Investigating the Effects of Increased Soluble Fiber and Incremental Exercise on the Voluntary Physical Activity and Behaviour of Sled Dogs – CRONEY RESEARCH GROUP
Optimization of the insoluble:soluble fibers in the diets of dogs can improve gastrointestinal health by increasing commensal bacterial growth. A growing body of research suggests that improved gut health can influence behavior via the gut-brain axis. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of an increased soluble fiber diet on the behavior and voluntary activity of actively training client-owned Siberian huskies. Fourteen dogs were blocked for age, BW and sex and randomly allocated to either the control or treatment groups. The control group was fed a dry extruded diet that contained an insoluble:soluble fiber ratio of 4:1, and the treatment group was fed a dry extruded diet that contained an insoluble:soluble fiber ratio of 3:1. All dogs underwent eight weeks of incremental conditioning where they trained four days a week. Once a week, a 5-minute video recording was taken immediately pre- and post-exercise to evaluate behaviors.
Robinson, E., Templeman, J., Thornton, E., Croney, C., Niel, L. and Shoveller, A.K. (2020). Investigating the effects of increased soluble fiber and incremental exercise on the voluntary physical activity and behaviour of sled dogs. Journal of Animal Science. 98, Supplement 4, 56–57. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa278.102.
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View ResourceTopic(s): Adult Dogs, Breeder Resource, Nutrition