A dog’s diet can affect his or her behavior.  Think about it.

Fido is running around like crazy and it doesn’t seem like he'll ever calm down and take a snooze. He's jumping from couch to chair back to the couch and chasing his own tail. You look around trying to figure out what's making him go crazy? Could it be what you fed him for dinner?

Diet for Dogs: Sugar And Carbs Can Make Dogs Hyper

Just like with humans, what your dog eats can contribute to his behavior and mental well-being.

According to a study done in 2006 by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Science’s, the same rules apply to pet parents of canines that apply to parents of human children. Don’t feed your dogs sugar. The less sugar you feed them, the better.

Too much sugar can not only lead to physical health issues for dogs like obesity and diabetes, but can also lead to attention deficit disorder in dogs. Yes, there is such a thing. The same study from the NRC revealed that carbohydrates are not necessary to include in a dog’s daily diet.

Always check the labels of all dog food. In most cases, dog foods contain as high as 75 percent carbohydrates, i.e. corn or grain. Both of these ingredients are easy to access and cheap but they aren’t what your dog would choose to eat naturally. Your dog’s body has difficulty digesting these ingredients. Meat-based dog foods like TruDog’s FEED ME and BOOST ME offer a better balance of what is required to help your dog stay healthy.

As with humans, protein is essential to good health for dogs. With anything though, moderation is important. Too much protein can cause behavioral issues in one dog while in another, there is no effect. Decreasing protein can help improve some behaviors.

Dogs can benefit from an active lifestyle.

Exercise is good for us all – humans and dogs. Consistent exercise can provide many health benefits that include keeping your pet healthy and flexible. A long walk can help eliminate excess energy and calm a dog down, reduce excitability and help the dog get a good night's rest.

Owning a dog is not something you should take lightly. Dogs depend on us for food, shelter and much more. Dogs depend on us to maintain their health, and watch their diets. Dog ownership is a huge responsibility.

Watch integrative wellness veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker discuss the benefits of a raw food diet below: