Question for you seasoned duck hunters. Do you feed your dog before, during, or after a duck hunt. So with my previous dog I feed her after the morning hunt, when I stopped for lunch. But recently heard that you should feed a portion of the meal in the morning to help keep them warm. Not sure there's any truth to that...first I've heard of it. Guess I alway waited out of concern for bloat but guess that wouldn't be a problem while waiting for shoot time. Thoughts? When do you feed your dog during a hunt?
Feeding schedule
- Thread starter Manny
- Start date
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
Feed um what works for you. Don't over think it. Way to much B,S out there.
When I was out hunting with my GSPs they were to excited to eat before we went out, and generally still to wound to eat when we gtot back., I put out food and water and they ate when they were ready.
Feed them once a day, at night. Takes 8hrs + for food to work its way through. So any food given in the morning is not available till after the hunt. It makes you feel good to feed them on a cold morning not the dog
Started researching it after reading about Iditarod dogs and how they toss a chunk of food right before bed. That's it, no love in the morning with a nibble. A empty stomach is a happy one when running.
Saw no ill effects switching to once a day. Did see a reduction or complete stop to morning squirts.less blind farts. Increase in prey drive and a happy dog.
With the volume of water retrieves I make my dog do a reduction in stamina would have been easy to see
Started researching it after reading about Iditarod dogs and how they toss a chunk of food right before bed. That's it, no love in the morning with a nibble. A empty stomach is a happy one when running.
Saw no ill effects switching to once a day. Did see a reduction or complete stop to morning squirts.less blind farts. Increase in prey drive and a happy dog.
With the volume of water retrieves I make my dog do a reduction in stamina would have been easy to see
How to Feed Your Retriever
Follow these nutrition tips to keep your duck dog healthy and primed for performance year-round
www.ducks.org
Dry food in the evening...When not hunting or off season, a little bit of dry in the morning........................... 
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
With all due respect Bill ... Food in food out I see it every morning when I open the kennel and feed. I give them a bowl wait a half hour and I pick up last nights meal off the outside kennel floor (eight hours like you said). My wife who taught me apprenticed under Bodo Winterhelt the cofounder of NAVHDA. He starved his dogs for one day once a week so that they knew who was in charge. ( His way and not my wifes or mine) I have to contend that Iditarod dogs and waterfowl dogs lead profoundly different lifestyles. Up here at my kennel we runs dogs five to six days a week for the time its takes for them to learn a lesson and no more (not all day maybe an hour or so). As far as the Idatirod goes they run all day in extreme conditions and the duck dog lays in wait and work upon command. IMO a very different lifestyle and different breed of dog I.E. a Triathelete versus a sprinter or maybe a field trial dog. As far as feeding schedule goes what we have seen over the years is you can condition a dog to whatever you desire. Once day can work as well as twice a day. IMO people don't understand how tough dogs are and they can endure far more that most folks think. Not disagreeing with anyone just my obeservations over the past ...
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