# Fat for energy



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

In reading the great article (water) posted by Lynn I gave a lot of thought to the comments about dogs using fat for energy as opposed to carbs.
How fast do dogs use the fat? For a trial day, would I give them extra? How much? How soon before the trial where they could still utilize it for extra energy? 
I realize that to much fat, to fast can cause stomach stress. 
I also feed kibble that is 20% fat. I'm guessing I give natural fat (chicken, beef, pork) separate from their regular meal?! My GSDs are also kenneled outdoors.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Since my dogs are outside, I use 20% fatt in the dry food. I also use beef fat on real bad days, not bags of it but enough to help the dog keep warm. I use a 30% protein/20% fat mix. In the summer, I switch to 15%p/10%f and keep lots of water in the kennels.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

I give wild fish oil caplets to supplement. These ones .. http://www.canada-shops.com/Stores/healthdiets1/c27938p16729279.2.html In the winter I just give her an extra caplet everyday if she is going to be working outside. It's easy and you feed it to your dog like a treat, well mine anyways will gobble them up!


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2008)

Couple of things

This relates to humans, but being that we're all mammals, I'm guessing the same basic conclusions can be drawn.

Running a 4 hour marathon, for example, doesn't use that many calories. One could easily eat the net calorie expenditure from in a single meal.

Sled dogs...how long do they go between meals? Pretty long, and they're being worked like rented mules.

A Schutzhund trial (while you're performing) isn't even 30 minutes, right?

Regardless, the fats best used for _energy use_ are saturated fats (so I've heard). I forgot why. I will try to find it. Something about "burning cleaner"....or something.


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

I posted information on this article a while back - its called "Role of Fat in Athletic Dogs: Endurance, Olfaction and Intelligence." I think it might answer some of your questions. I can't find it on the internet, but it was presented at the North American Veterinary Conference in January of '06 in Orlando. I think it supports feeding a raw diet nicely too. Strangely enough, it was written by folks from Iams. I can email the article as a .pdf file to anybody who wants to read it (which is what I did when I posted the article a while back).

PM me with your email information if you want me to email it to you.


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