Does it really make a difference with protien levels for being hyper? My boy is 10mnths old and is a cross between a GSD and ESS so two very active breeds and of course he is still a pup.  But he seems more nutty then ever lately have been feeding him Eukanuba Puppy/Junior Large breed, the protien in this is 26%.  Fed this as have a 8wk old pup who is on it and my two greyhounds who are hard to keep weight on seem to be doing ok on it.  Really like the sound of Burns but have tried with other dogs in the past and they have lost too much weight. Do add some naturediet in aswell. Is Hugo just a complete nutcase or do you think diet might help?!

I know higher protein made my bernese loopy - she was climbing the walls. We put her on a lower protein level and she is fine but our setter gets the same and is still loopy so I think in her case its the breed :-) . They both get Eukanuba large breeds light

yes high protein does make some dogs hyperactive. also you need a food with all natural ingredients no E

There is another post running at the moment about 40% protein diets. Have a look at that. I think it's a bit of a myth about hyperactivity/protein levels to be honest. A dog, as a carnivore, should be well equipped to cope on a high protein diet. It's really down to the quality and digestibility of the protein source. Hyperactivity is more likely to be caused by all the artificial stuff in many complete dry diets.

>A dog, as a carnivore, should be well equipped to cope on a high protein diet. It's really down to the quality and digestibility of the protein source. Hyperactivity is more likely to be caused by all the artificial stuff in many complete dry diets.

Brilliantly said! :-D

If colours,additives,preservatives(found in most commercial foods) can cause reactions in our kids,then why not our dogs?
I've also heard of owners complaining that their dogs have too much energy after being swapped to a more wholesome food,and the answers given, were maybe the dogs feeling better and not so sluggish from all the crap in it's system from the old junk food it was on :-D

so does it mean he was feeling better on Eukanuba!  It was just he seemed that he could'nt settle walking about whining with his ball (which he is obsessed with) now he is at least laying down after he has played/walked etc.,  It is really confusing as Eukaniba claim to not add any artificial colours, preservatives etc., so I just put it down to the protein. Or was it just coincidence.  He was neutered about 3 weeks ago so could it be his hormones still up and down?

I dont know about the protein levels, but I can say that my dog was on a 28% protein, and now is on a 13% protein food, and she seems to be more quiet.  She isnt running around constant, but now content to laze around on the sofa, or the mat infront of the door. 

It could be just that she is growing up (she just turned two) but this is a min pin, and the breed lives like a puppy until well into their teens.  So I dont know, but I would suspect it has something to do with it.

Correct me if I'm wrong :) but I always thought it was actually all the sugar in carbs that made you hyper!! apart from ,of course, the artificial additives as well!

I used to believe that protein levels made a difference, but now I'm sceptical!  One of my dogs is very hyper, and a well known trainer said he was basically 'drunk on protein' - at the time he was on about 30% - so as advised, brought him right down on to 11% - just that, nothing else, for several months - I have to say, he was just as hyper!  The only difference I noticed was that he seemed to be more hungry and whining a lot more - now he is happy again, since I have put him back on a 24% dried food diet!  Still hyper, it is just him!

There is no scientific basis in the belief that protein levels are related to hyperactivity.

There is one based on tryptophan levels and certain types of behaviour that is all.

However it is easy to blame diet for failures to adequately mentally and physically exercise a dog.

I think it's generally beleived that protein in itself does not cause excitable behaviour but sensetivities to certain proteins can.

>but I can say that my dog was on a 28% protein, and now is on a 13% protein food, and she seems to be more quiet.  She isn't running around constant, but now content to laze around on the sofa, or the mat infront of the door.

I wonder if it's because she's on such a low amount of protein,and she just hasn't the energy? 13% is really,really low.. I wouldn't put a dog the size of a min pin on anything under 25% protein. JME :)

I wonder if it's because she's on such a low amount of protein,and she just hasn't the energy? 13% is really,really low.. I wouldn't put a dog the size of a min pin on anything under 25% protein. JME

I hate the low protien levels in this food!  She is only on it, since she had bladder crystals and the vet said she "had" to be on it.  TBH, I am not keeping her on it at all.  I dont like the way she acts, and its also causing her bald patches to come back.  I had fought so hard, to get the hair to come back, and now its gone again!  Back to square one! 

I am putting her back on a good quality food, and have been reading up a lot especially on the BARF diet. 

> I wonder if it's because she's on such a low amount of protein,and she just hasn't the energy? 13% is really,really low.. I wouldn't put a dog the size of a min pin on anything under 25% protein. JME 

Your experience? I didn't realise you'd had min pins before Ktee. :) Was that before or after the shih tzus? :)

I am no great expert on the exact science of nutrition, but I have certainly met dogs that were hyper on particular foods - and often it can be the additives and colourants that are to blame, or an intolerance to a certain ingredient, rather than protein level per se. :)

My personal theory is that if a dog becomes less hyper on low protein what you are actually doing is starving them of a nutrient they need.  Not enough fuel means not enough energy.