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CALMING SUPERFOODS BEHAVIOUR AND HEALTH PROBLEMS LIKE DIGESTIVE ISSUES, BARKING, REACTIVITY, EVEN PULLING ON THE LEAD CAN ALL BE NEGATIVE EFFECTS CAUSED BY STRESS AND ANXIETY IN YOUR DOG. When a dog is stressed, their body releases the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which can have a variety of negative impacts on their health, including behavioural changes, digestive problems and a weakened immune system. Therefore, it’s important for dog owners to try to minimise the stress their dogs experience to help them maintain optimal health and wellbeing. Unlike us, dogs do not understand a lot of modern stress. They simply have a fight or flight response. Anna Webb – Nutrition & Behaviour expert has studied at the College of Integrated Veterinary Therapies (CIVT). Anna is host of the award-nominated podcast A
DOG’S LIFE, and regular BBC contributor. Here she shares some of the ‘superfoods’ which can help your dog stay calm, provided it is combined with training and mindful de-sensitisation. Anna is passionate about teaching people to speak dog. She explained, “it’s our duty of care to understand dogs, and what they are communicating to us through body language. Ensuring that messages do not get lost in translation.” For example, yawning is a behaviour that indicates that your dog could be feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and might be better off being removed from that situation
