Dog Food

idcwby

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Jun 23, 2015
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What’s everyone using for their hunting dogs? I’m using Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20, but doesn’t seem to be keeping the weight on my GSP this year. Thinking I may need to switch.
 

manitou1

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Mar 21, 2017
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I tried many. My hunting dogs seemed to do best on Black Gold. Firm poops, easy to clean up. Healthy dogs. Maintained proper weight and didn't require large amounts.
 
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Colorado Cowboy

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Jun 8, 2011
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I try to feed my Lab with dry food with at least 30% protein. I am feeding Purina Pro (anything with fish in it, as it keeps he coat really great). I also measure everything she gets. 2 cups in the am & 2 cups PM. Dry food helps keep her teeth white too.
 
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AKaviator

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Jul 26, 2012
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I try to feed my Lab with dry food with at least 30% protein. I am feeding Purina Pro (anything with fish in it, as it keeps he coat really great). I also measure everything she gets. @ cups in the am & 2 cups PM. Dry food helps keep her teeth white too.
That's the very same as I give my lab. When Salmon isn't an ingredient, I put about a teaspoon of liquid coconut oil on his dry food. Makes his coat shine!
 
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mallardsx2

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Jul 8, 2015
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Diamond Naturals.

But our lab is far from a "hunting dog". He wont even kill a cat....which I find to be embarrassing.
 
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ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
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Feb 3, 2014
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I need to add a fattier food to Ace's mix. With the stage of life my kids are in I'm only getting out a couple days a week, but he is a lanky dog even at 90lbs. A little more fat on him will help keeping him warm as it cools down a bit more through prime time here on the rive.

On a brighter note, he is doing very well this season and I am really happy with his progress.
 
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Neilman

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Jan 12, 2021
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Purina is a good one for home dogs, hunting dogs need something with more meat. I feed mine with different home food like cooked meat with vegetables and other things she likes. Obviously, we do not feed her everything we eat. She has her own menu selected with the help of science diet dog food that is focused on using whole and natural ingredients such as meat, fiber sources, and other sources of protein. My friend has been using this for a while and recommended me to try it too for my dog. To my mind, this is a good way of keeping track of her healthy meals.
 
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cacklercrazy

Member
Feb 24, 2011
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What’s everyone using for their hunting dogs? I’m using Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20, but doesn’t seem to be keeping the weight on my GSP this year. Thinking I may need to switch.
It does it perfect for our BLF. Willow likes it also.
 

buckbull

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Jun 20, 2011
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I have read quite a few articles about feeding hunting dogs ground uncooked venison. It is supposedly fantastic for the dog (pure protein, no preservatives). I don't know how I feel feeding venison to a dog as opposed to a person. Here in illinois you can pretty much shoot all the does you want so wouldn't be too hard to kill a couple deer a year to feed the pooch.
 

idcwby

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Jun 23, 2015
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I have read quite a few articles about feeding hunting dogs ground uncooked venison. It is supposedly fantastic for the dog (pure protein, no preservatives). I don't know how I feel feeding venison to a dog as opposed to a person. Here in illinois you can pretty much shoot all the does you want so wouldn't be too hard to kill a couple deer a year to feed the pooch.
I wonder how that compares to the sled dogs in Alaska eating salmon all the time?
 

buckbull

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I wonder how that compares to the sled dogs in Alaska eating salmon all the time?
good question. Both venison and salmon are great sources of protein. I know salmon has alot of omega-3 acids which are great for heart health; something the sled dogs definitely need.
 

buckbull

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Jun 20, 2011
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The only thing I feed our dog is ground deer meat. I do cook it though, not sure why. Maybe raw would be better?
Everything I read talks about serving the venison raw. But these guys start the dogs on raw venison once the pup is weaned. I'm far from an expert but I would think cooked venison would certainly be better than any processed dog food. I'm not sure on the raw vs cooked.
 

idcwby

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Jun 23, 2015
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Everything I read talks about serving the venison raw. But these guys start the dogs on raw venison once the pup is weaned. I'm far from an expert but I would think cooked venison would certainly be better than any processed dog food. I'm not sure on the raw vs cooked.
Don’t quote me, but I remember reading that when you cook it, you lose some nutritional valve. I think it breaks down the protein.
Might not be bad to try, but I would hate traveling with it this time of year when it’s so hot.
 

manitou1

Member
Mar 21, 2017
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Black Gold!!!
When I raised bird dogs, they did better on it than anything else.
Firm poops, lots of strength and energy... and they loved it.
For long, hard, multi-day hunts I always carried some bread and peanut butter or doggy energy bars. Nothing worse than seeing a pup hunt it's heart out ten hours a day and then going into convulsions because their blood sugar dropped to dangerous levels. A driven dog doesn't know the word "quit" and will quite literally hunt themselves to near death.
 

QuizMore

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Jun 14, 2022
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The right dog food is very important. I always try to feed my German Shepherd only the right food as recommended by the veterinarian. But recently, my wife and I decided to get ourselves a Labrador, and this is where some problems began. The Labrador constantly ate the food of our German Shepherd and began to recover very strongly. Then we began to read and think about what to do and stumbled upon one site, adjusted to a new dog, and read that this is most likely because the Labrador is not fully accustomed to the fact that there is still a dog in the house. We put him on a special diet and began to work with him actively, the weight began to go away gradually. And the Labrador is accustomed to our German Shepherd.