Hunting with a good dog is one of the great joys of being an outdoorsman. An accomplished hunting dog is truly a work of art on paws. But all that activity—the tracking, the running, the swimming in icy water—puts great demands on your dog's body.
Your hard-working hunting dog has much higher energy needs than a sedentary house dog, and the cold frosty mornings of hunting season can add to his energy needs by requiring him to expend more energy just to stay warm. Add a long swim in an icy pond, and the energy burned just by being excited, and your dog will rack up some tremendous fuel requirements. Therefore, you need to feed him accordingly to keep his strength and energy at a high-performing level.
Research has shown that, similar to people, dogs performing long-term endurance (aerobic – meaning "with oxygen") exercise benefit greatly from a diet that is considerably higher in fat. The increased dietary fat serves as fuel for moderate, consistent activity, helping dogs perform longer and better. This does not mean that carbohydrates are not important. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for short, intense anaerobic (meaning "without oxygen") activity such as sprinting and swimming. This activity occurs too quickly for the slower metabolism of fat to be an adequate fuel source. Maintaining muscle levels of a carbohydrate called "glycogen" is very important in supporting a high level of anaerobic performance in active dogs. Therefore, the right combination and levels of dietary fat and carbohydrates working together is necessary to optimally provide for the dog's energy needs. Commercial feeds specifically designed with hunting dogs in mind a re your best bet for providing the right fuel combination for your hard-working hunting buddy.
Protein needs of hard-working dogs are generally greater than those of their more sedentary counterparts. Traditional thought was that exercise only increased the need for energy, not protein. We now know that athletic activity results in production and maintenance of a greater mass of muscle. It also causes adaptive physiological changes that increase the need for and utilization of protein. Stressful exercise can result in "microdamage" in muscle tissue that is not apparent but must nevertheless be repaired. Exercise also results in recruitment and development of specialized cells that contribute to enhanced muscle size and strength, so the muscle can better resist the rigors of the stressful exercise. These processes require more dietary protein than that needed by the average sedentary house pet. And not just any protein will do! Despite today's holistic movement toward plant-based feeds for both people and animals, the reality is that the evolutionary development of dogs dictates that they simply perform better when fed proteins of animal origin. The amino acids (those little building blocks of protein) in animal proteins more correctly match the nutrient requirements of dogs than do those in plant proteins. For dogs with a digestive sensitivity to soy proteins, a feed with animal-based proteins will result in more efficient digestion. A commercial feed designed for hunting dogs and made from high-quality animal proteins and properly fortified with vitamins and minerals will make it easy for you to meet your dog's nutritional needs.
During the off-season, provide plenty of exercise to keep your dog in good shape for the hunting season. The work need not be as strenuous as that encountered during hunting season, but it should be consistent, and feed should be adjusted accordingly. A commercial feed designed for hunting dogs during the off-season will help to keep your dog lean and ready to get back to work when fall rolls around again. You should never just let your dog kick back and be a couch potato, gaining weight and losing muscle tone. Hunting dogs are athletes, and, like people, they need to get in shape gradually and then work enough to maintain a certain level of fitness. As hunting season again approaches, step up the exercise program and gradually switch back to a higher-powered feed so that your dog will be a lean, mean hunting machine on opening day. A dog that is not physically prepared for the rigorous exercise of the hunting field cannot do his best for you and may even st rain muscles or tendons while trying. Proper dietary and fitness support of your hard-working hunting buddy will help keep him lean and strong and performing at his best!
Source: Better Animals - Electronic Newsletter - Pet - November 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment