How Diet Affects Your Dog’s Mood and Behavior

Ever notice how you feel sluggish after a fast-food meal but energized after a balanced, nutritious meal? The same applies to your dog! Nutrition plays a crucial role in canine behavior, affecting everything from energy levels and focus to anxiety and aggression. A diet filled with low-quality ingredients can lead to hyperactivity, digestive discomfort, or mood swings, while a well-balanced, natural diet supports emotional stability and overall well-being.

In this blog, we’ll explore how different nutrients (or the lack of them) impact behavior, which ingredients to avoid, and how feeding your dog a high-quality, small-batch diet can promote better mood, focus, and calmness.

The Link Between Diet and Canine Behavior

Just like humans, dogs need a balanced intake of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, along with essential vitamins and minerals. When these needs aren’t met, behavioral issues can arise.

• Nutritional Deficiencies and Behavioral Changes:

  • Lack of B vitamins (especially B1, B6, and B12) can contribute to irritability and anxiety.

  • Deficiencies in magnesium and zinc are linked to restlessness and hyperactivity.

  • Low omega-3 intake can lead to poor cognitive function, making training more difficult.

  Blood Sugar Fluctuations and Hyperactivity:

• Diets high in processed grains and artificial fillers can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar, leading to sudden bursts of hyperactivity followed by lethargy or moodiness.

• A protein-rich diet with slow-digesting carbohydrates (like sweet potatoes or pumpkin) can help stabilize energy levels.

• Gut Health and the “Gut-Brain Connection”:

• The gut is often called the "second brain" because of its direct influence on mood and stress responses.

• Poor digestion or an imbalance of gut bacteria (from low-quality food) can contribute to anxiety and irritability.

• Bone broth and probiotic-rich foods support a healthy gut microbiome, promoting calm behavior.

Ingredients That Can Negatively Impact Behavior

Some commercial dog foods contain artificial additives and fillers that may contribute to behavioral issues.

🚫 Ingredients to Avoid:

• Artificial colors & flavors (linked to hyperactivity and food sensitivities).

• Excess sugars & refined carbohydrates (cause energy spikes and crashes).

• Low-quality by-products & fillers (can lead to poor digestion and mood instability).

• Preservatives like BHA and BHT (suspected to have negative effects on the nervous system).

The Role of a Natural Diet in Promoting a Well-Behaved Dog

Switching to a high-quality, natural diet can have profound effects on your dog’s mental and emotional state.

✅ Key Nutrients for a Calmer, Happier Dog:

• High-quality proteins (lean meats, fish, eggs): Support brain function and energy stability.

• Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish oil, flaxseed, bone broth): Help reduce anxiety and improve focus.

• Complex carbohydrates (sweet potatoes, pumpkin, brown rice): Provide steady energy without blood sugar crashes.

• Probiotics & gut-friendly ingredients (bone broth, yogurt, fermented veggies): Support digestion and mood balance.

• Magnesium & B vitamins (found in leafy greens, fish, and eggs): Aid relaxation and reduce stress-related behavior.

How to Transition to a More Balanced Diet

If your dog has been eating processed kibble with low nutritional value, switching to a natural, small-batch diet can improve their mood and behavior.

Steps for a Smooth Transition:

1. Start Slow: Mix a small portion of the new food with their current food and gradually increase the amount over 7-10 days.

2. Monitor Energy & Behavior: Take note of any positive changes in energy levels, anxiety, or focus.

3. Incorporate Bone Broth & Nutrient-Rich Treats: Use bone broth to support digestion and limited-ingredient treats as training rewards.

Food is More Than Just Fuel—It Shapes Behavior

A well-balanced, natural diet isn’t just about keeping your dog full—it directly influences their energy levels, mood, and overall well-being. By choosing high-quality, whole-food ingredients, pet parents can support a calmer, happier, and more focused pup.

Want to see the difference a natural diet can make? Explore our selection of small-batch, human-grade dog food and treats designed to nourish your dog from the inside out!

The Pet Nutrition Revolution Continues

Just a decade or so ago, it seemed there were only a handful of dog food brands you could choose from, each one a different variety of kibble. This is one of the main reasons why we founded Pawsitively Pure Dog Food in 2007–with a handful of dog food manufacturers producing a majority of the kibble available on the shelves, and with those manufacturers frequently announcing recalls due to food safety issues, we knew we had to find a better solution for our furry friends. 

Nutrition has become a major focus for pet parents worldwide. As they seek healthier alternatives, many dog moms and dads have ditched kibble in favor of more natural food sources. In particular, gently cooked diets and raw diets have taken the dog nutrition world by storm. But how do you know which variety is best for your dog? How can you tread the line between convenience, cost, and the best nutrition possible?

Here at Pawsitively Pure Dog Food, we offer a variety of gently cooked dog food flavors to keep your dogs happy and healthy. Through our experience, we believe that gently cooked dog food offers the best solution for dogs and their humans alike. 

Gently Cooked is the Way to Go

Gently cooked dog food is a healthy, complete meal system for dogs of any age and stage of life that still offers convenience and cost effectiveness for pet parents. Let’s find out more.

Gently Cooked Food Packs a Nutritional Punch

Many people believe that cooking food strips it of all its nutrition, which is largely untrue. While it is factual that some raw foods–vegetables in particular–can provide vitamins and minerals in different forms than their cooked counterparts, gently cooked dog food still offers your dog wholesome nutrition and is leagues better for them than kibble is. When food is processed for long periods of time over high heat, that’s when it loses a portion of its nutritional value. Our production process does not introduce heat that’s too intense or for a long duration.

What’s more, cooking meats and animal products like bones can actually help extract nutrients and provide them to your dog in a safe and easily digestible form. In particular, you should never feed your dog bones as they present a choking and safety hazard, but bone broth for dogs provides a whole host of health benefits from a healthier digestive tract to a shinier coat.

Gently Cooked Food is Easier to Handle Than Raw Food

When you serve your dog raw food, especially animal products, you need to have a proper understanding of food handling standards as well as identification and avoidance of common food pathogens. The average pet parent probably won’t have the time or capacity to take such a course. What’s more, careful handling of raw food often requires daily preparation time that really detracts from its overall convenience.

When improperly prepared, raw food also has the potential to spread bacteria and disease to humans living in the house. According to a 2018 veterinary study, a high percentage of raw pet diets were found to have potentially harmful bacteria. Common foodborne diseases like e.coli can quickly and easily be transmitted by letting your dog lick you.

Gently cooked dog food offers your dog the same wholesome ingredients without the hassle of frequent preparation. Additionally, you’re much less likely to accidentally contaminate your dog’s food by handling it improperly. When you source your food from a veterinarian-approved producer, 90% of the work is already done for you!

Domestic Dogs Don’t Need to Eat Like Their Ancestors

A common argument in favor of raw diets for dogs posits that they are the most biologically appropriate for our pets since their ancestors ate raw and locally available foods. However, couldn’t the same be argued for humans? Domestic animals have evolved significantly from their early counterparts; in their roles as human companions, their activity levels, “jobs,” and drive to hunt are all completely different. 

If we fed our dogs to mirror their ancestors’ diets, they would probably be consuming much more protein than they really need. It’s ok for our dogs to consume foods that aren’t quite as primal! Gently cooked foods can be easier to digest and more balanced for the average house pet.

Shop Local for Gently Cooked Dog Food

When you’re ready to switch your dog to a gently cooked diet, it’s a great idea to choose your food from a local company. Pawsitively Pure Dog Food offers gently cooked dog food in Orlando, made in small batches and responsibly sourced to help keep your dog’s tail wagging. Visit us at one of our favorite farmers’ markets each weekend, or shop online!