Does your dog your dog itch a lot? Shed way too much for their breed? Does your dog have flaky skin? Is your dogs stool always runny?
Does your dog eat its own poop? Is your dog hyper active or even act strangely after meals?
All these things can be related to what you feed your dog. More often than not cheap supermarket food and even big brand food can have strange effects on your dogs. Dog food can affect their behaviour as well as their health.
by Ray Breslin, of K9 Academy in association with LK Pets, Letterkenny.
Dog allergies.
Dog allergies is a tough one dogs may eat the same food for months and just one day become allergic to some of the ingredients. It’s really important to research your breed and what foods they may be allergic too. This can help you generalize what it may be so you can go to a pet shop and ask for a food that may suit your dog. Although this is only generalising and although it does help most of the time any dog can be allergic to any ingredients.
Excessive shedding and flaky skin.
Cheap dog food is made mostly of fillers that dogs have difficulty digesting, such as corn and grains. Look instead for a dog food that lists meat as the main ingredient. Better quality foods cost a bit more upfront, but they’re better for your dog for a variety of reasons. The nutrients in meat-rich dog foods are more easily digested and absorbed, so they promote better pup health overall and help control shedding and dry skin. Keep in mind that better nutrition can help reduce shedding, but it won’t eliminate shedding completely.
Runny stool.
This can come down to a lack of fibre in your dogs diet. Dogs need fibre like us to help digest food correctly. Too much fibre can also cause the same runny poops so best to get advice from a qualified nutritionist. Too little fiber can also cause constipation in dogs and so it really is best to get it right.
Dogs eating their own stool.
There is lots of research and evidence to say some dogs will eat their own pooh as a result of missing certain enzymes in their diets to break down carbohydrates, fat and protein. This can be a result of cheap or poorly constructed dog food. A good example would be a dog food that gets more proteins from carbohydrates and plants and less from animals. It’s much cheaper for these companies to take their protein from plants rather than animals. Be sure to check the ingredients for sources of protein.
Your dogs behaviour can be effected in so many ways when given a poor quality food. Too much energy your food may be too rich in protein and fats. Lack of energy could be the opposite. I dealt with a case in the past where half an hour after a 6 month old puppy would eat food, he would growl and nip at everyone completely randomly. After going through several things to try find why this was happening a change in diet was all that was required.
Keep your dog healthy and add potentially years to its life by keeping them on a high quality food and regular checks of their stool, skin, weight and behaviour after eating.
K9 Academy also offers Dog training, Puppy Classes and Behaviour modification. If you would like to find out more you can visit the website www.K9academy.ie . Visit the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/callK9academy
Call 0864468313 or visit Unit 3 Carrygally Business Park, Lismonaghan, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
K9 Academy is run by Ray Breslin who is a Certified and Professional Dog Trainer. Ray has a wealth of experience, education and knowledge in the dog training world. He has trained with some of the top Trainers in Ireland and America.
He has competed and titled with his own dogs in competition sports for Obedience, Protection, and Tracking. He has Trained and rehabilitated hundreds of dogs. His training methods are based on motivation which is the same method used to train guide dogs, police dogs and service dogs. He promises success as long as you promise commitment to training.
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