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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Understanding Dog Show Terms

By Suzanne Alicie

Many dog lovers enjoy watching dog shows. We get to see the “top dogs” of each breed, but a lot of us may find ourselves wondering exactly how the judges choose the winners. There are many terms and standards that “show dog” owners are aware of and work to achieve. Let’s take a look at a few of these and what they mean, so the next time you watch a dog show you’ll understand more about the process and have more insight into the final results.

Breed Standard

The breed standard includes several areas of the dog’s appearance which are dictated by the AKC for show dogs. This means that dogs of a specific breed which are the wrong color, have any irregularities or are too large or small for the breed standard won’t be competing. The dogs which have shown that they fit the breed standard will be further evaluated to find the best example of the breed in the show.

Stacking

Stacking is how the dog stands naturally and when placed in position. This is something that the handler or trainer will teach the dog. Stacking helps the judges see all areas of the dog’s structure to evaluate against the breed standard and to allow the judges to feel the dogs bone structure and muscles. The breed standard stacking position differs from breed to breed. While evaluating the stack, you may hear judges and announcers talk about angulations, soundness and pedigree.

Showing the Bite

The bite is the alignment of the top and bottom teeth. Judges check this to compare to the breed standard and in the examination of bone structure. Some dog breeds have a slight under bite, but the best guide is that the teeth should fit together like scissors. Dogs with a bad bite don’t fit the breed standard and are typically not bred for show.

Movement Down and Back

Watching the dog move down and back in front of the judges allows them to evaluate the fit and function of the dog. Stacking is an up close examination, while movement down and back is a chance to see all the parts of the dog working together. Movement down and back is judged on the gait of the dog, heeling, and relation to the location of the handler while proceeding.

While many of us just enjoy watching beautifully groomed and well behaved dogs in dog shows, there is a great deal of time, training and preparation put into each appearance. Trainers work with show dogs daily to teach them proper comportment, improve their gait, their stance and of course their willingness to stand perfectly still while being examined by strangers.

As the owner of a dog who absolutely would not go for that, I am always amazed at the wonderful behavior show dogs exhibit. They are truly the top of their breeds, with excellent training, grace and athleticism.

There are other types of shows and competitions for dogs, including agility competitions, puppy competitions, specialty shows and obedience shows. Here on the Responsible Pet Ownership blog we have interviewed and explored many aspects of working and show dogs, their owners and the competitions and shows they participate in. CANIDAE Natural Pet Foods is proud to sponsor several exemplary show dogs and talented canine athletes.

If you’d like to learn more, check out these posts:

What Westminster Dog Show Champions Do After the Big Win 

What is a Conformation Dog Show? 

How to Train Your Dog for Agility Competitions 

CANIDAE Sponsored Dogs Make a Splash at “Paws in the Pool” 

Top photo by mjk23
Bottom photo by Natalie Maynor

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New Zealand farming Farm working dogs – Glossary of terms

Dr Clive Dalton

Approach: Action of a dog when it comes up to sheep.

Backing:  Action of a dog when it jumps up and walks along the back of sheep to encourage them to move.

Bark:  To bark on command to frighten stock and make them move.

Beardie:  Breed or type of Huntaway dog with long hairy coat. 

Beardie X Huntaway

Bitch:  Female dog.

Biter:  A dog that bites sheep after chasing them. A serious fault.

Bolt:  To  run away in fear and out of control from stock or handler. 

Brace:  A pair of dogs that are worked together.

Cast:  Action of dog when it leaves the handler to encircle or gather sheep.  The handler controls the direction (right or left cast).

Collie: General term for working dog breed of British descent.  Main  type is the Border Collie, but this breed and other collies (e.g long haired or Lassie collie and Sheltie) are now pet dogs and have lost the ability to work stock. 

Dingo:  Australian native wild dog. Genes believed to be incorporated into Australian Cattle Dog.

Dog dosing: Practice of treating dogs to purge them and see if they are infected with internal parasites, especially diseases like true Hydatids which can infect humans.  Dogs are now treated at regular intervals by veterinarians.

Eye: Ability of dog to stare with intense concentration at sheep to control their movement.  Dogs may be ‘strong-eyed’ or ‘plain-eyed’ depending on the level of concentration they show.

Heading dog showing plenty of eye approaching sheep

Eye dog:  Dog with plenty of ‘eye’ to work sheep.  Same as heading dog.

Facing up:  A desired trait needed in a Huntaway where it always looks and barks directly at stock, and not at the handler.

Gun shy: A dog which is very afraid of gun fire and will run away.

Handy dog:  General purpose dog for working both sheep, cattle, goats and deer.  It will head, hunt, and back sheep and be used to move sheep in yards and woolsheds. Usually is mixture of heading dog and Huntaway.

Handy dog used on dairy farm

 Heading dog:  Dog used for gathering sheep by going around the head of a mob.

New Zealand heading dog

Heel: To move in close to the ground and bite the heel of cattle to make them move.  Can also be a command to come to the side of the handler.

Heeler:  Australian working dog bred to handle cattle.  Also called the Queensland Blue Heeler or Australian Cattle dog.  A small tough hard biting dog that will bite both the heel and nose of cattle. 

Holding:  Where a dog will chase and catch a sheep (and especially a lamb) and hold it down with its open mouth, without biting and injuring the animal. 

Hunt: Ability of dog to drive or hunt stock away from the handler under direction of handler. In dog trials Huntaways have to drive stock in both a straight or zig-zag direction generally up a steep hill.

Huntaway:  Dog used mainly for driving stock under the direction of the handler, and working in yards and woolsheds. Many will also gather stock.  Huntaways vary greatly in physical type and are not recognised as a ‘breed’ by any organisation.

Typical huntaway dogs

Kelpie:  Australian dog for working both sheep and cattle.

Leader:  Dog used to go in front of a mob to control their progress and stop them breaking or stampeding.

Lift: Action of dog to move sheep from a stationary position.  In dog trials it’s the dog’s ability to move the sheep after they have been gathered and held after the dog’s cast.

Long head: Part of a dog trial where a heading dog has to gather sheep a long distance from the handler.

 

Night barker: Dog that barks or howls when chained up at nights.

Novice: Young dog that has only completed a limited number of trials.

Pull:  Action of dog to bring sheep up to the handler.

Pup:  Young dog of either sex up to weaning (6 weeks old).  Also used for dog up to 12months old.

Outrun: Where a heading dog goes away from the handler to gather sheep.

Point of balance: The position of a dog holding a group of sheep, where it stands directly opposite the handler, and as the handler moves right or left, the dog also moves to the point of balance – and then ready to move in any direction under command.

Ringing sheep: Fault in a dog which keeps doing complete circles around a mob of sheep and has not been taught commands to stop or mover right or left.

Shed: To cut off or separate one or more individual sheep from a group and hold them so they dont return to the main group.

Short head:  Part of a dog trial where a heading dog has to gather sheep only a short distance from the handler.

Heading dog helping to pen sheep after short head.

Speak:  To bark under the command speak up.

Sundowner: Dog that leaves its work, especially when hot and noisy. 

Australian cattle dog taking an afternoon nap in his kennel

Team:  A group of dogs each of which has a different job to do.  Normally made up heading dogs and huntaways, with maybe a handy dog in the team.

Trucking dog:  Dogs used by stock truck drivers to load sheep and empty them from the individual pens on truck, up and down the loading race.

Turning tail: A fault in a dog where it turns away from a group of sheep rather than facing up to them.  A dog that will back off from a confrontation with a sheep.

Weaning:  Removing pups from their mother, done at around six weeks of age.

Whelp: The act of giving birth to pups.

Whip shy: A dog which is very afraid of a cracking stock whip used on cattle and will run away.

Wing header:  A dog that works on the sides or wings of a mob to keep them together and moving forward.

Worrier:  A dog that chases, attacks and will kill sheep or goats.

Yarding: Working sheep in yards or woolshed aided by a huntaway or handy dog.

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