# does lower protein = a calmer dog?



## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

branston is on an in between food, its from ages 8 mths - 18 mths.
the protein content is 26%, is that too high for him?
we have asked the vet, and a few pet shops and they have all said that he doesnt need that amount of protein and it should be much lower, as he is a 'hyper' dog with no off switch the general opinion is to lower his protein intake.
does anyone think this is correct? here in england the general opinion is that lower protein = a calmer dog?


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## Fuzzy Pants (Jul 31, 2010)

26% is considered high protein there? Most grain free formulas over here are 36% protein or even as high as the 40s if you go with orijen or evo.


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## RBark (Sep 10, 2007)

Here in the USA we believe more exercise and training = calmer dog.

But I suppose if you starve a dog enough, he'll have no energy and appear calm.


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

the 2 top of the range foods are james wellbeloved & burns, and their protein content is around that. i believe burns is grain free.
skinners is the food we have, which is probably mid range and made for working dogs.
branston has 2 45 minute fast paced walks per day, any more and he refuses to walk by just sitting, he is really lazy! i also am still training him with the sits, downs fetch etc for about 30 minutes during the day. the rest of the time he is just hanging out at home with me 
branstons excitement level goes through the roof when we have visitors, it always has, if i stop to speak to women while we walk he is the same, just not with men. even though those same men can come into my house and he is all over them, go figure lol!!
i just wondered if lowering his protein may help as over here that seems the way to go.

just had to add....branston has always been this way with people, no amount of training has changed him thus far, at classes he was more interested in the trainer than the other dogs! we think it was that he was born in rescue, kept in a caravan with his mum & sister and everyone made such a fuss of those 2 pups, 'arent they just like little lions?', how cute they are!' and they were constantly picked up all day, so we think it was ingrained in him then that people = attention!


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## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

In my experience lower protien equals a lethargic dog not a calmer dog.

I would consider that food (which has a large amount of grains) to be pretty low on the protein scale and I would not do any lower.

Have you maybe looked at fish4dogs? If you join their breeders club even if you are not you get around 10 pounds off.


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

i have just looked at that, thank you but its very expensive! the food we buy is £20 for a 15kg sack and that is £53, way out of my budget!
im not overly concerned, but as it has been mentioned to me to lower the protein, i just though i'd ask.
branstons coat is shiny his teeth are great and his poop his fine on skinners so.....


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

I think if you go with a very high protein food, and a dog who gets insufficient exercise, you can end up with a dog all loaded up with no place to go. However, I wouldn't consider 26% particularly high.


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## flipgirl (Oct 5, 2007)

I think 26% is an average level of protein, you don't want to go lower than that. 

Sounds more like a training issue if he is hyper around people he meets. My dog is the same way, nothing seems to calm her down. She eventually calm down though. Does your dog calm down after a while? You could try training him to sit when he meets people or have them give the treat once he id calm and sits. Or have them turn away (deny him their attention) until he sits and is calm. Of course this is with their cooperation.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

The main things in food I think make dogs more hyper are added sugar and food coloring. I think coloring is illegal in England, but check the ingredient list for added sugar. And keep in mind that carbs turn into sugar in the body, so high grain content could possibly add to hyperness (I don't know why people would say it's the protein?). But he doesn't sound especially hyper--he's not gogogo all the time. He just gets excited when guests come, which I think is pretty normal for a young dog. If he'd doing well on this food, I wouldn't change anything.


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

flipgirl......we have tried absolutely everything lol! we've had him since he was 8 weeks old, and with some good advice from here, we have tried the visitor repeatedly coming in & out of the door until he is calm, and we have tried giving visitors (all willing) a small bag of treats to give to him for good behaviour, all to no avail! since day 1 i have taken treats with me on all walks, but he is just not interested, the people out way the treats ALL of the time! dont get me wrong, he a loving affectionate dog whom we all love dearly, but as we've never gotten anywhere with him & people it was suggested to lower his protein. he will NEVER calm down with a visitor, eventually he has to be crated, and this is always after a good 30 minutes of treats and time out etc.
willowy..he isnt gogogo all the time, as you say just with visitors!


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I think it is the opposite, the cheap foods are loaded with sugars and carbs so it is like the difference between giving a kid a steak or giving a kid a bowl for fruit-loops. The steak might have more calories and thus more energy but the Fruit-loops are full of sugar and carbs that will "hype" him up. Not to mention being less nutritious. 

I feed about 38% protein with a grain-free food. I think 26% is about the lowest I would think okay.


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## flipgirl (Oct 5, 2007)

beverley said:


> flipgirl......we have tried absolutely everything lol! we've had him since he was 8 weeks old, and with some good advice from here, we have tried the visitor repeatedly coming in & out of the door until he is calm, and we have tried giving visitors (all willing) a small bag of treats to give to him for good behaviour, all to no avail! since day 1 i have taken treats with me on all walks, but he is just not interested, the people out way the treats ALL of the time! dontl get me wrong, he a loving affectionate dog whom we all love dearly, but as we've never gotten anywhere with him & people it was suggested to lower his protein. he will NEVER calm down with a visitor, eventually he has to be crated, and this is always after a good 30 minutes of treats and time out etc.
> willowy..he isnt gogogo all the time, as you say just with visitors!


Ok I didn't look up your other threads sorry. Interesting that he never calm down. If it was the food, I would expect him to be hyper all the time. What would he do if you crated him before your visitors came? Would he freak out in the crate? Maybe if you crate him in another room and not let him out?


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

oh yes he freaks out if we crate him first! he barks, whines and jumps around in his crate (he has a huge crate.. he's a huge dog)
my friend came for coffee today, as i know he always make his 'fuss' i crated him first. we tried to have coffee in the romm where his crate is, no joy so we moved it to the kitchen. he is then quiet until he catches sight of her again! she doesnt mind, thinks he's lovely!

we have jokingly said that if he was a human child he would be being treated for a disorder such as adhd.......................(im not being disrespectful, my nephew has autism)


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Max gets upset when we have visitors and people come to the door and all that but now he gets very few carbohydrates he can settle down faster. I leave him behind the hall door and when his barking changes from INTRUDER ALERT to I WANT TO VISIT he gets to come out. He never had food with sugar or food coloring in it, just the usual carbs found in good quality kibble. His high protein raw diet isn't making him hyper, he is just growing big strong muscles. 

I put Sassy on lower protein kibble years ago and it did nothing to calm her down, she could go bonkers if she caught sight of another dog a 1/4 mile away. She was calmer on 30% protein food but she was also 15 years old, suspect that had more to do with it than the protein content!


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