Hunting dogs
Summer soon will be upon us, and hunting season is still months away. For the next 12 weeks or more, your hunting dog will be less active than he is during fall and winter. There will be no quail to point, no squirrels or raccoons to tree, no rabbits or deer to chase, no ducks or doves to retrieve. If allowed, your dog will lie around like a human couch potato - fat, dumb and happy - during the warm months. But when hunting season comes around, the dog won't be in any condition for the rigors of hunting, and that's not good.Hunting dogs are athletes of a sort, and like their human counterparts in the world of sports, dogs need offseason conditioning to keep them in tip-top shape. In order to make that opening-day hunting trip successful - and to ensure your dog has all the stamina and energy needed to carry it through the season - you must pay attention to physical conditioning. And the conditioning has to be year 'round, not just during the fall and winter, when hunting seasons are in full swing. Many hunters tend to take for granted their dog's performance. They fail to realize the level of stress and exertion that a dog's cardiopulmonary system experiences during a day's hunt. We should all realize, however, that if a do
The dog was physically exhausted from swimming in the icy water and couldn't take any more. He was breathing so raggedly after a few retrieves that I actually feared he might succumb. The owner of the pudgy, out-of-shape dog complained that his dog must have been sick. He didn't hunt him the remainder of the season. This dog is like a member of the hunter's family. He stays in the house year 'round, gets walked a time or two every week and grows fat during the off-season from table scraps and inactivity. He recommends that if you use a bike, always wear safety gear such as a helmet. His dog once decided to run a rabbit that bolted across the road, leaving him and his bike in a heap when the chase crossed a ditch. Always take along plenty of cool water for dog and handler, and take frequent breaks to get the full effect of roading sessions. My dictionary defines conditioning as "the act of putting a person or thing in a good state of being or health." In other words, conditioning means keeping your dog healthy and minding its overall well being. Proper conditioning will provide stamina for the duration of each hunt and will allow quick, complete recovery from one day to the next when the dog is hunted on consecutive days. A poorly conditioned dog exhibits a declining performance curve if you start stringing days afield together. A dog in good condition actually thrives and gets stronger with each passing day. When developing a summer conditioning program, you should focus on three primary areas: exercise, field work and diet. It's very important, however, that each facet of the conditioning program be geared to a level compatible with hot summer temperatures. You don't want to overdo things, or your dog will be in grave danger of dehydration and/or heat stroke. Use common sense and avoid pushing your animal too hard. DEVELOPING A SUMMER CONDITIONING PROGRAM
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Approximate Word count = 1307
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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