before and throughout the season depending on how much I'm planning on hunting my dog.     

[runamuk]

This isn't so much for condition or energy but a ritiual  

When our poodle was 6 months he went on his first hunting trip with hubby, hubbies brothers, our oldest son, and some cousins.  For whatever reason they all went out of the blind and left the pup in there alone   when they went back in pup was happy but the powdered doughnuts were gone  

ever since then the dog gets powdered doughnut mini's of his own.  Not the most nutritious but he doesn't hunt as often as he used to so a nice treat.


When he was young and lean, I fed a fair amount of raw meat and bones (we raised sheep so I always had lamb in the freezer).  I also will feed a raw egg smashed shell and all.  I make sure any dog who is going to be working is fed 2 hours before work begins and then mainly hydration is important.  A heavy meal followed by heavy work can contribute to bloat/torsion.  

[Rowdy]

I never feed the morning before a hunt.  The night before I mix a can of food with his normal amount fo dry and add water up to the rim.  I do the same the night after the hunt.  During the day of the hunt water is the most important thing, I add some honey to it.  He rarely wants to stop and drink but I offer everytime he checks in.

Jake

[WAcoyotehunter]

I hunt over a border collie...so energy is not usually a problem, but i do give her some canned food mixed in her kibble.  i also give them a raw egg in the food every week.  and sometimes carry hotdogs for treats during the hunt...the problem is that i end up eating them cold...

[Happy Gilmore]

You should never, ever feed your dog before a workout either training or hunting. I only feed once in the evening around 10pm or when I go to bed. just like you and I, conditioning is most important to your dog keeping up in the field. If, you are training regularly prior to hunting season, all you need to bring with you is water for your dog and feed your dog a special dinner after a long hunt. Serious field trialers ofter "road" their dogs. (running on the road with ATV or pickup) Some even have their trial dogs pull carts like dog sled teams. either way, being prepared is mainly making sure your dog is in shape. Very few professional kennels(training kennels, not boarding kennels) will ever feed dogs in the morning due to the high likelyhood of losing a dog to bloat during or after a workout/training session.

It may not be relevant to everyone but, something to consider for your good buddy. I like my dog too much, I don't take chances with it..I lost one dog to bloat in 2004....just my two cents, Paul

How Bloat occurs:
Picture the stomach as a pouch between the esophagus and the small intestine. The food arrives in the stomach via the esophagus where digestive juices mix with the food which is then pushed into the small intestines for further digestion. Dog’s stomach lies in a semi-horizontal plane. The wide rib space in big dogs allows the stomach to swing from side to side. Big dogs often gulp their food and water and air swallowing is a common side effect of gulping. In this manner the stomach often becomes loaded very fast. Many dogs also consume water immediately after feeding. Immediate activity after the stomach has been filled with food, air and water may cause the bouncing stomach to flip over, which forms a twist in the terminal esophagus and the small intestine. This condition is called gastric torsion or volvulus which is DEADLY! The food’s normal passage is sealed off by the twist in the small intestines and vomiting is impossible because the esophagus is sealed of by another twist. These twisted organs quickly lose blood circulation and cause excrutiating pain. Within a few hiurs, fermentation of the stomach contents causes toxic gas production which is absorbed into the dog’s bloodstream.

Resource:
Big Dog Breeds by Dan Rice, D.V.M. 

[Curly]

I was hunting w/ my hunting partner and his GSP for chukar once when the dog started staggering around and walked into a boulder; he looked very disoriented.  After a Payday candy bar and water, he was off running again; we thought he was having a diebetic type reaction or hypoglycemic or something.

[Houndhunter]

lots of water before hunt, then food after the hunt

[runamuk]

For the record I do not feed dogs in the morning other than young pups. 

I suggested the 2 hr minimum after eating based on a conversation many years ago with a vet, similar guideline to what we did when working horses. 

There are people who believe it is cruel to only feed dogs once a day.  So for those who can't bear to not feed in the AM waiting can help prevent bloat. 

[Houndhunter]

i feed mine once a day

[whitey]

Lots of water, we started using this and it seems like It keeps them hydrated and gives them a shot of energy needed while hunting.
http://www.k9-quencher.com/ Try it let us know what You think