How to Care for the Canine Athlete

Hard working dogs have more needs than the average pet.  Whether your dog hunts, competes in Agility, or works by your side, he or she needs appropriate care.  Here, understanding the factors that produce an athletic dog will be discussed, as well as how to care for the canine athlete.

Thanks to research performed by canine genomicist Elaine Ostrander and post-doctoral student Jaemin Kim, scientists now understand the genes that affect athleticism.  Through studies performed at the National Human Genome Research Institute, 59 canine genes were identified that directly correlated to a dog’s athleticism.  Among sporting dog breeds, these 59 genes controlled everything from pain perception to heart rate and were shown to have less variability for sporting dogs than in non-sporting groups.  The findings from this research shows that dogs in the sporting group have evolved to be better suited to their “jobs” than companion breeds.

Furthermore, when dogs from the sporting group were compared, only one gene was significant in determining athletic ability.  This gene, ROBO1, is linked with the dog’s learning ability. Therefore, the most athletic dog among a group of canine athletes will be the one with the greatest capacity for learning.  

When choosing a dog for sporting purposes, it may not be as important to know the parent dogs’ athletic ability as it is to know whether they were good learners.

Of course, good genes only go so far if the dog is not properly conditioned.  Since science has shown that learning ability is one of the greatest factors in determining athletic ability, a dog must be diligently trained in an appropriate manner.  

Proper training consists of working with your dog’s strengths and weaknesses in the manner that best suits your dog’s personality.  Regardless of training style, consistency, daily practice, and conditioning are crucial components in the development of a highly-trained dog.

Canine athletes have different nutritional needs than a sedentary dog.  Under- or overfeeding your canine athlete will negatively affect performance, as will feeding the wrong type of food.  Performance dogs have greater fat and protein requirements than the average pet, especially during hunting or sporting season.

Feed your dog a sporting blend to ensure his or her unique caloric and macronutrient needs are being met.  Observe your dog’s body composition over time to ensure the proper amount of food is fed daily. If you are ever in doubt whether your dog is receiving enough nutrients, talk to your veterinarian.

A common misconception is that sporting dogs should train hard every day.  However, hard training can lead to chronic inflammation and disease. As your dog ages, he or she will require more rest days as well.  Providing plenty of variety in your dog’s training, as well as rest and recovery, will ensure your dog is both happy and healthy.

Even when providing plenty of rest, a sporting dog’s immune system requires additional support.  The chronic stress of travel, training, and working can take its toll. Sporting dogs can develop gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and vomiting and may suffer from poor recovery following periods of heavy training and events.  Sporting dogs are also more likely to eat potentially gut-harming things while in the field, such as decaying animal carcasses.