Hunting dog food: What are its main benefits?
Hunting dogs are animals with greater energy and vitality than many other pets due to the activity they perform. They help people with hunting tasks, chasing prey and bringing it back to the hunters. Hunting dogs come in three types: retrievers, water dogs, and pointers. Some of the best-known hunting dog breeds are bracos, water dogs, podencos, Labrador retrievers, sighthounds, and pointers. As you can imagine, these dogs are more active than many other breeds, so their diet must be appropriate for the amount of energy they consume, but also for their size—since, in most cases, they are large breed dogs.
In this article, we explain what hunting dog food should be like and the benefits of this type of food. We give you tips for choosing the best food for hunting dogs. Read on to find out what to look for!
Tips for choosing hunting dog food
Our pet's nutrition is essential to improve their daily performance and endurance , and to help them grow strong and healthy . As you know, there are different brands of dog food, but not all are the same and they don't all offer the same benefits. Reading the label and knowing its composition and the ingredients used is essential to differentiate between a quality brand and a low-cost one. When choosing the best food for hunting dogs, keep the following in mind.
The ingredients in hunting dog food
Dogs are animals that feed primarily on meat. This provides them with the energy and nutrients they need for their bodies to function properly. Therefore, animal proteins should be the main ingredient in hunting dog food. These provide energy and endurance through amino acids, and they also act to strengthen their defenses and create natural antibodies against infections or foreign agents. What you should do is choose foods with high amounts of protein, but above all, foods that are of natural origin and made from fresh meat . This way, absorption or metabolism will be greater.
As a tip, keep in mind that quantity isn't everything. Foods with high amounts of protein, but low quality, are eliminated by the pet's body. So, quality is the most important thing, and then you have to make sure that they are available in large quantities.
Read the label on hunting dog food
Dog food labels should begin with meat first. Grains typically come next, followed by fats. If the grains are listed in percentages—for example, meat, wheat, barley, and rice—it means the grain content is usually higher, even if meat is listed first. If, on the other hand, grains are listed generally and followed by meat, then protein is given greater importance—which is what we're interested in. Food should contain high percentages of animal protein , moderate animal fats, and low levels of grains.
Changing the diet of hunting dogs outside of the closed season
Hunting dog nutrition should change when the season ends. Remember that outside of the hunting season, dogs won't expend the same amount of energy, so they'll burn fewer calories. Their diet should be tailored to their exercise . There are basic (but high-quality) maintenance foods that can be used during the off-season.
Benefits of hunting dog food
Hunting dog food offers numerous benefits for dogs dedicated to assisting humans in these tasks. In this section, we'll explain what these benefits are and why you should choose a special food during the hunting season:
High-energy hunting dog food
One of the main advantages of hunting dog food is the high energy content it provides. Hunting dog food is formulated to ensure your pet can face the day with sufficient energy. This helps improve your pet's performance and endurance . Hunting dog food (high energy) generally contains 30% protein and 15% fat; maintenance dog food, on the other hand, contains 25% protein and 10% fat.
Healthy and quality feed
As with everything, there are many brands and types of dog food. Hunting dog food (high energy) is also a healthy food; it helps pets grow strong and healthy . To achieve this, you must ensure that the food is made with natural foods (like those we offer at Arquivet) and, as far as possible, that it is grain-free . However, it all depends on the type of grain used and the dog's needs. There are some grains that are essential for pets.
They are balanced
Another advantage of hunting dog food, compared to other types of pet food, is that it's balanced. It contains the right amount of ingredients for pets to grow strong and healthy and have the energy they need, while maintaining their ideal weight. Additionally, it's easy to portion and requires no preparation.
Fats beneficial to the dog's health
Hunting dog food contains low amounts of healthy fats. These are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids . These fatty acids influence the dog's nervous system, strengthen the immune system, and improve the pet's cardiovascular health.
