Dog food
 

i use CANIDAE ALL LIFE STAGES for toby my lab.he hunts very hard and i was wondering if you folks add anything to his dry food to give your dog a lift on energy.
i would do this most likely only during hunting season and not a everyday thing.

thanks sproul

I rotate my dogs' food every 8 weeks or so. I always use foods that contain whole meats for at least the first 3 ingredients. During the hunting season I use Blue Buffalo Wilderness mixed with whatever other food they are eating at that time. The Wilderness food is EXPENSIVE but second to none (that I found)in terms of protein content and all around higher nutrients and natural food sources. Just like us working out, the protein is required by the muscles after a strenuous workout to prevent catabolism of the muscles and aids in faster muscle recovery. I also use electrolyte drink mixes for canines when it is extremely hot out such as during hunt tests or dove hunting days. It seems my 80 pound dark liver/roan male gsp doesn't fatigue as fast when I hydrate him with these mixes the day before the hunt or test. I also add chondroitin to his meals during the hunting season and throughout the colder months to help preserve his joint health.

some mix in can dog food in hunting season but i never tried that and thought it may cause poo problems.will have to try that gatorade thing on toby.

i bought a very expensive collection of books on feeding your dog.maybe i better start reading them.he does not believe in dry dog food at all,only homemade foods and his dogs go to 22 yrs old .
is there like a powerbar you can give your dog .........

blue buffalo is rated high,so is CANIDAE ALL LIFE STAGES that i use on toby.

take and buy ESTER C in 500 mg and cut in half.its cheaper that way.give you dog 1 per day as it can cause poo problems if too much. i use 1 cosquin ds from wal-mart on toby daily.same as your chron thing you use.

get sardines in oil from dollar store for .60 cents a can.cut 1/2 of 1 and put it in your dogs food daily.i feed toby 2 times per day,so thats 1 whole sardine per day.

1 can lasts a week.this will give your gsp omega thing at very cheap price.drain oil off in sink, oil is not good.

I have heard of guys giving their dogs Gatorade at Hunt tests. I would mix it half and half with water, the stuff I bought for Gunner wasn't as strong as the Gatorade and had less sodium. The increased electrolytes help to keep him hydrated.

I have to gradually add the the Wilderness to his food because it gives him the runs if I don't. I usually only give my dogs whole canned food when I have to give them medicine. I also will open a can remove half of it mix it with 2 x amount of hot water and blend into a gravy to pour over their dry food. The water in the food also helps hydrate a dog, also... soaking dry food in warm water will also work but it doesn't have the gravy goodness of the canned food mix.
I'll try the sardines and see how they like that, I'm sure they'll chow it down.

Not sure about a powerbar but I will look now that you mentioned it. Be good for in the field to go with his goose jerky. I dry all the goose meat we get every year and they love it. Don't soak to remove the blood as you would if you were eating it, they love the iron blood taste and no other ingredients necessary except maybe some garlic which I heard can act as a bug repeller.

i saw POWERBAR somewhere?when you dont feed your dog DRY FOOD ,you better brush teeth daily.
vet said that i should feed toby dry all time to keep tartar from building on his side rear teeth.
i do it now and it does help .
sardines is great one. they used to can them in water, now in oil.just drain oil off in sink and rinse.they do stink a little. i use aluminum foil on top of can after open in frigerator.no smell.

ESTER C is another bigone but if you give too much, man does your dog get runs bigtime.this is why i give no more than 250 mg .cutting 500 mg in half saves you money vrs just buying 250 mg.

state police here give their working dogs a raw egg daily.they give them only the YOKE not whites.it picks right out of egg.they say it full of energy for your dog.
maybe DOC E will respond on that one.it makes dogs coat REAL SHINY .
a lot of my friends cook hamburger up and mix it in the dry food. they buy the fatty hamburger.they only do this in grouse/pheasant season.

I feed alot of raw in addition to kibble. Chicken w/bones; venison and waterfowl are on the menu a lot.

Might want to mention bones as being those never cooked or frozen.

There's no problem freezing bones as long as they thaw out before you feed, but you are very right... Never cook bones and also I never give weight bearing bones on large animals... i.e. no cow legs.

The other benefit is that I can feed raw in the early morning and the dogs are ready to hunt by 8.

Obviously in the duck boat; they consume mass quantities of potato chips; as well as eggs and bacon or whatever we're cooking for breakfast that morning on the boat.

Mine love Coffee Cakes and egg sandwiches on the boat. They eat as good as me if not better during the hunting season.