Dog Article: How Does Diet Affect Behavior in Dogs? - Part 2

Abstract: Figuring out the optimal diet for your dog involves getting informed about ingredients as well as an understanding of how and when to feed your pet.


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"How Does Diet Affect Behavior in Dogs?" was written by Nan Kené Arthur, CPDT www.wholedogtraining.com.

Produced and edited by Well Beings - Senior Cat & Dog Products.

Copyright © 2005 WellBeings.com. All Rights Reserved.

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What to do with this information?

So what's a pet parent to do? The bags of food at pet stores and supermarkets look amazing, and they all claim to meet the nutritional needs for your dog. Many also claim to benefit the maintenance/health of different body types and specific groups such as large-breed puppies, overweight dogs, or senior canines. So which ones are telling the truth, and how do you choose the best possible food for your dog's needs?

The most important information required to understanding dog food is to thoroughly read the labels. Dog food labels are similar to those on human food products: ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. The first three ingredients make up the bulk of the food, so those are the most important to look at when selecting a dog food brand.
Meat or a specific type of meat meal should always be the first ingredient on the label. Choose a product that identifies the type of meal, such as "chicken meal," or "lamb meal," as opposed to those that say "poultry or meat meal" which can contain just about anything that fits under that title, including road kill and diseased animals, as long as it's a bird in the case of poultry, and any animal (domestic or otherwise) in the case of meat meal.

Falling into the meat meal category was the recent discovery of Phenobarbital (the drug used to euthanize animals) found in a number of commercially sold dog foods, including some popular "brand names." It was suggested that the remains of euthanized domestic animals are rendered into animal feed - the likely source of the Phenobarbital. Phenobarbital is a hearty compound that is able to survive the cooking process, which is why it was detectable in the tested food. Since there has been a recent increase in the cat version of "Mad Cow's Disease," this may very well prove to be the case.

As your investigation continues, also look to make sure the first ingredient is not a meat by-product. By-products are not muscle meats, and can include leftover animal components such as lungs, kidneys, brain, spleen, liver, bone, blood, fatty tissue, stomach, and intestines freed of their contents. There are mixed feelings about the use of by-products in dog food, but the fact is, some dogs have trouble digesting these, and according to Ann Martin (Food Pets Die For, pg.2), "Livers can be infested with worms (liver flukes) or diseased with cirrhosis. Lungs can be filled with pneumonia. If an animal is diseased and declared unfit for human consumption, the carcass is acceptable for pet food." Given there are many great foods that don't include by-products; it might be best to shy away from those that do.

The next step in selecting a good dog food is to look at the type and amounts of grains listed on the label. Grains are usually used to keep production costs down, and while certain grains are beneficial to good health, others are known to cause allergies. These higher grain contents will also mean you will need to feed more cups of food, since it takes a lot more grain than meat to reach the nutritional levels required to satisfy a dog's needs. For this reason, you can actually end up spending more per cup for many of the "cheap" brands than the high-end foods, not to mention you will have an increase in the amount of bowel movement that could lead to housetraining problems or stress as your dog's need to eliminate increases. If your dog does not have free access to his potty area, he may develop anxiety problems as he tries to "hold it," so as not to have an accident in his crate or the house.

Vomatoxin which is a chemical compound produced by Fusriaum molds is another concern. These molds are found in the following grains: Wheat and wheat products, corn and corn products, peanut meal and peanut products (Aflotoxin), soybean meal and hulls, and cottonseed (Aflotoxin.) These mold spores can present a myriad of health (including death) and behavior problems if your dog develops an allergy to them.

In addition, carbohydrates act much like sugar. These high grain-content foods produce excessive energy for about two hours after being ingested by the dog; which is illustrated in the same way athletes "carb up" for an energy boost before they need to perform. The high-carbohydrate dog foods do the same thing to your dog, except most people do not provide their canines with the right combination of mental and physical exercise necessary to work off all that energy. The results of all that energy is often destruction to your home or yard.

Behaviorally speaking, everything from housetraining problems to self-mutilation can be linked to poor quality foods, and some of these behaviors directly point to the preservatives, additives and dyes used in kibble. The health considerations of these compounds are plentiful and can lead to a dog displaying his discomfort behaviorally. The chemicals most often associated with cancer and other toxic-driven diseases are the preservatives found in many dog foods. BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene) and Ethoxyquin are all known carcinogens and, by regulation, are disallowed in human food but are commonly used to preserve many dog foods and dog treats. If you see these ingredients listed on the bag, put the bag back on the shelf and keep looking.

It is far better to look for a food preserved with natural ingredients. Some natural alternatives are composed of tocopherols (vitamin E), citric or ascorbic acid (vitamin C), or a combination of the two. In addition, look for the bags that have manufactured dates on the bag, as this ensures freshness, since food preserved with products that are more natural will not have as long of a shelf life.
Those foods designed for specific age, weight or body-types also seem like a wonderful idea, but feeding a high-end food eliminates the need to buy these specialty products that are often higher-priced. These manufacturers simply add more supplements (that have been processed and preserved along with the food) in order to make their specialty claims. It is far better to add your own supplements with recommendations from your veterinarian or health-care advisor.

How much and when to feed your dog

When to feed your dog is just as important as what you feed. No longer is the standard once a day feeding used, neither should dogs be free-fed -- food left down all day for them to nibble at will -- unless there is a medical reason. Just think about how you would feel (and look) if you were only able to eat once every 24 hours, or kept nibbling on a high-calorie food all day long!

The ideal regimen is to feed an adult dog two-three times per day. Glucose levels are greatly affected by food (the same as in humans), so it is important to feed regularly to prevent these levels from becoming erratic as they increase and decrease respectively for those dogs that only eat once a day, or nibbles his food at will without access to expend the on-going energy made available by snacking all day.

As a real bonus for your dog, try feeding in food-carrier toys such as Kongs, or Buster Cubes as a way to provide mental and physical exercise (much like dogs in the wild, working to find their food). These are great for those dogs that like to take their time eating. These "food puzzles" will also help slow down those dogs that "vacuum" their food from the bowl in 30 seconds and then have nothing to look forward to the rest of the day.

Conclusion and recommendations

Whether it is dry kibble, canned, raw, freeze-dried, or a combination of these, it is essential to do your homework when choosing food for your dog. Try different brands and find several your dog likes so you can switch around since there is now more evidence that it's healthier to change between several brands of food rather than feed the same for a dog's lifetime.

The bottom line is you should read the ingredients and feed your dog healthy foods to achieve good mental and physical health for the duration of your dog's life.

Guide to Good Dog Foods:

The Whole Dog Journal (which does not accept any advertising) conducts an annual study of dry dog food brands. They have strict criteria that must be met to be included on the list.

Here are some of the brands that have made the Whole Dog Journal's list of recommended brands for several years running:

• The Honest Kitchen ** (San Diego based company)


• Solid Gold (San Diego based company)


• Natural Balance


• Wellness


• Wysong


• Eagle Pack


• Karma


• Wellness Simple Solutions


• Merrick


• Innova


• California Natural - Chicken and Rice


• Canidae


• Blue Buffalo


• Paul Newman's Organic


• Prairie - Natures Variety


• Flint River Ranch Dry Water (Mail Order)

** You can also find great raw diets that are conveniently freeze-dried and packaged - not a dry food, but a fantastic new dehydrated raw food that is of exceptional nutritional quality - like The Honest Kitchen.

Related products

• Halo Pet food


• Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes and Probiotics


• Homeopathic remedies


• Digestive aids

Some of the brands on the Whole Dog Journal's "Not Recommended" list are:

• Diamond's Premium


• Eukaneuba Adult


• Iams


• Nature's Recipe


• Nutro Max


• Purina One


• Beniful


• Science Diet


• Pedigree Prime

References:

• Dogs, a New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior and Evolution, by Ray and Loren Coppinger


• Dog Food Comparison Website - What's in your current dog food


• Food Pets Die For, by Ann Martin


• Prevention Magazine


• The Allergy Solution for Dogs, by Shawn Messonnier , D.V.M


• Whole Dog Journal

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"How Does Diet Affect Behavior in Dogs?" was written by Nan Kené Arthur, CPDT.

Produced and edited by Well Beings - Senior Cat & Dog Products -
Copyright © 2005 http://www.wellbeings.com/ . All Rights Reserved. Find more great articles like this at http://www.gowellbeings.com/.

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