Canine Athletes Conditioning Meal Plan

Those who have been following my work and philosophies for any amount of time understand the importance I feel nutrition plays on a dog’s life. As society has advanced our food systems have become overly processed and marketed for human convenience and corporate profitability. As such, health problems like obesity and cancer are becoming more and more common. To further complicate matters, people rely on nutritional supplements and pharmaceutical drugs to improve their health. These supplements and pharmaceutical drugs almost always come with negative side effects. It is my firm belief that health is a byproduct of a species appropriate balanced diet consisting of fresh whole foods in combination with proper exercise and rest. Many people like to complicate nutrition but getting back to the basics is where the beauty lies.

You will find that my feed plan for a dog in training resembles what I feed my dogs everyday of their lives (Every Day Diet Plan). My diet mimics what nature intended the dog to naturally eat. The result is mentally and physically fit dogs that live long lives and have strong immune systems. They exude energy and vitality.

Anything your dog eats should be good for human consumption. Supplements targeted for animals typically consist of ingredients that are not good enough for humans.  Much like the ingredients used in dog food kibble. I’ve personally used many human performance supplements. I’ve found very few that were not a waste of money. The majority are marketing gimmicks. The supplements I list below are those which I myself have consumed and found to not only improve performance, but also to be safe. One of these supplements is protein powder. Protein powder has been around for quite some time and many studies have been done confirming it’s benefits and safety. I have put dogs through conditioning programs with and without the use of protein powder and I have noticed increased performance when adding it to the diet. This goes for every supplement I list below.

I give my dogs an energy drink (8) to (12) hours prior to training. This helps the dogs body stay in an anabolic state which enables them to recover faster from their workouts. The increased rate of recovery allows my dogs to work harder and longer during training. The energy drink provides this without adding excess weight to the dog. It’s also quickly digestible and helps keep the dog properly hydrated.

Energy Drink

• (1) scoop of Vanilla Whey/Casein Blend Protein Powder
• (1) Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• (1) Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil
• 12 - 16 oz Water
• Mix the above ingredients together in a shaker bottle. Shake the mixture up well and give it to the dog (8) to (12) hours after his training session.

I feed my dog as soon it cools down from the training session. It usually takes (20) to (30) minutes but depending on the weather it could be shorter or longer. My after-training meal is very similar to my every day maintenance meals. I do not weigh my dogs’ meal. I adjust the amount I feed based on how the dog looks. I weigh my dog two to three times a day towards the end of the program so that I know what he weighs at different times of the day. This helps me to identify trends and weight fluctuations that my eye might miss.

After Training Meal (estimated for ~45lb dog)

• ½ Raw Chicken Breast –or- Chicken Quarter with the bone and skin
• (6) oz Lean Red Meat (NOT GROUND BEEF)
  • I will use whatever I can find on sale at the supermarket or venison if I have any from hunting season. I do not feed ground beef because it is usually comprised of less than ideal cuts of meat.
• (2) oz Chicken Gizzards & Hearts
• (4) oz Calves Liver every other day
• (1) Tablespoon Whole-Milk Plain Yogurt (NOT FAT FREE)
• (1) Tablespoon Whole-Milk Cottage Cheese (NOT FAT FREE)
• (1) Par-Boiled Egg with the Shell
• (1) Tablespoon of Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Fruit & Veggie Mix (Preference Formula)
• (1) Fish Oil Pill (1,200mg)
  • Must be from wild sources; not farm raised fish. Must be Molecularly Distilled to remove mercury and other impurities.
  • IMPORTANT: Stop feeding Fish Oil 10-14 days before competition.
• (1) Tablespoon 100% Wheat Germ Oil

Ten days before competition I remove the lean beef from the meal and replace it as needed with extra chicken to maintain the dogs desired weight. The reason for this is because the chicken contains less calories than lean red meat. The dog will require less calories towards the end of the training program because the duration of the training sessions will be reduced. You do not want the dog gaining excess weight before the competition.

There you have it. This is how I feed my dogs during my Canine Athletes during their Conditioning Program. It is a very simple yet effective nutritional program that provides the dogs with a balanced array of nourishment. It does not overload the dogs organs with carcinogens and chemicals that cause rapid aging and pre-mature kidney failure. Good luck and if you have any specific questions feel free to hit me up or comment. I’ll do my best to help. If you want to have a debate over kibble versus raw, save your time because I’m not interested.