Author Topic: How Diet Affects Behaviour  (Read 8212 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline LindaW

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 526
    • http://www.shandardel-cockers.co.uk
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« on: July 03, 2003, 09:29:49 AM »
I am doing a special study on the subject of diet and how it affects canine behaviour as part of my canine psychology course.  If anyone has direct experience of a change in diet directly affecting their dog's behaviour, I would love to hear about it or indeed anything else that might be relevant.  Please help!! ???                    
Linda
xx
Jodie, Pippa, Daisy, Lolly, Gem, Tigger, Butty, Fanny and Coco!

Offline Pammy

  • Inactive
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5702
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2003, 10:11:06 AM »
Linda

I had a direct experience of diet effecting behaviour when Jasper was a pup. He came to me on Eukanuba puppy - he was literally climbing the walls so after a couple of weeks in consultation with his breeder I tried Nutro - not a huge amount of difference in the protein levels - but no artificial additives. He calmed down so much. I add bits to the nutro to make it more interesting, eggs, cheese, tuna, real meat etc and although they are protein - it does not make him any more hyper. I can only put it down to the additives in Euk at the time.

hth --- if you want anymore - let me know

regards                    
Pam n the boys

Growing old is compulsory growing up is optional

Offline FionaM

  • Site Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 329
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2003, 10:55:06 AM »
I noticed a change in Poppy's behaviour when I changed her food to Eukanuba puppy (she had previously been on Hills Science Plan puppy) She wasn't hyperactive, but seemed to have a lot more puppy frustrations to let out if you know what I mean.

After talking to other people I changed her to James WellBeloved and she calmed down again.

My boyfriend thought I was talking nonsense at first, but he noticed a change in her when she went onto JWB and agreed that maybe the Eukanuba hadn't agreed with her.

hth
Fiona                    
Fiona & Poppy :)

Offline LindaW

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 526
    • http://www.shandardel-cockers.co.uk
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2003, 12:26:41 PM »
Thanks Pammy and Fiona - the more info I can collect the better.  It is not just the protein levels, the additives play a part as well.  Interesting that you both have the thumbs down for Eukanuba (can't both be wrong)! :o                    
Linda
xx
Jodie, Pippa, Daisy, Lolly, Gem, Tigger, Butty, Fanny and Coco!

Offline Pammy

  • Inactive
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5702
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2003, 01:03:36 PM »
Thanks Pammy and Fiona - the more info I can collect the better.  It is not just the protein levels, the additives play a part as well.  Interesting that you both have the thumbs down for Eukanuba (can't both be wrong)! :o

Certainly the case for me Linda - but I do know of people who swear by it - now as Iams of course and whose dogs thrive on it.  :-                    
Pam n the boys

Growing old is compulsory growing up is optional

Offline LindaW

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 526
    • http://www.shandardel-cockers.co.uk
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2003, 01:10:58 PM »
Pammy thanks -it will be interesting to hear what others have to say!  I do feed my dogs on Iams! :o                    
Linda
xx
Jodie, Pippa, Daisy, Lolly, Gem, Tigger, Butty, Fanny and Coco!

Offline cbabe

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 645
  • Gender: Female
    • home of the Fernlow band of cockers!!!
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2003, 01:30:45 PM »
We feed our girls on a kennel mix for working dogs. The mix for non working dogs seemed to make Fern (the older one)  lethargic. We have to be carefull with the quantity of working mix Fern has because it makes her put on weight but i would rather cope with that then a lethargic dog.

Fern also has to have cod liver oil in hers because she gets dry skin otherwise.

I Have also been told that the Eukenuba puppy food makes them go hyper. We used Bakers complete and pedegree chum puppy meat on our puppys and they seemed happy on that.                    
Clare
Fern (HRH) and Willow (lolo)
Bryony, Gypsi, Thorn and Rocky


Sorry if my Post offends you, my cocker spaniel has learnt to type and i can not be held responsible for her attitude problem!

Offline Colin

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7292
  • Stevie
    • Jimmy Misty & Stevie Videos
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2003, 02:04:30 PM »
Big thumbs down too here for Eukanuba and also Pedigree Puppy complete.....both made Jimmy a bit hyper. JWB solved the problem. :)                    

Offline Sarah_S

  • Site Member
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 142
  • Gender: Female
    • kennel coruscant
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2003, 09:37:51 PM »
Thumbs up for Eukanuba here, and this is the first time I've ever heard that Eukanuba make pups hyper. Perhaps this is why our new pup is hyper  ::). But she sleeps normally, it's only when she's awake she drives the other dogs mad. ;D our "old" cocker wasn't hyper as pup, even though she was a Eukanuba pup too.
I really don't think our new pup is hyper, I've probably just forgotten how pups are.  ;D

We have used Eukanuba puppy (large breed) on our newfie, but she hasn't been acting hyper at all, but she have had more energy than all the other newfie pups I have had. but I think it's because she's from working lines.

We do try new brands quite often, cause sometimes we are lucky winning bags of food, but I have never noticed any change in behaviour.

like cbabe we do feed our cocker (the old one) on performance food, otherwise she would get too thin. She can't maintain her weight on regular food cause she uses all her energy on either playing  ::) or in the field where she is used as a working dog  ;D.
perhaps this was a bit out of topic.....                    
Coruscant cockers and newfies
with homepage, now also in English.....

Offline *Jay*

  • Donator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8948
  • Gender: Female
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2003, 10:45:23 PM »
Well, Pedigree Chum had an adverse effect on Vegas :- He was practically climbing the walls and very hyper. If I remember correctly, I switched him over to JWB at about 5 1/2 months old and the difference in his behaviour was astounding. The persistent mouthing stopped and he seemed to relax a lot more. Before, while he was on the Pedigree, he just seemed to be anxious and didnt want to sit down for more than a couple of minutes and didnt sleep much during the night. He was up a lot, moving about, playing etc. Even his vet suspected that his food was causing the problem - and all the time I was thinking I had the puppy from hell ;) ;D He was switched from JWB to Burns a few months ago for health reasons but as that has no artificial additives and a decent protein level, things are still fine.                    
Dallas ( 10) & Disney ( 9 )

Playing at the Bridge: Brook (13/06/04), Jackson (23/12/05) & Vegas (14/07/10)

Offline KellyP

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 526
    • http://www.millies-website.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2003, 06:21:02 PM »
hmm this topic has been very interesting!!
Millie is on Euk puppy food for medium dogs - she is constantly mouthing you when you try to fuss her, jumping around like a maniac, has seemingly endless amount of energy (although when she sleep, she SLEEPS - if you know what I mean) she chews the walls occasionally and strips wallpaper, she has recently been taking her, erm, energy out on a cushion I have given her and doing it in a not so lady-like manner!  :o ;D
I won some little packets of JWB at the shows I have been too and she seemed to like it a lot - perhaps I will change her on to that and see if there's any difference.

How long do you have for your project Linda, would you like a test subject??  ;D ;)                    
Kelly, Tristian, Millie & Jenni (double woof!)

www.millies-website.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Offline LindaW

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 526
    • http://www.shandardel-cockers.co.uk
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2003, 06:31:45 PM »
How long do you have for your project Linda, would you like a test subject??  ;D ;)

Kelly - I can't see me finishing it for a few weeks yet as I want to give it my best shot so yes Millie could be a good test if you don't mind! :D  I look forward to hearing whether there is a change in her behaivour.  Strange business about the cushion :o
Thanks Linda                    
Linda
xx
Jodie, Pippa, Daisy, Lolly, Gem, Tigger, Butty, Fanny and Coco!

Offline KellyP

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 526
    • http://www.millies-website.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2003, 06:35:11 PM »
no problem - I'll let you know the results  ;)

yes the cushion and its daily harassment... its, well, kinda .. not what a young lady should be doing, and thats for sure!!  ;)                    
Kelly, Tristian, Millie & Jenni (double woof!)

www.millies-website.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Offline Anita

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 888
  • Gender: Female
  • Phoebe 21/8/02 - 1/11/16, Libby (2/4/05 - 25/11/16
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2003, 08:51:27 PM »
This is really interesting. I changed Phoebe to JWB as she was on pro plan when we first got her. After reading lots of information on here I changed her to JWB to avoid any allergy problems.

We have had allergy problems with cats and I sure it was related to Lister's (cat) diet. The other cat that is still with us has also been changed to JWB.

I didn't notice a difference in behaviour with phoebe but people alays coment on how placid and good natured she is - maybe the food does help?

Good luck with the ressearch. Please let us know what you come up with.

Anita                    
Anita

Offline LindaW

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 526
    • http://www.shandardel-cockers.co.uk
How Diet Affects Behaviour
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2003, 06:48:30 PM »
Please let us know what you come up with.
Thanks to everyone who has responded so far - all the info is useful.
Anita - I will eventually report back with my findings! :)                    
Linda
xx
Jodie, Pippa, Daisy, Lolly, Gem, Tigger, Butty, Fanny and Coco!