There has been a lot of research that indicates that the best time to feed a hunting dog is after a hunting or training session. It takes around 20-24 hours for a dog's meal to be completely digested. Studies have also shown that a dog's endurance is enhanced when they have an empty stomach but is reduced if they eat four hours before a hunting session. When a dog is fed 17 hours before exercise, they use more fat as energy. This is important because fat metabolism produces the best type of energy for use by the muscles and is best for endurance which is vital or hunting dogs.\r