Paws Patrol – Dog Care Information

There is no direct link between dog food and aggression in dogs.  It’s probably not possible to point to one particular dog food and say that you shouldn’t feed it because it will make your dog more aggressive.  However, feeding a dog a generally poor diet can be a contributing factor in aggression.

There are studies which have suggested that feeding a dog poor quality foods can contribute to aggression.  Preservatives and sugar in dog food may be linked to hyperactive behavior which may increase the possibility of aggression.  Artificial coloring in some foods have been linked to aggression, hyperactivity, timidity, learning difficulties and other behavioral problems.  Insufficient cholesterol in the diet may also be a contributing factor in some dogs since it is needed for proper brain function.  Poor diet can also contribute to allergies which can, in turn, increase a likelihood of aggression if the dog is in any kind of physical distress.

At this point some of these links between diet and aggression have only been suggested.  There may be little scientific data to back up the assertions. But a poor diet can worsen health and temperament problems in general.

None of this speculation changes the fact that all dogs need to be raised with firm and gentle kindness.  Puppies should be well-socialized from an early age and introduced to lots of other friendly people and dogs.  But dogs should also be fed a good, nutritious food.

Dogs in general should have a diet that begins with several named meat sources.  Owners should try to avoid generic fats and proteins.  They should avoid foods that use corn gluten meal.  They should avoid meat by-products and digest.  They should avoid BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin (artificial preservatives).  They should look for foods without artificial colors, sugars and sweeteners.  Look for foods with fewer grains.  Look for foods that meet AAFCO specifications.

If owners follow these suggestions then they will usually find good dog foods.  If there is any truth to the idea that dog foods can contribute to behavior problems and to aggression, then these foods will be much less likely to have a negative effect.

One theory that should be debunked is the idea that feeding your dog meat leads to aggression or that feeding your dog a vegetarian diet will make him more peaceable.  Your dog is a carnivore in the broadest sense.  He is actually an omnivore in practice – something of a scavenger and able to eat lots of different kinds of food.  But physically, he needs meat protein to survive and be healthy.  Feeding your dog meat or diets that are based on meat protein do not make him aggressive.  They merely meet his dietary needs.

On the other hand, feeding your dog a vegetarian diet can lead to poor nutrition.  Your dog is not a vegetarian in any way, shape or form.  One of the reasons that you so often hear corn and other grains blasted for their use in dog food is because they are vegetable-based and, therefore, harder for your dog to digest.  The same is true for vegetarian-based diets for dogs.

They are harder for your dog to digest and they do not contain the meat protein that your dog needs to be healthy.  In addition, they do not make your dog more peaceable or do anything to prevent behavior problems.  In fact, by contributing to poor nutrition, vegetarian diets are likely to worsen behavior problems.