Kinds of food before agility

Hi All,

Bit of a strange question, I know, but can anyone recommend any types of foods for dogs before agility training and competitions? Could protein levels be higher in these foods for dogs that don't have any allergies or intolerances to food?

Just wondering. Thanks.

Extra fats are good, especially when training or competing in warm weeks, [ not that we get many of those lol ]. Upping fats leading up to competition give`s more usable energy rather than upping protein and also helps prevent dehydration in warm weather.

[ in other words my lot get the same usual food, in their case a working dog food but is a low protein, they get extra melted marg for the higher fat intake and treats with higher fat and oil content so that their usual food intake is not drastically altered just to do agility ].
HTH :smt001

Thanks Patch, that's very interesting. I always thought a bit of extra protein would give them a bit of a boost on agility days in case they need it. My dogs don't get butter or marge, what other foods would be good? Would some cheese be sufficient? What treats would you recommend?

The problem with just upping protein is that its no good for stamina and can hype some dogs to the point of not being able to really concentrate properly. Upping fat intake does help with energy but without the sort of unwanted hyping up which too high a protein might lead to :smt001

Favoured treats which have good fat content tend to be the home made sort, [ liver cake is a firm favourite among many agility handlers ], but really any kind of treat which has real meat content rather than rendered or just flavoured are the ones to go for.

For my lot, [ me being vegetarian so I don`t cook with meat ], I use pre-made doggy sausage mainly, [ made by Hollings Natural Dog Treats ], which can be broken into small pieces easily, has the fat and oily content, but not colours and icky additives, and to my lot anyway they are a high value reward which they would sell their souls for

When mine are competing at shows their usual breakfast is a tin of sardines in oil and a banana, sometimes a raw egg and a banana but for them at least banana seems to be a good energy food. Even when I used to feed dry food I only ever gave them that once before a show and I got the impression that it "sat heavy". The only treat they got when they were on dry were the dry fish skins that you get from burns, only a couple seemed to make a difference but then I think they are about 90% protein I did find cheese makes mine very windy....

Silly me....I hadn't thought of banana! My Westie loves bananas, but my crossbreed isn't so keen on them. I think I may give them some mackerel in oil and a banana for next time.