Training the Working Labrador by Jeremy Hunt

Author:Jeremy Hunt [Jeremy Hunt]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781846891977
Publisher: Quiller
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

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Feeding – Getting it Right

IF LABRADORS HAVE A reputation above all things it’s that they love their food and while a healthy Labrador is rarely a ‘fussy feeder’ it does mean they’ll eat just about anything that’s put in front of them. But there is a down-side to that and a lot of working Labradors aren’t always fed as well as they could be in terms of the nutritional value of their diet. It’s not necessarily a situation brought about through the ill intention of owners but more often through a lack of knowledge and understanding of how to feed a working gundog correctly.

Dog owners spend almost £2 billion a year feeding their dogs but within the UK market there are several large manufacturers who specialise in producing a range of feeds for working gundogs. There are others producing ‘breed specific’ diets – albeit primarily for pet owners but within this range there is a diet formulated solely for Labradors – but more of this later.

Working Labradors, like all working gundogs, have varying nutritional requirements depending on the time of year and their work commitments. It isn’t simply a case of feeding more of a summer-time feed to a dog in winter because it’s working harder. To maintain a dog in tip-top physical condition during the shooting season it’s important to have a sound understanding of how you can meet its precise needs. There is now a comprehensive range of feeds on the market to help you achieve this, so it’s simply a case of knowing what to feed and when to feed it. However it’s important to point out that it doesn’t have to be in the midst of the shooting season in the depths of December for a Labrador to need an adjustment to its diet. Any dog actively taking part in working tests in the summer or receiving regular daily training, must be receiving a diet that meets its nutritional requirements. While a working gundog in the winter needs to be in good physical condition that doesn’t mean it has to be ‘rib thin’ – a state seen far too often and caused by dogs clearly being under-fed or not being fed the correct diet to match their energy needs.

Working Labradors have varying nutritional requirements depending on the time of year and their work commitments

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