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Feeding and hunting rituals

I like to feed my dogs after hunting. I just got home right now and was loading up the dog box and my wonderful wife told me she fed the dogs for me since I was working late. She's amazing but I wondered if anyone feeds their dogs then runs them a couple hours later.

Re: Feeding and hunting rituals

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Originally posted by Duckassassin
I like to feed my dogs after hunting. I just got home right now and was loading up the dog box and my wonderful wife told me she fed the dogs for me since I was working late. She's amazing but I wondered if anyone feeds their dogs then runs them a couple hours later.

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Re: Re: Feeding and hunting rituals

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Originally posted by Jrkb2012
I've heard of some doing it,,but not me,,you're taking the chance of the dog twisting its stomach

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Re: Re: Re: Feeding and hunting rituals

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Originally posted by Duckassassin
That's what I figured I also thought too they would be hungry again I would have to find them twice lol!

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Feeding and hunting rituals

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Originally posted by Jrkb2012
Yep,,I never feed them before going hunting,,,I think they hunt better on an empty stomach,,that's just my opinion though,,and dogs get fed when I get back in from the woods,,

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I never know if I'm gonna hunt till the last minute.Ive always feed my dogs around 5 or 6 pm.Never had it hurt them but guess it's possible.

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Originally posted by Jackson87
I never know if I'm gonna hunt till the last minute.Ive always feed my dogs around 5 or 6 pm.Never had it hurt them but guess it's possible.

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I feed mine in the late morning or early afternoon. That gives them plenty of time to digest their food so there should be no stomach dangers or issues and they are not trying to run on an empty tank.
I really believe the old hillbilly "starve 'em and they will hunt better" is a load of B.S. I have never seen where anyone could tell the difference and show me that a dog hunts any better or harder. I have tried feeding them all times of the day and hunting them on empty to feed after the hunt. If you starve them enough they will definitely hunt harder...but they wont be looking for a raccoon, they will be looking for something to eat!!!
There is no way any living thing can perform better or faster or with more desire without energy to burn doing it. I realize humans digest things differently than dogs,but you try missing breakfast and lunch and see how well you do at the Boston Marathon!!!!

For years I fed my hounds before going hunting. I never saw where it affected their hunting. When I had bird dogs, I would hunt all day. At noon I would feed them a can of dog food. It gave them an energy boost for the afternoon hunt.

I've had two twist their stomachs over the years. One when I was a kid and fed before hunting because I didn't know any better. The other because a dog got fed some scraps without my knowledge. First hand experience, it's not a wives tale. Hunt them on empty..!

I feed my dogs wet food every morning and every evening, weather hunting them or not. Have done that for 30+ years and never had an issue.

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Right now I feed my hounds when I get in from work, which is usually around 5pm. They have about 4 hours to digest the food before I hunt them. In the Fall when it gets dark earlier I feed what I'm not hunting before I go and then fed whatever I hunt after I get back from hunting. I've never had any problems feeding this way.

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Originally posted by msinc
If you starve them enough they will definitely hunt harder...but they wont be looking for a raccoon, they will be looking for something to eat!!!

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i feed before dark if not hunting, 6-7pm
If hunting sometimes ill give the dog(s) a tiny snack before loading them up. Something like a qtr cup of food. Kind of similar to eating a snickers if you know dinner is going to be late. Dont want them hunting on a full stomach but dont want em feeling starved either.

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Feeding time

Mine get fed half in the morning and half after hunting.

I would hate to know I had to run around in the woods for 3 or 4 hours on an empty stomach. I am by no means an expert on anything, but I do try to use a little common sense. Dogs can have their stomach twist in the kennel or running around in the yard. Yes hunting a dog on a full stomach will increase the risk. We expect our dogs to perform at the highest levels...right. Well feeding a few hours before hunting only seems to make sense if we want our dogs to have the energy levels to perform, hour after hour. They feed greyhounds and race horses before races to ensure performance and endurance. So why not feed our hounds as well.

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Ive saw one get a twisted stomach. He did feed before they took off after something fast for about 2 miles. Did it cause it? I dont know. My papa told me 30 yrs ago to feed em after hunting. That way they'd always be easier to catch at the end of the night lol. So thats how Ive always did it. Its not always worked either Im not changing now.

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Michael Ghorley

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Originally posted by Jackson87
I never know if I'm gonna hunt till the last minute.Ive always feed my dogs around 5 or 6 pm.Never had it hurt them but guess it's possible.

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when i work i like to come home and get a belly full and go to bed. I know once i get a good meal in me i get lazy and just want to relax. figured my dogs are the same way. They go hunt come home and eat and relax

Because our dogs are looking for supper lol i never understood that because when they do get coon knocked out To them they dont eat it haha my dog is lookin to tree coon he wasnt bred to eat them

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Originally posted by dchartt
Because our dogs are looking for supper lol i never understood that because when they do get coon knocked out To them they dont eat it haha my dog is lookin to tree coon he wasnt bred to eat them

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It's an anatomy deal. Vet told me that a quadruped with a full stomach standing on it's hind legs is exponentially more likely to twist it's gut. Their stomach is made to lay parallel with the ground because they spend the vast majority of their lives on all fours. Couple a full belly with the "unnatural" position of standing/bouncing on back feet while treeing, and I promise you it can happen.

Now I don't think a hungry dog hunts better because it wants to eat a coon, and the idea that they have more energy on a full stomach is silly. A dog doesn't really get much out of its food until it's digested, about 8-12 hours post consumption. Your best bet is feeding after hunting, or at least 10 hours prior. There's a pretty good article about feeding in relation to activity periods in sporting dogs I've been trying to find, and as soon as I do I'll post a link.

Hope I don't sound like a know-it-all, but I lost a 'goodun' once to a twisted gut due to my own ignorance, and I've done a fair amount of reading on the subject...

I have been feeding mine about a cup or so 3-4 hours before I go hunting and it seems as if he has more energy. We all know they need energy to function just the same as we do. If you feed in the evening then hunt the next night he has been without food for a possible 18-24 hours and that is a long time to go without being fed in my opinion.

I feed 2 times a day. At 7 am and after the hunt. If I don't hunt the 2nd feeding is right before I go to bed.

Mine are on self feeders