Aggressive dog behavior has been linked to diet following a study done by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Massachusettes.
Aggressive dog behavior can be a major problem for dog owners. In some cases, their dogs are so aggressive and threatening that they are afraid of their own pets. Dogs can sense when someone is afraid and this only magnifies the problem.
Such behavior has led to many heartbreaks through injuries, loss of life and loss of a pet. The ones that end up in shelters are frequently put down as they are considered too dangerous to put up for adoption. This is unfair to the dog because there could be another reason for his aggression.
High-protein diets are shown to be a major factor, according to the study. After switching to a low-protein diet, many owners in the study group reported a huge reduction in their dog's aggression. While one or two instances of improved behavior might be limited proof, the fact that the results could be duplicated by repeatedly changing from a high to a low protein diet is real, measurable evidence.
One of the problems with some commercial dog foods is that they contain too much protein for most dogs. Dog owners think that high-protein is good, but that is only true if the dog is under one year old, pregnant, nursing or is a working dog. In these circumstances, a high-protein diet provides many benefits that those dogs need. For example, puppies require protein to help their bodies to grow properly. Too little protein can lead to serious problems.
Working dogs need a lot of energy to do what they do and for this, they require protein that will provide the energy and help them stay healthy and fit. With insufficient protein intake, the dog will get its energy from the body itself instead of from the food, which would be an unhealthy situation.
According to the study, puppies under one year need a diet of 28% protein content. High-performance dogs can benefit from 32% protein diets.
Dogs are instinctively territorial, and to protect it they need some degree of aggression. If he didn't intruders can kill their young, steal their food and take over their shelter. The difference between a dog protecting his territory in the wild and a domesticated dog is the degree of aggression. If it is excessive, it must be dealt with as soon as possible to prevent injury to their owners and others.
Switching to a low protein diet might be all that is required. Of course, some dogs have behavior problems that are more extensive and require a different kind of treatment. Dogs that have been abused, isolated or malnourished are likely to have issues that acquire a dog behavior specialist to overcome them.
Your first step, then, is to change to a low protein diet to see if you notice any improvement. Make sure you give the test sufficient time and that you can repeat the results. For instance, put your dog on a low protein diet for a week to see if there is any change. If there is improvement, put him back on the old diet for a week and see if he reverts to his previous aggressive behavior.
This will give you a good indication of whether or not the problem is directly related to diet. If the aggressive dog behavior persists, speak to your veterinarian or a dog behavior specialist for other solutions.
