Features and rules of feeding hunting dogs

features and rules of feeding hunting dogs

The question often arises before the hunter, how to feed a hunting dog? Indeed, the diet of the animal is different from that of a domestic dog, which does not spend so much energy searching for game. Some prefer to use dry dog food, others give regular products. For an animal, a balanced diet is very important, as well as the strict exclusion of certain foods, otherwise it may get sick.

• Needs and nutritional features of a hunting dog
• Nutritional composition of products
• Protein Sources
• Sources of Fat
• Sources of carbohydrates
• Sources of vitamins
• Fat soluble vitamins
• Water Soluble Vitamins
• Sources of minerals
• Water and liquid food
• Ready feed
• Feed preparation and norms
• Features of feeding depending on gender and age
• The nutrition system and diet of puppies
• Feeding puppies and lactating females
• Feeding an adult dog
• Feeding dogs in old age
• Typical rations
• Diet for large hounds
• Approximate diet for medium hounds
• Approximate diet for small beagles
• What not to feed a hunting dog
• Dog treats

Needs and nutritional features of a hunting dog

The requirements for an adult dog that participates in hunting are very high. Training, coaching are essential components of the successful pursuit of the beast, but excellent health, strength, endurance are no less important. For the activity, energy of the dog, you need to provide it with proper nutrition. Without a balanced menu rich in useful trace elements, the dog will not be healthy, his body will suffer from a deficiency of minerals, vitamins, and protein. Under-feeding and over-feeding will also cause negative consequences:

• weakening of the body;
• drop in endurance, performance;
• development of diseases.

The specificity of the diet of an animal is the presence in it of proteins, fats, carbohydrates in a certain ratio. When drawing up a nutrition program, the season (winter, summer), the age of the dog, gender and activity are taken into account. Puppies, young greyhounds and hounds are fed more often, adult and old dogs – less often, which is associated with the peculiarities of energy consumption. To preserve the sense of smell in the diet, there should be no certain foods, and the food is served neither cold nor hot – approximately like fresh milk. Other norms in animal feeding:

• the main product of the menu is meat, sometimes they give fish;
• for satiety, protein food is mixed with carbohydrate food approximately 1: 2;
• the norm of feeding the dog – 2 times / day;
• it is useful to add 25 g / day of bone meal to a serving of food;
• feeding hours can be any and depend on the daily routine;
• the amount of food is determined individually, according to the behavior of the dog – she greedily licks the dishes, then there is too little food, if leftovers remain or the stomach is swollen after eating, there is too much food.

Nutritional composition of products

The diet of a dog, like a person, must contain a complete set of nutrients. You can make your own dog food if you take into account all the above recommendations. It is also important to regulate the animal's fluid intake, otherwise it will not be able to fully hunt.

Protein Sources

Meat, meat products are an obligatory component of the menu, the basis of animal nutrition. It includes the substances necessary for the dog – proteins, B vitamins, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and a number of other minerals. Meat also contains nitrogenous compounds that stimulate the stomach and help digest other foods. Usually the animal is fed with horse meat, pork, beef, and lamb is not given because of too much fat. But the piece should not be completely lean, it is better if it has a thin layer of fat. The norm of meat for an adult medium-sized dog is 300 g / day.

Offal is also given to animals, because they contain a lot of vitamins A, D, trace elements. Sick dogs are shown to eat the liver, as well as those who have undergone surgery. But we must take into account that offal may contain worm eggs, so it is better not to give them raw. Also, dogs are fed raw beef bones, which contain calcium, proteins, amino acids. Minced meat is given in small portions; if abused, you can spoil the digestion of the animal.

Can you feed fish to dogs? In terms of benefits for humans, it is not inferior to meat, but fish is introduced into the diet of dogs to a limited extent. Frequent feeding of sea and river fish leads to a deficiency of B vitamins due to the peculiarities of animal metabolism. It is enough to enter it into the menu once / week, and the river product must be boiled, otherwise you can infect the dog with opisthorchs. Bones are not removed from small fish, they must be taken out of large ones!

Other protein foods can also be included in the diet:

• milk – mainly for bitches during pregnancy, feeding puppies, adult dogs do not give it;
• eggs – one or two a week to replenish lecithin reserves, but only boiled or in the form of an omelette;
• cottage cheese, sour milk – 2 times / week.

Sources of Fat

Without fats on the menu, the animal will begin to suffer. Growth, development of young animals will slow down, skin diseases will occur, hair will fall out. But excess fat is also not good. In addition to excess weight, the dog is threatened with a decrease in activity and energy. What can be a source of fat:

• butter;
• beef fat;
• dairy food;
• vegetable oils.

The latter contain not only valuable fatty acids, but also a lot of vitamin E, which is not enough in animal food. Sour cream contains vitamin A, so it can also be given to dogs, especially growing ones. Fats have a positive effect on the immune system, activate the metabolism, make the walls of the arteries strong.

Sources of carbohydrates

It is useful to add a certain amount of cereal to a serving of meat for a dog, which will supply the dog food storage container body with energy. A dog can eat almost all types of cereals – buckwheat, oatmeal, yachka, corn, rice. The calculation is based on the norm of 16 g per kilogram of animal weight per day. Porridge is boiled from cereals or thrown into soups on water, broth. Only semolina should be consumed infrequently, as it can cause constipation and indigestion.

Also, from carbohydrate foods, you can enter bran, sprouted grains into the menu. Bread is allowed from the 45th day of the dog's life, but it is better to dry the white bun a little. Of the legumes, only soy flour is used, the rest of the cereals of this group are harmful to the animal's body. Fruits, vegetables, if the dog eats them, are not contraindicated.

Sources of vitamins

Vitamin deficiency affects all groups of animals, especially young and lactating. Vitamins are divided into fat-soluble, water-soluble, they are needed by a hunting dog in a complete set.

Fat soluble vitamins

Vitamin A – retinol is acutely required. Without it, the growth and development of the body is difficult, the eyes, the nervous, sexual systems function poorly. Excess Retinol is also harmful, the bones and joints of the puppies will grow incorrectly. Sources of vitamin for dogs are considered:

• fish;
• egg yolk;
• sour cream and cottage cheese;
• liver;
• Orange vegetables.

Alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) gives the dog a shine, a healthy look, helps to establish connections between brain neurons, and ensures the operation of the reproductive system. With a lack of substance, the bitch can be barren. A lot of this element is present in vegetable oils and seeds.

Vitamin D is also required for the development and growth of the skeleton, without it the exchange of calcium and phosphorus is impossible. In puppies, the lack of vitamin causes rickets, as in children. A lot of this substance in fish fat, sour milk, yolks. Vitamin K is responsible for blood coagulation, acutely needed at the stage of treatment with antibiotics, it is present in the liver, greens, eggs.

Water Soluble Vitamins

Among such substances, thiamine, riboflavin, panthenic acid and other vitamins of group B. They are required for the animal for the work of the nervous system, muscles, and skin. Sources are almost all cereals, nuts, potatoes and carrots, as well as eggs, yeast and dairy products. Niacin is also in offal, meat. Deficiency leads to diseases of the skin, liver, to high fatigue.

Ascorbic acid is needed for normal immunity, the operation of the circulatory system, and natural metabolism. With a shortage, the dog is sick, her teeth are shaken, the gums bleed. A lot of vitamin C in greenery, fruits and vegetables, but animals do not always eat fresh plant foods. In this case, vitamin C is introduced into the diet in the form of powder, dissolving it in water. Pregnant bitches need 2-3 times more than this substance.

Sources of minerals

The hound menu for their normal life necessarily includes minerals, and the specialist must determine the dosage. The easiest way is to add them artificially, as well as include useful food in the diet:

• mea t-bone flour (calcium, phosphorus);
• carrots, pumpkin (potassium);
• meat (iron);
• Greens (copper, magnesium).

The body of the animal also needs Sur, iodine, which positively affect the work of hormon e-producing organs. With a lack of elements, health will inevitably suffer: wool falls out, the skin becomes dry, crusts appear on it. Preparations with minerals are sold in veterinary pharmacies, additionally they may contain yeast, fish oil, coal, salt.

Water and liquid food

In an adult animal, the need for water is quite large – 40 ml per unit weight per day, but in the growing organism it is even higher – about 80 ml/kg. Pure water should always be poured into a bowl and not allow its absence, especially in the heat. Water is poured into a clean bowl so that it does not fade, does not have impurities. They also give a dog liquid food – soups, broths, porridge. When keeping in the aviary in winter, animals can be poured with snow, which will replace water.

Ready feed

Now in stores a huge number of ready-made feed mixtures for dogs of different breeds are being implemented, they differ from each other with a composition, the percentage of basic nutrients. It is better not to take such feeds by weight, from hand or in the market, there is a chance to get a poor-quality, overdue product.

Do not think that a large amount of protein will only improve the well-being of the animal. Per day, among the total amount of food, proteins should not exceed 26%, for puppies – 30%. There should not be a lot of phosphorus in the feed – an excess of the element disrupts the functioning of the nervous system, although a shortage leads to an imbalance of calcium. The less exercise a dog has, the lower its body's need for phosphorus, calcium, sodium, and carbohydrates.

Feed preparation and norms

Some foods are given raw to the dog, others only after heat treatment. A number of vitamins are destroyed during cooking, as are minerals, and the latter pass into the broth. Raw meat, offal is given only with full confidence that they do not contain eggs of parasites. Reasonably alternate fresh and prepared foods, taking into account their nutritional value. Purchased food is not kept warm – bacteria actively multiply in it. The temperature of food when serving should be about + 18 + 20 degrees.

For adult animals, the number of feedings per day is two, for pregnant bitches it can be increased. In winter, portions of food are made larger than in summer. For old dogs, it is advisable to divide the usual norm into 3-4 parts, increasing the number of doses. This is due to a decrease in the metabolic rate in such animals. It is best to feed the dog after any physical activity, when the digestion of food occurs in the optimal mode. You can not distract the dog during its feeding – stroke, call.

Features of feeding depending on gender and age

Factors such as the age and sex of the animal greatly influence the composition of the diet. The type of nutrition in young, adult and old dogs is not the same.

The nutrition system and diet of puppies

The feeling of hunger in puppies is regarded as an indicator of their health. It is necessary in the first 3-12 weeks to clearly form the feeding regimen for babies, which in the future will affect the state of the body, the immune system, and even the obedience of the dog. The norms for the number of feedings, depending on age, are as follows (per day):

• 0-2 months – 6 times;
• 2-4 months – 5 times;
• 4-5 months – 4 times;
• 5-6 months – 3-4 times;
• 6-8 months – 3 times;
• 8-12 months – 2 times;
• further – 2 times.

If the puppy is kept outside, the need for food is higher. It can also increase from high physical exertion, living in cold climatic zones. If the baby eats sluggishly, the food remains in the bowl, you can reduce the number of feedings. It is forbidden to give food at night – it knocks down biological rhythms. Water is changed up to 3 times / day. The diet should contain soft bones, cartilage, meat, carbohydrates and fats, and vitamin and mineral supplements are required. The amount of food per day is:

• up to 12 months – 5% of the puppy's weight;
• in 1-2 years – 4%;
• after 2 years – 3%.

Feeding puppies and lactating females

To the diet of bitches after mating and within 60 days from the moment of birth, add 100 g of meat, 100 g of cereals to the usual norm, and also give about a liter of milk / day. They also have an increased need for water, which in winter is partially replaced by soft snow. After the birth of the puppies, the bitch does not eat well for about 3 days, but you need to force her to eat every 8 hours and constantly add water. An approximate nutritional requirement for a dog is as follows:

• carbohydrates – 470 g;
• fats – 60 g;
• proteins – 270 g;
• fiber – 35 g.

Be sure to give the animal bone meal (daily), vegetables, vitamins. Ascorbic acid with glucose is especially useful for her.

Feeding an adult dog

Dogs older than 1-2 years are introduced into the menu of 300 g of meat per day (up to 520 g, depending on the breed), up to 400 g of vegetables and cereals, 3-8 g of fat, the same amount of salt. The calorie content of the dog’s diet is quite high. The power system includes a lot of protein, but the larger the dog, the less calorie content of food in terms of a kilogram of its living weight. With a body weight of 10 kg, 1200 kcal/day is enough, for 20-kilogram dogs-1700 kcal, for 30-kilogram-2300 kcal. Do not feed the animal immediately before hunting, so it will be more resilient.

Feeding dogs in old age

The old dog is considered the old depending on the breed at 6-10 years. She begins to sleep more, less active, the need for energy is reduced. In order to prevent obesity and maintain health, you need to properly feed the animal all the rest of his life. Be sure to reduce the calorie content of the menu. Food is made softer, because the teeth of the dog spoils to old age. Add special vitamin premixes to make the food balanced.

Typical rations

Hunting dogs are classified into the following groups: large (American Hound, Foxhaund), medium (Serbian Hounty, Bosan Honich), small (antique, German marriage). The animal menu of one group differs from such in other groups.

Diet for large hounds

For puppies, this menu relies:

• 1 feeding – 200 g of milk, crackers;
• 2 feeding – chopped meat 3 tablespoons;
• 3 feeding – chopped meat 4 tablespoons, cracker, boiled vegetables – 2 tablespoons;
• 4 feeding – a liter of milk.

Closer to the year, the diet is this:

• 1 feeding – a liter of milk, crackers, boiled egg, 50 g of cottage cheese;
• 2 feeding – 450 g of meat, vegetables, crackers.

Approximate diet for medium hounds

At 3-7 months, the diet is as follows:

• 1 feeding – 4 tablespoons of milk, crackers;
• 2 feeding – chopped meat 2 tablespoons, vegetables;
• 3 feeding – chopped meat 3 tablespoons, crackers, boiled vegetables – 2 spoons;
• 4 feeding – 4 tablespoons of milk mixture.

After switching to 2-razor nutrition in the morning, 200 ml of milk, egg, crackers, 4 tablespoons of beef are given in the morning. In the evening they feed the dog as follows: 6-8 tablespoons of meat, crackers and vegetables, 3-5 times a week-cottage cheese.

Approximate diet for small beagles

An animal's diet at 3-5 months is this:

• 1 feeding-4-6 tablespoons of the milk mixture;
• 2 feeding – 2 tablespoons of beef;
• 3 feeding – 3 tablespoons of meat, vegetables, crackers;
• 4 feeding-2-3 tablespoons of milk.

1 egg is added to the diet from 6 months, remove the last "milk" feeding. From 10-12 months in the morning they give 150 g of milk with an egg (it is possible in the form of an omelet), during the day-5-6 tablespoons of meat, crackers, vegetables.

What not to feed a hunting dog

The inferior diet is very unfavorable on the animal, but certain products can further affect its body even more negatively. The liver, dogs of dogs are less resistant to harmful components, as a result, the body wear out quickly. Here is the food that is forbidden to give dogs:

• sausages, sausages, canned food;
• food with an abundance of sugar, sweets;
• menthol in any form;
• ketchups, sauces, mayonnaise;
• smoked meats, fat food;
• pasta;
• Potatoes in large quantities.

Sharp spices – pepper, garlic, vinegar, mustard – do not affect the sense of the animal, because they should not be on the menu either. Fat pork, especially raw, should be excluded or fat layers are removed as much as possible. Thick, solid bones can ruin the digest of the dog, the most dangerous are the tubular chicken, causing the perforation of the stomach or intestines. Sweets in the diet dogs spoil appetite, digestion, liver function and can provoke diabetes.

Chocolate is considered deadly for an animal! Theobromine in its composition leads to an acceleration of the heart rate, and the heart may not withstand. Usually a dog dies from a dose of 100 g of chocolate per 1 kg of body weight, but even a piece of the product is not useful to him. In dark chocolate, the theobromine content is almost 10 times higher than in milk chocolate, because it is a real poison for a dog!

Raw chicken proteins are also not given to animals – they cause severe hair loss, the development of dermatitis, and allergies. It is better to boil the protein to the animal and give it chopped, although the yolk of the egg is considered the most useful. Sausage products and excess salty food can provoke uremia (acute kidney failure), from which ½ of all animals die.

Dog treats

Goodies for a hunting dog should not be such that a person likes it. Due to the peculiarities of digestion, the body of the animal accepts the same type of diet better, without diversity. Only sometimes, once every 2-4 months, is it allowed to please the animal with a treat – cartilage, sugar bone, cheese, raisins, and other dried fruits.

For the prevention of worms, you can treat the dog with garlic on a piece of bread, smeared with butter. Compliance with reasonable restrictions will allow the animal to stay “in shape” longer and become a faithful assistant on the hunt!