Does diet affect behaviour ? I know what your thinking Jennifer's clutching at straws again. ;D To be honest Scott and Scout have been doing really well recently. In the last two dys we have met seven major triggers and only Scott reacted once and I knew that was going to happen but couldn't avoid it. I'm not sure what made me think of their diet but this lunch time it stuck me. Scout is more nervy than Scott and much more excitable and I just wondered if like children their diet could have an effect. The breeder gave me a CSJ puppy pack with them and so I kept them on the food. I would have thought protein would possibly effect behaviour in which case this food isn't very high at 21% but although it doesn't have wheat so wheat gluten free it has corn, barley, oats, brewers yeast and beet pulp which I think are fillers. The main ingredient is salmon then whole white rice. Don't worry I'm not expecting a change of diet to suddenly make them greet all humans and dogs like long lost friends, although it would be nice, I just wondered if a change might make them calmer in general.
Re: Diet and behaviour. Yes, it really might. You know what a fan I am of raw feeding… Just saying!
Re: Diet and behaviour. I definitely think there are links between diet and behaviour, however I think unless you're really prepared to put the time in to study it in depth it could probably raise more questions than you would get answers!
Re: Diet and behaviour. Yes, I'm sure diet can affect behaviour. It certainly does in humans. It is very easy for something that is in the diet and always has been to have an adverse effect and because it is always there you not realising it is a result of what you are eating or drinking. My husband recently gave up wheat and he is sleeping better, snoring less (HOORAY), sweating far less and has realised that the vaguely bloated feeling that he always thought of as normal has gone. So no, you're not grasping at straws. Give it a go, what have you got to lose.
Re: Diet and behaviour. I changed my two on to a high protein diet a long while back as Tarka was so thin people kept asking me what was wrong with her. They turned into mad, demonic chasers of anything that moved and all walks became a high stress (for me) adrenaline-packed assault course until I put them back on their original diet. So it definitely changed behaviour in my two.
Re: Diet and behaviour. [quote author=Lochan link=topic=7433.msg103392#msg103392 date=1408554684] I changed my two on to a high protein diet a long while back as Tarka was so thin people kept asking me what was wrong with her. They turned into mad, demonic chasers of anything that moved and all walks became a high stress (for me) adrenaline-packed assault course until I put them back on their original diet. So it definitely changed behaviour in my two. [/quote] Out of interest Lochan what did you try them on, and what were they on originally?
Re: Diet and behaviour. Thank you all for your advice. Of course changing food will open that massive can of worms of which to choose !?!?! : I will go and look on which dog food.
