Diet Plan for a Hyperactive Dog

BY | November 16 | COMMENTS PUBLISHED BY
Diet Plan for a Hyperactive Dog

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Any dog enjoying adequate exercise and a balanced diet will be active and lively. A few dogs are more active than others. It does not mean they are hyperactive. A hyperactive animal will have a perennially busy mind and always search for stimulus of some kind. If you believe that your dog is hyperactive, check its resting heart rate. In case this is higher compared to standard heart rate, then your dog can be considered hyperactive.

What your dog eats is important

A few owners observe changes in dog behavior when its diet is changed. Like humans, dogs which eat poor quality food will in all probability be lethargic ones.

Premium pet foods

contain the highest quality ingredients. They are also digestible and offer optimal nutrition. It is natural hat active dogs will have a much better weight compared to dogs that eats cheap food and stays barely awake in a fixed place all day long. Inactive dogs have greater risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus. There may also be degenerative joint diseases. Circulatory problems are also common.

Diet intolerance

This must not be confused with any food allergies. Intolerance of the dog towards a few ingredients may be linked to its hyperactive behavior. The term food intolerance means abnormal response to that food. This may be the result of the inability to digest a specific ingredient. It may also occur from pharmacological, toxic or metabolic reactions. It follows that premium quality pet foods are free from artificial additives like flavorings and colorings. In such foods, only natural and safe preservatives are used.

Diet with limited ingredients

There is a strong possibility that your dog could have an allergy for a specific grain or protein or any other ingredient. The reactions may appear like hyperactivity. If your dog continues to be hyperactive even after you give it natural foods, then go for limited ingredient diet. Give a protein the dog has never had before. Turkey, venison and buffalo are excellent choices. If possible, find a food that has no hyperactivity causing ingredients like grains to eliminate food allergy.

Exercise is an excellent solution

There may be reasons that your dog's food may not play a role in its hyperactivity at all. In case you have a working dog, change its exercise. Retrieving and herding dogs are trained to spend long hours working. They seem hyperactive as they simply want to do what they were actually bred for. You should train your dog for participating in competitions. Consider hiring a daily dog walker to get your dog the exercise it sorely needs. Do understand that a canine version of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD exists. Have it checked by a veterinarian.

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