Can Certain Foods Help Support a Stressed or Anxious Dog?
Does your dog pace during thunderstorms, struggle to settle down, or seem especially uneasy in stressful situations? Food may be one small part of supporting your dog’s overall wellness. Certain nutrient-rich foods contain compounds associated with healthy brain, nervous system, and stress responses.
TL;DR: Some dog-friendly foods, including blueberries, sweet potatoes, oily fish, turkey, and pumpkin seeds, contain nutrients that may support your dog during periods of stress. Want to learn about 11 foods that may help support a calmer, healthier dog? Explore Animal Wellness Academy’s 11 Stress-Fighting Foods for Anxiety in Dogs course.
Can food really help an anxious dog?
Food isn’t a cure for anxiety, and it shouldn’t replace veterinary or behavioral care when your dog is struggling. Still, nutrition can play a role in overall health, which makes it worth paying attention to what goes into your dog’s bowl.
Some foods provide nutrients involved in normal nervous system function and the body’s response to stress. Others offer antioxidants, healthy fats, amino acids, or complex carbohydrates that can contribute to a balanced diet.
That gives dog parents another area to consider when looking at the bigger picture.
Which foods may support dogs during stressful times?
The course explores 11 different foods that can be incorporated into a dog’s diet, including blueberries, kale, sweet potatoes, beef, turkey, oily fish, hemp seed oil, whole oats or brown rice, quinoa, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
Each one brings something different to the table.
Blueberries, for example, provide antioxidants and other nutrients. Sweet potatoes offer fiber and several vitamins and minerals. Oily fish such as salmon and sardines are sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Turkey contains L-tryptophan, an amino acid involved in serotonin production.
Then there are foods such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds, which offer nutrients that may support normal nervous system function.
The takeaway isn’t that one food will suddenly turn an anxious dog into a relaxed one. It’s about understanding the nutritional qualities of different foods and where they may fit into your dog’s diet.
How can dog parents use this information?
Start with your dog’s existing diet.
Adding new foods without considering calories, portions, allergies, sensitivities, or the balance of the overall diet can create problems of its own. Treats and toppers should complement a complete diet rather than crowding it out.
It’s also worth remembering that anxiety can have many causes. Noise, separation, unfamiliar surroundings, previous experiences, pain, and other health or behavioral concerns can all affect how a dog responds to stress.
If your dog’s anxiety is persistent, severe, or suddenly appears, talk with your veterinarian. Nutrition can be one piece of the puzzle, but it’s rarely the whole picture.
What can you learn from the Animal Wellness Academy course?
If you’re curious about using food as part of your dog’s wellness routine, the 11 Stress-Fighting Foods for Anxiety in Dogs course gives you a focused introduction to 11 foods and their potential role in supporting dogs during stressful periods.
The course is taught by Dr. Suzi Beber, Honouris Causa, who has spent decades creating special needs diets for companion animals. It includes one lesson, a quiz, and a course certificate.
It’s a simple way to learn more about the foods you may already have in your kitchen and how they could fit into a thoughtful approach to canine nutrition.
Take Our Course: 11 Stress-Fighting Foods for Anxiety in Dogs
Want to learn which foods may help support your dog during stressful times?
Our 11 Stress-Fighting Foods for Anxiety in Dogs course introduces 11 foods you can incorporate into your canine companion’s diet and explains why they may be useful as part of a healthy nutritional routine. The short course includes one lesson, a quiz, and a certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods may help support an anxious dog?
The course covers 11 foods, including blueberries, kale, sweet potatoes, beef, turkey, oily fish, hemp seed oil, whole oats or brown rice, quinoa, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
Can food cure anxiety in dogs?
No. Food should not be considered a cure for canine anxiety. Nutrition may support overall wellness, but ongoing anxiety may require veterinary guidance, behavior support, or both.
Is this course suitable for dog parents?
Yes. Animal Wellness Academy lists pet owners among the intended audience, along with pet professionals and veterinarians.
What does the course include?
The course includes one lesson, one quiz, and a course certificate. The lesson focuses on 11 foods that can be incorporated into a dog’s diet to help support dogs experiencing stress and anxiety.
