nutrition when conditioning

http://www.beaglesunlimited.com/health/canine-performance-stress

About 3/4's of the way down it covers the 8-10 week switch for the dogs metabolism and natural reserves to develop.

S

 

http://www.hydrolyte.us/Arleigh Reynolds-Hydration Strategies.pdf

Another huge factor in conditioning dogs, more important than any other.

S

 

http://scienceline.org/2008/11/bio-teyan-sled-dog-metabolism-iditarod

Also a good link.

S

 

http://www.mushing.com/articles/content.php?vw=,,,633

some more.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/9361887/?i=4&from=/18672977/related

I can't read a novel, or something others think is worthwhile, just can't sit still that long. But make it about feeding and working a dog and I can read for hours.

 

The biggest variation is work. If Dog A is a barn burner is everything he does and has to be fed a lot to maintain weight, he in turn will acclimate faster. I would say 6-8 weeks. The dog that works but not at that break neck pace is in the 8-9-10 weeks.

S

 

The dog will use what he is accustomed to for energy and recovery. If one has a normal maintenance diet out of a bag and he also has a keep feed when he switches it will take app. 8 weeks for that dog to use the keep feed as optimally as desired.

Initially the first adjustment will be the stool. It will get a little loose but will tighten in a day or two. The second thing will be a coat that looks a little better. Noticeably within a few days to a week.

If a dog is use to a certain type of food and he is switched to a high end keep diet his body will in a sense "search out the proteins and carbs' in the new diet to use as energy and recovery. In time the high end dog food will be all he has to assimilate and he will adjust. This process takes 8-10 weeks.

The primary thing that affects this time period is how hard the dog works. The break neck pace dog will acclimate faster. The dog that works but not at a break neck pace will acclimate a little slower.

The next thing that affects the time period is the quality of food and supplementation prior to the switch to keep feed. The shittier the food choice prior to the change pushes the acclimation period a little further out.

Most every one who has ever worked a dog, and switched the food and started the pre-keep/keep has one experience in common. Around week 7-8 the dog makes a huge stride in performance, recovery and his water weight is dialed in. He is peaking or getting ready to peak. Nothing changed from week 6 to 7, or 7 to 8. Same food, same dog work is slightly increasing but the dogs make a jump during that time. Why? Beacause at 6-7-8 weeks it all has come together the dog is being properly fueled for what is being asked.

A person that does not do the switch 6-8 weeks out but has done numerous keeps and can pretty much know where the dog should be day in and day out should try it. What they will find is the dog will hit that 'end of the keep stride' way earlier and will continue to get better.

I have several posts on here where I admit the science is the reasoning for how things happen when working dogs. But at the same time there is no science strictly for the bulldog. We take what we can and apply it the best we can. As much science that is involved it still takes that eye. When the 'eye' is required it becomes more art than science.

If something is working most are hard pressed to change. If a person was winning feeding corn flakes and cabbage it would be a tough sale to get them to change. But if they tried a change and it worked, that in turn would become the gospel.

Not saying my gospel is your gospel, but give it a whirl. I did and I am a believer.

S

 

I feed mostly raw. I do use dry food in the cold winter months for cheap calories and a slower digestion rate for body warmth. In the keeps it is just about completely raw with a little dry food to keep the dog from going completely empty. I fade the dry toward the end so they will be completely empty as I dial them the last four to five days. I would rank RAW #1.

Eggs and yogurts are good. I feed the eggs raw, but most suggest soft boiling. I am not sure why, but raw has always worked for me. I may need to give it a try soft boiled and see if I can see a difference. ????

I'm no sled dog guy so I can only answer with what I have read. Take it with a grain of salt. They can handle a much higher concentration of fats. They can handle the high density fish proteins that take more energy to burn because they work longer, at a medium to high intensity pace over a lot of miles. Their coat and outside temperature allow for the fish type proteins and fats. The bulldog on the other hand will not see those harsh climates and will be put up in a warm dry spot to rest and recover so it is a lot like apples and oranges.

S

 

I have to ask, OG. Do you believe there is a period of time when the dog is adjusting to the new food? If so, how long do you believe it is?