Post by davidbailey on Jun 7, 2012 16:03:11 GMT
I never normally join in discussions about feeding, because in many cases it may all come down to cost. Whereas some owners can go expensive, but it may be no better for their dog than others who go cheaper, but is still adequate for their greyhounds need. In theory, the more you pay the better it should be for your dog, but I think that is nonsense. Besides if it suits your dog what you are feeding him or her, why change?
Named brands always seem to be overpriced to me with the annoying practice by many manufacturers of adding a variety of colours to their product. What is that all about, why colour it? It doesn’t appear to be beneficial to the dog’s diet and no proper long term study has been done to determine whether all these colours could be detrimental to your hound through prolonged use.
Another thing “Protein Content.” I know the general advice is decrease the protein level on taking your retired hound but this must be balanced in how you intend to give your dog or dogs exercise. If you believe in the official line that greyhounds are quite happy with two twenty minute walks a day, you might want to lower the protein content, but the reality is they would be really happy to have two, one hour walks a day. Especially off the lead if you have a greyhound that is trustworthy.
On the whole it’s true; greyhounds would only get two short walks a day in racing kennels with the majority only receiving exercise in an enclosed paddock. However, they leave out the pertinent information their hyper activity is burnt off by either racing, or a training trial at a private track every week. So trainers keep exercise to a minimum because they want all their energy for the race days, something they are very unlikely to get when retired...
I feed my current dog’s a high protein diet which varies between 28/30% because they are always off the lead when we reach our walking areas, where they proceed to do a lot of socialisation with other breeds which includes a great deal of running, so they in fact need it.
Whereas when I have had other hounds that have been older so not as energetic, I have lowered the protein level but by never by that much. I never go below 25%, but then my dogs are only on their lead between my front door and the car...
I never feed my dog’s pet food from the stores as I choose to drive a little further to buy my feed. It costs me no more than £12 a week to feed my three.
When I had a training licence and my dog's were racing, there was a rule that always gave me trouble, and it was my dogs weight. From race to race your dog's weight must be no lower or higher than 2lbs than its preceding weight since its last race. If it so your dog cannot race and has to have another trial before the dog can race again. So it was a matter of weighing their food every day, something I have done to this day so I know whether to increase or decrease.
I feed each dog ¾lb of minced chicken, ½lb of Gain Greyhound 28 and four Ounces of vegetables five times a week, and for the other two days I feed 10 Ounces of raw minced beef, 10 Ounces of Gain Greyhound 28 and again 4 Ounces of vegetables.
The chicken I buy in five pound packs for £2 a time. The raw minced beef costs me 95p for a 2lb pack and I buy for convenience sake frozen vegetables from the supermarket.
I feed Half in the morning and the other half, late evening. (22.00hrs) By feeding late evening it is very rare for me to have any nasties to clean up in the morning.
The Gain 28 costs me £9.50 for 15 kilo’s, which is trade price from a greyhound trainer who lets me have a couple of bags every few weeks at cost price, the same Gain he uses for his racing greyhounds..
Overall though if your dog healthy and well on its current diet you’re not going far wrong.
Named brands always seem to be overpriced to me with the annoying practice by many manufacturers of adding a variety of colours to their product. What is that all about, why colour it? It doesn’t appear to be beneficial to the dog’s diet and no proper long term study has been done to determine whether all these colours could be detrimental to your hound through prolonged use.
Another thing “Protein Content.” I know the general advice is decrease the protein level on taking your retired hound but this must be balanced in how you intend to give your dog or dogs exercise. If you believe in the official line that greyhounds are quite happy with two twenty minute walks a day, you might want to lower the protein content, but the reality is they would be really happy to have two, one hour walks a day. Especially off the lead if you have a greyhound that is trustworthy.
On the whole it’s true; greyhounds would only get two short walks a day in racing kennels with the majority only receiving exercise in an enclosed paddock. However, they leave out the pertinent information their hyper activity is burnt off by either racing, or a training trial at a private track every week. So trainers keep exercise to a minimum because they want all their energy for the race days, something they are very unlikely to get when retired...
I feed my current dog’s a high protein diet which varies between 28/30% because they are always off the lead when we reach our walking areas, where they proceed to do a lot of socialisation with other breeds which includes a great deal of running, so they in fact need it.
Whereas when I have had other hounds that have been older so not as energetic, I have lowered the protein level but by never by that much. I never go below 25%, but then my dogs are only on their lead between my front door and the car...
I never feed my dog’s pet food from the stores as I choose to drive a little further to buy my feed. It costs me no more than £12 a week to feed my three.
When I had a training licence and my dog's were racing, there was a rule that always gave me trouble, and it was my dogs weight. From race to race your dog's weight must be no lower or higher than 2lbs than its preceding weight since its last race. If it so your dog cannot race and has to have another trial before the dog can race again. So it was a matter of weighing their food every day, something I have done to this day so I know whether to increase or decrease.
I feed each dog ¾lb of minced chicken, ½lb of Gain Greyhound 28 and four Ounces of vegetables five times a week, and for the other two days I feed 10 Ounces of raw minced beef, 10 Ounces of Gain Greyhound 28 and again 4 Ounces of vegetables.
The chicken I buy in five pound packs for £2 a time. The raw minced beef costs me 95p for a 2lb pack and I buy for convenience sake frozen vegetables from the supermarket.
I feed Half in the morning and the other half, late evening. (22.00hrs) By feeding late evening it is very rare for me to have any nasties to clean up in the morning.
The Gain 28 costs me £9.50 for 15 kilo’s, which is trade price from a greyhound trainer who lets me have a couple of bags every few weeks at cost price, the same Gain he uses for his racing greyhounds..
Overall though if your dog healthy and well on its current diet you’re not going far wrong.
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