Feeding Requirements for Guide Dogs And Dogs “On The Go”
Like hunting dogs, dogs that are on-the-go are always moving. These dogs come from the “round-tip” family as they were normally used to round up animals. Unlike hunting dogs, nevertheless, round-up dogs rarely get a chance to relax every couple of hours. They work endlessly until they have recovered all the strays, brought in the last maverick, or are called off by their owners. As a result round-up dogs burn great amounts of energy each day they are working. Many of them are performing at the upper limits of a dog’s capabilities and endurance.
Always leaving food out and having these dogs self-feed more desirable than portion control. By allowing the dog to create its own daily eating it will do a far better job of determining how much it wants, in relation to how hard it is working, than you could ever do.
Dogs that are on normal herd duty can be fed any time that is suitable to the herdsman. Like all working dogs, they should be fed twice every day, if at all possible. For herd dogs, about half of the daily needs should be fed at each meal. Round-up dogs should be fed their morning snack at least an hour before they start, if that’s possible, and must always be permitted to rest an hour or so at the end of the day before being fed their evening meal.
Guide Dogs
These are the dogs that act as a blind person’s eyes. Much of their outflow of energy depends on the activity of their masters. Active persons will have active dogs. In addition, mental stress and tension play a part in the necessities for energy in guide dogs. Therefore, even guide dogs with owners who are practically inactive have a bigger need for energy than dogs of the similar breed that live as house pets.
Most guide dogs, like any other dog, should have their food intake adjusted to preserve their individual body weight. The convenience of the food is almost as vital as its quality where guide dogs are concerned. Elaborate mixing of ingredients, or even reasonable combinations, become impossible tasks for people who cannot see to read a degree or level a tablespoon. A single-food diet is most pleasing for guide dogs, and the foods of higher caloric density (1600 to 2000 calories per pound) provide the least trouble for the maximum performance.
Feeding guide dogs is best completed by using portion control. It poses the least problem for a blind owner to just measure out a fixed amount of food at each mealtime and throw away any food remaining uneaten. By having a sighted person weigh his dog at regular intervals, a blind master can make a decision as to whether or not his dog’s food should be increased or decreased for the next interval.
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