The Big Bang Canine Theory

Have you ever wondered how current canine science could help a gun dogs genetic greatness?  Over the past few years I have developed my Top 5 Tips to help improve a gun dogs health and well being. They are listed below, with links to my past articles that dive deeper into each factor. By tracing back my library of articles and linking them to what I feel are my Top 5 Tips, I hope to correlate all this mumbo jumbo once and for all into what I like to call "The Big Bang Canine Theory".

#1. Clean Water.  Yep, it's the the most obvious but most often overlooked canine health improvement. Keep a constant flow of fresh, purified water available. It seems very elementary, but normal tap water can have high levels of micro nasty type cancer causing toxins, fertilizer and poisonous run off that are floating around in our water supply that negatively effect both short and long term health of your dog(s)...and us humans as well! Water is our life blood. It should be respected. Your dogs ability to remain healthy, happy, and hunting hard depends on it as a top priority. Also, keep your dog dishes cleaned out and sanitary. More dogs get sick by stale water than anything so it is very important to keep there feed stations absolutely sterile.
Click here for more water information.

#2. Quality Food Ingredients. Focus on foods with 30%+ protein sources derived from animal meats and eliminate false protein grain gluten period. I said grain gluten, not eliminating grain! I am a huge proponent of grain inclusion in canine diets. It's just making sure they are the right carbo's like rice, barley, etc and not those like corn gluten that falsely boost protein percentages without doing anything to help your dogs nutrition!  Fat is your dog(s) primary source of energy. High fat foods(20%+) are the core of our hard charging gun dogs gas tanks and help make more game in your bag.
Click here for more food information.

#3,  Energy Dense Food. Maximize the Kcal/Per Cup that your dog is eating and good things will happen! High quality, energy packed dog food will not only help your hunting buddy stay in the field longer and harder, it just very well may extend his or her life.  Plus you will spend less in the long run by buying a cleaner "burning" food.  Looking at the price per bag doesn't mean anything. How much nutrition your dog(s) gets per cup is the most important aspect.
Click here for more food caloric information.

#4. Conditioning, Conditioning, Conditioning. Without question, a major key to every healthy gun dog is daily physical activity.  Ask yourself; are you working your dog(s) on a set schedule? How much time are they spending outside working or conditioning? Have you looked at the caloric food formulas to adjust for energy in = energy out...and changed daily feeding rations according to the amount of their activity? Conditioning plays a vital roll in the evolution of our gun dogs. Be a master of their workouts. This will result in a dog that is rock solid and ready to roll at a moments notice!
Click here for more about canine conditioning.

#5 The Season Is Never Really Over. If you want a gun dog to perform at its maximum than the expectation it to get game in front of them as often as possible both during the season as well as their off time! Mandatory vet check up at least twice a year(before the season and after). Please be a responsible gun dog owner, no matter how many dogs you have! Boosters, dewormers, vaccines, annual tests, and all that goes with owning a hard charging gun dog behind the scenes! Keeping them healthy and on game year round is a major task and one we are all rewarded with come hunt season.
Click here for more about gun dog health care.






This is from Chris Mathan's Gallery. One of my favorite pics ever. Shows a well conditioned English Pointer who is slick, ready, and willing! This dog's owner observes the Top 5 Tips for sure! Please check out her work at www.strideaway.com