Role of Carbohydrates in Working Dog Nutrition

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Welcome back to ‘Going Pro’, our recurring column dedicated to the nutrition, health and performance of working and sporting dogs.

Energy derived from fat, carbohydrates, and protein fuels your dog’s performance, whether your dog is sprinting around an agility course, stalking a lost individual, or looking for explosives in cargo. But the preferred source of energy for the canine body – dietary fat or carbohydrates – depends on the type of activity performed. Yet even hard-working dogs benefit from carbohydrates in their diets. Read on to learn more about the role of carbohydrates in working dog nutrition.

Working dogs may or may not need more energy from their food

While some dog owners believe that a high protein, moderate to high fat, low carbohydrate diet is ideal for all working and sporting dogs, this is not always the case. Your dog’s character (for example, breed, age, sex, and reproductive status), the type of activities your dog performs, and the characteristics of the food itself determine whether a performance food particular energy is suitable for your working or sporting dog.

As we have explained in this article and this one, the nutritional needs of working and sporting dogs vary widely and are determined by the duration and intensity of the activity performed. In turn, the type, duration, and intensity of physical activity also influence the protein, fat, and carbohydrate ratio of dog food that will benefit your dog. Some hard-working dogs need a diet specifically designed for sporting dogs. Others can be well maintained with a high quality adult maintenance dog food.

How Carbohydrates Help Dog Diet Performance

To understand how dietary carbohydrates add value to the nutrition and performance of working and sporting dogs, it will be helpful to learn more about this category of nutrients and their various roles in the body.

First of all, carbohydrates are used for energy, including energy for exercise or “work”. While some protein amino acids can be converted into energy during exercise, fats and carbohydrates are the preferred sources of energy for working dog muscles.

Fat, in the form of free fatty acids, is the preferred fuel for muscle when dogs perform low-intensity (oxygen-requiring) aerobic exercise, which is the type of activity associated with endurance activities such as search and rescue missions, sled pulling and hunting. . In fact, dogs get about 70-90% of their energy for endurance work from fat metabolism. Although only a small amount of energy is obtained from carbohydrates, some glycogen metabolism is still required for the continued metabolism of free fatty acids during aerobic activities.

As exercise intensity increases, as it does during sprinting, working canine muscles shift to a more anaerobic (oxygen-free) metabolism and draw on muscle and liver glycogen stores to get energy. A dog’s body uses dietary carbohydrates to help maintain and replenish glycogen stores.

Although dogs have no dietary need for carbohydrates, they do have a metabolic need for glucose. One of the simplest carbohydrates, glucose is the form of carbohydrate that circulates in the blood and is the main carbohydrate used by cells in the body to produce energy. In fact, a constant supply of glucose is necessary for the proper functioning of the central nervous system.

Glucose is used during aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Glucose that is not used immediately for energy can be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. It can also be converted and stored as fat. When blood sugar is low, glycogen in the liver and muscles can be used to provide fuel to cells. And the glycogen present in the heart muscle provides a valuable source of emergency energy for the heart.

Carbohydrates provide carbon skeletons, or chains of carbon atoms, which are used as the “backbones” of other compounds the body needs, such as non-essential (dispensable) amino acids. Among the essential carbohydrate substances are:

  • Heparin, which prevents blood from clotting
  • Chondroitin sulfate, found in joint cartilage, bones, blood vessels, and connective tissues
  • Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the main component of chromosomes in almost all cells that is responsible for carrying genetic information
  • Ribonucleic acid (RNA), the messenger that carries DNA instructions to control protein production in cells
  • Immunopolysaccharides, carbohydrates capable of stimulating the production of antibodies (eg, blood group antigens)

Dietary carbohydrates have a protein-sparing effect. In other words, when adequate carbohydrates are provided through the diet, protein remains available to provide indispensable (essential) amino acids, repair and build tissue, and support a healthy immune system rather than being used as a source. of energy. Although dogs can use certain amino acids for energy, the process is less efficient than using dietary carbohydrates because the body must process and eliminate nitrogenous waste products after breaking down the amino acids.

Complex carbohydrates contribute to dietary fiber which supports the healthy functions of the gastrointestinal tract. Dietary fiber is not considered an essential requirement for dogs, but it encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon, helps promote regular bowel movements, and regulates colon pH. Bacteria in the large intestine (colon) are able to break down certain types of fiber even though dogs do not directly digest dietary fiber. The fermentation of fiber produces short chain fatty acids which are an important source of energy for the cells lining the gastrointestinal tract.

Pet Food Ingredients That Provide Carbohydrates

The primary source of carbohydrates found in most commercial pet foods is starch, the energy storage form used by plants. Ancient grains such as sorghum, barley, quinoa, and millet, as well as grains such as rice (brown and white), corn, and wheat, are ingredients used in pet foods to provide carbohydrates in the form of digestible starch.

These same ingredients also provide essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins to pet foods.

What’s in your dog’s bowl?

The next time you choose a food for your working or sporting dog, you should carefully consider its energy needs. Dogs that regularly participate in endurance activities will benefit from a high protein, medium to high fat, low carbohydrate food that provides more energy from fat sources. However, a balanced diet that provides moderate amounts of protein, fats, and carbohydrates may be a better option for service dogs and canine athletes who participate in sprinting and/or moderate-intensity activities on a daily basis. duration of 30 minutes or less at a time.

Of course, anytime you have questions about your performance dog’s nutrition, talk to your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can not only assess your dog’s body condition, but also determine how much energy (calories) your dog should consume daily.

RELATED POST: Busting Pet Myths: Canine Athletes and Companion Dogs Can Eat the Same Dog Food

RELATED ARTICLE: Do Sporting and Working Dogs Need Different Nutrition?



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