Drying out

[EWO]

I am not sure about the kibbles retaining water. Maybe because it is dry and opposite of raw, whereas raw food contains a lot of water content . My best guess anyway.


My first experiences way back when the dogs were dried out. This would be about 1982-83. I was a kid and my first real job was walking dogs. One of the rules were to avoid puddles or wet grass, stay in the middle of the path. ( $1 per mile in '82 and 13 yrs, old. In rural NC that made me damn near a Rockefeller) That gentlemen cut water and used diuretics to dry them out. I didn't know squat but I watched him mix/weigh food and do the same with water, especially the water at the end.

As I got older I changed with the times. The dog are not what I would call 'wet' but a far cry from the 'dry' of yesteryear. Feeding RAW also adds a twist as well. Feeding RAW a dog gets closer to his own individual wetness factor (that is not an actual term) so when the work begins there is not lot of adjustment needed. I have learned that if the water amounts are monitored the dog will come off water on his own as time winds down. Then finely tuned in the last days. Another benefit of RAW I would not have expected. EWO

[gotap_d]

I call a dog "wet" when you check his count and the skin snaps back immediately. I call a dog "dry" when the skin takes 1/2 a second or longer to snap back. I am only familiar with bringing dogs in with some sort of count as this is what i was taught and has worked for me. On the other hand i also believe that water is needed in the system for proper cooling of the dog but i have never brought one without some type of count. So my question is to the people that believe that drying a dog is a thing of the past do you bring your dog in wet and let him drink until his show?

[CYJ]

We did a 30 hour feed cycle and on that last rest day leading up to weigh in. Counting backwards, Water was taken away at the 24 hour mark. Dog already had it's last feeding and water added in feed etc. six hours prior to that or better put 30 hours back from weigh in time. This last 30 hour feeding was doubled. Sort of a Protein/Carb/Fat loading to make the dog feel good. LOL

On that last 30 hour feeding the feed was doubled based on the last hardest work day and the amount the dog had been fed. On the previous two 30 hour rest days. The first rest day, dog was fed one third of that amount and the second rest day it was 1/2 that amount. Dog would weigh around one pound light before getting that heavy feeding. Would look like it was pregnant. Water was left with dog at all times till the 24 hour mark counting backwards from the weigh in time.

Water was reintroduced at 12 hours from weigh in time. Dog was walked first to clean out, rubbed down , then weighed. Was allowed to drink water till lifted head. Given 3cc of PREDEF 2X sterile aqueous suspension under the skin on the lower back area of the neck.

Six hours from weigh in, dog was walked to clean out, weighed, rubbed down and allowed to drink water till lifting head. Unless dog weighed light. Was given the amount of ounces in fluids that the dog was weighing light. I had earlier stated I gave 1cc of Dex under the skin at the six hour mark before weigh in time. I believe that was stopped over time because the PREDEF 2X anti inflammatory medications was getting the job done.

Four hours till weigh in dog was walked to clean out, rubbed down and put up. If dog still was still a little light was given the amount of fluids in ounces dog was weighing light. Still preferred to stop all fluids at the six hour mark.

One hour before weigh in dog was walked, weighed, and put up. 30 minutes from weigh in, dog was walked , and put up if felt it was necessary. If could get one more walk right before weigh in say in ten minutes did so. Wanted dog's kidney's cleared of all fluids and any stool in bowels. If anything was left. After that it was Show Time.

Giving a dog any kind of Dex or Predef 2X earlier than that and leaving dog with water, I figure dog would drink it's whole water pan dry and be looking for some more. Cheers

[EWO]

I leave water readily available until the last two to three days. I add water to the feed and supplementation meals thru out and when the results of the work, the feed and the rest peak together the dogs come off water on their own. The last week or so they hardly drink at all. I leave the water there but check the amounts throughout the day. The last three days I pick it up as I am fine tuning for weight. The last two weeks everything, including water is based on his weight throughout each day. So yes, I leave water out the entire keep except for the last three days. EWO

I call a dog "wet" when you check his count and the skin snaps back immediately. I call a dog "dry" when the skin takes 1/2 a second or longer to snap back. I am only familiar with bringing dogs in with some sort of count as this is what i was taught and has worked for me. On the other hand i also believe that water is needed in the system for proper cooling of the dog but i have never brought one without some type of count. So my question is to the people that believe that drying a dog is a thing of the past do you bring your dog in wet and let him drink until his show?

[gotap_d]

Thanks @CYJ and @EWO for your replies. Im judging from your responses that both of you bring the entry in with some sort of cojnt. Is there anyone who brings them in consistantly with no count at all?

[R2L]

CYJ you were sure giving big amounts of dex. Im not sure what's fref2x dex is which u gave 3 cc of. But 1 cc of dex azium 6 houres before the show, didnt that make the dog drop a lot of water weight? No dex here before the show, if i would do it would be like 0,5 cc 1 hour before the show.

I just give the dog water in its feed, same like he would be getting on a rest day. 24 houres before, then remove the bowl. thats it.

[CYJ]

R2L, that type of Predef 2X sterile aqueous suspension was kept a secret for a long time and maybe still today. This med was not Prednisolone. Predef 2X sterile aqueous suspension was a potent corticosteroid. The glucocorticoid activity is 10 times that of Prednisolone, 50 times that of hydrocortisone, and 67 times that of cortisone. Pull it up on the internet and read up on this med. Mostly used by Dairy Farmers/Horse and swine usage.

My Vet loved it, but did not like the extra water drinking and urinating the dogs did in those small kennel Vet set ups. Created more daily cleaning of those Kennels. Even his techs complained about it's use causing to much clean up problems. Yet Drinking plenty of water etc. for our dogs after a dog pull is very important.

The PREDEF 2X was a thick yellowish type of medication kept in a light brown glass bottle. It worked much slower in the dog's system when given under the skin. This medication could stay in the dog's system up to three days.

After a hard bout the dog was given 3cc shot in both shoulders and both back legs. Never lost a dog from shock. Dog was up and walking in 3 to 6 hours and drinking plenty of water. Started the antibiotics at the 24 hour mark after cleaning the dog with a disinfectant soap etc. Dog kept up off the ground to keep dog clean. Dog would be acting like new in about three days or so, like nothing ever happened.

The PREDEF 2X had a powerful effect on preventing swelling and bleeding. Helped the dog to slow it's breathing rate down to a long slower deep type breathing. Some of the dog men back then could not get a handle on this. See a dog going full blast but breathing nice and deep like a air bellow works. The dog will appear to be running a little hot for 5 to ten minutes at first. But the PREDEF 2X was clearing the excessive moisture from the lungs and dog would cool out. At least that is what I was told and observed.

B. Davis, Hands, McDougal, and the Florida dog men camp. Had a Vet that liked to try all sorts of things, on their dogs. Came to some of the very private events to get some field feed back to help them out. That would never happen today. LOL

The only draw back was you could not use it in a Multi dog pulling show unless you were going first. You also had to include losing one's forfeit if not there on time for weigh in. Should be like that anyway. The Dog would be at it's peak around that weigh in time. Get delayed over a hour could work against you. Dog would start drying out to much and could go stale.

I see no reason today to have multi dog shows. Not a very wise thing to do. We all heard what happen last year and this year. Cheers

[CYJ]

If you read Barney Fife's keep he talks about the Dex amounts. Which should be correct for Azium or Dex. That was what most of the other dog men used at that time.

We used the PREDEF 2X sterile aqueous suspension product . Some dogs in earlier dog shows were given 1cc of Azium at the six hour mark before weigh in. Believe that was stopped later on and just used the PREDEF 2X at 3cc, under the skin, 12 hours before weigh in time. V. Jackson did not have to worry about the drying of the dog. Just making the weight and the other dog puller weighing in on time. Cheers

[evolutionkennels]

If you read Barney Fife's keep he talks about the Dex amounts. Which should be correct for Azium. That was what most of the other dog men used at that time. We just had a little extra something. V. Jackson did not have to worry about the drying of the dog. Just making the weight and the other dog puller weighing in on time. Cheers

Be careful. I do not recommended any Dex before. Can have adverse effects and ruin 6 weeks worth of work. Seen too many punch drunk on release. In today's competition, you can't be lethargic for the first few minutes.

[CYJ]

The PREDEF 2X sterile aqueous suspension we used was made by the Upjohn drug company. Only knew it worked wonders for us. My last go show was into P. Powell. Powell brought a nasty nose chewing head dog. Being he was one of V. Jackson protégé as well. He knew our type dogs and pulling style.

My dog's head never swelled, or had any heavy bleeding or breathing problems. Even after the show never swelled or the next day before it was planted under some trees for plant food. This dog was able to run back to the truck on lease, jumped up into the back of truck into her kennel.

But none of this will make one deep game. My little bitch was a 50 minute ass kicking cur. She knew how to tell time. Quit on me on the round table work at 50 minutes near the last two weeks of the keep. Never heard or seen that before, even her tail swelled up like a quitting cur. I said what the heck we got going on here.

Why I never bet big on a first time out dog off my yard or anyone else's yard. Never bet what I could not afford to lose. A very different world in that square show ring. Many dogs do get pulled to much back at home before ever entering the show ring, for the real deal.. To each his own and there are many ways to skin a cat. What ever is working for you best stick with it.

As the ole saying goes, Do not fix what is not broken. Cheers