Gun dogs need enough food and water to keep them working well throughout shoot day.
By Mark Whitehouse
Thursday, 26 November 2009
I'm a little confused as to what's best.
MARK WHITEHOUSE SAYS: I have a picking-up team of six spaniels and two labradors. All vary in age from two to eight years.
I have a routine that all my gun dogs get a small feed around 6am and an exercise around 9.30am.
This allows any food to get well into the digestive system and does not cause
them any discomfort.
On a shoot day I would continue with the same routine that I use all year round, a small morning feed and a large evening feed.
I take plenty of water along with me on a shoot day so as to prevent the dogs from dehydrating.
If some of the older dogs need a ‘pick me up’ at lunchtime I will give them a complex carbohydrate and glucose drink or even a Mars bar, both of which have a high sugar content.
Remember not to feed your dogs a lot of dark chocolate.
At the height of the season I could be out working my dogs three times I
a week so I always use a top quality food with a good protein content.
I would feed this in the evening around 5.30pm and to this I sometimes add
half a pound of raw tripe.
This helps the dogs to keep in good condition and prevents then from losing too much weight.
For more gun dog health advice click here
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