Beynen AC, 2023. Trade foods for hunter-helper dogs
Abstract
Trade foods for hunter-helper dods
... In controlled studies, quail-hunting performance of English pointers has been measured as the total number of finds per total hours hunted during the hunting season (2). When taken the data together for three foods, better hunting performance was associated with higher dietary content for the sum of two omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ...
... There is no evidence that the sum of dietary EPA and DHA improves hunting performance. The sum of the two omega-3 fatty acids in the three foods fed to the English pointers was not the only variable (2). It is clear that dogs' learning ability is important for both well-performing hunter-helper and agility dogs. ...
A previous work suggests that dietary fat may influence canine olfaction. The present study evaluated whether olfactory performance could be influenced by forms of dietary fat and exercise. Seventeen certified detection dogs were fed three different diets (high fat, low fat or high polyunsaturated fat) for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, olfactory testing was performed using a scent wheel in an olfaction laboratory using three explosive materials. The dogs completed eight to twelve scent trials before and after a 30 min treadmill exercise on five consecutive days. A mixed-effect logistic regression model was used to examine how diet, pre- or post-exercise, trial number, odourant, mass of target and target position influenced the probability of dogs alerting on the target odour. There were no significant changes in the dog's ability to find a target odour at threshold amounts. Dogs were 1·42 (1·08, 1·87; 95 % CI) times as likely to find a target on the high polyunsaturated fat diet relative to the high-fat diet (P = 0·009). The low-fat diet was not significantly different from either the high-fat diet or the high polyunsaturated fat diet (P = 0·12). Dogs were 1·49 (1·26, 1·76; 95 % CI) times as likely to find a target prior to exercise relative to after exercise (P < 0·001). Dogs on the high PUFA diet utilising maize oil showed mild improvement in olfaction. The exact reasons are unknown; however, the higher relative amount of linoleic acid in the diet may play a role in olfactory sensation which warrants further examination of optimal diets for detection dogs.
A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of diet on hunting performance of English pointers during the quail-hunting season in southwest Georgia. Twenty-three trained dogs were assigned to two commercially available diets (i.e., Diet A = Eukanuba Premium Performance Formula, The Iams Company, Lewisburg, OH; Diet B = Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food, Diamond Pet Foods, Meta, MO). Results showed that dogs fed Diet A maintained or gained weight and body condition throughout the hunting season while dogs fed Diet B lost body weight and body condition (P < .05). Dogs fed Diet A demonstrated superior hunting performance (P < .05) compared with those fed Diet B based on total finds per hunt and on the number of birds located per hour of hunting. All blood variables were within normal ranges for adult healthy dogs throughout the season. These results imply that diet can affect the overall performance of hunting dogs and should provide useful information to trainers, handlers, and clinicians who are concerned with promoting the best performance and health in hunting dogs and other canine athletes.
Eighteen male English Pointers (2-4 years of age, 23.94+/-0.54 kg body weight) were allotted to three diet and two physical conditioning groups to evaluate the effect of level and source of dietary fat on the olfactory acuity of canine athletes subjected to treadmill exercise. Diet groups (6 dogs/diet) consisted of commercially prepared diets (minimum of 26% crude protein) containing 12% fat as beef tallow (A), 16% fat provided by equivalent amounts of beef tallow and corn oil (B), or 16% fat provided by equivalent amounts of beef tallow and coconut oil (C). This dietary formulation resulted in approximately 60% of the total fatty acid being saturated for diets A and C, while approximately 72% of the total fatty acids were unsaturated in diet B. One-half of the dogs within each dietary group were subjected to treadmill exercise 3 times per week for 30 min (8.05 km/h, 0% grade) for 12 weeks. All dogs were subjected to a submaximal exercise stress test (8.05 km/h, 10% slope for 60 min) every four weeks beginning at week 0. Olfactory acuity was measured utilizing behavioral olfactometry before and after each physical stress test. Non-conditioned (NON) dogs displayed a greater decrease (P<0.05) in olfactory acuity following exercise, while physically conditioned (EXE) dogs did not show a change from pre-test values. A diet by treatment interaction (P<0.10) was detected over the course of the study. NON dogs fed coconut oil had decreased odorant-detecting capabilities when week 4 values were compared with week 12 values. Feeding a diet that is predominately high in saturated fat may affect the odorant-detecting capabilities of working dogs. Additionally, these data indicate that utilization of a moderate physical conditioning program can assist canine athletes in maintaining olfactory acuity during periods of intense exercise.
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