Mantrailing and rubble search ask a dog to ignore everything except one human scent. Training is repetitive, physical and emotional. Handlers watch the nose, the gait and the appetite as closely as the search pattern.
A rescue dog that feels heavy after breakfast is a slower partner. Light, meat-rich meals and enough water between runs keep the engine even. Treats during training should be tiny; the real meal comes after the work.
We like these stories because they make feeding less abstract. The tiniest change in the bowl shows up on the trail. That is true for a sofa collie as well — the stakes are just quieter.