Dr. Tim Hunt On Dr. Tim's Dog Food

Sled dog racing sparks the notion of a well trained canine team pulling it's human musher across the frozen tundra to ultimate victory. It is also considered to be the ultimate test of canine endurance, strength, and performance. But where does the sled dog world collide with our gun dog planet? They are both superior canine athletes asked to work hard under extreme conditions. But again, were does the physical needs of a marathon running Alaskan Husky intertwine with those of a rocket propelled English Pointer?

Their collective bond is found at the very root of canine performance and that common denominator is high quality nutrition.  As conscientious owners, it is our responsibility to supply our working dog(s) the proper fuel to run hard, long, while remaining happy, healthy, and ready to do it all over again tomorrow.

It is not everyday I have the privilege of interviewing a man of Dr. Tim's caliber. His practical knowledge, combined with his education and experience, has led to improving the performance of canine athletes through his dry food formulas. Please note, his dog food formulas are ones he has personally concocted. Dr. Tim is, in my own opinion(and that of many others), pushing the envelope of canine nutritional science and the results have been outstanding. Thank you Dr. Tim for taking the time to answer the following questions...

What is your background and history of Dr. Tim's Pet Food? "I've been a Vet for 22 years(graduate of Michigan State University's School of Veterinary Medicine) and racing sled dogs for about 18 years. Have fed a heavy raw based diet with a kibble for many years with my mix of witches brew. Made it in my garage in a cement mixer and realized more dogs could benefit from a much better kibble(dry dog food) than what was currently on the market. I developed Momentum and began selling it about 6 years ago. Pursuit and Kinesis followed there after. I have raced in the States, Canada, Europe and Alaska and have worked the Iditarod as a vet many times and have run it as well with my own dogs."



What do you feel separates Dr. Tim's dry dog food from the rest of the "pack"?
"That the ingredients are all bioavailable, needed by the dog for fuel their metabolism like it is meant to be fueled, made in such a way as to have a very high digestibility, pre and probiotics included, protein make up to allow for building and maintaining the dogs muscle, allow for increased endurance, very high Omega 3 cold water fatty oil-highest of any food on the market that I know of.  I have what a working dog needs. The metabolism of a husky and a gun dog is not that different, actually very close. Some difference with glycogen replenishment but overall very similar. Basically, the food(Dr Tim's) is devised by a vet that actually gives a shit."(authors note: I agree with Dr. Tim so the profanity was not removed because I also gives a shit about quality canine nutrition! Thanks for your understanding. -Mark) 

Dr. Tim's "Momentum" formula is a 35% protein / 25% fat mix. What "type" of gun dog is this a good fit for this? (by type I mean activity level, drive, daily conditioning and work etc) "This would be one step above Pursuit, the 30/20, and would work very well for a hard working gun dog. Personally, I think this is the best choice for a working dog, period. It just costs a bit more," said Dr. Tim. (Following quotes from Dr. Tim's website) "Momentum has been formulated to help facilitate the stamina, endurance and performance of canines; the food contains highly digestible low ash proteins, fats and carbohydrates to allow your athletic dog to reach their full potential. In addition, supplements are included to decrease the stresses that dogs’ bodies undergo in highly competitive situations that may produce stress diarrhea. These supplements include prebiotics, externally applied probiotics and multiple fiber sources such as rice, psyllium, beet pulp, oatmeal and chicory root. Momentum also contains chelated minerals, kelp, selenium, natural antioxidants and L-carnitine. To minimize allergic reactions, corn and soy products are not used in Momentum

"In your Momentum formula one ingredient stands out as unique(or we just have not seen it in other competing performance formulas) It called, Porcine Plasma. Can you elaborate on this ingredient? "This is a very high quality source of some specific amino acids that greatly benefit the dog in muscle building and maintenance. Barry Bonds kind of stuff!"

Your "Pursuit" formula is 30% protein 20% fat mix. Again, what type of gun dog do you see this formula being fed to?  Any dog that does some level of exercise benefits from it. Even a house dog does very well on it but is just fed less. The key is how much you feed in relation to the overall weight and exercise the dog is undergoing. Less food is needed with a good 30/20 type diet or above. Ours is 95% digestible and thus you feed much less than what you are used to. Most companies are happy with an 80 percent digestible rate, thus you pay for extra calories in the dogs stool, in essence. You get what you pay for in the long run. Also, the idea a high protein causes kidney disease is incorrect," responded Dr. Tim. (According to Dr. Tim's website) "Pursuit Active Formula Dog Food has been created for dogs with a moderate to vigorous activity level. This high protein, low ash formula allows your lively dog to tap into just the right amount of energy needed throughout the day. Externally applied probiotics and prebiotics support the beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, while natural antioxidants and Optimal Vitamin Nutrition DSM® help to keep your dog’s immune system as strong as possible. Whether your dog is playing catch, jogging or herding sheep, our premium ingredients deliver tasty nutrition based on what your dog really needs to thrive. Make every day a healthy, strong day – and worry free for you – with Pursuit."


I noticed your food is one of the few on the market today that includes both PRE and PRObiotics in it's formula. What exact does this mean for the health and well-being of working gun dogs? Is it an aid against stress related diarrhea? Could you also elaborate on what causes stress diarrhea etc? "Prebiotics are starches that escape digestion in the small intestine and are used by the beneficial bacteria of the large intestine. We want to promote that. Probiotics are benficial bacteria added to the diet to stimulate the immune system of the GI tract and beyond plus they act against harmful bacteria by forcing them out, more or less. Probiotics are added to our kibble after the extrusion process to maximize their viability as the heat of extrusion can kill them. Stress diarrhea is caused by a few different factors, most notably how well conditioned the dog is, the fiber composition of the diet and the digestibility of the included starches. When a dog is working hard, the amount of stool in the colon can have a "slap" effect on the sides of the colon, thus causing irritation. This stool can also pull a lot of water along with it as it travels the colon and this leads to soft stools. Multi factored causes but diet plays a huge part in it."


On your site you also offer a topical muscle massage ointment called Algyvet. Could you envision this product being beneficial for gun dogs? "Absolutely," said Dr. Tim.  "This stuff, an athletic balm for dogs, has been widely used in the sled dog arena and I have found it to be very useful for muscle injuries."


Dr. Tim, do you have any other issues or concerns you would like to add about your dog food? Dr. Tim rounded up our interview by concluding, "Nutrition is constantly evolving and much has been learned in the past 10 years or so. There is a lot of fluff type ingredients that can be included for miracle results and I have resisted that temptation. What should be in the food, in my opinion at this date, is in there. And it is made at a plant that I trust. It took me 6 plants to find the right plant to make my recipe and what a difference that makes. That has been part of my learning about nutrition for dogs, nearly as important as some of the ingredients. Dogs are meant to be fueled by fat, and high levels of them. When we slowly bring a high fat diet into play with a dog they become more efficient in their metabolism and actually will need less food. And become stronger, have more endurance and stay much healthier."

Dr. Tim Hunt is not your average veterinarian and his dog food is not your average bear. In my own opinion, he signifies the forefront of a truly revolutionary movement in quality canine nutrition. Witnessing small companies like Dr. Tim's coming to market with realistic research, practical knowledge, quality ingredients, and scientifically backed formulas proves we might finally break the Fortune 500's falsified, kung fu like grip on the performance dog food world. The big brands should take notice that there are honest to goodness cowboys out there like Dr. Hunt who are not scared to make super premium jet fuel for canine athletes while using the the absolute, very best ingredients possible... AND while maintaining reasonable price points to do so! Not to mention, it is extremely reassuring to performance dog owners that the very food they are feeding is the result of someone who truly understands what working or sporting dogs need to become world class athletes in their own right. I personally thank Dr. Tim Hunt  for taking the time out of his busy schedule to reply to my questions. Without any doubt, it shows his commitment, passion, and professionalism. Here at northUpland that is proof positive that Dr. Tim is a high quality dogman! Thanks again Doc, we appreciate your contribution and continued help spreading the word about proper gun dog nutrition. To visit Dr. Tim's website please visit http://www.drtims.com/ Thank you


As always...if you have questions or comments feel free to drop me a line at northupland@yahoo.com Thanks for reading.


Best of Luck Out There. -Mark