High calorie supplement

[petey]

Hello Guys, I'm heading to the north woods next week on a grouse hunting trip and I was wandering if anyone had any recipes for a high calorie boost that I could add to my dog food. I feed a premium dog food but between all the travel and excitement of hunting they just won't eat, I have a couple dogs that won't eat a handful for the first couple days and start looking pretty poor. It would be nice to add something that they just couldn't resist. I checked on getting a product called "Dyne High Calorie Supplement" but it would be pushing it to get here in time and also be around 50.00 with shipping. I was hoping someone might have some homemade syrup mixture or something I could get at the Grocery store.

[MikeB]

What if you just used canned meat like Evengars chicken. Available in most every pet store. It is not a complete dog food just canned chicken, nothing else. It is not high calorie but will get most dogs to eat and that is what you really want. It worked for mine when I first brought her home and she would not eat due to stress.

You could also use NUPRO supplement. It has a great liver flavor when mixed with a little warm water. Never known a dog to pass that up. You can order a small tub and have it shipped overnight. http://www.nuprosupplements.com

The All In One supplement K9 Show Stopper I use daily is high fat for great skin and coat. Should get any dog to eat and provide some energy too. http://www.k9power.com/k9_show_stopper.php

[griffgirl]

When we go out West my guy is the same way....Wont eat.So what I do is cook up a bunch of Chicken Breast and add canned Chicken stock and mix it in his food.

He eats away and with 8 days of hunting in SD he only lost 2 pounds.

[Big Dave]

You might look at Nutri Cal or something similar. It is in a tube and is easy to carry in the field and most dogs seem to like the taste. Many vet and dog supply carry it and it is less than $10 a tube.

[petey]

Thanks for the replys, I was wanting something super fatting for the first few days, after about day 5 they usually start getting settled in. About the time that they can't decide if they want to come out of the dog box or not.

[Rick Hall]

Dr. Arleigh Reynolds (super canine nutritionist) has suggested sausage for those who feel the need to suppliment while hunting.

[petey]

Sauage just might be the ticket, very fatting. I'll just fry up a bunch of patties and keep them in a zip lock bag for a midday booster and then crumble some up in their food at night. Thanks

[ezzy333]

Once you cook it you have eliminated most of the fat and therefore most of the calories. Ig I was going that route I would get unseasoned sausage and use it raw. I don't think there is a need for it and if you need more intake on the dog just use some sort of gravy or canned dog food as a supplement. However the last thing I want a dog to do while working hard is overeat.

Ezzy

[MikeB]

I think you have to watch out when feeding a high fat food that it doesn't cause instant diarrhea as the dog is not used to this foreign substance. The purpose of the fat supplement my just back fire on you.

[Scott Linden]

You might look at Nutri Cal or something similar. It is in a tube and is easy to carry in the field and most dogs seem to like the taste. Many vet and dog supply carry it and it is less than $10 a tube.

I really liked Nutri-Cal, until the price went to $10/tube. I used it all day in the field.

Drs. Foster & Smith have a similar product, Vita-Cal, for about half price.

[rockllews]

PetEdge has NutriCal at $4.99/tube. That's the high-cal supplement we use. They ship really fast but I don't know if you'd have it by the time you leave.

[nanney1]

Try the Satin Balls recipe. Just search for it on the web.

Start by giving them meatball size snacks just to make sure that they tolerate it.

[Chaingang]

I've used Sardines packed in water for extra fat and protein. Sure makes the kibble more attractive for tired dogs not interested in eating much.

[petey]

Thanks guys for the tips, the dogs made it through the hunting trip fairly well. They are very thin after 8 days in the northwoods but we got back home last nite so it's back to the normal.

[MikeB]

Petey,
What high calorie supplement did you use if any on your trip? Did you feed more at night?

[petey]

I took three dogs and was only worried about one eating, I just got some can dog food and mixed in with the dry and after two days of hunting she started eating by just putting the bowl in the dog box with her at nite and it would be gone in the morning. Strange little girl she is, but she pointed me about 20 grouse so I can get over the eating habits.

[shets114]

Find yourself some tripe, should be able to get it at any slaughter house or ask your local butcher. Sure to keep the weight on. You can cut it into strips and freeze it. Then when your ready to go just put it in a cooler.

[ezzy333]

Shets,

Are you sure Tripe(stomach) is really high calorie? I have never heard that and seems odd since there is no fat involved.

Ezzy

[big steve46]

Maybe dogs like it so well, they will eat a bunch of it quickly. It should be made of smooth muscle, sl amt of fat perhaps, and contents, correct Ezzy?

[glk7243]

I have always given straight beef fat to a dog that is underweight. It also works good for those hard keepers, or if you have dogs that are working extra hard in the winter. Buy a few lbs and chunk it up in about 1" squares. I have never seen a dog that would not gobble it right down.

[glk7243]

I found several sites that list tripe calories at 750 to 760 per lb. I personally have never used it.
Corn oil at 120 calories per tblsp also works pretty good

[shets114]

They will eat it when they won't eat anything else and keeps weight on a dog.