The Connection Between Diet and Behaviour

By now most of us know that the food we eat directly affects our mind. Studies have proven that kids who consume a lot of “convenience foods” as opposed to fresh, whole foods, have greater difficulty concentrating, learning and managing conflict. It’s down to the second brain - you know, those neurons in the small intestine that send messages to the main brain. This gut-brain is responsible for a large portion of our emotional state.

It’s true. Think about how diet affects people with Autism. The first part of treatment is to remove all food colouring, chemicals, preservatives, etc from the diet. In every case the result is a decrease in symptoms. What does this have to do with dogs? Everything. They have the same neurons in their guts, and I’ve personally witnessed positive behaviour changes that have coincided with a change in diet. Possibly, so have you.

I often use Boxers a prime example since so many on them seem to have “sensitive stomachs.” They also happen to be a relatively high-strung breed who often end up on veterinary “prescription” diets to curb diarrhea. The diarrhea might go away, but the anxious state remains. I believe this is down to their body’s need for, and drastic lack of bioavailable nutrients in the kibble (such as B vitamins) which are crucial in times of stress and anxious episodes.

Consider also, the fact that 50 to 90 percent of people with IBS suffer from a psychiatric disorder such as anxiety or depression, even when the disease is not active. Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada is funding an investigation to examine the link between depression and changes in the bacterial composition of the gut. This will determine what, if any, are the physiological responses to a person’s emotional state. I’m not betting on the “if any.”

If you have a dog who suffers from anxiety or exhibits behavioral problems that you can’t seem to correct, it might be worth considering that it might be due to digestive issues - chronic loose stool or mucousy stool can be a sign. A diet change might be the answer. After all, if your dog doesn’t maintain a healthy-gut-brain connection, all the training and behaviour modification in the world will be in vain – kind of like teaching a dog with a broken leg how to fetch. If you would like to provide a fresh home-cooked diet for your dog, I would be happy to help. Your holistic veterinarian can also offer guidance on home cooking, raw feeding, and supplementation. If you don’t have holistic vet, here’s how to find one.

Positive Training is Best: Give Your Dog a Chance to Show You How Great He Is

I'm asked all the time by followers of Cesar Millan and believers in force-based training, why I think positive reinforcement training is better. I'm not a dog trainer but I know the answer.

I often say: "Think about the way guide dogs are trained, or search and rescue dogs, or cancer detection dogs. That's the kind of dog you want, and that's the kind of bond you want." It's that simple. You want a dog that trusts you and respects you. None of those dogs were trained through force or "dominance". They each learned their craft through positive reinforcement. I promise that you will not fix anything by pinning your dog to the ground or poking it in the neck. Think about it: A leash reactive dog begins to growl at another dog in the distance and you two-finger poke him in the neck. What's the message being received? "Every time I see another dog, you startle me with a poke in the neck, so I guess I need to be on my guard from other dogs and from you."

Why not try conditioning your dog to look to you for guidance when another dog is approaching? And teach him that seeing another dog, means that something great's about to happen? 

I know this works because I've done it with my own 10 year old terrier. We work on this a lot. In the past few months we've closed the distance which we can pass another dog without a fuss, to a sidewalk's width. Not every single time, but most of the time. I'm proud of what we've accomplished together, and I swear to DOG, he's happier these days than he's ever been. And don't forget how positive reinforcement helped Cami emerge from her shell and allowed her to finally be a "pet".


How about the guy who "alpha rolls" his dog? You'll likely notice that his pooch has poor recall. It could be he's leaned that when he does come, he often gets a yank on the collar, rolled and pinned to the ground, or "bah'd" at.  Dogs like stability, and this behaviour from a human is anything but stable. Not only can positive reinforcement training develop a strong recall that could save your dog's life, it'll enhance his life. Dogs crave metal stimulation and really want to know they're pleasing you, both of which this style of training will provide. Which means your dog's personality and all his character will flourish. 

Don't get me wrong, I was just as mesmerized by Cesar as the next person, when his show began airing. But common sense rapidly took over and the bottom line is positive training has been researched for decades, and the methods are based on cruelty-free, scientific findings. For more information about how truly flawed "dominance" based methods are, I refer you this article. Not only is it extremely well written (by a certified trainer), there are numerous additional links to valuable information. 

On TV, watch It's Me or the Dog instead of watching the Dog Whisperer or that other guy who's name I'm afraid to mention. Want alternative reading material on the subject? Look for books by people like Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist (my favourite is The Other End of the Leash).

If you live in Toronto and you need a great training school, there are a few: When Hounds Fly has two locations, and Who's walking Who has four. They're both based in positive training but they use different styles so please read up on their websites and see which one you think fit's you and your dog the best. Always check the credentials of anyone calling themselves a 'tainer' or 'behaviourist' and if you're not 100% comfortable with their methods, move on.