BigGameHoundsmen.com

Do any of you guys feed your dogs anytime soon before you hunt them? I've heard a dog can twist a gut if you do feed them before a hunt or exercise, has anyone had any experience with this?

I've been feeding my dogs twice a day, and lately I've been giving them about half a feeding about 30 min before we take off for a hunt, I then drive about 30 mins so they have about 1 hour to digest before I let them outa the box, either to road them or walk them down rocky rims looking for cats. I guess I was feeling sorry for them, I know I like to eat something in the mornings before a hunt, so I figured they should have something too.

Anyway, I haven't seen any problems yet and I was wondering if anybody has any experience with feeding before running.

It is not a good practice to fed before running yur hounds as twisting a gut could happen. I have feed my dogs for years once a day in the late afternoon in my eyes there is no benifit to feeding twice a day. later, Andy

Same here just feed once a day in the afternoon durning bear and cat hunting unless i'm coon hunting the i feed them whenever i get done.

even hounds in real hard shape have problems working long and hard when full. It's a good idea to make sure they aren't full before a hard run as it can cause problems it's about the same as you eating a meal and then immediately getting on the treadmill for a half hour. when your stomach is full it begins to draw added blood into your digestive system to move the nutrients and waste to their appropriate locations this takes up capacity that can no longer be used for oxygen transport. the bloods chemical makeup actually varies between meals and other natural stimulus. Then there is the added weight in the gut and it's movement as the dog is in motion. if you are hunting for consecutive days hard and worried about nutrients and energy levels feed a very small portion of high concentrates of nutrients in a liquid form a hour before the hunt not over a cup in volume. there's alot of additives etc. out there but raw eggs and milk are a common and almost perfect way to provide this for your dogs. That being said not very many hounds are hunted hard enough and long enough that this is required.

Feeding twice a day has been studied and proven to be much better for your dogs then feeding once a day. Its more convienent for the houndsman to only feed once a day but not better for your dogs. You can read any study and they all say the same thing. Look at the mushers up north during a race. The most important thing they do is keep nutrition in thier dogs. They do that by feeding them 4-5 times a day. Hounds are no different then any other athletic dog or human. They need that nutrition. As far as timing, everything that I've read and been told is that one hour seems to be the magic number.
The worst thing you can do is not feed them anything if you regularly feed them in the morning. Twisted gut is caused by feeding one large meal of dry kibble, just what most houndsmen are doing. Just don't run them for an hour or so after feeding which shouldn't be a problem for too many guys since most have to drive that far anyhow.

Fullcryhounds, you are correct about feeding twice or more a day. Absorption is much higher and it is just way healthier for the dog(It has been proven scientifically, with lots of clinical research). The twisted gut issue, I believe is somewhat of a mystery as far as what I've read. Dogs in shape can get it also. I do not feed my dogs at all before I hunt them because I often drive a ways to hunt and don't want any accidents in the box, but I always carry a little food with, especially canned(easily digested because of moisture content) if they have been out for a hard run(+-6hrs). No more than 4oz. per dog. Fluids are always more important than food.

OK, I went and copied some info for everyone. This is another reason to wet their food and not only feed dry food. Dogs are not vegetarian so feed them some meat also. Meat is usually free, just ask all your hunting buddies to give it to you when they clean out thier freezers, you'll have all you could want. I just spent an hour this morning grinding more meat for my dogs. They love it and will be much healthier.

Some of the info is duplicated because I got it from several sites. Here's the info:

Feed several small meals throughout the day (at LEAST 2) instead of one big meal. Keep the dog quiet at LEAST one hour before and after a meal. The dog should not drink after eating dry kibble. Therefore, it is best to thoroughly soak the kibble for at least 30 minutes before feeding this to the dog. Try not to feed a kibble which expands greatly when wet.
The stomach is full of gas and begins to swell: gastric dilation.
The stomach partially rotates on its axis: torsion.
The stomach rotates 180 or more degrees: volvolus.
Some facts (from Carlson & Giffin):
• Dogs who bloat are almost always at least 2 years old.
• Two-thirds are male.
• Larger, deeper chested breeds are affected.
• They eat large amounts of dry kibble.
• Feed two or three times daily. Water should be available at all times except immediately after feeding, especially if the dog seems to over-drink. Or mixing dry kibble and water before eating to prevent later swelling up in the abdomen.
• Vigorous exercise, excitement and stress should be avoided one hour before and after meals. Walking is alright and may help stimulate normal gastrointestinal function.

I feed once a day until it gets cold and I'm cat hunting than I have better luck feeding twice a day. I usually feed about a 1/3 more in the winter and they skip meals on hunting days so there not running on a full stomach. I hunt alot of 2 and 3 days at a time and will usually only feed once a trip or if it's warm and we're not finding much to run I may not feed at all until I get home. I've also had way better luck if a dog gets down or is left out a few nights and looses a buch of wieght feeding a bit more food but more splitting it up 2 or 3 times a day to get the wieght back on quicker. If you just poor the feed on them it just pass's right through. The guys feeding really good food like Black Gold ect. could probably feed less food and have the same dog wieghts if they fed twice a day. Just what has worked for me. I can't find real good food here anymore. even the good cosco food is up to 25$ for a 40 pound bag. and if I want Diamond or Black Gold I have to drive 300 miles to get. at 28 bucks for a 50 pound bag before gas!

You guys that are feeding only once a day, could you tell us why you do that? I just can't understand why anyone would do that after every study has shown it's better to feed two or even three times a day. Well I guess there's still a lot of people that smoke even after they know it will eventually kill them.

I have never been anal enough to always feed once a day or twice a day either...I do usually have only a couple dogs but in general they get a feed late morning and usually scraps some time afterwords...I rarely feed any kibble.

For the morning feed it is a chunk of meat with hair or bone chopped with the axe about fist size.......not very anal about that either.

leftovers from the fridge are always recycled thru the dog including pasta and potatoes and vegitables.

if'n I have one dog that is a bit thinner......it gets the most of the leftovers.

when it's cold I throw them hunk of fat from a fall bear or a butchered mutton that we store in the freezer...usually get that late in the day.

Just about feed for free this way...very economical to keep a couple dogs. Good for the enviroment I say.

I have never fed the morning of a hunt...

I feed twice a day when I am hunting 5 t0 7 days a week. The dogs hold up better and lose less weight when fed twice a day. I feed two or three times a day when I do two or three days of continuous hunting. I always feed wet if possible. My dogs will not hold up for me if I don't fed the best feed and often. Most people don't hunt as long and hard as I do. Take care of your dogs and they will take care of you. I have never had a dog bloat in 45 years. I have seen several dogs bloat that were not mine. Usually from feeding to close after a hunt, to much water after feeding or a dog that wolf's down his feed. Dewey Walton

I feed twice a day but it is always just dry food and I also feed some beef scraps with it. I have never had any problems but I am always wanting to improve on how I do things and I was wondering how water you are putting in the dry food? Do you just fill the pan with water, a cup or two, just curious? I didn't realize it was better for them.


thanks

I grind up my meat and feed each dog about a cup each day during the season either in the morning or eve. I cut back to about 3 times a week in the off season. I add about the same amount of water to it, warm it up and the dogs go crazy over it. Adding water not only helps with other problems, it will also help keep your dogs hydrated which can be a serious problem when they know they are going hunting that day and they're not thinking about drinking, only getting into that truck.

I have always fed once a day in the evenings and never have had any issues with it.

I have a hunting buddy who I hunted with alot who feeds twice a day. I never notice any energy differance or or weight retaining differance between our dogs. I personally see no advantage to feeding twice a day as far as performance goes.

I look at it like someone stated above if i was going for a serious run would I eat something heavy first? No way. I could see something that digest real quick that the dogs coulds utilize. A vet (who's married to a houndsman) told a buddy of mine to give then Karo syrup each morning for energy and helps them last longer. I have never tried it to see if it would make a differance.

I do think there is huge advantage in putting warm water in there food when hunting alot. In cold weather the dogs dont drink enough and putting that warm water in there food at night really helps keep them hydrated.

I think the key is just make sure your feeding them enough for hard hunting whether it be twice a day or once.

" Big Mike" can't say it any better than u did I feed my dogs the same way. Stick to a diet don't change it . HELLO change it the day of a good race or maybe the day before you could get a twisted gut or other problems. Doesn't take the head casher at Kmart to figure that out.

Big Mike wrote:I have always fed once a day in the evenings and never have had any issues with it.

I have a hunting buddy who I hunted with alot who feeds twice a day. I never notice any energy differance or or weight retaining differance between our dogs. I personally see no advantage to feeding twice a day as far as performance goes.

I look at it like someone stated above if i was going for a serious run would I eat something heavy first? No way. I could see something that digest real quick that the dogs coulds utilize. A vet (who's married to a houndsman) told a buddy of mine to give then Karo syrup each morning for energy and helps them last longer. I have never tried it to see if it would make a differance.

I do think there is huge advantage in putting warm water in there food when hunting alot. In cold weather the dogs dont drink enough and putting that warm water in there food at night really helps keep them hydrated.

I think the key is just make sure your feeding them enough for hard hunting whether it be twice a day or once.