When it comes to the crunch

Finding the right diet for your gundog is tricky; do you go gluten-free or dry, or should you try raw only? Ellena Swift looks at the options

- Ellena Swift

Working dog nutrition is a complex topic. There are many food varieties out there and all sorts of choices an owner can make for their working dog. When you look into it in depth, even for those embedded in the gundog world, it really is a minefield. Kibble, muesli, wet food, raw complete and raw DIY are just some of the options out there.

Everyone has different opinions and people are often keen to offer advice, whether they are qualified or not. Like every human, each dog is different and what suits one will often not suit another. It is important that owners understand this and, if necessary, feed each of their dogs accordingly.

Within the working dog world, diets usually don’t need to be as idiosyncratic as in the pet world. For example, purine — found in certain red meats, poultry, game and offal — can cause problems in Dalmatians. Not only do types of food have an effect, but the way it is fed is also essential. All dogs can suffer from bloat, though certain breeds are more susceptible than others. Smaller, more frequent meals are recommended and slowing the dog’s eating down can also help. Fortunately for most working breeds, problems seem to be less of an issue but there is still lots to consider.

Resting

First, you must feed your dog the amount that is appropriate for the work it is doing, not for what it could be doing or what you wish you were doing together. Keeping your dog’s weight down when it is resting or out of work is important. This is usually as simple as feeding less, but it might be considering a different food.