protein/carbs

[little liz]

I am a tad confused by the effects these have on dogs.... I was under the impression that cerials should be kept to a minnimum because dogs are not intended to eat these really AND I was under the impression that they may make dogs hyper? I was reading on a different forum that said unless a dog is a working dog it should not have a high protein diet AND that high protein makes dogs hyper. Hmmmm so low protein and low carbs.... Are they expected to go veggie LOL, That isnt a very dog like thing to do either. I hear folks say that carbs give you energy although I have also heard that carbs are better eaten at night because they make you feel sluggish. All this info is way too confusing!

[Herschel]

Originally Posted by little liz

I am a tad confused by the effects these have on dogs.... I was under the impression that cerials should be kept to a minnimum because dogs are not intended to eat these really AND I was under the impression that they may make dogs hyper? I was reading on a different forum that said unless a dog is a working dog it should not have a high protein diet AND that high protein makes dogs hyper. Hmmmm so low protein and low carbs.... Are they expected to go veggie LOL, That isnt a very dog like thing to do either. I hear folks say that carbs give you energy although I have also heard that carbs are better eaten at night because they make you feel sluggish. All this info is way too confusing!

You're reading too far into things. It isn't as simple as "_____ makes dogs or people hyper" and "______ makes dogs or people lethargic".

Cereals (grains, etc.) are a source of carbohydrates. Some people think they are necessary in a healthy canine diet, other people disagree. If you choose to feed cereals, you want to keep it to a minimum (for a dog).

Animal tissue (meat) is a source of protein. You want the majority of your dog food to be a specifically named animal protein source, such as "chicken meal".

Low protein/low carbs is a pretty dangerous diet for a healthy dog. You want to have high protein/low carb, ideally. High protein diets are good for dogs and I highly doubt they could make a dog "hyper".

[little liz]

Thank you That makes much more sense. The people going about feeding high protein were actually several dog owners on another dog forum. I think that they were mistaken in their thinking, maybe because the foods they were talking about were standard and sporting dog food. It appeared that the main difference was the amount of protein. Being more in the sporting variety. Perhaps they presumed that the more protein...the more active! It was the people at the kennels where I got Minnie from who told me that cereals make dogs hyper. I suppose that they may do, especially if your dog has a sensitivity to them.

I am sure that your advice here is sound.

[Luvntzus]

Well, it makes sense for carbs to make a dog (or person) both "hyper" and sluggish. Different foods have a different glycemic value. Potatoes convert quickly to glucose, causing blood sugar to rise faster and higher than any other food. White bread also makes blood sugar go up very quickly. So it's like eating candy; your blood sugar spikes and then drops. So you have that sugar high.... and then the low. Foods like protein and complex carbohydrates take longer to to digest and provide a more steady source of energy. I know these things because I'm hypoglycemic and I deal with my blood sugar levels everyday. And speaking of that, I badly need a snack!

[little liz]

Thanks...thats very informative