CANINE NUTRITION

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It is always a concern when a dog fails to eat. There may be a dramatic change in appetite; e.g. a dog that has always eaten enthusiastically going off his food completely, or a gradual decline in interest towards a particular type of food. In any case, this is not a problem that can be ignored. It is vital that your dog eats enough to provide the energy and nutrients that are essential for his health and vitality. As owners, we also like to see our dogs enjoying their food, as this is an important part of the daily routine from which our pets should gain pleasure. There are many reasons why a dog may become inappetant. The first consideration is that of his general clinical health. Loss of appetite may be an indication of illness. This may manifest alone, or with other symptoms, e.g. vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, signs of pains such as howling / whining or a ‘tucked up’ stance. Veterinary advice should always be sought in such cases, even if it is just to rule out a medical cause over a behavioural reason. Dental problems are a common cause of inappetance, and can affect dogs of any age. They may range from inflamed gums (gingivitis) during teething or a retained deciduous (baby) tooth in the young dog to periodontal disease in the older animal. Animals with dental problems may benefit from having their kibble soaked, as a softer texture is kinder to a sore mouth. Veterinary advice should be sought if dental disease is suspected (additional signs may include bad breath, a hard yellow calculus build up on the teeth and reddened gums).Once medical reasons for loss of appetite have been ruled out, it is safe to start to look for other causes of inappetance.

Domestic dogs are an intelligent species overall. They are very quick to learn, and owners can easily (but inadvertently) train their pets to avoid eating dog food! This problem is most common in young dogs (from about 6 months to 2 years), but can affect any age group. Well-meaning owners will often supplement a complete dried diet with tinned food, table scraps or small pieces of fresh meat in order to make the meal more interesting. Dogs quickly begin to establish that they can eat the new food and leave the kibble. Owners then draw the conclusion that the dog does not like the kibble and will change to another brand. The dog may happily eat this for several days, weeks or months, but the chances are that it will only be a matter of time before this food too becomes uninteresting to them – or certainly not as tasty as the other little bits and pieces that may be offered to tempt the ‘poor hungry little soul’ to eat! Quite soon, an owner will have tried numerous brands of dog food with varying degrees of success, and the dog will be dictating what is fed and when. Fortunately, this bad habit can be eradicated relatively quickly if a routine is re-established.

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Whilst it is sensible not to make too much of an issue over mealtimes (as dogs are extremely responsive to stress, and will quickly pick up on an owner’s reactions) there is no reason why you can’t make feeding time fun. Some tricks to try include hiding a small amount of soaked kibble in a safe indestructible toy (e.g. a Kong – available from most large pet stores) and hiding food around the house and garden to encourage the dog to hunt down the food prior to eating. As with regular feeding, this should be undertaken at scheduled times, and any uneaten food removed after a period of 15 minutes.

Even though we do not recommend feeding anything in addition to the complete kibble, there are ways in which you can afford to be a little flexible with your dog during training experiment with different textures of the food – some dogs like dry kibble, others prefer it soaked (try varying degrees of wetness)
or some may even like a combination. Try soaking with warm water or heating the food in the microwave for a few seconds to bring out the aromas. Dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell when eating.

It is important to remember that every dog is an individual, but all dogs will respond to training regardless of their age or temperament. It may take longer to eradicate bad habits in some animals, particularly if these habits have been ingrained and reinforced over a long period of time.

If you are experiencing behavioural difficulties with your dog, please consult your veterinary surgeon to rule out any possible clinical cause for the problem. A qualified pet behaviourist will also be able to give you constructive help in resolving any problems.


Just like children, dogs will be overenergetic and unable to concentrate if they are fed junk. Indeed, before you even try to train your dog or improve his behaviour, you need to be sure you are feeding good quality food. If he is barking, nervous or pulling on the lead, his food could be the cause. Your dog will simply not be able to concentrate on learning something new while he has toxic chemicals whizzing through his brain. The worst thing you can do is to keep changing his diet, as he will constantly change his mind as to which food he fancies today, and you may have created a fussy eater for life. Never make an issue out of his meal times, put his food down for him and pretend to occupy yourself with something else in the vicinity. If he has not eaten in your allotted time frame, then take up the dish and let him see that you are throwing it away and are not disturbed by what has happened . Always put fresh food down for him at his next mealtime. Sometimes dogs will be seeking attention by not eating, but do make sure that there is no underlying health reason for his epleted appetite. Puppies often have reduced appetites during the teething process, which usually occurs between 4.5 - 6 months, as they can have swollen gums and sore mouths. Adult males can refuse food if there is a female 'on heat' in their vicinity.
A sudden loss of appetite should be reported to your vet if there is no obvious cause, since it may be indicative of a medical condition


CANINE NUTRITION & HYPERACTIVITY

There has been much debate on this subject in recent years, and as a part of our commitment to educating pet owners in how to provide the best possible nutrition, we have devised this fact sheet to help to answer some of the questions we are commonly asked, and to dispel the myths that are widely circulated regarding this subject. The question our nutritionists are most frequently asked is ‘Do Arden Grange manufacture a low protein diet, as a high protein diet causes hyperactivity?’

First and foremost, true hyperactivity (or hyperkinesis as it is also known) is a relatively rare condition in dogs. Dogs suffering from this condition will usually exhibit periods of frenetic behaviour which only ceases when they are too exhausted to continue. It can be difficult to differentiate between an affected dog and one who is simply unruly. Hyperactivity in dogs has numerous potential motivators (including genetic temperament predispositions), but a link between high levels of protein in a dog’s diet and true hyperactivity has yet to be proven. There are several possible reasons behind the fallacies surrounding protein and hyperactivity:

You Are What You Eat!

Some owners notice changes in their dog’s behaviour when diet is changed. Human beings that eat poor diets are likely to be lethargic, and much the same can be applied to our canine friends. A dog previously fed a poor quality diet may become more energetic when a super premium pet food such as Arden Grange is consumed. This is because Arden Grange diets contain extremely high quality and digestible ingredients in order to provide optimal nutrition. Active dogs are far more likely to maintain a healthy weight than their couch potato counterparts and this vitality and exuberance should not be confused with hyperactivity. Inactive dogs are at risk from obesity and its associated health risks, including diabetes mellitus, degenerative joint disease and circulatory problems. Wouldn’t you rather share walks with a happy, healthy dog with a zest for life than time in the vet’s consulting room?Dietary Intolerance – Dietary intolerance should not be confused with a food allergy. A true food allergy is an immune mediated response to a protein source, and usually manifests in skin and / or digestive disorders. Whilst true food allergies are rare, intolerance to certain ingredients in a pet food may contribute to a dog exhibiting ‘hyperactive behaviour’. Food intolerance denotes an abnormal response to a food, which can result from an inability to digest an ingredient, or from pharmacological, metabolic or toxic reactions. Certain antioxidants / preservatives have been proven to contribute to learning difficulties and hyperactivity in humans. All Arden Grange pet foods are free from artificial colourings and flavourings, and only safe, natural preservatives (vitamin E and rosemary) are used. Protein as an Energy Source - It is possible that protein has been blamed for hyperactivity since if consumed in excess, it can be used as an energy source. This only occurs however if an animal is in zero energy balance (i.e. it is consuming less energy than it is expending). If an animal consumes more energy than is expended, then the excess protein is metabolised to fat for energy storage in the body. In neither of these cases would the use of protein as an energy source cause excess energy / signs of apparent hyperactivity, since the protein is only utilised when the primary and secondary energy sources (carbohydrates and fat respectively) are depleted. In addition, all cats and dogs have the ability to metabolise excess protein which results in the production of urea and its excretion in the urine, and there is no conclusive evidence that protein intake contributes to the development of kidney dysfunction in healthy animals. Most of the studies from which evidence has previously been used were of rats and mice – which have a different digestion to that of the dog. Dietary Protein & Links to Aggression – Some inconclusive scientific studies have shown tenuous links between high ammonia concentrations in the blood and aggression. Ammonia is a nitrogen-containing waste product of protein metabolism, but in normal animals, the urogenital system will ensure that any waste is safely excreted from the body. Furthermore, animals fed a very high quality, digestible, concentrated protein source (as in Arden Grange diets) that is easily and efficiently metabolised are less likely to encounter problems than animals fed low quality, restricted rations. Conversely, some amino acid concentrations (e.g. Tryptophan) may even be helpful in managing dogs (alongside behavioural therapy) with dominance / territorial aggression. Arden Grange diets are all supplemented with Tryptophan.

Diet does have an important part to play in canine behaviour. A hungry dog may engage in ‘antisocial behaviours’ such as coprophagia (eating faeces), scavenging and exhibiting competitive behaviour towards other animals than may be present at feeding times.

The mechanical effects of timing and frequency of feeding, and the effects of full and empty stomachs on mood and activity levels affect dogs, just as they do us. Blood glucose levels and seratonin uptake may have a strong influence on mood and behaviour. In some cases, frustration with social or environmental circumstances are mistaken for hyperactivity. Arden Grange do not manufacture a low protein diet, because there are no biochemical or nutritional factors to support this. Protein is an essential nutrient that serves numerous functions in the body. Dietary proteins are broken down to form amino acids which support the body’s structural and functional demands (including muscle growth, tissue repair and immune function).

Many dog owners will make a pet food choice basing their judgement on the protein percentage on the packaging. Certainly, a fully grown dog has a lower nutritional requirement for protein than a growing puppy, and our formulations take this into account. What is important is not a percentage figure, but the actual amount of protein in grams per day that a dog consumes. You will find that in many cases, an alternative brand showing a lower protein percentage, will yield a higher actual protein intake since the feeding guide often will recommend a higher daily food allowance. This is especially true in diets that have a high proportion of carbohydrates (usually wheat or rice will be the primary ingredient). Arden Grange diets have been manufactured to provide the very best possible nutrition for our canine and feline friends, and we have not succumbed to marketing ploys that make our products appear to follow the current nutritional trends.