conditioning on raw ( water in take)

[R2L]

Water is actually absorbed everywhere in the digestive tract. And (according to something I remember reading) the trouble with giving too much water while the dog is eating is this: the water goes in the stomach first, diluting the acid (and thus the initial breakdown of food) while it's all being contained in the stomach.

Jack

Edit/PS: I guess what I am saying is, I think it is a better idea to give all that water in the AM, 12 hours before the work/show, rather than after the workout. If the dog needs the hydration to perform optimally, giving it after his workout (and possibly diluting his digestion) doesn't make as much sense as giving that same water in the AM, allowing it to be processed (and him to be hydrated) by the PM work.

Very good points Ogdogg and Jack, i think this is an even better method. But has the dog fully emptied out all that water 14 houres after? I guess you want to see his right weight just before feeding it after work. Or would you give exactly the same ammount of water on the day on the show? 1,2 kg of water is quiet allot, i figure if the dog holds to much of that you might be contracting over your dogs right weight.