

Skinner's: Fueling your working dog mid-season
Written by Zoe Russell, BSc (Hons), ANutr
By now, the working season is in full swing, with many dogs and handlers already racking up several days out in the field. However as the season progresses, the weather will become colder and the conditions will become more challenging. Therefore it’s important we support our dogs with the right diet and appropriate management to help them stay healthy and perform at their best.
Feeding the right diet
By now, your dog should be well established on their in-season diet. These diets typically have a higher provision of key nutrients such as protein, for muscle integrity, as well as fat, which dogs preferentially use to fuel endurance activity. In addition, these diets will typically be higher calorie to support your dog’s increased energy demands. A typical in-season diet would be a diet such as the Working 26 which provides a good source of protein and fat for active, working dogs. Alternatively, some owners will use the Field and Trial Muesli, which although not our highest calorie diet, is a highly palatable diet and is well know for keeping the weight on active working dogs. When mixed with a bit of warm water, it can also make an appetising, refuel meal after a hard day’s work.
However if your dog is dropping weight and condition, even on an appropriate working diet, then we would suggest adjusting their daily feed intake in the first instance. Start off by following the feeding guidelines for your dog’s ideal current weight (essentially the weight you want them to be right now). However if they don’t maintain a healthy weight and condition on this amount, then try increasing the guidelines in 10-20% increments. Furthermore, we would suggest weighing your dog’s feed using accurate, calibrated scales, to minimise the likelihood of under-feeding (or even over-feeding).
Wet food
It’s not uncommon for working dogs to show a lack of appetite, particularly if they anticipate the working day ahead. Some working breeds also have very “busy brains” which means they don’t sit still long enough to eat! For these dogs, the Field and Trial wet food can make the perfect topper or mixer for their dry food. Our wet food recipes are highly palatable and made with 60% meat, plus nutritious vegetables such as carrots and parsnips. The wet food can be fed alone or mixed in with their favourite dry diet to create an appetising mixture of tastes, textures and flavours to tempt even the most selective of feeders! We have a selection of flavours available including Salmon with Steamed Veg, Chicken with Root Veg and Lamb with Root Veg, which are also available in our brand-new variety pack at your local Mole Valley store.
Energy bars
Feeding the right wet or dry diet will put your dog in good stead to perform at their best. However not all dogs are regularly working at the same energy output, while others may run themselves to complete exhaustion. That’s where the Field and Trial Energy bar comes in, as it is designed as a refuel “snack” during the working day. The bar can be easily slipped into your pocket, broken into squares and fed as and when your dog needs a “boost”. Nutritionally, the bar is weighted towards fat which dogs preferentially use as a source of energy, particularly during endurance activity. The bar also provides a good source of protein to support those hard-working muscles, as well as ingredients such as honey for quick release energy. When fed alongside a complete diet, the Field and Trial Energy bar makes the perfect on-the-go boost for the working day.
Extra support
As the winter surges on, the temperature will get colder, and the conditions get more challenging. Therefore when your dog is finished for the day, it’s good practice to dry them off completely using towels or blankets and make sure they stay warm. Some owners will also make use of dog coats, which can help to keep your dog warm and perhaps absorb any excess moisture if it’s been a wet, miserable day. This routine is especially helpful if your dog is prone to dropping weight, as we don’t want them using all their energy to simply keep warm!
Contact us
Looking for advice about the Skinner’s range? Please contact our nutrition team at [email protected] and we would be happy to help.