Add a Little LOVE to Your Dog's Meals
Hello and welcome back.
Last time we spoke, we discussed how dogs can give us a wonderful boost of the “love/hug” hormone, Oxytocin - just through simply being around them or with a lovely, calm snuggle session.
In a 2015 study (Oxytocin Enhances the Appropriate Use of Human Social Cues by the Domestic Dog in an Object Choice Task), half of the subject dogs were injected with Oxytocin before attempting to follow some simple cues from their humans to find hidden food. These dogs were more successful at following social cues than the dogs who hadn’t received the Oxytocin injection. They could better follow two types of human signalling: gazing at and pointing to the location of the hidden food. Oxytocin can actually improve the way we interact with the dogs in our lives!
So, today, I thought I’d talk to how you can easily provide your dog with an Oxytocin-boost of their own through food!
TEXTURE AND VARIETY
While I feed a complete raw most days to my dog, I love it when I can add in either some extra toppings - veggies, berries, nuts - or when I can cook him something completely different. I can see how much longer he spends over his meal, not rushing - slowing down to enjoy the textures - when I invest more time in his food. Our dog’s jaws are made to chew, to tear, to lick. Let your dog have a complete food experience by giving them an outlet for all of these chomping motions.
SOCIAL EATER?
It might surprise you that a large number of dogs seem to eat more readily when their human companion is present. It’s something we see regularly with dogs who suffer from separation disorders. Studies in humans and chimps have shown that the sharing of food leads to high oxytocin levels and bonding. Now, of course, we have to be mindful that there are dogs who struggle to share food or worry you might be about to remove an important resource. But for a lot of dogs, sharing a snack together or having their human hanging out in the same room while they’re eating, might increase the dog:human bond further.
IMPORTANCE OF CHEWING
The process of mastication - or chewing - of food has a huge impact on our dogs’ wellbeing. Benefits of chewing slowly - as opposed to guzzling food - has been shown to allow a better absorption of nutrients and energy from food, to aid digestion, to improve teeth and gum health, to reduce the amount of excess bacteria in the intestines - plus it allows us to better enjoy our food.
So today, why not cook your dog a special Sunday Dinner? Or give them something interesting to chew or lick? And enjoy that look of adoration as you do!
Until next time,
Caroline