New Zealand Farm working Dogs 9 Basic Nutrition

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By Dr Clive Dalton 

Theres a mountain of information available these days on the nutritional needs of dogs.  And yet, there are still far too many dogs that are not properly fed – not through intentional neglect but through ignorance. 

Unfortunately nutrition is not an easy subject, and you can easily get lost in the technical detail.    

The important point to remember is that your working dog is an athlete and deserves more than a leg of frozen mutton at the end of the day.

What a dog needs from its feed?

Carbohydrates

These are compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and provide the "energy" part of the diet.  They contain such things as sugars and starch.  The most complex carbohydrates are broken down in digestion and end up as sugars before final absorption.

Glycogen is carbohydrate stored in the muscle ready for action.  Marathon runners have to build this up days before the race so they dont have to wait for digestion to take place before energy can be used.  Working dogs as athletes need this in a big way too.

To get the energy out of the carbohydrates the animal needs oxygen from the lungs via the blood stream.  This burns up the carbohydrate releasing carbon dioxide and water which is then excreted.  Excess carbohydrates are stored in the body as fat. 

True carnivores dont need carbohydrates - but dogs need them in a properly balanced diet.  Carbohydrates should not exceed 60% of a dogs diet. 

Dogs cannot digest large amount of fibre, so cereals should be cooked before feeding or the dog will suffer from diarrhoea.  Too much lactose (milk sugar) will also cause scouring so dont add large amounts of dried skim-milk powder to the diet as it is 50% lactose.  Fresh milk contains only 5% lactose.

Proteins

Proteins are used for muscle building and come from both animal and plant sources.   The building blocks of these proteins are "amino acids".  The dog needs 23 amino acids but can synthesise (ie make its own) only 13, so 10 must be supplied in its diet to prevent deficiency diseases.

The "complete" proteins that contain these essential amino acids are found in eggs, milk, soybeans, peanuts, yeast, as well as muscles and glandular organs.  So the best way to make sure you have covered all the essential amino acids in a diet is to use both animal and plant proteins in a diet.

Proteins like carbohydrates and fats are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.  But they have one important difference - they contain nitrogen.  Proteins are insoluble in water so have to be broken down by enzyme action into amino acids, which are then soluble and easily transported around the body.

Animals can break down protein for energy but this is not a very efficient process.  Surplus nitrogen produced in the process is excreted as urea in the urine.  To avoid this, make sure dogs are not fed high protein diets over long periods, and there are enough carbohydrates and fats in the diet to balance things up.

A dog should be fed protein daily as it is not stored in the body in large quantities like fat.  It should make up from 20 - 25% of the daily diet.

Fats and oils

These are made up of chains of chemicals called "fatty acids".  They contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen just like carbohydrates, but they differ by having a greater proportion of carbon in them.  They also contain more than twice as much energy on an equal weight basis. 

So nature has designed fat depots to be highly effective energy stores for times of need.  You get a lot of energy into a small bulk!  Putting fat on is a very efficient process, for example the energy in 4 kg of starch to can be stored as 1kg of fat.  Taking fat off is harder, as you only get 2kg of starch energy from 1kg of stored fat.  Remember this when trying to slim down an obese dog or to lose weight yourself!

Fat serves as important body insulation, as well as helping to transport fat-soluble vitamins around the body.  It also improves the palatability and texture of dog foods.   A shortage of fat in a dogs diet can cause an abnormal skin and hair condition and may increase susceptibility to skin infections.

A dog needs a minimum of 5% of fat in the total dry weight of its diet.  At least 1% of the fatty acid called "linoleic" is needed for skin health.  If you feed the recommended maintenance level of 20% fat, then enough linoleic will be present.

If you boost the fat level to 40% or more this will provide all the dogs energy needs, but youll risk problems with rancidity.  This can then impair the utilisation of Vitamin E, cause deficiencies in the B-complex vitamins and generally depress appetite.  If the dog doesnt eat, then it stops thriving.  So don’t expect top performance from all that fatty mutton - put it down the offal hole and buy a decent balanced feed.

If you feed these high fat diets, then you must readjust the mineral, vitamin and protein levels to keep the diet balanced.  You may also have to add an "antioxidant" to preserve nutrient quality and stop the fats going rancid.  Avoid these problems by feeding lower fat levels in the diet.

Vitamins

Vitamins are essential to growth and health.  They help the body to resist disease and body cells to function properly.   We have to consider two types of vitamins - water soluble and fat soluble.

Water soluble vitamins

The B-complex and vitamin C are water soluble. They cannot be stored in the body in large amounts so must be supplied regularly in the diet.

When a dog loses fluids by vomiting or diarrhoea, its vitamins must be replaced..   Overfeeding these water-soluble vitamins does not cause toxicity as excesses are lost in the urine.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

·      This is very important to dogs.

·      Dogs differ genetically in their need for thiamine.

·      Metabolic disturbance, exercise and cold housing may increase demand.

·      Only small amounts of thiamine are stored in the body. 

·      Treating meat for hydatids (freezing and boiling) reduces thiamine - it is lost in the       thawed water and boiling juices. 

·      The heat of cooking will destroy thiamin.  Commercially prepared dog feeds have extra thiamine added to their diets to compensate for cooking losses.

·      If you are cooking your own feed recipe, add some yeast tablets to it.

·      Feed a dog supplementary thiamine 2-3 times a week.

·      Brewers (not live) yeast and wheat germ are valuable sources.

·      Meat and cereals are also good sources.

·      A high fat diet contains less thiamine than a high-carbohydrate diet.

·      Never feed dogs raw fish as some species contain an enzyme (thiaminase) which       will make thiamine unavailable.  Nervous symptoms may develop leading to       paralysis.  Cooked fish is safe as thiaminase is destroyed.

Other vitamin B-complex

·      These include riboflavin (Vit B2), niacin pyridoxin (Vit B6), pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, and vitamin B12.

·      The best supplies are in wheat germ, brewers yeast, liver and the organ and muscle meats.

·      Under normal feeding there should be no problems, but egg white and sulpha drugs can make them unavailable.

·      "Black tongue" is a defect of the mucous membranes caused by a niacin deficiency.

·      Poor blood clotting can be caused by folic acid deficiency.

·      Riboflavin shortage can cause slow growth, poor appetite and low fertility.

Vitamin C

·      Plenty of this is synthesised by the dog to meet its needs.

Fat-soluble vitamins

These vitamins (A, D, E and K) need fat to be transported and absorbed by the body.  So if the fat metabolism of the dog is upset, then a vitamin deficiency may occur.

Get veterinary advice when supplementing fat soluble vitamins as excess builds up and is stored in the body fat and can lead to problems.

·      Liver, kidney, muscle fat and fish liver oil are good sources.

·      Handle fats with care - the vitamins are lost if the fat goes rancid.

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New Zealand Farm Working Dogs 4 Basic Training

  By Dr Clive Dalton
 

The pup

Pup at sale waiting for new boss

 Training methods are as variable as handlers and dogs.   But the basic principles are fairly straightforward.  How you apply them depends greatly on your nature, and the nature of the pup.  One thing all trainers agree on - theres no point wasting your time on a badly bred pup.  If it hasnt got the working genes - then forget it.

Pups start to work at different ages, but you would certainly expect to see some action by 6 months of age.  If a dog hadnt shown much interest by 9 months, youd be getting concerned about the costs of keeping it.  It would have to be an especially good prospect based on its pedigree to keep it.  Check with the breeder incase the strain are late starters, before deciding what to do.  It may not be the pup – it could be you!  Talk to an experienced dog handler about your concern.

Be wary of pups that will be keen to take on full work by six months.  Dont let them, as they can so easily get hurt and scared.  This scare may put them off work for an extended period, or forever .

Key points collected from a wide range of handlers:

·      Voice tones, petting, touching and feeding are all valuable rewards for a dog.  Exploit them fully.

·      Dont over-stimulate or tease a pup, or let anyone else do this.

·      During a pups early life, keep it fully occupied.  Never let it get bored or it will start such bad habits as barking, biting, work shyness and so.  Keep it stimulated – but not overstimulated.  Give a young pup a slipper or a bone as its own "treasure".

·      Keep it where it can see daily happenings.  Some trainers prefer a kennel to a run as it means they have to handle it each day to let it off and tie it up.

·      Teach a pup its name.  This is its alerting signal for life.  Always call it when you go to feed it.  When it wanders, call its name with a “come-here” command.  Use a word and add a whistle if you wish.  Give it a big welcome when it comes back to you.  Pet it and use its name as much as you can.

·      Get the pup used to wearing a light collar.  Its tight enough if you can slip one finger between it and the dogs neck.  When it accepts this, tie it up for a short period (about 30 minutes/day) on a short chain with a swivel in it.  Make sure it cannot slip the collar.  Dont use a rope, as it will learn to chew through it and escape.

·      Make sure going back to the kennel or being tied up is a happy and positive experience.  Be patient if the pup is reluctant.  Help it up or provide a step if needed.  Dont associate this with feeding, and dont lose your cool and boot it into the kennel.

Bonding time after exercise

·      Teach the pup to follow at heel on a lead (check cord about 4m long).  Here teach it the "heel" or "get-in" command. 

·      Teach it the "sit" command by stopping, pressing its hindquarters on the ground while lifting its head.  When done correctly - give plenty of praise.

·      Some trainers teach the "down" or "lie down" command, simply by stepping on the lead to pull its head down while pushing its back end flat.  When done correctly - give plenty of praise.  In New Zealand the “stand” command is preferred as the dog stays on its feet and is clearly seen by the sheep.

·      Teach the "stand" command.  Its probably the most important command - to get the dog to stop and do nothing.  Dogs that will not STOP on command cause so many problems with stock.

"Stand" is taught by either raising the pup from the "sit" position, with one hand on its head while the other lifts its belly.  Or you can stop as you walk along, go infront of the dog giving the command "stand" or "stand there".  With all these commands, use the pups name all the time with positive reinforcement.

·      As well as the "stand" you may want to teach a "stay" or "stay there" command.  Its probably not necessary but can be useful.  A “stay” hand signal can be taught at the same time by holding your hand infront of the pup’s face as you give it.  Then walk away backwards saying “stay there Meg”.

"Stand" or "stay" can be very frustrating for a pup that has spent the last few months being in touch contact with you.   Now you are going to walk away and leaving it with no company.  Naturally it wants to follow to maintain the bond.  Be patient as you are moving to reinforce the bond visually from a distance.

·      One famous NZ trainer of working dogs and gun dogs used to teach these early commands on a stool (see other blog post) just big enough for the pup to stand or sit on.  Once taught how to climb up on the stool from one end, the pup was scared to jump off from such a height.  The trainer then taught it to "stay", and over time could move further and further away (in all directions) without the pup moving.  At any sign of stress, he went back to reassure the pup.

·      Now the "stand" command can be linked to the "come here" command, and the "sit" in any combination.  Dont keep the pup in any of these positions for long, and keep the total lessons short, no more than 10 minutes at time, maybe 2-3 times a day.

·      When giving pups commands there’s no need to shout and roar!  Dogs have very good hearing, and a raised voice should be kept for discipline - otherwise speak quietly.  If more discipline is warranted, then use the "shake-praise" trick.

·      A pat is adequate reward when training a pup.  Dont get involved with methods that rely on food.  Its not very practical and one day youll forget the biscuits!

·      Dont train a pup by tying it to an older trained dog.  Its a great idea that doesnt work!  It’s sometimes used by some experts, but for specific problem solving.

House training

In nature a pup learns its hygiene habits from the bitch.  They normally keep the den clean and defaecate and urinate outside.  Build on this basic instinct when house training.

As soon as the pup wakes up, take it outside on to grass and praise it for performing.  Never punish it after an "accident".  Keep the pup in a small area in the house to make it realise that the area is its “den” where it will not naturally perform.  You can extend this area in time once it is performing outside.

The young keen dog

Keep it keen.   Once the dog is into regular light work, here are some general points:

·      Establish a regular daily routine and stick to it - unless the dog goes "sour" and won’t work when you’ll have to go back to the beginning.

·      Dont exhaust the dog - work it within its physical limits.  Work must be fun and enjoyed by the dog.  Dont work a dog when you’re feeling tired or in a bad mood.

·      Keep a regular routine of commands going, and keep checking proficiency.  This helps to strengthen the dog-handler bond.  You can put whistles to word commands at any time that suits.  Simply give the word command followed by the whistle or vice versa.  A good dog will learn very quickly.

Teaching Stop, and Start

Once you have the pup under control so it knows its name and will sit or stand, and then come to you, then let it show its natural instinct with stock.   Now is time for some fun- just let it go in a small paddock with some quiet sheep that are used to dogs, and see what happens

The pup may be so keen that it will forget everything that it has learned so far.  Dont worry, it will soon pick these commands up again once it has steadied down. 

Some very successful trainers dont bother to teach a pup anything until it has started to work stock.  They have no problems putting the commands on the pup later.  The last thing you want to do at this stage is cramp the pups natural instinct to work.  It doesnt matter if its work is a bit rough - just encourage it to keep going.  But keep an old dog handy to prevent or clean up any impending disasters - and incase the neighbours may be watching!

Fast heading pups are likely to get into more trouble than huntaways, which are usually more steady.  This early working instinct is to chase and go around stock.  Make sure the pup can catch whatever it sets out to chase.  Here an old dog is useful to help out and guarantee success.

You may need a little bit of encouragement to get the pup to go after stock, especially if you have overdone the initial commands.  Border shepherds use a "Sh-sh" sound to alert the pup and excite it to GO.  But seeing stock is often enough for a keen pup, but you might have to excite a late starter.  Any noise will do as long as it’s different to those already used.

Teaching directions

Here exploit the dogs circling instinct to the full.  Dont worry if it keeps going round and round stock at the start.  You can stop this by meeting the dog half way round the group, and sending it back in the other direction.  Its here where you can teach a "go away" command.

But "go away" is too simple a command, because you’ll inevitably want the dog to either "go right" or "go left" around stock, or "come right" or "come left" back to you.  Put these direction commands on the dog while it is at this circling stage with a small group of quiet sheep.  A signal with your arm or a stick is useful here too.

Commands to get the dog to go away from you (or cast) can be for example "get away" for circle right, or "get back" to circle left.  And then for commands to get the dog to come towards you could be "come away" for one direction or "come bye" for another.  Some dog handlers may just use "over" and "back".  Remember the dog doesnt speak English - it is responding to sound.

After sheep have been used for a week or so of dog training, they get sick of the whole business and wont go anywhere.  They seem to want to jump into the trainers’ arms to get away from the dog.  They become too friendly and need to be changed for sheep less man/dog friendly.

A good routine is to get the young dog to start by standing or sitting at your heel.  Then making sure it has seen the sheep, cast it on either the right or left hand to gather the sheep.   Keep sending it off on each side, as often they may prefer one particular side.

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How to Teach Your Puppy Not to Bite Part 6

Puppies are furry, friendly and programmed for learning. Now is the time to teach your puppy about the things that people, especially kids might do, that dogs do not naturally accept. Things like toddlers pulling his tail, people taking his toys, kids going near his food bowl or kids taking over his special sleeping area.

To prevent biting accidents later in life you can condition your puppy to tolerate and even enjoy any kind of handling. Give him hugs, pull gently on ears and tail, tug gently on his fur all over while at the same time feeding him goodies from your hand, or allowing him to chew on a yummy bone. Pairing with a treat can make even rough handling a positive experience. It is essential to use the goody in this type of conditioning – just doing strange things to the puppy will not necessarily teach him to tolerate this from others. When that toddler runs up and yanks on his tail, the dog is more likely to look at you as if to say “where’s my treat?”, rather than snapping at the annoyance. This touch desensitization should be done monthly throughout the dog’s life. Watch this video that illustrates the process. It is best for parents to start the process, but kids can take over once the puppy shows acceptance and enjoyment of the activity. Only adults should do this with adult dogs.

Dogs do not naturally share, but you can teach your puppy to give up his toys, bones, food and resting place by associating the approach of people with great things. When you first get your puppy, feed him at least some of his food by hand. If he shows any sign of being unhappy with you near his food bowl, then feed all of his food by hand for the first two weeks. This teaches the puppy that hands near his food is good. As he is eating from his bowl walk by and toss something really yummy near the bowl, so that the puppy leaves the bowl to get the treat. This teaches the puppy that it is OK to move away from his bowl when a person approaches. After a few meals, move to tossing treats into his bowl while he is eating and then to putting your hand into the bowl with the treat. This teaches the puppy that people approaching means good things. Do not take the bowl and away and give it back. This teaches the puppy that you are unreliable and he needs to protect his food or eat it really fast!

Practice exchanges with your puppy, where you get him interested in something of equal value to the toy or bone that he is playing with and you give him yours and take away his. Or give him a great treat in exchange for his toy and then give the toy back. Sit with him in his resting place and give him toys and treats. Make sure that every experience the puppy has with people approaching his things or special places come with a great reward and you will have a puppy that is happy to share and is less likely to become defensive later in life.

Read more about teaching your puppy to share

Read the rest of the articles in this series:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

 

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