Nutrition article links
Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 7:42 pm
http://www.mushing.com/articles/category.php?vw=2,,8,29
This is a link to Mushing Magazine's nutrition articles. These articles were written by or are interviews of people with veterinary or advanced degrees in canine nutrition as well as real world experience in the high physical performance sport of sprint or distance sled dog racing.
We are often the victims of marketing, chefs preparing gourmet meals for their drooling terriers, but I prefere to feed my dogs based on science and research. The nutritional needs of non-sled dogs vary only in amount of calories needed each day. There are exceptions to this based on individual medical conditions.
My own experience with high calorie sled dog foods required that I restrict the volume fed on days when I didn't run the dogs and in summer. My 40 to 45 pound dogs (running weight) would get half a cup twice a day in summer, double or more in winter. Their weight and muscle tone stayed fairly constant and they did not beg for more food because their nutritional needs were being met. And yard pick up was a breeze! Lol
I ran my sister's light boned Chocolate Lab on lead on my four-dog sled team. At 40 pounds, he was a lean, shiny athlete with very well defined and bulging muscles in his rump and shoulders. He had a tucked abdomen and a strong, healthy arch to his back as a result of his "abs of steel". I went to Montana for two years. When I came back my sister had him at 65 pounds and he looked like the typical pet Lab. To most pet owners and vets, he looked like a healthy pet. But he wasn't healthy. I got him back in shape and my sister maintained it. He lived to be over 18 and was finally put to sleep when his quality of life declined too much.
Anorexic super models are skinny. Gold medal Olympic marathon runners are fit. Both might weigh the same. Only one is healthy.
This is a link to Mushing Magazine's nutrition articles. These articles were written by or are interviews of people with veterinary or advanced degrees in canine nutrition as well as real world experience in the high physical performance sport of sprint or distance sled dog racing.
We are often the victims of marketing, chefs preparing gourmet meals for their drooling terriers, but I prefere to feed my dogs based on science and research. The nutritional needs of non-sled dogs vary only in amount of calories needed each day. There are exceptions to this based on individual medical conditions.
My own experience with high calorie sled dog foods required that I restrict the volume fed on days when I didn't run the dogs and in summer. My 40 to 45 pound dogs (running weight) would get half a cup twice a day in summer, double or more in winter. Their weight and muscle tone stayed fairly constant and they did not beg for more food because their nutritional needs were being met. And yard pick up was a breeze! Lol
I ran my sister's light boned Chocolate Lab on lead on my four-dog sled team. At 40 pounds, he was a lean, shiny athlete with very well defined and bulging muscles in his rump and shoulders. He had a tucked abdomen and a strong, healthy arch to his back as a result of his "abs of steel". I went to Montana for two years. When I came back my sister had him at 65 pounds and he looked like the typical pet Lab. To most pet owners and vets, he looked like a healthy pet. But he wasn't healthy. I got him back in shape and my sister maintained it. He lived to be over 18 and was finally put to sleep when his quality of life declined too much.
Anorexic super models are skinny. Gold medal Olympic marathon runners are fit. Both might weigh the same. Only one is healthy.