Mary Allen
You are what you eat: this is admittedly somewhat outdated – the saying also applies in some way to dogs. Because depending on the ingredients, dog food can make your dog more nervous, aggressive, or happy.
Animal psychologist Dr. Roger Magford, who, incidentally, trains the Queen’s Corgi, was one of the first to study the effects of dog food on dogs. And he found that the nutrients in dog food, as well as the way we feed, affect the state of mind of our four-legged friend.
Closely related to hormonal balance is the degree to which the dog is relaxed or under stress and aggression. The hormone serotonin makes dogs, like humans, more balanced and content. Serotonin cannot be absorbed through food, but dogs’ brains need the amino acid tryptophan to produce serotonin.
Dog Food: Protein Causes Stress, Carbohydrates Lead to Calmer Behavior
In foods that are especially rich in proteins, such as meat, tryptophan competes with other amino acids on the brain-blood barrier – which means that less of it reaches the brain. A diet high in protein and meat can make dogs (even) more stressful and aggressive. On the other hand, carbohydrates are beneficial – they provide more tryptophan to the brain. Therefore, when dogs are under stress, it is helpful to give them extra carbohydrates. In addition, dogs can also become “hungry”, that is, aggressive from hunger. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly feed the dogs several small meals.
So the moral of the story (sticking to old-fashioned sayings) is that if your dog is still getting stressed quickly, you better avoid eating a lot of meat in dog food.