What do you feed them?
I adjust the ration according to the season and activity level of the dogs.
The stape is high-quality dog food.
I'm feeding Mounds Dog Power this season.
During the summer I feed this basic ration once per day for 24 dogs:
2 cups of ground beet pulp ( finely ground in a blender )
2 heaping tablespooons of Prozyme
6 2-liter pitchers of Dog Power Growth-Extra
The beet pulp prolongs the transit time in the gut and provides extra fiber.
Prozyme is a product that provides supplemental digestive enzymes.
It allows more nutritional value to be extracted from the ration
It reduces the amount of feed needed, the amount of poop I have to clean up,
and the biochemical workload of digestion.
Once fall training starts I add raw meat, powdered eggs, and canola oil to the diet.
We change to feeding twice a day to allow the dogs to eat more without gorging themselves.
Each dog gets a pound of meat per day in a ratio of 2 parts beef to one part chicken.
Twice a day:
1 cups of ground beet pulp ( finely ground in a blender )
1 heaping tablespooons of Prozyme
2 2-liter pitchers of Dog Power Growth-Extra
8 pounds raw frozen ground beef
4 pounds raw frozen chicken or duck
1 cup meat and bone meal
1/2 tsp opti-horse vitamins
1 cup meat and bone meal
3/4 cup canola oil
During races I snack the dogs with chunks of beef tallow and "power bars".
cooked rice
raw eggs
garlic powder
rosemary
fish meal/chicken livers, etc.
red cell tonic (for dogs)
honey
The ingredients are mixed to a paste consistency and spread out on meat paper to freeze
Then we cut these up on the bandsaw into chunks the size of brownies and vacuum pack them.
Once we start doing long training runs the dogs are snacked every 90-120 minutes with power bars
They get tallow on the last snack before we finish and at the start of any rests.
How do you take care of the dogs in a race?
The routine varies with the length of the run and the temperature.
If possible I pour hot water on frozen meat in a cooler before I leave
That way I can stop on a long run (>60 miles) and feed the dogs
Or if it's not too cold I can feed what I carried right away upon arrival in the check point
this strategy only works in warmer temperatures (teens and above)
In a checkpoint (during races) or at rest stops during training expeditions I follow this routine:
Secure the leaders with a small snow hook.
come back down the line and throw a little pile of dog food in the snow for each dog to eat.
Put coats on dogs that need them
Get straw down so the tired ones can lay down and not have to be disturbed
If possible go up the line and offer water.
on the way back pull off booties and throw them into piles.
Start the cooker up and melt snow or heat water
If there's thawed meat left in the cooler mix up the food and feed it.
Pick up the frozen booties and bag them
Check dog feet & apply ointment as needed.
By this time water is hot so pour it on the chopped-up meat in the cooler
Rub shoulders and wrists with liniment on dogs prone to orthopedic problems
Apply wrist wraps or shoulder heat packs as indicated.
Heat more water and thaw out my vacuum-packed, frozen meal
Drink 1 quart of liquid
Eat my food and fill my thermos for the next run
feed the dogs (or offer snacks if they ate a leftover meal)
Check the dogs for stiffness or soreness in wrists, hips and shoulders
Massage and treat any problems uncovered while doing the orthopedic exam.
Sleep if there's any time left
Heat water as indicated for thawing meat for meal to go.
Apply new set of booties
Check headlight, batteries, dry gloves, etc.
Let's go!