# Optimum timing of feeding



## datacan (May 15, 2011)

I read somewhere that hunting dogs do better if fed a small meal in the morning and the rest in the evening after returning from the field. 
As an example if the recommended amount is 3 cups/day, one could feed 1/2 cup in the morning before going out and the rest in the evening. 
The theory is that these dogs do better with an empty intestinal tract. 
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[/list] 1. Blood supply is not being routed towards digestion and away from the muscles.
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[/list] 2. Extra weight of the food is not bouncing around in the digestive tract and causing micro-damage from that bouncing.

Does this sound right or it's baloney?


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Well, I am not a hunter, but just from the viewpoint of the dog's health, that sounds very reasonable to me. If it is a day when you are actually taking your dog out hunting, this approach would avoid the threat of bloat, as well. On non-hunting days, a 50% a.m. and 50% p.m. calorie distribution keeps the blood sugar levels steadier. 

I maintained a diabetic dog for 5-1/2 years, and in that case it had to be 50%/50%, two meals a day precisely twelve hours apart, followed by insulin injection. But for a real hunting dog, an empty stomach while working in the field is really the safest way. It makes all the sense...


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Not hunting yet, for now we run after rabbits not birds. ;D 
The 50%, 50% feeding sounds more logical to me at this point. Thanx


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

What I do around field training/trial days is 50%/75%.
They need more nutrition when worked hard.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

I see Mischa, total of 125% because of working hard all day. Makes sense. Just need some water, some rest and back to work it is 

This morning I did 25% and performance appeared to improve. 
I am very concerned with bloat (as per mswhipple mentioned). A friend's GSP narrowly survived bloat. Poor boy ate and ran and drank water non stop.


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## SandraDee (Oct 19, 2010)

If there is going to be a lot of work/exercise it is probably better not to have the dog have a full stomach, Vizsla's arer susceptible to Stomach Torsion. When I was about 8, on of our Vizsla's had torsion and survived, but it was very close call, and it waas months and months of rercovery, and the poor dog looked so ill during recovery it was horrible to see.

Anyway that has always stuck with me, and I'm very aware of Scout and the amount he has had to eat and when he will be exercising so that I can avoid this the best that I can.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Yes, it is important for all Vizsla owners (all dog owners, really) to be aware of it.

You might remember that there was a short thread about bloat not too long ago. It is under Vizsla Problems: Health Problems: "Please watch for bloat in your dog" started by Amber (Amber's owner). It's about 2/3 down the first page in that part of the forum. 

If your dog gets it, the best you can hope for is that your dog survives and then all you have to deal with is a huge Vet bill. :'(


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

yes, mswhipple 
Amber's post caught my eye too a while ago. It got buried under all other new posts. I think it should have a special place on this site so everyone can see it. Amber only posted once. Sad.

Perhaps the moderators can help out.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Yes, that would be great! For the time being, I will just add a post and bring it back to the top of the "Recent" list...


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

I guess I should have mentioned the feeding times as well. She's up at 5:30 am with me, and if I don't feed her right after I take her out to pee, she often throws up a little bit of bile. She likes her breakfast on time. 
When I get home from work we go out for her big run of the day, and I feed her after we get home, at about 5-6pm, never before we leave.


So on trial days, her meal is hours before she actually gets out to work. Then she gets her big meal hours after she has been out in the field.

I remember reading that ideally you want to feed them an hour or more after they've run, but that would be well over 12 hours with no food for her...

Something I've mentioned on this forum before, but will repeat in this thread:
Teaching the trick "roll-over" is a bad idea for deep chested dogs because their stomachs can twist. It's a cute trick, but not worth the risk of them getting bloat.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Good question. I try to feed 2 hours before any serious activity.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

I agree. It takes 12 hours to empty the digestive tract so big meals are added weight sloshing around on above average workout days. 

I wonder if it's OK to suddenly change the amount of food just because I anticipate a good workout. To reduce morning food intake to a minimum amount and add the rest or a little more (like Misha) in the evening.

I tried it and noticed what seemed like a spike in his energy levels (temporary, not long lasting as suggested by what I read)


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