working dog food

working dog food

Some general feeding guidance

  • Always have a ready supply of cool fresh water at all times. Water is the key component in the health of your dog whether working, resting or playing. Dehydration is an often unnoticed condition. As little as a 3% loss in normal water status causes a significant reduction in the capacity to work, decreased strength and overheating commonly occurs.
  • Contrary to popular belief, protein is not used as a major energy source. Ultra high levels of protein are not always necessary in a working dog's diet, and is often detrimental, causing health problems and behavioural difficulties. 
  • Proteins are vital in tissue repair and growth. Hard working dogs need protein for maintenance and formation of healthy tendons, muscles and cartilage.
  • Energy is derived from fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Dietary fat supplies two and quarter times as much energy per gram as protein or carbohydrate - high fat diets are high energy diets!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my dog eat Grass?
Dogs are practicing herbalists. When they sense digestive problems they eat specific types of grass dependent on the problem. One type makes them vomit and the other, defecate. The vomit or defecation is usually accompanied with deposits of mucus. This indicates that your pet is using natural means to rid itself of toxic or waste material in the body. Feeding a high quality diet in the correct proportions will help to minimize this problem.

It should be remembered that with all feed products, overfeeding will result in too much protein, fat etc. being taken in and resulting in waste accumulation.*

How much do I feed my dog?
The quantity of food to feed is very much determined by the individual dog rather than by ‘recommended amounts’. Factors that need to be taken into consideration are level of exercise, climate, age and sexual competence. As a general guide, the family pet will need much less food than say a working collie. Dogs will eat less in the summer than winter or those kept in the home rather than a kennel. Young dogs will certainly eat more than the older dog. There is a common misconception that females which have been spayed or neutered males get fat simply because of that. In reality, removal of hormone activity results in decreased energy requirement so less food is required.

The recommended quantities are a starting point only and adjustments should be made according to specific factors.*

*courtesy of Land of Holistic Pets

How do I diagnose a food allergy?
To diagnose a food allergy, you feed a hypoallergenic food exclusively for 6-10 weeks. If the itch goes away, it is a food allergy. If not, there is likely another allergy (unless there is still some infection present). One of the most common reasons for food trials to fail is “It was just a little cookie” or “Fluffy has to have her rawhide”. For a food trial to be successful, you must be strong. (Fluffy will thank you). Even the tiniest amount of allergy-causing food can start the whole itch all over again. At the end of the 6 to 10 weeks, if you were perfect and there is no improvement, it is unlikely to be a food allergy, and you can go back to normal food while you get inhalant allergy testing done. If there is improvement, the best way long-term to control the allergy is to stay on the hypoallergenic food.*

* Courtesy of Dr Sherry Weaver (Cesar Milan website)

“Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.” (Franklin P. Jones)