Doggo's Rations on a Long Hunt

I'm interested in how much you feed your mutt on longer hunts. No dramas on overnight or weekend hunts but I'm doing 7 days in the Southern Alps starting next weekend. Wondering if I can safely cut her back to half or two - thirds of her normal daily feed or what. I don't want the poor bitch to starve but also don't want to carry an extra couple of kg of Tucker if she doesn't need it.

At some point I'm sure we'll knock something over for camp meat and she'll get a good meaty feed. Her normal feeds at home would mean I'm carrying 126 biscuits for her. Open to thoughts and suggestions.

My bitch packs her own food and water, plus a little bit of my stuff if there's room. I usually just grab a few handfuls of dog nuts. Last trip was 4 days, fed her some venison from the stag I shot but mostly ate dog nuts and she was right. Give her a bit of my muesli bars and such when i have a snack.

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Mate you don't want to cut her back on what she normally gets it's big country and she will need the energy, we took a mates dog on a 3 day a few weeks back and she was just as wrecked as we were by the end of it, and she's a huntaway/border collie not a fat lab haha. As said though you will pretty much guarantee you can knock something over for camp meat. I would take her normal rations for four days and go from there, if she's not used to fresh meat you be better feeding her half and half biscuits and a bit of meat to keep her stomach settled.

A long time ago when i used to do walk in trips i would make the dogs carry there own food and some of my stuff in there dog packs saddle bags

I'm quite lucky , Fern puts herself on her own diet, have taken a week's worth of food in and if lucky she has eaten 2 days in total.

Bit of a hard one, obviously camp meat will help.

Not a fan of dogs carrying their own stuff, they are not pack horses but each to their own. Maybe just take 100 biscuits

Hamish

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High quality dry food , like Eukanuba Working/Endurance .(no point carrying fillers etc) But I would want to start dog on it asap . Just a little bit at first , to get dog used to it . Don't want dog getting the runs whilst away .

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Originally Posted by HNTMAD

Not a fan of dogs carrying their own stuff, they are not pack horses but each to their own. Maybe just take 100 biscuits

Hamish

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This also, especially in the alps it's not gentle bush country, have seen dogs scrambling to keep their balance across scree slopes etc even with no pack on, you're just going to make it an unenjoyable experience for her by making her carry anything, not to mention dangerous

I've just started making them carry there own, as Ryan says it's not applicable for all areas especially thick bush.

The problem only gets worse when you have 3 of the bloody mutts! As has been said use a good quality kibble and make sure they have access to plenty of water. Can always take extra salami jerry etc for you and share.

Depending on the trip mine don't get any camp meat if they are sharing a tent with me :sick:

HaHa ive seen what fresh meat does to my pup, i also wouldnt let her share a tent but will tie her up well away

High energy food. Buy the best. My dog is 28kg and she operates on 2 cups full of Royal Canin ok.

Biscuits like Tux are heavy for their amount of energy and food value.

High energy food. Buy the best. My dog is 28kg and she operates on 2 cups full of Royal Canin ok.

Biscuits like Tux are heavy for their amount of energy and food value.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

High energy food. Buy the best. My dog is 28kg and she operates on 2 cups full of Royal Canin ok.

Biscuits like Tux are heavy for their amount of energy and food value.

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I feed Harley Mighty Mix dry biscuits (23g each) she has 9 biscuits twice daily which keeps her in very good nick. She's about 28kg too

My 38kg grey hound gets 2 cups morning 2 cups at night of working dog coprice, I take what he normally gets when in the bush, and he feeds himself extra rabbits possums etc

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Originally Posted by Blisters

My 38kg grey hound gets 2 cups morning 2 cups at night of working dog coprice, I take what he normally gets when in the bush, and he feeds himself extra rabbits possums etc

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took my dogs off that stuff found they were shitting heaps with it dirty big shits which I was told means the foods just full of fillers

It sucks carrying a heap of extra weight in dog biscuits. Has anyone tried making beef jerky for the dogs to eat. Beng a farmer I kill injured cattle every now and again so I was going to try it.

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Originally Posted by Blisters

My 38kg grey hound gets 2 cups morning 2 cups at night of working dog coprice, I take what he normally gets when in the bush, and he feeds himself extra rabbits possums etc

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You have 38 Kg Greyhound ?, My Wirehair doesn't weigh that much, Got a photo?

Attachment 83537Attachment 83538Attachment 83539Attachment 83540

He's a unit

Ar they always so big...
sorry dumb question.

He's above average, when they retire and become pets most get fat because they are so lazy and sookie so yeah haha.
I work him pretty hard and he gets no treats/human food

Looks in good hard nick, like they should, credit to you.

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Originally Posted by Cowboy06

It sucks carrying a heap of extra weight in dog biscuits. Has anyone tried making beef jerky for the dogs to eat. Beng a farmer I kill injured cattle every now and again so I was going to try it.

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Mighty Mix do a dehydrated feed in their range. Looks like jerky from memory.

Get good high energy food the freeze dry stuff is good but pricey, they can starve a day or two but if you want them at their best they need calories

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Mate you don't want to cut her back on what she normally gets it's big country and she will need the energy, we took a mates dog on a 3 day a few weeks back and she was just as wrecked as we were by the end of it, and she's a huntaway/border collie not a fat lab haha. As said though you will pretty much guarantee you can knock something over for camp meat. I would take her normal rations for four days and go from there, if she's not used to fresh meat you be better feeding her half and half biscuits and a bit of meat to keep her stomach settled.

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Fresh Veni is a shocker for dogs
Like I was 2 days ago - like Hamilton Jet unit

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Originally Posted by Sarvo

Fresh Veni is a shocker for dogs
Like I was 2 days ago - like Hamilton Jet unit

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If it is a regular part of the diet they are fine.....but if not then yea shits.

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

If it is a regular part of the diet they are fine.....but if not then yea shits.

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I meaning not solely their feed/meat diet

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Originally Posted by Sarvo

I meaning not solely their feed/meat diet

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My last two dogs pretty much lived on venison/bones both raw and frozen for the best part of their lives with only the odd feed of biscuits (that they usually wouldnt eat til starving) They did great on it the trick was getting them to eat anything else......they wouldn't eat any pork unless cooked.
New dog wants its venison cooked ffs....wifes ruined it already.

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

My last two dogs pretty much lived on venison/bones both raw and frozen for the best part of their lives with only the odd feed of biscuits (that they usually wouldnt eat til starving) They did great on it the trick was getting them to eat anything else......they wouldn't eat any pork unless cooked.
New dog wants its venison cooked ffs....wifes ruined it already.

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:-)
Oh - yes Wifi's have a habit of doing this - tell me about it :pissed off:
Strange what you state Cam - as any "working" dog feed on Veni or Goat for that matter will go down hill and loose weight
Maybe your dried addition is countering this ??

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Originally Posted by Sarvo

:-)
Oh - yes Wifi's have a habit of doing this - tell me about it :pissed off:
Strange what you state Cam - as any "working" dog feed on Veni or Goat for that matter will go down hill and loose weight
Maybe your dried addition is countering this ??

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My dogs didnt work or hunt....just pets/guards on a large section.....plenty of exercise but nothing compared to a hill country sheep dog.
Point is if fed raw veni regularly they wont get the shits......if you give any dog 10 kilos of shot meat out of ya trimming bucket when it normally lives on dry biscuits your asking for trouble.

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I feed my 2 a mix of mostly raw/frozen goat (or frozen raw pet food ex supermaket) and Pedigree nuts. The Setter is fine he can mix and match food without to many issues but the wife's westhighland is sensitive to changes in diet. The setter will cope with whole chunks of goat, bone, skin and hair. last goat I shot I turned around and found him helping himself to the lungs. To be fair I generally skin it before feeding them as I don't want a fur blockage from some long haired goat.
I do get a bit careful with old billy meat as that has reacted on the wifes dog and my Dads Curly Coat.

Sorry I cant help much with the OP's question as.
I have only taken my setter on day hunts from a 4wd cabin or overnight light walk in hunts and found he generally was not that hungry. Too much going on.
Zane
ps how fit is the Dog and it's paws. verse how much walking will you actually be doing vs sitting and Glassing etc. I really enjoy taking my dog with me but remember when my previous Welsh Springer got to the point where I had to stop taking him due to arthritis. (he did a lot of milage with me in my 20's.

I don't feed my dogs venison because I don't get any. I don't feed them venison because they get the shits real bad and their condition drops fast. Possum is good as well as a the odd bit of mutton. On trips away I feed Jazz a bit extra dri dog food and she does ok on it. She does love cooked wild pork, like I guess most dogs do.

I used to take those heavy dense possum dog rolls but now just high grade biscuits and shoot hares, rabbits, goats and possums, I don’t like feeding him too much venison as it scours him out.