Quality Nutrition for Working Dogs

In Association With Purina

During peak periods, a working dog will require 2-3 times the calories per kg of body weight than that of a dog at rest. These dogs need a high quality diet to perform at their best.

PRO PLAN Performance Extreme 32/30 for adult medium-to-large breed dogs, has 32 percent protein and 30 percent fat. It's highly nutritious, energy dense and formulated specifically for adult dogs in times of high intensity exercise. Rather than just feeding them more and more food to keep up with  their increased energy needs, it is better to provide them with a special diet, which is highly digestible and energy dense. If the energy density of a food is too low, a dog may be physically unable to eat the volume of food required to meet its energy requirements. This can be further complicated in some dogs by fatigue which can lead to a drop in appetite.

Protein

Working dogs require higher levels of good quality protein in their diets. Exercise increases the body's need for protein used for tissue maintenance and repair. High performance nutrition helps extend the career of working dogs and their quality of life. Scientific research at Purina has shown that a diet containing higher protein levels can reduce the number of soft tissue injuries in working dogs and aids in a faster recovery time*.

Carbohydrates  

Easily digestible carbohydrates are necessary to provide energy to fuel sprint work and ensure good stool quality. Diets without carbohydrates can result in mild-chronic diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration and a loss of body condition. Using carbs for energy can sometimes “spare” protein from being used as an energy source leaving the amino acids it contains available for use in other functions including muscle and tissue repair.

Fat

Working dogs are primarily endurance athletes and their fuel for endurance work is primarily from fat. Dogs are more efficient at metabolising and mobilising fat than most other species. 

The nutritional objectives for working dogs:

• To optimise work rate and overall performance 
• Reduce injury and prolong the working-life span 
• Maintain lean muscle mass and a strong immune system 
• Avoid nutritional imbalances

Utilising both PRO PLAN Performance and new PRO PLAN Performance Extreme 32/30 in your working dogs feeding programme, provides the flexibility to feed according to each dogs individual work level and energy requirements. PRO PLAN Performance (32 percent protein and 21 percent fat) is ideal for your breeding bitch during gestation and lactation and provides all the nutrition required for a puppy’s development. PRO PLAN Performance Extreme 32/30 provides concentrated nutrition to fuel metabolic needs and maintain lean muscle for dogs working under extreme conditions.

*Reynolds AJ et al. 1999. Effect of protein intake during training on biochemical and performance variables in sled dogs. Am. J. Vet.Res. 60:789-79