If your pup has the blues, it could be related to their diet. Just like people, dogs can experience depressive symptoms such as stopping eating, getting withdrawn, and losing interest in once-favored activities. In fact, research suggests that almost 75% of dogs may show symptoms of poor mental health at some point during their lives. 

I experienced this recently with my dog Jack. He used to be a playful boy, but in recent months he’s been withdrawn and off his food. Worried, I asked my veterinarian what they recommended, and they suggested switching up Jack’s diet. Lo and behold, this immediately gave Jack a boost. Switching to Ollie, a fresh, high-quality, science-led dog food delivery service that’s personalized to your dog’s specific requirements, made a world of difference in his mood and energy levels. 

What your dog is eating and drinking affects their mood and behavior. Just like how if I eat nothing but fast food and soda, I can expect to feel sluggish and unsatisfied, if your pup is eating food that isn’t balanced and biologically appropriate, they might feel stressed and unhappy, causing them to exhibit unwanted behaviors. By changing what your dog eats, you can positively influence not only their health, but their actions. 

Changing your fluffy friend’s food intake can reduce stress levels and make them more relaxed. This applies to the quality of the ingredients as well as the nutritional value. Good food = a happy, healthy, calm, and confident pup. Thankfully Jack wasn’t depressed, it was just his nutritionally-bankrupt food. If you want to turn your dog’s mood around, try ditching their kibble and order Ollie – and get 50% off your first box.

Signs Your Dog Is Unhappy

How Your Dog’s Diet Affects Their Mood And Behaviour

After seeing just how much pep Ollie put in Jack’s step, I was like, “What’s in this dang food?” So even though I was eager to order because of Jack’s almost immediate turn from depressed dog to happy hound, I did do a tad bit of research before I actually went through the onboarding quiz to purchase. 

I found out that Ollie’s fresh food is human-grade and gently cooked to retain all that nutritious goodness in each and every recipe. Speaking of the recipes, they’re all approved by vet nutritionists and include real, whole meats and dog-safe fruits and veggies. 

There were a couple of other cool perks to ordering Ollie – number one being their app, which offers everything from a dental screening, to a weight screening, to a digestion screening where you send in a picture of your dog’s poop to make sure it’s normal! Ollie’s holistic approach to canine health really appealed to me, and I felt super safe putting my dog’s diet in their hands. 

Studies have also found links between the microbiome of dogs and their sociability, motivation, obedience, and receptivity to training. I discovered that the gut-brain axis, or the communication that happens between the brain and the gut microbiome, plays a crucial role in this process. If your dog’s microbiome is unbalanced, this can affect how hormones and neurotransmitters are produced. These important signallers such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine can contribute to mental health-related issues including depression, anxiety, and hyperarousal.

Clearly, establishing and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is crucial for your doggy’s wellbeing. But how do you ensure that your dog’s food is helping them to be the happiest, healthiest canine they can be?

Good Dog Foods For Good Dog Moods

Let’s take a deeper dive into how different foods can affect whether or not your dog feels like getting out of their basket in the morning. Our dogs are reliant on us to make good dietary choices for them, so choose a dog food brand you can trust, like Ollie. Their recipes are the peak of canine nutrition—formulated with veterinary nutritionists and made with natural ingredients to promote cheery pups with healthy guts. 

Crucial nutrients for dogs that boost mood and can thus help improve behaviour include:

• Fatty acids: omega-3 fatty acids, found in fat sources such as beef and chicken fat, fish oils, and flaxseed, can help young dogs be more alert and receptive to learning, as well as helping to reduce cognitive decline in older pups. They’ve also been shown to reduce anxiety and maintain a dog's mood. Ollie’s fresh meals contain salmon oil to help boost your pup’s mood and brainpower. 
• Magnesium: this mineral helps to create serotonin, which can be depleted when your dog feels depressed or anxious. Greens such as spinach contain lots of magnesium in spades (and Ollie’s fresh beef dog food has spinach in spades, so why not give it a try for your down-at-heel dog?).
• Zinc: this essential mineral helps to boost brain function, memory and learning. High-quality animal products, like the ones Ollie uses in its fresh meals, are high in zinc, helping to keep your dog satisfied and content.

Many commercial dog foods focus solely on convenience rather than being tailored to your dog’s specific needs which could lead to nutritional deficiencies and imbalances that negatively impact your dog’s health, behavior, and mood. Transitioning to a fresh, whole food diet can help resolve these issues. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all plan, Ollie creates a personalized meal plan for your pup, with tailored nutritional recommendations based on their weight, activity level, and spay/neuter status. 

How Ollie Helped My Dog Get His Zest For Life Back

Jack was a different dog once he started eating Ollie. He loves trying different recipes (his favorite is the fresh lamb with cranberries recipe) and gets excited when an Ollie delivery arrives for him, sniffing and bounding about like the puppy he once was. He’s been sleeping more soundly and, because Ollie is giving him more sustained daily energy, he’s always up for a game of fetch or a tug of war. As he’s more stimulated playing with his toys, he’s given up his old habits of chewing on my shoes when my back is turned. Jack’s transformation sealed the deal for me: we’re an Ollie family for life.