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Ultra light dog food
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Jul 14, 2011 at 8:39 am #1759227
I'm a dog hater's worst nightmare – a hiker with a 50 pound pit bull tagging along :) She has spent a lot of time in training to make sure she is obedient and doesn't harass animals or people. She just looks scary! On cold nights she is the perfect foot warmer. She carries her own food and water in saddlebags I got at PetSmart. Add in the cowbell she wears around her neck to scare away the bears and she adds significantly to my safety when solo hiking without bothering anyone or anything.
Jul 23, 2014 at 2:09 pm #2121900James,
I haven't hiked that portion yet (any portion, really) but am preparing to do so soon; planning to hit the trail w/ my 80lb. chow-mix in tow Aug. 1st.
Buddy has a new Wolfpack, increased capacity and better design than his old REI pack. He's had a number of years hiking trails here in New Mexico, but this will be his first multi-day hike.
We plan to do segment 18 @ Hwy 114 to Durango. My greatest concern was stopping into a trail town with him and finding a place to spend a night. But Silverton has the Blair St. Hostel, whom I've contacted. They welcome dogs and their owners, so we've got a resupply and a place for a night off the trail.
Buddy and I are both pretty pumped!
Jul 23, 2014 at 2:15 pm #2121902I had one of my dogs on about 80 miles of the trail earlier this year. He doesn't like to eat much when he is out, as far as dog food is concerned. If I were to do it again, I'd bring a good mix of food I know he will eat while out (he always wants my Jerky, so why not take a lot more). Just my .02. At home, he loves his food, on the trail he doesn't want to touch it.
Jul 23, 2014 at 2:21 pm #2121905James' last post was 3 years ago.
I'll bet he got it figured out.
Jul 23, 2014 at 3:17 pm #2121914My second cousin in Burlington goes backpacking and camping with his girlfriend's chihuaua. This dog redefined stereotypes for me.
It runs 6 miles a day and backpacks any length of time and can only sleep if it's up against your thigh. Coolest trail dog ever.
Jul 23, 2014 at 4:19 pm #2121931Hey James(Jakester)
If it's good for us, it's good for your dog ;) Try these:
Diced Chicken
http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-House-Chicken-Cooked-servings/dp/B000M8071M
Diced Beef
http://www.nitro-pak.com/mtn-h-diced-beef-cooked
Rehydrate with water warmed with a cat food can stove, maybe a fancee feest ;)
Jul 23, 2014 at 4:23 pm #2121933"It runs 6 miles a day and backpacks any length of time and can only sleep if it's up against your thigh."
I've been looking for ……. oh, never mind.
Jul 23, 2014 at 4:23 pm #2121934James left about 3 years ago …
Jul 23, 2014 at 4:30 pm #2121937>If it's good for us, it's good for your dog ;) Try these:
Just the standard caveat that a few ingredients, such as onions, are toxic to dogs. ASPCA has a good page for checking common items: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/poison-control-okay-or-no-way
Jul 23, 2014 at 4:52 pm #2121944From the link above –
"… it’s uncommon for dogs to eat enough raw onions and garlic to cause serious problems…"
Jul 23, 2014 at 7:52 pm #2121982Mountain House #10 cans have no extra ingredients. The link I gave for the chicken has 2 thumbnails upper left corner for you to see ingredients.
Mountain House site gives ingredients for all products. Here's the beef :-)
http://www.mountainhouse.com/M/product/30122.html
I am affiliated with MH due to the amount of product I purchase….:-)))))
Aug 15, 2014 at 10:44 pm #2128011Recently, one of my Shelties had some GI problems, and the Vet sold us some dog food called Hills WD that has a much higher fiber content then anything found in the stores.
It not only resolved all the GI issues, but was also much lighter than store food.
It did cost about $69 for a bag, around the same as the Inova in the best pet stores, and weighs about half as much for the same sized bag. It also smells like food, not something else.Both at home and in camp, hot water is added, and the dogs took to it right away.
Freeze dried food leaves me exhausted when doing high altitude backpacking climbs in the Rockies, so wouldn't think of giving it to the dogs either. They carry their own food, packaged in small poly bags sealed with a U-Line sealer, and average 3-5 pounds in the pack, depending on whether we are out for around 3-6 days between resupplying.
They are around 30 pound dogs, so 3-5 pounds for the first few days is not a burden for them.Here is Shoki on Mount Chocorua next to home in NH:
She has no pack, as it is a day hike.We also backpack and stealth camp in areas where other people are seldom seen, such as the Never Summer Wilderness in northern Colorado. If we ever got within earshot of another camp, I think my snoring would be far more irritating to others than the dogs. My only fear is the mountain lions, who are becoming more prevalent in northern Colorado, but we haven't seen any yet out there. Only elk herds from a distance, and as in NH, moose can be a problem, but when driving on the roads not hiking on in the backcountry.
Aug 16, 2014 at 11:34 am #2128068OK, I think it's nice to take Man's Best Friend backpacking. They enjoy it and are also a great night time guard/alarm.
I ALSO think it's mandatory to bury their stools as you would your own (or carry them out in a wag bag).
Too many times I've come across dog poopy on hiking and backpacking trails in Pennsylvania, Nevada and Colorado. Disgusting!Aug 16, 2014 at 1:01 pm #2128081Take the food with the highest protein content you can get those intended for sporting dogs usually do the trick.
The result of this will be your dog will need to eat less food per meal to get the same energy intake so you either take less food and as a result less weight or carry more food for the same weight.Aug 16, 2014 at 1:31 pm #2128085For some dogs a sudden change like this can lead to diarrhea.
I'd give this a try a home first …
Aug 20, 2014 at 5:51 am #2128788"Take the food with the highest protein content you can get those intended for sporting dogs usually do the trick."
Bottom line: More fat, not more protein –
Feeding the Canine Athlete in the New York Times –
Q.Does that mean feed it like a human runner?
A. No. Humans and dogs fuel exercise very differently. When we run, we start out burning mostly glycogen, which is stored carbohydrates. Dogs don’t, partly because they have more mitochondria in their muscles than we do. Dogs burn fat as their primary endurance fuel, and carbohydrates are not very important for them.
Fat is the fuel for performance dogs.
Q.So should an athletic dog’s diet contain lots of fat?
A. That’s a good question. For dogs jogging along with you for 20 minutes a few times a week, a normal commercial dog food containing about 15 or 16 percent fat should be fine. But if you and your dog run five or 10 miles a day, that dog likely needs a slightly higher-fat diet.
There are special high-performance dog foods now that contain as much as 20 percent fat. Or you can just add a teaspoon of olive oil to your dog’s kibble. That increases fat intake by 1 or 2 percent, which can be plenty. On the other hand, fat is somewhat indigestible and can lead to greater fecal mass. So if you increase your dog’s fat intake, be prepared to carry an extra plastic bag or two when you go running.
Q. What about protein? How important is it?
A. Vital. Athletic dogs need protein to build and maintain muscle. In general, their diet should consist of at least 25 percent protein, preferably from meat. In one study, dogs fed plant-based soy protein experienced far more musculoskeletal injuries than dogs consuming meat protein.
[No vested interest here, but "Taste of the Wild" dog food is 32% protein and 18% fat, and is meat based.]
Aug 20, 2014 at 8:01 am #2128819Thanks for the tip.
Looked it up at Chewy.com and this appears to be it.
Aug 20, 2014 at 8:18 am #2128823Yes TASTE of the Wild.
[and I edited above …]
Aug 20, 2014 at 8:46 am #2128826OK, thanks.
I recently switched him over to Nature's Pride chicken & brown rice which has similar fat and protein percentages. He does seem more playful and energetic lately, although he's not a voracious eater like he was when he was younger.
Aug 20, 2014 at 9:11 am #2128836What about keeping your dog food the same as at home and adding some peanut butter for an extra boost? Peanut butter has pretty good calories/ounce and good fat and protein amount. My dog would turn into a cylidner if she ate high fat food regularly
Aug 20, 2014 at 2:26 pm #2128933Good idea with the peanut butter!
I am now in the process trying different brands to come up with a combo that A) he likes and B) is healthiest and nutritionally more in line with dog requirements and C) packs the most calories so I don't have to carry as much. In the summer heat he suffers when carrying the pack, so I carry the food. But he carries it in his doggie pack the rest of the year!
I'm an old retired geezer but I'm still pretty active and he goes almost everywhere with me. We do quite a bit of hiking and trail running (ok, jogging!), and now that the weather is starting to cool off somewhat he is running and wrestling more at the dog park. On the rare day that he doesn't get much exercise, he also gets a lot less food. We did a quick backpacking overnighter Tuesday and today, with 12 miles yesterday afternoon and a fairly fast 6-miler this morning, so he isn't lacking for exercise.
edit typo
Aug 20, 2014 at 3:34 pm #2128961For those discussing the last section of the Colorado Trail, there have been some problems with encounters with the sheep herding dogs. I have not experienced it first hand, but have had friends get spooked.
News articles:
http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20120128/NEWS01/701289944/Problem-dogs-in-backcountry
Aug 20, 2014 at 4:11 pm #2128972"… there have been some problems with encounters with the sheep herding dogs. "
Minor point –
A sheep Herding dog would be an Aussie, Border Collier, or similar.
The dogs in these articles are Akbash, livestock protection dogs.
There is a big difference in personality, mission, and attitude.
As a hiker you want to be wary.
As a hiker with a dog, you want to have it on a leash, and you want to give the Akbash a lot of room.
There's usually more than one.Aug 20, 2014 at 4:20 pm #2128973I don't have any experience with this food for performance, but wanted to point out a dehydrated dog food. The company is called The Honest Kitchen and all their food is dehydrated. Might at least be something to mix with other ingredients to provide lighter but balanced dog food.
Aug 20, 2014 at 5:19 pm #2128997Ooohhh, that's really good, Diane!
I like the system with the separate base and protein.
Lots of good dog food info today!
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