conditioning on raw ( water in take)

[Officially Retired]

Dogs lose more water than electrolytes, and if you feed an hour after workout, you lose an optimal window for the reuptake of glycogen. Adding some pedialyte probably isn't a bad idea, but I would have to look more into what electrolytes dogs lose in order to formulate a plan of action for that.

Of course they lose more water than electrolytes; electrolytes weigh next to nothing.

Good point about the glycogen, although the flipside is that same hour window is when they burn fat if they don't get the glycogen ...

I have never measured a dog's weight to the ounce before or after as I don't have a digital scale. I have measured dogs weight before/after though in 1/4lb increments. The hardest working dog I've ever had lost 3lbs during each workout at the peak point of his keep. He was a 40lb dog. He was getting 40oz of water, and he was getting more than 2lbs of feed everyday at that point.

Wow, 3 lb of weight is a bunch; that is 48 oz of weight. I wonder if it would be a good idea give the water + electrolytes right after the work, wait an hour for processing, and then give the meal? You could even add the minor carb replacement that dogs need during that window (if you're not worried about fat loss). Just thinking out loud here, but this strategy might address all issues.

Dogs in a keep, or at any time, won't drink enough water, on their own, to keep themselves properly hydrated. They drink to satiate thirst not to stay properly hydrated, and there is a big difference between the two. I personally don't know if all the water in their meal is optimal or not. I do know it works better than just allowing the dog to drink on it's own when it gets ready. There are too many variables to go along with that.

I think dogs WILL drink enough to keep themselves hydrated ... this is why (after the work) dogs will drink their asses off, and will continue to do so until they get re-hydrated. The problem, really, is OVER-drinking if they're hot and tired and the conditioner's dilemma of monitoring weight/intake, etc.

In point of fact, I actually believe that the critical weighing of the dog, before and after the work, pretty much signifies exactly how much they have lost during the work. But because they're burning calories, electrolytes, fluids, etc. it's hard to say exactly how much is water only, but I think adding Pedialyte rather than straight water is a better idea (in the same fashion that running a bag of saline is superior to just replenishing water).

R2L, if you're going to split the water, the dog is going to need more than the allotted 40% after the work as that is when he's going to need the water the most. He's not going to need it the most 12 hours later. Maybe I'll try that next time to see how it all works out, though I don't think it will make any significant or noticeable difference.

Interesting discussion and observations.

If I were active, I would personally be trying to replace exactly the amount of weight lost after the work, or thereabouts, and then I would allow enough time for the replenished fluids (Pedialyte or equivalent) to dissipate before feeding. I don't think I would lump both that much water/fluid and his full meal all together at the same time myself.

Maybe you, or someone else, could provide some feedback on this eventually

Jack