Dog Nutrition

Question
I am entering my dog in a field competition this week and was wondering the proper feeding schedule for optimum agility and stamina. The trials will be intensive in the am hours and rest in the afternoon hours. Should I give snack in the morning as a pick me up I have heard this is actually counter productive as far as increasing energy.

Answer
John, I don't do field agility but a good diet will be a diet for active dogs. These diets are higher in fat for long term sustainable energy.
When feeding this type of diet make sure you get a top brand (science diet has an active dog choice that is excellent) and that he gets a normal amount of food to keep up his energy, but feed him earlier in the morning. (You might want to ask other agility people about this).

If your dog is working really hard then you should have some sort of high calorie snack for him after his trials. As I said, fat, not protein, is the energy food of choice. Just be sure your dog is used to having these kinds of treats and diet before you enter him into a competition.
You should have been feeding him and training him for months this way.
Without proper diet and training you can make your dog very sick and injury prone.

So don't enter him if this isn't something you have been working up to all along.
So if your dog is conditioned and ready to go, get some good training treats and keep those in your pocket or pouch and use those to keep your dogs attention and give him a quick snack.