# Feeding and hunting time



## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

I have heard that you should not feed your dog and then take him out hunting right after on a full stomach. I am specifically talking about pheasant and grouse hunting where the dog is very active.

Have you heard of this? And if so, how long do you wait to bring your dog out after meal time?


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Had a dog die of it. It's called "gastric tortion". The stomach flips in the dog. You never know it's happened until he's dead. Water can do the same thing as food it they're over-watered. Got to be careful on this one.


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

I am sorry to hear that!!

What are some precautions that can be taken to prevent this?


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## Ac_EsS (Jul 3, 2007)

I have only feed mine half of what i normally feed him or nothing at all. that was just because my dog had a weak stomach and got sick in the truck. 
gastric tortion is when the dog eats or drinks so fast that they are inhailing more air than food. which in turn causes the stomach to turn up right and twist. the only way you can tell if your dog is having a problem is a constant whining along with pacing back and forth. the vet will cut open the dog and sew his top of his stomach to the top of the diaphram in order to prevent it in the future. 
gone hunting i am truly sorry that happend to your pup!


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

feed the dog in the evening after the day of hunting is over, never feed in the morning


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Ac_EsS said:


> gastric tortion is when the dog eats or drinks so fast that they are inhailing more air than food. which in turn causes the stomach to turn up right and twist.


The other thing that causes it is violent or hard exercise after eating or drinking. I actually never knew it was possible to get it from eating and drinking fast. In the case of the dog I lost, after eating it would stand in one place in the kennel and jump up and down like a ball. Vet figured that's what caused it.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Good post. Thanks for bringing this back into the light for all of us.


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

Bobm, what do you think about carrying a little bit of honey along to give the dog a little boost? My dog gets fed once a day, always in the evening (9-11PM) so the gastric torsion hasn't ever been an issue. I've used honey before and it really seems to perk him up when he's tired, but, is there any reason I shouldn't do this?


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## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

My Springer gets 3/4 cup of food twice a day. From what I have heard and read about feeding your dog before hunting them is that it isn't advised. Digestion of food generates body heat, and a dog that eats and then "works", especially in the early fall, when the temperatures still stay on the warmer side could easily over heat. 
On days we hunt, my dog doesn't eat in the morning, she gets small energy treats through out the morning to keep her going.


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## tumblebuck (Feb 17, 2004)

Horsager,

I know I'm not Bob, but honey is a good "treat" while hunting. Corn syrup is another good one.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I'm really no expert on this my gut feeling is that unless the dog is hunted for several days in arow its not necessary.

One thing about honey is it is sometimes related to allergies and corn syrup is just sugar so when they eat it it screws up their blood sugar balance by causing it to over shoot then the pancreas will send insulin in excessive amounts into the dogs bloodstream causing another overshoot and a drop below optimum blood sugar levels. IF I felt the dog needed a boost I would be more inclined to give it a very small amount of something that would digest slowly like a quarter of a sandwich.

I have a string of eight pointing dogs and rotate them so its rarely been a real issue for me. 
I would talk to the vet if you really want a professional answer on this.

One thing I do know is if you only have one dog you need to give it somthing to eat within 30 minutes of the end of the hunt this is the period of time that the dog will benefit most and be able to make the biggest gain in replacing glycogen which is the fuel stored in muscle. When I rotate dogs if they seem to be wearing out ( I often hunt for 10-14 straight days from dawn to dusk). I will wait at the truck for 20 minutes let them cool down then give them a 1/2 can of dog food. It seems to help them, but I want to stress they are completely cooled down and then confined in a box where they snooze after eating the 1/2 can of dog food, and will not be hunted for the rest of that day.


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

Great info here....thanks.

I have a 3.5 year old lab that eats 2 cups in the morning (7:30) and 2 cups at night (6:30). So if I am hearing you correctly, when hunting, I should feed him four cups after the hunt? And this will not affect his energy level while hunting? How about hunting pheasants in cold weather (10-30 degrees), should this change anything?

Both of my dogs (the other one is a 4 year old Golden) eat their food very, very quickly. Should I spread out their food so they can't eat it as quickly? Or should I not be overly concerned about this?

A lot of questions here but I want to make sure I get this correct.

Thanks again for the help.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Gooseguy10 said:


> Great info here....thanks.
> 
> I have a 3.5 year old lab that eats 2 cups in the morning (7:30) and 2 cups at night (6:30). So if I am hearing you correctly, when hunting, I should feed him four cups after the hunt? And this will not affect his energy level while hunting? How about hunting pheasants in cold weather (10-30 degrees), should this change anything?
> 
> ...


yep labs and other deep chested dogs are at greatest risk , dont feed them in the morning ever


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Last year Purina posted a study on when and how to feed dog's. They came to the conclusion that a once a day feeding was best and that was in the evening.


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

Bobm said:


> Gooseguy10 said:
> 
> 
> > Great info here....thanks.
> ...


Not trying to beat a dead horse here Bob, but do you mean never feed your dog in the morning or never in the morning when you are hunting?

Again, sorry to be repetitive.


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## HarryWilliams (Nov 2, 2005)

I feed my dogs (labradors) twice a day (6am and 6pm). I usually don't start training until 9am. If I'm hunting, I feed earlier (as early as I can) and reduce the amount in half. I then increase the amount at night. I also feed small amounts of food during the day during the hunt. I want them to rest after eating for 3 hours if possible prior to exertion but sometimes only get 2 hours. I'll hunt all day unless I poop out. That's my story. HPW


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Gooseguy I never feed in the morning if you feed in the evening two things happen, both good, the dog is safe from this issue we are currently discussing and the dogs will sleep well on a full stomach.

Look at the date from the Purina study and ask yourself who knows more about feeding dogs then they do :lol:

Canines like most predators are designed to kill once daily feed heavily and then do it again the next day, they aren't like us and do not do a well on multiple feedings throughout the day.


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## HarryWilliams (Nov 2, 2005)

Gooseguy10 said:


> What are some precautions that can be taken to prevent this?


http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bloat.html#Prevent

Preventing bloat and how to get the best nutrition are 2 different subjects. I use to feed once a day for years but switched for prevention of bloat. It's a personal choice for each of us. There's no absolute. :wink: HPW


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