There is a complete shift in how we talk about gut health in our dogs and in us.
It used to be framed almost entirely around digestion.
Now, the conversation is widening, as we’re realising the gut quietly underpins energy, immunity, metabolism, inflammation, long-term health and amazingly behaviour!
Take care of your dog's gut, and you’re looking after their health from the foundations up.
Will a healthy gut microbiome affect my dog’s behaviour?
There is a correlation between a healthy gut and a healthy mind. This has been shown in to be the case in humans, thanks to the gut-brain axis.
The gut-brain axis is the two-way biochemical signalling that takes place between the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) and the central nervous system (CNS). We all know the feeling of having 'butterflies in our stomach' when we feel stressed?
This is the gut-brain axis at work. In our dogs, they have been shown to have less gut bacteria if left alone for long periods of time. This is due to stress in these pets that relays directly to the gut and affects their digestion and vice versa.
These healthy gut bacteria produce brain chemicals, such as serotonin (the calming hormone). Low serotonin levels, from a lack of good gut bacteria, can be a cause of depression in our dogs that are left alone for long periods. We can see where the connection comes from.
Feed plant-based to enhance their gut bacteria (and don't leave dogs alone for more than 4 hours at a time!)
Besides wholefood home cooked ingredients, which other food could calm your dog?
"I bought some Give A Dog A Bean for our Vizsla Loki, and he absolutely loves it. He’s on Solo Vegetal, as I’ve always been a dry food feeder for convenience, but he goes absolutely nuts for your Give A Dog A Bean!
I’ve been putting it in his kongs too and freezing them. He literally blisses out when he’s got one of these as a treat!" - Michelle and Loki
What is in Give A Dog A Bean that gives Loki his dreamy expression?
Loki's Mum Michelle explains how Loki "literally blisses out" when given frozen Give A Dog A Bean in his Kong and there are 3 reasons for this:
- The action of licking at the frozen hidden food releases dopamine that calms Loki.
- Give A Dog A Bean and Jumping Jack Gold contain Tryptophan as one of their ingredients which is a precursor to serotonin (the happy hormone).
- Give A Dog A Bean is full of gently cooked whole food natural vegetables to enhance Loki's gut microbiome and ensure that the good gut bacteria are happy.
Did you know that the gut bacteria produce 80% of the serotonin in the body from the amino acid Tryptophan? (Read a published study about the smaller brain in our gut here).
Can feeding a diet rich in Tryptophan to your dog result in calmer behaviour?
Please read this article written by vet Sarah-Jane Molier and linked to the full article here.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—For dogs with dominance aggression, the addition of tryptophan to high-protein diets or change to a low-protein diet may reduce aggression. For dogs with territorial aggression, tryptophan supplementation of a low-protein diet may be helpful in reducing aggression.
(J Am Vet Med Assoc 2000;217:504–508)
Which other wholefood plant-based wet dog food contains added Tryptophan?
We didn't give it a very calming name, but our whole food recipe Jumping Jack also contains the valuable addition of extra Tryptophan. (The name comes from the addition of Jackfruit and the high nutrient sea grass called Sea Buckthorn rich in Vitamin B).
We published an article to our socials about Chris Packham having transitioned his Poodles from raw food to plant-based and I mentioned in this post how when trying to speak to Chris Packham as a concerned vegan vet at Vegan Campout, his little dog Sid just wanted to be with him and barked incessantly showing signs of separation anxiety.
One of the replies to this post on our socials was from Emma's Doghouse Bristol who had this to say about the effects she had seen when dogs were fed Jumping Jack -
"Your Jumping Jack would be perfect for Chris's Poodles too for their separation anxiety. I have seen incredible results with my client's dogs within months of switching to this mixed with the kibbles you stock.
Anxiety and reactivity on walks completely stopped and still no issues 10 months later 😍"
- Emma Bristol
We have a Spring Sale ultimate best wet dog food bundle with our current delicious recipes Jumping Jack Gold and Give A Dog A Bean with added Tryptophan + FREE TREATS FULL OF POSTBIOTICS!!🙌🏼
Does added Omega 3 Daily affect your dog's behaviour?
Please read this article written by vet Sarah-Jane Molier and linked to the full article here. We have included details below where the article mentions Omega 3 DHA affecting your dog's brain health.
Teddy's Story and behavioural change
An example of a behaviour change, once on a plant-based diet, is little Teddy. He used to eat a meat-based diet and he suffered from aggression-related concerns. His owner couldn’t walk him past the school near where they live as he was very fearful. He showed aggression towards other dogs that he saw in the park.
“Teddy loves his home cooked food and is always looking for more. This way of feeding has changed so many things for Teddy - no more ear infections, much better gut health and such a difference in his behaviour. He now has friends that he meets in the park as he has lost all his fear. The best thing I could have done for him to change to his plant-based diet!”
She goes on to say that:
“I never realised that the food they eat can change their health and behaviour - how I wish I had known this with my last little dog!”
As a vet, I will never forget a consultation where an owner brought in her lively German Shepherd and Rottweiler into my consulting room. It was chaos as they were big dogs and both so anxious. She told me how they were both raw fed and she couldn’t leave them alone at home as they ripped up the lino flooring of the kitchen.
They were destructive and ate everything. I was unable to change the way she fed them. I remember thinking of these poor anxious dogs being fed a high protein diet: that they probably craved the carbohydrates that they needed and a proper balance of nutrients to provide them with a healthy gut microbiome and (more of the calming hormone serotonin!)
Here’s an example of some very happy healthy plant-based dogs with so much healthy serotonin in their system from their very healthy gut flora!
Our own dog Ruff - so happy!
George who lives with the lovely Fr Terry - he couldn't be more relaxed!
Molly and Sid the rescue Greyhounds whose Mum is a nutritionist and she home cooks for them - delicious vibrant plant-based meals that Greyhounds thrive on!
And yet another happy rescue Greyhound June with her tummy full of healthy plant-based goodness and plenty of healthy good gut bacteria!!
“When nutrition is done right, you don’t necessarily notice it working — you just notice your dog thriving. No noise, no stress, no vet appointments. To benefit our farmed animals and our fragile planet too is such a huge bonus!”
"If nobody changes then nothing changes but if somebody changes, then everything changes"
- Dr Arielle with Ruff Plant Powered family dog
