What energy boost/snack do you use?

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porochi
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What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by porochi » Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:35 am

My GSP, male, 2 yrs., can run for hours but will crash when done. He's spent. This will be my first full hunting season with him. I'm wondering how he'll hold up going this hard over a long weekend hunt, several days in a row. I'm wondering what energy booster or snacks are best to give your dog when you're out in the field and want to keep his motor running. A friend says just peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are all you need, feed him one or two after he's worked hard for a few hours, and plenty of water, that's what he does for his dogs, Brittanies. My guy does like PB & J, but just curious about what others give their dogs, if any. There's some high priced sport dog energy bars available but not sure it's necessary to spend a bunch of $ on those if something more basic works just fine.

KCKLH
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by KCKLH » Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:26 pm

In terms of a snack? A bag of dog food or maybe some breakfast scraps.
In terms of energe boost I have my dog (and myself) on cordyceps mushroom supplements. That stuff gives you a whole new gear.

Timewise65
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by Timewise65 » Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:01 pm

Since dogs digest food much slower than humans, there is nothing you can do for a quick pick me up, although that myth still persists.

From your comments it appears you already understand that, and want to supplement his nightly food intake with something will help him over the long-run. I always focus on increasing the fat intake of the dog 48 hours prior to a multiday hunting trip. I increase with animal fats from beef we trim during the year. We keep it frozen until we need it for hunting season. I grind it up and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup daily to his/her regular meals. I continue this until we are done with the hunting trip. I also do this if we are expecting below freezing weather, it helps the dog keep warm, but must be started 48hrs prior to exposure to provide any benefit.

Good luck

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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by polmaise » Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:02 pm

On this side of the pond , there are numerous manufacturers of energy bars and supplements and even more owners who swear by them . (I am sure the same is State side) .
One thing I learned about a Hunting breed is that No manufacturer or retailer of energy boost/snack ever promoted or invented was "Stamina" . Before this gets in to any Food Debate ...like most .
There Is No substitute for the building of that stamina in breeding/training/environment/training/health/and Food .
I used to Train/Race "Long Dogs" , so you can Boost some things for a limited period of time ,but Drugs or additives as a Boost is never going to overcome the Build .
If the Hunting dog runs for hours and crashes , then perhaps the energy has been spent by the handler ? (just saying) . Hunting for the sake of it ,dont produce much unless the dog and Handler run out of gas .
...
It would be nice to add something in the Tank when You need it ? ... Like a Turbo in a car for example ?.. 8)
The energy Boost/Snack I use ,Is reading the dog and the game and the terrain and the temp, and the wind and the age of the dog and the level of training of the dog and a whole load of factors that would take a book that some would not read .
"Mars Bars" are good for a collapsed /exhausted dog I hear on Internet ? ...So why not feed them this to Get more ? "Work rest and Play" . :lol:

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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by Trekmoor » Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:30 pm

I've used Mars Bars several times as an energy boost during long hunts over the grouse moors with my brittannies or GSP's. I have no idea if doing this helped the dogs at all but it did help me to think I was doing my best for the dogs.
The main problem I had while doing this on a hot August days was that the Mars Bars just turned into a gooey mess !

I also tried putting a little glucose powder into the drinking water I carried for the dogs but maybe glucose doesn't work on dogs ? I certainly never noticed it help the dogs at all.

I do often give my dogs parts of my sandwiches or all of the Scotch Eggs I take with me to driven pheasant shoots but I do this only to keep my dogs happy while I eat !

Bill T.

polmaise
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by polmaise » Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:02 pm

Murderer ! and Killing Your dogs Bill ! ..
If you Google it :lol:
Mind noo, dinnae hiv any common sense next time ..tut tut . :lol:

Shellottome
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What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by Shellottome » Fri Sep 14, 2018 8:52 pm

Sounds like you have a german setter pointer. Feed him dine-o-vite and liquid chops he’ll be a top performing german shorthair pointer.


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Urban_Redneck
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by Urban_Redneck » Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:17 am

Timewise65 wrote:Since dogs digest food much slower than humans, there is nothing you can do for a quick pick me up, although that myth still persists.

From your comments it appears you already understand that, and want to supplement his nightly food intake with something will help him over the long-run. I always focus on increasing the fat intake of the dog 48 hours prior to a multiday hunting trip. I increase with animal fats from beef we trim during the year. We keep it frozen until we need it for hunting season. I grind it up and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup daily to his/her regular meals. I continue this until we are done with the hunting trip. I also do this if we are expecting below freezing weather, it helps the dog keep warm, but must be started 48hrs prior to exposure to provide any benefit.

Good luck
Sage advice.

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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by Timewise65 » Sat Sep 15, 2018 8:32 am

Trainers have a term they use for when people transfer human characteristics to dogs, but I'll be darned if I can recall the term. I think it applies when feeding carbs to dogs for energy.

Unfortunately, this practice is more common than 'tics on a hound'! Especially when talking about dog feeding. e.g. People can get a 'sugar high' for a short time by eating candy or carbs in general. If you were diabetic, like I am, you would really understand this well! That being said, dogs do not digest or absorb things they eat for 24hrs or more (est.)! Ask your vet, don't rely on me....

That being said, supplementing something to help the dog with energy must be done over the days leading up to the hunt and maintained as part of the regular feeding during hunting season. Using carbohydrates is a poor solution for both man and beast, once absorbed it is either used in the body or stored as fat. Eating fats, unlike sugar, is used as needed and any extra is expelled from the system. Same in humans, although like I have mentioned, the speed of absorption is radically different between dogs and people.

Therefore it is my belief that fats not carbs are good for man and beast alike! Thinking about ancient man and all wild canines, carbs were not readily available (Primarily Spring and Summer until man learned to grow and preserve foods), but meat (Protein and Fat) were available year round! So all of this is really common sense...we have evolved as meat eaters...

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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by cjhills » Sat Sep 15, 2018 9:26 am

It has always been my belief that living beings are designed to run out of energy when their structure needs a break. For that reason I think conditioning and good regular diet are much more important than energy boosting products, which are expensive and if they do work probably do more harm than good.....Cj

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gonehuntin'
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by gonehuntin' » Sat Sep 15, 2018 7:48 pm

Won't help them that day, but Glycocharge is a miracle product that lets them recover by the next day to hunt.

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Settertude
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by Settertude » Sun Sep 16, 2018 9:14 am

Timewise65 wrote:Since dogs digest food much slower than humans, there is nothing you can do for a quick pick me up, although that myth still persists.

From your comments it appears you already understand that, and want to supplement his nightly food intake with something will help him over the long-run. I always focus on increasing the fat intake of the dog 48 hours prior to a multiday hunting trip. I increase with animal fats from beef we trim during the year. We keep it frozen until we need it for hunting season. I grind it up and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup daily to his/her regular meals. I continue this until we are done with the hunting trip. I also do this if we are expecting below freezing weather, it helps the dog keep warm, but must be started 48hrs prior to exposure to provide any benefit.

Good luck
I like this. Where is that 'like' button when you need it.

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Born2Hunt
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by Born2Hunt » Sun Sep 16, 2018 9:56 am

Plus one on the Dino-vite works great

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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by polmaise » Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:13 pm

Born2Hunt wrote:Plus one on the Dino-vite works great
For just a scientific and personal perspective . "Have You ever eaten one , or even seen an Instant change in energy when the dog has ?".
Tell me please why Dino-vite or any other Dyno mite would would work ? .. (In the context of What energy boost/snack ) would work ? .

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Born2Hunt
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What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by Born2Hunt » Sun Sep 16, 2018 7:40 pm

Sorry had the wrong name .. Energel from pet ag but they have since changed the name and now it’s called high cal gel from pet ag ..


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greg jacobs
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by greg jacobs » Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:23 pm

In my opinion conditioning and genetics are the key. I don't buy into miracle products. Number of hours a dog can hunt depends partly on average speed of the dog. A dog that averages 7 to 9 mph is in the 25 mile range in 3 hours.a slower dog may hit 25 miles in 6 hours. I try to limit my dogs to 25 miles a day. My young male I can get 32 miles out of him when needed.

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CDN_Cocker
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by CDN_Cocker » Fri Sep 21, 2018 2:33 pm

I keep a bit of dog food in my bag in case he gets hypoglycemic. Nothing special.

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oldbeek
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Re: What energy boost/snack do you use?

Post by oldbeek » Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:51 pm

Honey stix for you and dog. Honey processes into blood sugar faster than anything else. I used to sell them to track teams and distance runners. Google Honeystix

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