# When to feed before go to field?



## Discoverer (Feb 3, 2011)

The geese season is opening this weekend and I am planning to take Oscar for a real hunt. He's 15 months old and been field training on and off, so it will be the real test for him. I am wondering whether I should feed him in a morning before go to field or skip the first meal altogether? Any other advises for the first time in field will be helpful too. :wavey:


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Hi! Love the dog's name 

I almost always feed before field training/testing. Typically there is a 1-2 hour wait between the time I feed and when they are actually working, between driving and waiting to set up. I don't think it's fair to ask for strenuous activity with no energy to gas it up. On the flip side if I'm just running up to our local field for drills, I will give a cookie or two but no meal until we get home and cool down. 
I know for myself, doing much in the morning on an empty stomach is a surefire way to get a headache or nauseated, so I think even just a few biscuits before working is good.
Have fun!


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

On mornings that I train early I don't feed until after we get back. Scout has bloat in her pedigree and it scares me. I never really thought about working on an empty stomach but with her she isn't that into food anyway. If I train later in the day I don't worry about waiting to feed. My friend does the same with her labs--she will either give them a small meal before and/or bring their food with her and feed them after running them. (Actually she had a near bloat scare this week when one of the labs snuck into the cupboard and ate a ton of dog food)

I haven't thought about how I will handle it when we go hunting. It might depend on when we go hunting...if its early might bring some food in the field for later. If it is later in the day I'll just feed her in the morning most likely. Of course, with duck hunting I reckon most of the time is going to be sitting around unless we hit something...and I am a terrible shot :/


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## Discoverer (Feb 3, 2011)

GoldenSail said:


> ... with duck hunting I reckon most of the time is going to be sitting around unless we hit something...


Pretty much the same with geese hunting - sitting in a blind most of the time, so it's not going to be an extensive exercise like on training session.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

I do a light meal (half the normal ration) in the AM on training/hunting days, and jus make sure it is given at least an hour before the dogs start working, and feed the rest of the day's food with the supper meal.


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## Discoverer (Feb 3, 2011)

sterregold said:


> I do a light meal (half the normal ration) in the AM on training/hunting days, and jus make sure it is given at least an hour before the dogs start working, and feed the rest of the day's food with the supper meal.


That's exactly what I did and it seems to be working well


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Old school approach: Feed at least three hours prior to working/exercising the dog to help prevent bloat.


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