Another Nutrition Question re: Performance Dogs

Herding dogs tend to require both sprinting and endurance when working full time - but their condition has to stay more towards the "sprinting" side of things to be effective.  Most dogs at trials who also work on commercial farms are visibly ribby.

I've never thought about it before, but a slightly underconditioned dog can be effective, assuming the muscle is there, but a slightly overconditioned dog is simply going to flounder.  Sheep especially will get the better of such a dog very quickly.

So I would imagine that herding dogs store their reserves in a different manner than hunting and probably sledding dogs do.  Not needing as much staying power probably makes all the difference - it's a tradeoff for greater maneuverability and those "afterburners" that are required to get the job done. 

Then there are the champion sprinters - the sighthounds - with so little ability to store fat that they have problems regulating body temps - and isn't the anesthesia issue related to that as well? 

mudpuppy

Houndmusic, you're talking about an endurance event. Dogs need to be prepared totally differently for endurance and sprinting events. An agility dog runs for less than ten minutes per day at a trial. Explosive sprinting. You want NO fat on that dog. Every ounce slows the dog. Yes, a dog who is expected to run for hours needs a fat layer and different diet and preparation than a sprinting dog.Dogs who sprint should have bones visible.

     The OP was asking about whether a lack of body fat or not enough food can contribute to the shivering - IMO, it can. And I also believe zero fat on a dog is NOT healthy. This comes from my own personal experience with performance dogs. I am not suggesting anyone keep their sporting dogs fat. Quite the contrary, I believe I mentioned that they building of muscle is actually more important ... but dogs working in water, that is a different story, and for their own health, they need a thin layer of fat. Hypoglycemia is also a problem with any working dog, no matter what type of work it is, if their food is causing spikes in blood sugar. I'm only mentioning this because the symptoms the OP gave match problems I've had to troubleshoot for in the past, regardless of exact type of work. I am well aware a sprinting dog is a different animal, different needs, but all have the same body and I recognize the symptoms of possible hypoglycemia when I see them.

     FYI, Beagles are not endurance dogs in the same way a sled dog is. Beagles stop frequently to work out the checks and will run quickly in short bursts, whereby they bring the hare to the gun or dispatch it themselves. Chases are normally short lived, once the pack opens up. They are bred for their ability to work out the check and run a tight line, they are bred to do these things with style and not give a long, enduring chase. We stay out for several hours just looking for rabbits, and the dogs are walking at a normal to slow pace and can be followed easily on foot 95% of the time they're hunting. Beagling is a sport that is more about watching the dogs puzzle out the line if scent than the actual short lived chase. A Beagle on the line can be a s-l-o-w creature, lol.

 Yes, Becca. They get cold, fast, and have a hard time coming out of it. I'm thrilled to death with one of my vets, because he had a retired Greyhound until late last year. He's the one who fixed Ena Bean's teeth, and he was super careful with her. He did a fantastic job. 

 

Emma's little diet worked, BTW. I reduced her food, slightly, and she's already lost a few ounces. She's going significantly stronger. I also started using "Take Hold" on her feet. I got it at Staples. It's the stuff that bank tellers put on their fingers to flip bills. It's slightly tacky. When she's moving on slippery surfaces, it really makes a difference. That bit of extra grip seems to help her out a lot.