This article was featured on allaboutdogfood.co.uk, the UK’s top canine nutrition site. It was reviewed and endorsed by the website’s creator, David Jackson, who stated: “It’s a great article and raises some interesting issues that I don’t think many have considered before.”
Fussy eaters
This post applies to dogs and cats, so read on if your pet doesn’t eat all of their food in one sitting (that includes cats who graze at their crunchies). It’s a bit of an epic long post, but for a complex subject that is often under-considered, it’s hard to keep this sort of thing brief. There’s a lot of info to consider. But before I go on, remember that we are only talking about fussiness here. If your pet’s appetite is suppressed due to medication or a diagnosed health problem (such as pancreatitis or an enzyme deficiency/EPI), the advice given below won’t apply.
As a pet carer and trainer, I see too many animals on diets that do not suit them—and their carers may not even be aware of it.
Diet is EVERYTHING! It plays a huge role in the behaviour and health of all living beings because every function and process in our body depends on nutrition to fuel it. When seeing behaviour cases, I take extensive history on each dog, asking enough in-depth questions to fill a 12-page form. Two of those questions are:
- “What is your dog’s attitude towards food?”
- “Does your dog eat all of their food in one sitting?”
Would you believe that every case that says ‘no’ to the second question is fed a diet high in grain/cereals and animal derivatives? They are always being fed a dry food diet (kibble) and more often than not, the brands they are being fed are Royal Canin or IAMS. We also care for a lot of cats on the pet care side of the business, and if I had £1 for every stale bowl of unwanted IAMS I threw in the bin, I’d be a very rich lady. Too often, pets who don’t eat their food in one go are labelled as ‘fussy’ or ‘picky’. So, here’s my take on fussy eaters….who are more often than not, anything BUT fussy!
Why aren’t they eating their food?
My theory on the vast majority of ‘fussy’ eaters is that these dogs have an intolerance to something in their food. Dry food fed animals are traditionally fed the same thing day in and day out. When fed every day over time, an ingredient that can cause a mild aggravation to the digestive system can eventually start to cause a lot of discomfort. Anyone who has had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (me!) can vouch for how uncomfortable gut issues can be.
A personal comparison
Gluten and I aren’t great friends. I can tolerate a sandwich every few days, but have to be careful with how often I eat bread/baked goods because if I eat them too much, I won’t feel great! So, just like me and my love/hate relationship with bread, a dog/cat eventually starts to associate eating with a feeling of discomfort and refuses their food in the hope something more suitable might come along.
As a practitioner of Applied Zoopharmacognosy, I have also witnessed dogs’ amazing ability to select (and turn down) non-food plant-based remedies to regulate their health, and I also see this with my own dogs’ feeding habits. Kanita will turn her nose up at raw when her stools are too hard, which I interpret as saying ‘no’ to the bone content. And she’ll happily eat Denzel’s Kangaroo meat (wet dog food by Akela). I’ve also seen her turn her nose up at salmon (raw food) after a few meals, which I assume is due to the level of Omega 3s and 6s in the food and her knowing she’s reached her optimum. On the rare occasion she’s been a bit ‘off’, she’s turned her nose up at raw altogether and only eats wet (Akela food). I interpret this as her instinctively knowing her system isn’t strong enough to handle the low levels of bacteria that go hand in hand with raw feeding. (My recently deceased dog Leto stopped eating raw when he became more ill too and was moved onto quality wet food).
Rather than make them go without, when my dogs don’t eat their meal, I consider why and go and find something that they will eat.
Why do they pick (graze) at their food?
Quite simply—because nothing else becomes available and survival needs (needing to eat something to live) prioritise over personal preference. Back to me and bread. I can choose not to eat bread, but if I’m having a mega busy day of back-to-back consults and the only shop I pop into for lunch has nothing but a white bread vegetarian sandwich—I’ll begrudgingly eat a stupid white bread sandwich knowing full well how it will affect me. When I’m not so busy with work (and not so disorganised by not making a packed lunch), I am able to choose certain locations for my meal to bypass symptoms of food intolerance. But our dogs don’t get that choice. Dictating their diets and labelling them as fussy eaters means many dogs are unintentionally forced into eating food that makes them feel like crap.
Diagnosed with intolerances but eating their food anyway?
This could be down to the symptom type. An IBS-type symptom that presents itself soon after eating can easily be associated with what came just before (eating). Whereas, itchy skin as a symptom is not so easily linked to the cause. It could also be due to the level of symptoms, mild stomach ache in contrast to chronic muscle spasms. Then there’s other individual motivating factors such as a dog who can’t cope with hunger as much as another. A dog who leads a more active lifestyle than another may have a bigger appetite. Or it could be that having other dogs in the home competing for resources (food) puts the pressure on to eat whatever is available. Lastly, the need for other ingredients in the food (such as fats or proteins) can override the need to avoid certain ingredients (such as too much starchy carbohydrate).
Why IAMS, Royal Canin and not other foods?
I have yet to see a behaviour case that’s a ‘fussy eater’ on raw food. I’m not saying some dogs on raw don’t turn their noses up at their meals, but I have noticed a trend with it being linked to certain foods. This could be due to the popularity of the foods in question, but I strongly feel the correlating factor is the ingredients as I’ve seen dogs on Eukanuba, Science Diet, Arden Grange, James Wellbeloved, and Burns all do the same. The dogs I have worked with have all gained a renewed enthusiasm for food once the brand is changed to something better quality.
Ingredients analysis
Let’s look at these food brands and the main ingredients they use:
- IAMS: A mere 20% chicken (fresh meat, so the percentage left after the water has been removed will be much less), maize, wheat.
- Arden Grange: Chicken meat meal 27%, rice, maize.
- Eukanuba: Dried chicken & turkey meal 37%, maize.
- Royal Canin: Poultry meal, maize, maize flour, wheat flour.
- Hills/Science Diet: Ground rice, ground maize, chicken & turkey meal, maize gluten.
- James Wellbeloved: Lamb meal, brown rice, white rice, barley.
So, all of the top ingredients are listed. Laughably, some of these foods are considered to be premium brands, but you are being well and truly ripped off. Here’s why:
- Maize: Also known as corn. If your food is produced in the US or US-owned, it’s very likely a GMO crop. As a starchy carbohydrate, it’s used as a source of quick-release energy. However, only 10% of the plant (the maize germ) is actually nutritious. It is dirt cheap to use, which is why it features heavily in pet foods. It’s bulk, a filler, and not nutritious. Maize is hard to digest for dogs and is considered to be one of the main ingredients they are intolerant to.
- Wheat: Full of the gluten protein, which damages the lining in the small intestine, especially for intolerant individuals. This damage prevents the intestine from digesting all the good stuff found in food. Wheat is cheap and bulks up food, providing more to eat for less nutrition.
- Rice: White rice is a polished version of brown rice. The polishing process removes all of the nutritious parts of the plant. Rice is cheap and provides quick-release energy. It’s a filler that fills up animals with minimal nutrition for less money.
- Meal: Animal tissue heated and ground to form a moisture-less powder. Legally, it does not have to list the source, so it can be an elusive ingredient. It requires antioxidants to be added during processing to stop it from becoming rancid. Although natural antioxidants are available, potentially harmful chemicals such as BHT, BHA, and propyl gallate are still used widely to preserve meat meals. These chemicals may not be declared on the ingredients list. Look for ‘free from artificial preservatives’ on the list for reassurance
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Cat food analysis
- Go Cat: Cereals, vegetable protein extracts, meat and animal derivatives.
- Whiskas: 4% meat, cereals.
- Felix: 4% meat, vegetable protein.
- IAMS: 40% dried turkey and chicken, but then maize, wheat.
Starches are broken down into their constituent sugars, which studies have shown to increase cell inflammation. Sugars are a source of low nutrition and short-release energy. As the breakdown of starches elevates blood sugar levels, the body compensates by producing high levels of insulin. This is worth considering for diabetic animals, most notably cats! Dry food, which is full of simple carbohydrates, is not suitable for diabetic animals.
How this correlates with behaviour
For this bit, I am going to refer to dogs as that’s my main species, but if your cat is playing up, consider the following.
Unhealthy relationship with food
If your dog has an unhealthy relationship with food, they will find it less reinforcing. This means we are losing a valuable and efficient reinforcer. If we can’t efficiently reinforce good behaviour, it is unlikely to increase! If I hear the words ‘my dog isn’t motivated by treats/food,’ then I consider three things:
- The dog is possibly too aroused by the environment to find food reinforcing.
- The dog has an unhealthy relationship with food.
- What treats are being used? Are they reinforcing enough? A switch to cooked meat treats usually resolves this.
Treats and reinforcers
If your dog is a grazer, your training could fall flat if your dog has decided to tuck into their food shortly before your walk/session. If they’re full up, food won’t be as reinforcing. Not to mention the risk of bloat if you walk your dog shortly after they’ve eaten.
Feeling unwell affects behaviour
If a dog feels unwell, they are likely to be cranky, oversensitive, or want to hide away. If a dog is reactive, anxious, or withdrawn, the silent symptoms of food intolerance absolutely need to be considered and ruled out. A lot of pet carers or vets may rule out pain or discomfort, especially if the pet’s stools are fine and they don’t flinch, recoil, or yelp on examination.
Variation in diet
If dogs aren’t getting a variation in their diet and it makes them feel unwell, they will be desperate to get other types of food. This can lead to excessive scrounging, scavenging, treat-snatching, and manic behaviour around high-value treats. There are many other reasons a dog may scavenge, snatch treats, counter-surf, or bark while you eat, but an inadequate/incompatible diet is one of the first things to rule out.
The gut-brain connection
There is a huge link between gut environment and behaviour. The majority of serotonin is produced in the gut. A good gut environment helps maintain the gut flora needed to keep healthy levels of serotonin. Serotonin is the feel-good hormone. Good gut = good (or better) mood! Studies are starting to show there is a massive link between gut and brain health. In other words, our gut environment affects our behaviour.
Sugar, insulin, and adrenaline
If your dog has a high sugar diet (a diet full of simple maize, rice, wheat), it is worth noting that as insulin levels fall, this triggers the release of more adrenaline because the energy needs to be allocated for muscle movement. Adrenaline preps the body for moving. Adrenaline is the fight-or-flight hormone. If you have a hyper, manic, over-reactive, aggressive, or fearful dog, consider the link between sugar, insulin, adrenaline, and behaviour.
Grazing and weight
Many animals who are left to graze at their food are overweight because it becomes near impossible to monitor how much you’re feeding. Overweight animals can be under physical stress, which can also affect behaviour.
How simple carbohydrates affect the gut
Certain bacteria and fungus (such as Candida) thrive on starches and simple carbohydrates. When we consume an abundance of them, the balance of friendly and non-friendly bacteria becomes unstable. Complex carbohydrates (their fibre and nutrients) feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut. Diets high in starch feed our bad bacteria, and diets low in complex carbohydrates starve our good bacteria. This can cause inflammation in the gut, leading to leaky gut syndrome, where the gut contents leak into the bloodstream. This triggers the body’s immune response. Research is now linking a poor gut environment to autoimmune diseases.
Conclusion
We should be cautious of labelling dogs and cats as ‘fussy eaters.’ Their diets should be taken seriously if we want them to live long and healthy lives. Every behaviour case I have changed to quality food has found a new enthusiasm for food, and sometimes we see subtle-to-drastic behaviour changes with it. This is not to mention the hundreds of dogs we have helped switch diets in store. We see and hear of physical and mental health changes in animals so much that this anecdotal evidence is too significant to be coincidental.
I’m not saying there aren’t other reasons behind animals having a poor relationship with food. Stress can affect the appetite, and negative associations based on previous experiences can also be factors. In some instances, the texture of food is an issue.
Isn’t good food more expensive?
Yes, often it is. But think of how much money you’re throwing in the bin every time you empty that half-eaten bowl of stale dry food. Think of the vet bills you save from feeding quality food. As an example, the 5.5-year-old dog I have raw fed from 6 months of age has had zero vet visits. The two five-year-old cats we’ve raw fed from 5 months of age have had only two vet visits. The three cats I owned previously, all deceased by 10.5 years of age, were all fed on GoCat. One became diabetic at 8 years of age, and thus my journey into quality pet food began. Of course, many other factors contribute to the health of an animal, but what fuels them each day plays a huge part.
What should you feed your pet?
Despite having a pet shop full of quality dry foods, they are last on my list to feed. If you’re going to feed kibble, store it sensibly (air-tight, BPA-free container). Use it up as quickly as you can as it loses nutritional value the moment the bag is opened. Make it grain-free, high in specified animal meat, and complex carbohydrate-based if possible (or low simple carb). Supplement it with fresh food as often as you can. Fresh is good!
I feed two of my three dogs and two of my three cats raw food, and they thrive on it. This is my preference, but it’s not for everyone. There are some amazing wet foods out there (e.g., Natures Menu, Akela, Millies Wolfheart, Forthglade). For dental health, supplement wet food diets with raw meaty bones and natural chews. For cats, I recommend Natures Menu freeze-dried treats which are great toothbrushes.
Novel meat sources
Feed a novel meat source. As you can see from my list above, chicken is hugely overused because it is cheap. Being fed chicken day in and day out dramatically increases the chance of the body developing an intolerance to it. Switch to a novel meat source such as rabbit, kangaroo, pheasant, venison. Feed this for 5-6 weeks and if your dog’s condition seems to improve, introduce another novel meat source. Ideally, you want to feed your dog 2-3 meat sources rather than just one.
Avoid vague ingredients
Stick to foods with a small ingredient list. Dogs can be allergic or intolerant to pea protein, lentils, potato, and much more. Starchy veg isn’t great for those with yeasty skin conditions. The smaller the ingredients list, the easier it is to eliminate what’s not working.
Veterinary formulas
If you suspect your pet is intolerant to something, don’t feel tempted to put them on ‘sensitive’ or ‘hypoallergenic’ diets. These diets still contain ingredients that could be causing the issue. Feed a novel meat source and stick to foods with a small ingredient list.
Read the label
Take five minutes to read your pet’s food nutrition label and consider whether it’s good enough.
Disclaimers
- If your pet has a specific medical condition, seek the advice of a fresh food advocating veterinary professional or nutritionist.
- Some dogs are genuinely picky about their food, or desperate for other types of food for other reasons than those discussed. But in my humble and personal experience, these cases are less common or can be alleviated/improved by a change in diet.
REFERENCES:
1) http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/94/2/479.short
2) https://www.hindawi.com/journals/mi/2013/509502/abs/
3) http://www.jbc.org/content/280/6/4617.short
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