PDA

View Full Version : Dogs, feeding, and special needs



randomroads
07-12-2010, 10:41
We are planning a thru-hike with our two dogs starting in March. I did a search, but it couldn't find anything at all about dog food and special needs dogs.

My youngest is a large breed dog, but she will only be a year by March. She'll still be growing, and one of my main concerns about her is lack of nutrition. Her parents and grandparents have all had hips and elbows tested with 'good' or 'fair' results. I bought her specifically for SAR work and fun agility/obedience on the side, so keeping her body health is very important to us.

My other dog is a 4 year old barrel with legs and she's all muscle. She's been trained in weight pull and did her own 'wilderness survival' when she got lost for three months... in the winter... when it snowed for the first time in years... and she's a very short coated dog. Animal control was able to grab her (microchip, get it done, it saves lives), and she looked better than she had when I had her! I'm not worried about her, since she'll eat just about anything.

Is it realistic to pack with dog food? Should I research dehydrated diets since they're higher in proteins and fats? Is it fesable to put more weight on the four year old, since I know she can handle it? We're using Ruffwear dog packs, with some homemade tweaks

Should I plan this all out and arrange for kibble to be included in our mail drops? We're planning on packing light, so we could carry most of the food weight ourselves if that's the best option.

kanga
07-12-2010, 11:00
for long distances, i use puppy food for my two older dogs, higher in protein/fat content. also, they "clean" up after me at dinner and breakfast, but only with my dehydrated home cooked meals that don't have tomatoes and corn. occasionally i'll put olive oil packets on their food. my old "barrel" dog did not lose a significant amount of weight on this type of diet. the naturally skinny girls do.

randomroads
07-12-2010, 11:11
When I say she'll eat anything, I mean it. I've seen her pick a fight with another dog over broccoli. My tomatoes aren't safe when she's around. She'll snatch them green right off the bush.

kanga
07-12-2010, 11:28
aaahahaha! that sounds like my old blue heeler, my "barrel" dog.

hikrgrl
07-13-2010, 10:36
I thru-hiked in 09, with my chocolate lab - she was 9 years old. When I first got her in 2006, she developed chronic ear infections that were remedied by switching her diet to the hypoallergenic sweet potato & fish kibble put out by Natural Balance. No ear problems since - except for the one time she stayed with some friends who said with amazement, "Yeah, she ate all of her food AND all of our dog's food, too!" ...which happened to be the same stuff that precipitated the ear infections in the first place.

So...my dog carried her own food in a Ruffwear pack, and I had her on the Natural Balance "A.M.P." formula - high protein, "active/muscle/performance" is what I think the letters stand for. She did 1800 miles of the trail - got bumped off by what I later found out was anaplasmosis. No fun, but she's back to her normal self :-)

Dirty Nails
07-23-2010, 12:22
I like to keep my dog on a consistant diet, as most vets and books recommend. So it may be better to mail drop if the regular food is not commonly available in groceries. A real pain. Otherwise just buy along the way, but try to buy the same food. And many people use puppy food for a greater nutrition content.
I find it concerning you say:

Dirty Nails
07-23-2010, 13:23
Let me try this again...
I find it concerning you say:

"My youngest is a large breed dog, but she will only be a year by March. She'll still be growing,"

(how do you folks do this "quote" stuff?)

I feel strongly that the rigors of hiking rough terrain for 15+mi and 10hrs per day are unhealth...even dangerous for a young, growing dog.

And yet you also claim:

"keeping her body health is very important to us."

I think this may be a contradiction.

You also say:

"did her own 'wilderness survival' when she got lost for three months"
and:
"I'm not worried about her, since she'll eat just about anything."

In my oppinion, you better worry about her! I saw MANY "lost dog" posters on my last hike. A trail dog MUST be well trained before it hits the trail. I suppose you only need to worry if you plan to keep your dog. And there will be plenty of stuff for your dog to find and eat. Much of it garbage, much of it toxic!
A responsible owner controls his dog and protects the dog's well-being all the time, and under all conditions.
It's not my intent to tell you your business, but by what you say, I feel you should reconsider. Perhaps wait until the dog is full developed, fully and dependably trained or perhaps leave him home with a dependable relative.

Good Lord...I'm starting to sound like Baltimore Jack!!

I take my dog hiking frequently. But after seeing many thru hiking dogs, I am beginning to see his points of view. It appears that most dogs do OK on shorter trips, but very few do well on long distance trips.
I won't say I agree with him completely, but I think a lot of his motivation, and mine, is for the best interest of the dog.
If you:

"bought her specifically for SAR work and fun agility/obedience "

then you are surely working with some training clubs or orgs. Ask some of those experienced dog owners what they think too.

Look...it's your dog...do what you will. But we're just telling you what we see and experience. When all is said and done, its your responsibility, your dog.
Good luck.

kanga
07-23-2010, 17:48
Let me try this again...
I find it concerning you say:

"My youngest is a large breed dog, but she will only be a year by March. She'll still be growing,"

(how do you folks do this "quote" stuff?)

I feel strongly that the rigors of hiking rough terrain for 15+mi and 10hrs per day are unhealth...even dangerous for a young, growing dog.

And yet you also claim:

"keeping her body health is very important to us."

I think this may be a contradiction.

You also say:

"did her own 'wilderness survival' when she got lost for three months"
and:
"I'm not worried about her, since she'll eat just about anything."

In my oppinion, you better worry about her! I saw MANY "lost dog" posters on my last hike. A trail dog MUST be well trained before it hits the trail. I suppose you only need to worry if you plan to keep your dog. And there will be plenty of stuff for your dog to find and eat. Much of it garbage, much of it toxic!
A responsible owner controls his dog and protects the dog's well-being all the time, and under all conditions.
It's not my intent to tell you your business, but by what you say, I feel you should reconsider. Perhaps wait until the dog is full developed, fully and dependably trained or perhaps leave him home with a dependable relative.

Good Lord...I'm starting to sound like Baltimore Jack!!

I take my dog hiking frequently. But after seeing many thru hiking dogs, I am beginning to see his points of view. It appears that most dogs do OK on shorter trips, but very few do well on long distance trips.
I won't say I agree with him completely, but I think a lot of his motivation, and mine, is for the best interest of the dog.
If you:

"bought her specifically for SAR work and fun agility/obedience "

then you are surely working with some training clubs or orgs. Ask some of those experienced dog owners what they think too.

Look...it's your dog...do what you will. But we're just telling you what we see and experience. When all is said and done, its your responsibility, your dog.
Good luck.
This is a great post! Very well said!

shelterbuilder
07-23-2010, 20:14
As a dog owner/handler (musher), I also have concerns about damaging the "growth plates" of the dog's bones by over-stressing them before they dog is finished growing. Check with your vet before you do this - it IS possible to do unseen damage that will not show up for years, but could have a very negative impact on the dog's middle and later years.

Everyone's got an opinion - that's mine. As was said: it's your dog, do what you will.

Good luck to the 3 of you !:)

wirerat123
08-16-2010, 11:04
You should put off the hike for at least another year.

Tilly
08-16-2010, 16:18
Large or giant breed dogs, even those that are going to be working later on, should not be over exercised until they are bonafide full grown, 1 1/2 to 2 years depending.

Also, since large/giant breed dogs should not be fed an excess of calories during their growth phase, I'm not sure how this would jive with the rigors of hiking and requiring increased caloric intake.