Guest GreyGary91806 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 So I keep hearing(reading) more and more about not feeding close to excersize or play time. When I first wake up I let the boys out to do there business and since we've gotten Diago they run around for maybe 2 minutes then come in for breakfast. Same is said for dinner time but we stay out for a little longer. Am I potentially doing harm to my boys? What should I be doing if what I am doing is wrong. When it was just Gary he was all about breakfast and dinner, but now with young rambunctious Diago there is a lot more running and playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazehund Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I only have one who will run hard and he runs really hard. I walk him off for about 15 minutes much as they would do at the track. After that I let him in to have a small drink of water. I wait until he stops panting then give him another 30 minutes before he gets anything to eat. Cracker runs very hard though. Almost like what he would do in a race. He is not just loping around, he is flat out. Pooter and Dodger just have to wait to eat until the crazy man gets back to normal breathing for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GreyGary91806 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 So i wake up at 5:40 and leave around 7:15 (both my wife and I) what would be a good feeding time so they can still run around? Like 6:20 to 6:30? Kind of split the difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike516 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) Deleted. I'll start a new thread. I don't want to shanghai GG's question with my own, sorry. Edited November 22, 2011 by Mike516 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) The primary reasons it's recommended you don't feed before heavy exercise is twofold - the mechanical action of the stomach swinging back and forth in the abdomen full of food *might* contribute to bloat. The second reason actually accounts for why "they" also don't recommend you feed after heavy exercise - digestion is very resource intensive. When greyhounds run, *that* is also very resource intensive. The body needs to send blood/energy either to the muscles to support the work of running or to the intestines to support the work of digestion (and greyhounds divert a LOT of blood into those BIG muscles they use for sprinting...plus what's needed to circulate near the skin to keep them from overheating while sprinting. I'm sure I've missed a few physiological details, but those are the basics as I understand them) So...you feed a big meal before they run and it's gonna sit there like a lump in their belly and possibly lead them to vomit (been known to happen to a human or two when we, literally, eat and run.) You feed a big meal *just* after a heavy sprint and you can have vomit as well...the body saying: meh, not ready for this yet! As long as the dog has cooled down and isn't panting, you're fine to feed them. If my dog has done a significant amount of work (ie a race or lure course...full on, double suspension gait for 30+/- seconds), I'd wait at least 30 minutes or so to feed them so their body temp can completely come back to normal. Basically...what most dogs can do in the average back yard probably isn't heavy enough heavy work to really need to adjust their eating schedule by very much at all. Edited November 22, 2011 by KennelMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GreyGary91806 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Ahh gotcha. Thanks!! So basically sounds like as long as their not panting they should be good to go! I dont let them right out after meals i always wait aroun an hour.. Thats when the longer run/play time occurs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazehund Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 What Heather said. I do what I do because my yard is 2.5 acres. Cracker "can" get up to a pretty good speed and he does for at least a minute or so. He is also pretty fast, even if he is just chasing me around the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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