Feeding before the hunt?

HolyMoses

HolyMoses

New member
What does everyone do for feeding before hunting? Looking around the net, it appears that there are a few ways people do it. From maintaining the same time to feeding extra the night before, to not feeding at all until after hunting and just supplementing with treats and power bars.

I hunted with a guy last year who fed right before the hunt and I wondered how the dog could smell at 100% with the taste of puke in its mouth :confused: it was like clockwork. about a half hour into the hunt, the dog would lose its breakfast. Didn't seem to bother the dog, or the owner, but I would rather go without that pit stop.
 
I work for a pro trainer part time and he only feeds at night and he tells his clients to never feed be for a hunt and only once a day.
 
lab man said:
I work for a pro trainer part time and he only feeds at night and he tells his clients to never feed be for a hunt and only once a day.
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good info. I work third shift, so right now he gets fed at around 5:30 am and then again at around 5:30 pm. seems to work well, but once hunting rolls around I will need to change.
 
I only feed one time a day and that's in the evening, year round. It's kind of the same principle of would you eat a meal right before running a marathon? I know I wouldn't. I feel bad for that dog.
 
I also feed once a day in the late afternoon or early evening. Vets and trainers alike will tell you that a dog will run harder and cooler on an empty stomach. They are getting the same amount of food whether you feed once or twice a day.
 
In a sort of related question...anybody feed their dog puppy food during hunting season. My boy will be a year old come hunting season, and I am thinking of just leaving him on the puppy food for the extra nutrients.
 
I feed Canidae All Life Stages which I fed him as a pup. I think it's around 26% protein. I personally don't change foods, although I know some prefer to feed a lower protein food in the off season and then go to a higher protein food a month or two before the season starts. It's a good question, I'm curious to hear what other people have to say.
 
All it wants the night before. Nothing (but water) in the morning or during the day while hunting. When not hunting, half its ration in the morning, half in the evening.
 
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Have to agree with the once a day in the evening feeding.

Here's a good article by Bob West that you can use as a guideline on feeding your dog during the hunting season and more specifically during the day of the hunt. Particular attention to the guidelines he outlines toward the end.

http://www.gundogmag.com/2010/11/23/health_nutrition_feeding_your_gun_dog_for_performance_112310/

Purina has supposedly done a number of studies on this. In a nut shell a dog needs 20-23 hours to fully digest a meal. If fed before the hunt, even a few hours, the dog will essentially be running on a full stomach and it will be uncomfortable for them. This will also increase the tendency for runny/bloody frequent bowel movements during the hunt. Dogs hunted on an empty stomach and fed well the night before a hunt will have more endurance and run cooler than if feed the morning of the hunt. Bigger worry is hydration, can't be stressed enough to ensure plenty of fresh water all throughout the day.

Another analogy you could draw would be wild animals whether they be wolves, bears or the big cats etc.. They expend most of their energy during the hunt when their stomachs are mostly empty. After engorging themselves on a fresh kill, they may not have to hunt/eat for several days and may become lethargic till they become hungry again. What do lions do after they've fed heavily... yep, we've all seen it... they lie around and sleep.
 
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I agree with most of the answers here. I have had some dogs that I can free feed. But most dogs you have to limit them and their times. I usually don't feed in the morning before hunting and rarely while we hunt unless it is a small snack. But feed them immediately after the hunt! They need that to replenish their muscles. Sometimes it might take them a few minutes to eat it but usually i put food into their kennel when I leave for home and it is always gone by the time i get home.
 
birdshooter said:
Have to agree with the once a day in the evening feeding.

Here's a good article by Bob West that you can use as a guideline on feeding your dog during the hunting season and more specifically during the day of the hunt. Particular attention to the guidelines he outlines toward the end.

http://www.gundogmag.com/2010/11/23/health_nutrition_feeding_your_gun_dog_for_performance_112310/

Purina has supposedly done a number of studies on this. In a nut shell a dog needs 20-23 hours to fully digest a meal. If fed before the hunt, even a few hours, the dog will essentially be running on a full stomach and it will be uncomfortable for them. This will also increase the tendency for runny/bloody frequent bowel movements during the hunt. Dogs hunted on an empty stomach and fed well the night before a hunt will have more endurance and run cooler than if feed the morning of the hunt. Bigger worry is hydration, can't be stressed enough to ensure plenty of fresh water all throughout the day.

Another analogy you could draw would be wild animals whether they be wolves, bears or the big cats etc.. They expend most of their energy during the hunt when their stomachs are mostly empty. After engorging themselves on a fresh kill, they may not have to hunt/eat for several days and may become lethargic till they become hungry again. What do lions do after they've fed heavily... yep, we've all seen it... they lie around and sleep.
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very good link there! :10sign:

Once hunting season rolls around I will start gradually moving him to a once a day schedule. Who knows...maybe I will stick with it for his normal schedule. If it works during hunting season, I suppose it would work all the time. He does get a lot of daily exercise so I think maybe it would be best to leave him on it.
 
My dogs are once a day eaters year round, dogs like a schedule. They know when jepordy comes on its time for dinner and if I'm 5mins late the ket me know lol.
 
quail hound said:
My dogs are once a day eaters year round, dogs like a schedule. They know when jepordy comes on its time for dinner and if I'm 5mins late the ket me know lol.
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LOL! i hear ya there!

amazing how without wearing a watch, they always seem to know what time it is.
 
HolyMoses said:
very good link there! :10sign:

Once hunting season rolls around I will start gradually moving him to a once a day schedule. Who knows...maybe I will stick with it for his normal schedule. If it works during hunting season, I suppose it would work all the time. He does get a lot of daily exercise so I think maybe it would be best to leave him on it.
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Yeah, feeding twice a day is fine especially if the dog is not being run hard everyday. Short training sessions or just a easy half hour run just to get the dog out is not going to be too much of an issue if your used to feeding twice a day. However, I would feed AFTER a morning or evening run..
 
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david0311

HolyMoses said:
What does everyone do for feeding before hunting? Looking around the net, it appears that there are a few ways people do it. From maintaining the same time to feeding extra the night before, to not feeding at all until after hunting and just supplementing with treats and power bars.

I hunted with a guy last year who fed right before the hunt and I wondered how the dog could smell at 100% with the taste of puke in its mouth :confused: it was like clockwork. about a half hour into the hunt, the dog would lose its breakfast. Didn't seem to bother the dog, or the owner, but I would rather go without that pit stop.
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I'm pretty sure I will be going against the consensus of opinion here -- but I feed a light morning meal 1 cup or a little less of PPP year round with full meal several hours after work--that said the morning meal is usually three hours or more before hunting or training--works well for me and my dogs and I see no reason to change during hunting season--but not all dogs the same--do what works for you and your dogs--dc:cheers:
 
Dog feeding

I received my first pointing dog, ES, in 1947. I was ten. My Dad and uncle fed a kibble type food once a day. Since my dog was part of the group I also fed once a day. When hunting for long periods a sandwich might be shared. I eventually had my dogs and continued feeding once a day. I carried several Gaines burgers for the long days when hunting. Now long days, for me, are four plus hours. The dog can last longer than me. I usually hunt in the morning and will give a small feeding on returning home. The burgers are not available but I feed a portion of a Purina burger type packet which is similar. I feed the regular meal later in the day. During the winter I increase the amount of food by about 1 to 11/2 cups. I feed a popular food that has 30% protein and 20% fat. Most of my dogs were English pointers. I now have a GS. All the dogs have faired quite well. Usually hunting until they were about 13. I hope I am able to hunt when my current dog is 13.
 
No posts in awhile on this thread but it's a good subject and hunting season is coming up so here's my regimen.
I have a 6 year old female Lab. One dog at a time hunter. I use Canidae because it's a very good dog food (step daughter works at a pet supply outlet and can get any kind there is and believes this is the current best brand) and because it's free to me. It's also expensive(see previous comment in para).
Off season or off day, she gets 1/2 cup in the AM and 1/2 at 5:30PM. While hunting she gets a full cup at the same schedule. Usually there is at least an hour between feeding and hunting sometime it's just walk away from the bowl and flush a bird but she has never tossed it up, had bloody stool or anything but a "What's holding you up, Old Man" attitude.
I have energy snacks that I give her periodically and after she finds a bird. I also use an energy powder on her kibble that seems to make her want to eat better late in the trip.
I carry over a gallon of water for the two of us with most going to her. If it's hot I carry more and quit hunting when we run out of water. I water her as often as she'll drink and feel I have her well hydrated when she pees occasionally.
She hunts every day for 3-6 hours during our usual 12 day trip and never lacks energy. She does run out of patience with me however.
I'm not sure that the gorging a wild animal does is a good analogy for feeding a dog before a hunt. Since it takes about as long for us to digest a meal as it does a dog I'd suggest a better example would be how long would we hunt without some calories before the morning hunt starts? I know I get the shakes and feel pooped if I don't have some peanut butter on bread before I go. I'd go but I wouldn't be hunting at my optimum without some food. I would imagine the same to be true for FIDO.
 
I feed a very small amount before we hunt. But I feed a 2-3 hours before. If it will be a long day, I add peanut butter sandwitches to my pack for each dog at lunch time.
I fee normal at night, unless my male is loosing a lot of weight, then I will offer him some more.

I have not been a fan of one day feedings and this is mostly because of torsion. Especially if you have a big chested dog. i would rather space meals out.
 
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