18/06/2025
Great post about the gut brain dynamic in dogs. They are so much like us!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AtKK9nFNU/?mibextid=wwXIfr
๐ง The Canine Gut-Brain Connection: How Your Dogโs Diet Influences Their Behaviour
๐๏ธ๐จ๐TL;DR: If your dog struggles with reactivity, anxiety, hyperactivity, or poor impulse control โ itโs time to look beyond training. The gut and brain are in constant communication via the gut-brain axis. Whatโs happening in the gut can shape how your dog behaves, learns, and emotionally responds.
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Weโve long accepted that food fuels the body โ but now science tells us it shapes the mind too. And not just in humans.
Dogs have a fully functional gut-brain axis, which is the bi-directional communication network connecting the gastrointestinal tract with the brain via neural (vagus nerve), immune, and hormonal pathways.
๐งฌ But what does this actually mean?
1๏ธโฃ. The gut is a hormone powerhouse.
Around 90โ95% of serotonin, the neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, stress response, social behaviour, and even impulse control, is made in the gut, not the brain.
If the gut is inflamed, lacking microbial diversity, or under chronic stress (from diet, meds, or environment), serotonin production can be impaired โ which can increase anxiety, poor tolerance to change, and behavioural reactivity.
2๏ธโฃ. Gut bacteria can influence the brainโs wiring.
Research shows the gut microbiome plays a role in modulating the hypothalamicโpituitaryโadrenal (HPA) axis, which governs how the body โ and brain โ responds to stress.
Dysbiosis (an imbalance in gut bacteria) has been linked to overactivation of the HPA axis โ meaning your dog may have an exaggerated response to minor stressors.
3๏ธโฃ. Dogs with healthy microbiomes may behave more flexibly.
A 2021 study found dogs on high-quality, fresh food diets showed greater microbial richness and resilience, which correlated with improved cognitive flexibility and reduced fear of novelty.
This means a more balanced gut can help dogs better cope with new environments, unfamiliar people, or training challenges.
4๏ธโฃ. Behavioural issues may be inflammatory in origin.
Inflammation in the gut can contribute to inflammation in the brain โ known as neuroinflammation. This has been associated with compulsive behaviours, increased noise sensitivity, irritability, and poor sleep in both humans and animals.
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๐ So whatโs behind gut-brain dysfunction in dogs?
โข Ultra-processed foods (many dry kibble formulas) are high in AGEs (advanced glycation end-products), oxidised fats, and synthetic additives that can damage gut lining and microbial balance.
โข Antibiotics and frequent dewormers can cause long-term shifts in gut flora.
โข Low-fibre diets reduce the diversity of beneficial bacteria that produce SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids), which help regulate immunity and inflammation.
โข Chronic stress (emotional, environmental, or dietary) also impacts gut integrity โ contributing to leaky gut and immune dysregulation.
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๐ฅฆ So what can we do?
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Prioritise prebiotic-rich foods like dandelion greens, chicory root, green bananas, mushrooms, etc.
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Add fermented foods (in safe doses) such as kefir or fermented vegetables
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Choose diets high in bioavailable protein and low in fillers to reduce gut burden
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Include omega-3 fatty acids (from algae, green-lipped mussel or fresh fish) to reduce neuroinflammation
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Avoid highly processed foods with long shelf lives, artificial preservatives, and colourants
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Rebuild the microbiome with broad-spectrum canine-specific probiotics when needed
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If youโve ever felt like your dogโs training isnโt workingโฆ or that theyโre โwired wrongโโฆ the missing piece may not be their brain โ it may be their gut.
This is the hidden connection between behaviour and biology. And itโs where true, lasting change begins.
๐ Click the link in the comments to read our full science-backed article:
โThe Canine Gut-Brain Connection: How Your Dogโs Diet Influences Their Behaviourโ
๐ฌ Already feeding for gut health? Tell us whatโs worked for your dog ๐ in the comments.
๐พ Want personalised support and to connect with likeminded owners?
Join our free community group for deeper discussion, shared results, and practical tools.
๐ Come and join us over in The Balanced Canine
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๐ Sources referenced in the full article:
โข Berding K. et al. (2021). Diet and microbiota modulation in dogs: implications for behaviour and cognition
โข Mondo E. et al. (2020). Gut microbiome differences between aggressive and non-aggressive dogs
โข Kirchoff NS et al. (2018). Effect of probiotics on canine anxiety and gut microbiome balance
โข Re S. et al. (2008). Neurotransmitter precursors and dietary supplementation in dogs
โข OโSullivan E. et al. (2015). The role of the gut-brain axis in animal behaviour and stress regulation
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๐ Click the link in the comments to learn more.
Because changing your dogโs diet might just change their life.๐
