48/32 Feeding Tips

 48/32 was developed as a complete dog food that can be rehydrated to provide a balanced meal that satisfies a working dog's primary need--energy (calories). It is generally accepted that insufficient calories will deplete the fat stored as fuel in the muscles and in other body tissue and the carbohydrates stored as fuel in the muscles and liver (glycogen). Being hypo-caloric even affects protein balance in the body. So ensuring that our working dogs consume enough calories is the most important thing regarding their diet.

 It is also common experience that beyond a certain level of caloric expenditure, it is difficult to meet the energy needs even with some of the super premium dry dog foods. Most people usually then turn to supplements such as meats and fats. Meats and fats work so well due to their high caloric density. Fats contain about twice the calories by weight than either protein or carbs. They put weight on or keep it on during hard training and racing. Also, meats and fats are low in fiber and carbohydrates. Dogs need some of both, but too many carbs or too much fiber causes problems in exercising dogs. Examples of this are well known to mushers: stress diarrhea and muscular cramps during running.

There are a few potential problems with this approach though. Too many empty calories dilute other nutrients the dogs need to perform well. Vitamins and minerals, especially calcium and phosphorus, are in danger of becoming imbalanced enough to become a concern over time. And protein needs to keep in step with fats in order for the dog to maintain positive nitrogen balance and not lose the muscle mass we work so hard to create. As an increased level of fat is fed, more protein and vitamins & minerals need to be included as well, with special attention paid to the calcium/phosphorus ratio so critical for good health. Meats without bone contain little calcium and lots of phosphorus.

There is also a significant safety concern with fresh meats. Parasites, bacteria, and rancidity of the fats can turn a potentialy good food into a poison. With fluctuating temperatures and the resultant thawing long before you're ready to feed it, fresh meat can be a challenge to carry while travelling and to keep safe. There is also the burden of storing and carrying the 60-75% water content, whether in the dogtruck on the road or in the freezer at home.

Working with Dawe's Laboratories, we had the following targets in mind in the development of 48/32:

               1) High caloric density. We could not maintain weight and muscle mass on the dogs with just a high quality kibble, even the ones that had as much as 34% protein and 20% fat.

               2) Low in carbohydrates and fiber. We had significant problems with stress diarrhea and poor digestion in general after crossing a certain threshold in the amount of kibble we tried to feed no matter how high the quality. When we used fats and meats, the stool quality was much better and the dogs got enough calories. We also experimented with carbohydrate feeding, before, during and after exercise. It soon became absolutely clear to us that unless fed after exercise or at least 6 hours before, carb snacks were detrimental, causing bad diarrhea and stiff gaits. Yes, this was just as we had researched, but we needed to see it ourselves. A few races were dramatically impacted by this experimentation. We now restrict our carb meals to immediately following running when a rest of at least 6 hours will occur. With the 48/32, we are now able to be flexible in strategically feeding carbohydrates in order to replenish the glycogen stores more quickly and thoroughly while avoiding the threshold that causes problems. As a rule of thumb, we discovered through our feeding trials that optimum performance is achieved by providing the dogs between 60-90 grams of quality carbohydrates per day. This is roughly equivalent to 2-3 cups of 30/20 kibble. This amount can be a little less if carb meals are fed at just the right times.

               3) Balanced and complete. We wanted to be able to include as much or as little of this feed as we needed without imbalance. We wanted the calories along with enough protein as well.

               4) Extremely palatable. We were tired of dogs refusing food, and we needed something to double as a drink enticer.

               5) Extremely digestible. We were also tired of the amount of kennel cleanup. It sometimes seemed we were picking up more poop than what we fed the dogs. The ingredients in 48/32 are extremely digestible. Example: Most of the protein is in hydrolyzed form--"pre-digested".  We found that large amounts of protein products were not digested well at all unless hydrolyzed. A bit more expensive, but necessary.

               6) Safety and convenience. We had a whole season ruined the year Mark went to Atta Boy due to bad meat. It had become too difficult to locate a reliable source of meat, both in quality and supply. It also was inconvenient and took up a lot of space at home and on the truck.

               7) Economical. Calorie for calorie, the food needed to be affordable. Rehydrated to the same level as frozen meat, 48/32 costs about the same as a balanced frozen meat diet. It might at first glance seem expensive per pound. However, when you look at the cost per balanced calorie, it is not only affordable but we think the only viable way to feed a dog undergoing extreme work. An alternative is to go with a trusted meat source and balance the diet yourself, which adds to the expense and requires special knowledge.

               8) Other nutritional targets: The 48/32 formula is based on the most current recommendations for the optimum sled dog diet from respected canine nutritionists, especially those familiar with and sometimes active in our sport. Example: Omega 6/Omega 3 fatty acid ratio.

There are three basic ways to use 48/32:

               1) Feed alone, as is, after adding just the right amount of water. The ratio is 12 parts 48/32 powder to 1 part water. This might seem like not enough water, but it is ideal. You will know if you add too much if it is sticking to the sides of your 5 gal. bucket. Adding just enough water will yield a consistency similar to a chewy granola bar, or a stiff cookie dough. We use a joint compound/paint paddle-type mixer from the hardware store and an electric drill. It only takes a few minutes. Dole it out with a big spoon, or make meatballs. The dogs like it this way, and it cleans up easily, although it can be a little difficult to mix up. Too much water and it will get sticky and not as palatable. We have found that form and texture affects palatability as much as the taste. Try dividing it into a couple of buckets if you feed a large batch. We feed as much as a couple of cups of it in this form as a main meal. The dogs digest it well, though for some dogs a day or two of adjustment is needed. We have been working on refinements to the formula for a couple years now with many other ingredient trials over a much longer period.

               2) Mix with your favorite kibble. With this method there is more flexibility with the amount of water to add. Whatever works best for your dogs. We have found that if the kibble isn't a good one, the results might not be ideal. We are now using a quality, 30% protein and 20% fat kibble along with the 48/32. The protein in most kibble is OK only up to a certain amount per day. If you try to feed more, it sometimes is not digested well and loose stools and/or diarrhea could result. Since the protein in 48/32 is very digestible, we can feed a little less kibble yet more protein and calories without problems..

               3) Lots of water to make a soup. It seems that it needs to be a drinkable soup or a stiff texture and nothing in between in order to feed out well.

TRY THIS STUFF. YOU WILL LIKE IT!