Gundog Nutrition

We believe that the best way to ensure health and longevity in our dogs is through correct breeding and also correct nutrition.

The dog food market is a complete minefield. There are so many suppliers and variations of food on the market, it can be very confusing as to what to feed.

Generally there are three options, or variations on the three:

1. A DRY complete feed
2. A WET meat based feed
3. B.A.R.F (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food)

Dry Feed

Lets remove some of the confusion, there are only around 5 manufacturing sites for DRY food in the UK. What they do is manufacture from stock ingredients to the suppliers receipe. The brand then applies a margin to the manufacturing costs and market the food. A good quality food can be purchased for under £30 per bag if bought in larger quantities. The quality of the food can be interpeted from its ingredients list and anlytical composition. Generally, the first ingredients represent the largest % constituent of the feed and should be meat based. In terms of protein contribution, fish is better than chicken, which in turn is better than red meat. White rice, barley, wheat and cereals should be minimised as these are just included to pack out the food and do not add nutritionally to the mix.

At Glasybont we focus on ensuring our dogs get the very best in nutrition and are approved professional partners of both ROYAL CANIN Professional range and also KRONCH dry feed, which is imported from Denmark and is based on Salmon. Puppies are started on the  professional Maxi starter mother and baby dog. Our adult dogs use the professional ENERGY 4800 and 4300 mix which is formulated for dogs that require extended periods of high energy. We feed this due to the activity level our dogs have. For less active dogs, we are able to recommend a suitable food with a balance of protein and fat to suit your family circumstances. Our dogs also have cold pressed extruded salmon oil on the their feed. We feed 50% in the morning and 50% in the evening. Important: FEED / REST  /TRAIN. As well as being able to get both ROYAL CANIN and Kronch food direct from ourselves, they can be purchased on-line for home delivery. All puppies and dogs leave us with a months supply of the feed they are currently eating to ensure a smooth home transition.

http://www.kronch.co.uk/shop/

http://www.kronch.co.uk/how-kronch-is-made/

http://www.kronch.co.uk/shop/beggarbush-champions-choice-15kg/

Wet Feed

We do not use wet feed such as tinned meats. It adds to plaque build up and generally produces more waste post feeding.

B.A.R.F (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food)

This is an excellent method of feeding but can be very easy to get wrong, However, combining BARF with a dry feed can give your dog variation and an additional source of protein. We tend to feed when available raw fish (Mackerel) and chicken wings / carcasses. These aid with digestion, coat quality and teeth cleaning.

Why we feed Kronch

Salmon as a Source of Fat

Fat is the dogs most important source of energy. Fat provides your dog with the essential omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, both of which are necessary for maintaining the dogs and cats bodily functions.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fat sea fish such as mackerel, herring, eel and salmon. When compared to other fish, salmon has the highest content of omega-3 fatty acids. The health enhancing effects of omega-3 are mainly due to the fatty acids known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These two fatty acids are found only in fish and nowhere else in nature. In addition, salmon also contains omega-6 fatty acids.

Using salmon as a source of fat allows us to transfer the essential omega-3 and -6 fatty acids found in salmon to our feed. The feed’s high Omega-6 content has a positive effect on the dog’s skin and coat, and helps to counteract coat problems, such as allergies, dry skin, shedding, itching, dandruff, and dull coat. Furthermore, the feed’s high Omega-3 content helps to strengthen the immune system, to increase fertility and to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Salmon as a Source of Protein

When the feed is digested, it’s proteins are broken down into amino acids. These amino acids are then absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed throughout the body. These amino acids help to build, maintain, and repair tissue, muscles, bones, and the dogs internal organs.

The dog is able to create most of the amino acids it needs by itself. However, it is important to make sure that the dog receives the amino acids it cannot create by itself from it’s diet. There are 10 essential amino acids that the dog is unable to create by itself. If just 1 essential amino acid is missing, the remaining 9 will be burned off as energy, and will not be used for building, maintaining or repairing the body. As a result of this, the dog’s muscles may stop growing, among other things. Proteins from salmon contain all of the essential amino acids. Using salmon as a source of protein ensures that the dog receives all the amino acids it needs.

Proteins from salmon have a very high biological value. The biological value is a measure of how large a part of the proteins the dog is able to exploit. Salmon proteins have a biological value of 94%, which is very high compared to other animal protein sources (see The Protein Scale). This results in an easily digestible feed with a very high utilisation rate, the result of which is a lower feed consumption, and a reduced amount of feces.

What is the protein scale?

“The protein scale” is a graph mapping how well different types of proteins work as a source of energy for the dog. The higher the percentage (the biological value), the better. Salmon has a very high biological value of about 93%. This means that 93% of the salmon can be burned by the body, and converted into energy that the body can use. The result is fewer excrements than with protein sources such as wheat and beef.

Salmon alone is, of course, not enough

This is why our feed is composed of the best possible quality controlled raw materials. It is also correctly balanced with regard to nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Choline Chloride and lecithin are added to the feed, both of which help to increase the dog’s metabolism. As a result, the dog will need less feed to receive the same amount of energy, and will eat less.

Extruded Feed

During extrusion, the ingredients are heated up at high pressure to more than 130 degrees centigrade. This kills off all bacteria, and causes the starch in the cereal products to react with water, producing easily digestible carbohydrate. In other words, the starch from the cereal products is made available to the dog, which results in increased absorption and better feed utilisation.

What antioxidants are used?

Only approved food grade antioxidants are used in production. This ensures a healthy and tasty feed, which enjoys a very high acceptance rate among allergy sufferers.

The dog’s body creates so called “free radicals”, which cause the dog’s cells to change. These “free radicals” may weaken the immune system, and even cause cancer. Antioxidants neutralise these “free radicals”, and improve the dog’s health.