If you're lucky to own a hunting dog, you want to do everything possible to keep them fit, happy, and healthy. One great way to do this is to buy them best dog food for hunting dogs.
There are several dog breeds that were bred for hunting and they have different body frames, abilities, and requirements. However, one thing is for sure: they are all energetic and highly active dogs. And all hunting dogs require proper nutrition to remain healthy and good at what they do best: hunting.
So, how do you choose the best dog food for hunting dogs? Here are the factors to consider when selecting the right dog food for your hunting companion.
What to Look for When Choosing the Best Dog Food for Hunting Dogs
Dietary Requirements and Activity Levels of Hunting Dogs
With their energy, hunting dogs need to be kept in their best condition. The performance of a hunting dog is determined by three major factors: diet, training, and conditioning.
If you don’t provide the right nutrition, your training efforts will prove to be futile. That's why it’s extremely important to understand the dietary requirements and activity levels of your hunting companion to get the most out of them.
Feeding them high-quality dog food for hunting dogs can help put them in their best shape after training and conditioning.
Picking the best diet for hunting dogs can help improve their performance. High quality dog food will give them energy and boost their stamina and endurance.
It's also important to know when to feed your canine hunting partner. According to hunting experts, hunting dogs should be fed once a day. For best results, it's also recommended to avoid feeding them in the morning.
Healthy adult dogs rely on fat metabolism to perform well in the field, so you should feed them a certain amount only once a day once they have had enough rest after the day’s hunting activities. That will give your dog ample time to process the food while resting.
That said, there are different breeds of hunting dogs with different sizes, characteristics, activity patterns, and health issues. So when it comes to the nutritional requirements of hunting dog breeds, there’s no one size fits all fix.
Hound Dogs
Hounds are bred for endurance and focus their eyes and noses on their target. These dogs have a good sense of smell that allows them to track and pursue large game over long distances.
Hound dogs are also courageous and bark loudly to alert their owners. They are usually used for hunting large or medium-sized game, including bear, board, coyotes, deer, and raccoons.
Hound breeds include Bloodhounds, Greyhounds, Coonhounds, Foxhounds, Redbone Hounds, and Beagles.
Gun Dogs
These are large dog breeds that are usually used to scare animals for their masters to aim at. They are also fantastic at retrieving game, including killed wetland creatures such as ducks.
These breeds include Springer spaniels, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers.
Terriers
Terrier dogs are small hunting dogs that are usually used to hunt foxes, squirrels, rabbits, rats, birds and other small game.
Despite their size, they have a lot of energy and require specially formulated dog food.
Some examples of Terriers include Jack Russell Terriers, Rat Terriers, and Boston Terriers.
High-Performance Dog Food
To maintain your hunting dog in good shape, you need to feed them a well-balanced diet.
Hunting dogs generally require 50 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 20 percent fat.
High-performance dog food will help reduce your dog’s metabolism rate and its ability to use fat.
Unlike normal dog food, high performance dog food contains high protein and fat levels to help boost your dog’s mental strength, endurance, and visual sharpness. This makes high-performance dog foods a great choice for hunting dogs of all sizes and ages.
Dietary Considerations and Health Issues in Hunting Dogs
Although experts recommend feeding hunting dogs just one meal a day, you still need to consult your vet and learn more about the unique nutritional needs of your dog.
After the busy hunting season, you can adjust their diet as needed. You should reduce their calorie intake since they will be getting less amounts of exercise and they might gain weight easily if you don't adjust their feeding plan.
Common Health Issues in Hunting Dogs
Below are some common health problems among hunting dog breeds.
Hip Dysplasia and Arthritis
Arthritis can reduce the performance of a hunting dog. This condition is mainly caused by obesity. For that reason, you need to maintain your dog at a healthy weight.
Large hunting dogs are prone to hip dysplasia. Although this health condition is usually inherited, obesity and injury can worsen the problem.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar can be devastating for dogs. The condition can occur in hunting dogs after long periods of hunting and the lack of enough food.
Prolonged exertion in the field can deplete a dog's glycogen levels because the body uses glycogen as an alternative energy source. This leads to low blood sugar levels and eventually hypoglycemia.
For that reason, it's important to provide a high-protein meal before embarking on a hunting mission.
Provide vitamin supplements or corn syrup if your dog shows any signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia.
Important Nutrients In the Best Dog Food for Hunting Dogs
Protein
Since hunting dogs are very active, they need a high-protein diet. The dog food you choose for your hunting buddy should contain at least 30 percent protein to provide them with the energy they need to do well out there.
Protein also enhances the flavor of the food, which helps picky eaters.
Fats
Fat is a good source of energy for stamina and endurance. Hunting dogs also need fish oil and omega 3 fatty acids to help keep the dogs skin and coat healthy.
Giving your hunting companion a high fat diet can help them perform at their best for longer. Check the ingredients list to ensure it contains chicken fat or other sources of fat.
Carbohydrates & Fiber
Carbs are not necessarily bad for hunting dogs. Just look for hunting dog foods containing brown rice or sweet potato as a source of carbohydrates and avoid grains as much as possible.
Fiber is also an essential nutrient for active dogs, as it plays a major role in digestion.
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins and minerals will help improve your dog's immunity, and strengthen their bones, joints, and muscles.
Sweet potato and corn can provide your hunting pal with the carbs, fibers and minerals they need.
Check the product label of the best dog food for hunting dogs to know what ingredients are used.
Fresh Water
Besides providing the best puppy food for hunting dogs, you should also provide your dog with fresh, drinking water at all times to keep them properly hydrated.
You can also give bone broth to your hunting dog to increase water content.
Ingredients to Avoid in Dog Food for Hunting Dogs
- Grains and fillers: Pick whole grains and avoid gluten and processed products. Also, stay away from corn and wheat and choose barley and rice instead.
- Meat by-products: Meat should be the first ingredient in the best puppy food for your hunting canine friend. Avoid meat byproducts because they don't contain any meat and often contain bones only.
- Preservatives: Stay away from any puppy foods or dog foods containing artificial colors or preservatives. In case there are preservatives, choose natural ones like vitamin C (ascorbate) and vitamin E (tocopherols). Avoid ingredients like ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT.
FAQs
How Do You Get a Hunting Dog to Gain Weight?
Here are some tips to fatten up or add weight to your hunting pup:
Feed your pooch twice at night to lower the calorie deficit.
Provide a high-fat treat or snack, being careful to fill their tummy.
Supplement their night food with a tablespoon of olive oil, coconut oil or powdered pork to increase their fat intake. However, avoid feeding them too much fat to prevent pancreatitis and other health problems.
Can I Feed My Dog Before I Go Hunting?
No. Feed your hunting dog after the hunting mission. This will allow the body to digest the ingest food and to eliminate it without the hunting mission interfering with the body’s natural processes.
How Often Should I Feed My Hunting Dog?
Feed your hunting dog only once a day. A dog's endurance is at its peak on an empty stomach. Research shows that a dog runs faster, and has more endurance on an empty stomach.
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