Understanding Your Dog's Behaviour: The Microbiome Connection

There are many tools to help manage our dogs' behaviour, such as training and physical activity. However, did you know that the microbiome is an underused resource in addressing unwanted behaviours and even influencing your dog's anxiety and stress levels?

A recent article in the Mirror highlighted a warning from dog experts urging owners to watch out for 'red flag' behaviours this summer. Among these behaviours, excessive grass-eating has been suggested to be linked to the gut microbiome.

However, the gut microbiome's influence is not limited to grass-eating. It may also drive other undesirable food behaviours, such as eating mud, consuming other animals' faeces, or developing unhealthy sugar cravings.

Research has shown that the composition of the gut microbiome is associated with canine aggression, particularly in rescue dogs ^[1]. Additionally, long-term stress has been found to influence the gut microbiome's composition ^[2]. Furthermore, scientific evidence has linked specific bacteria, like Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, to improved memory in working dogs. This insight could be applied to ageing dogs to enhance their longevity, providing a solid foundation for further research and potential interventions ^[3].

Understanding and managing your dog's gut microbiome can be a powerful tool in addressing and mitigating these unwanted behaviours, promoting overall health and well-being.

The Gut-Brain Connection: How Microbiome Affects Your Dog's Behaviour

The gut microbiome is crucial to your dog's day-to-day behaviour and neurological function. Gut bacteria produce chemicals that communicate with the brain via nerves and hormones, forming a connection known as the "gut-brain axis."

This connection is bidirectional. Chemicals from specific bacteria can send messages to the brain, potentially leading to anxiety and behavioural issues. Conversely, stress and anxiety in your dog can impact the gut microbiome, altering the balance and composition of the bacteria. This two-way communication highlights the intricate link between your dog's mental state and gut health.

Understanding and managing your dog's gut health can be essential in addressing behavioural issues and promoting overall well-being.

The Link Between Microbiome Diversity and Behavioural Issues

Our preliminary data indicates that dogs with anxiety have less microbiome diversity. Specifically, these dogs had an average of 13% fewer species and 9% less balance in their gut microbiome. Similarly, aggressive dogs showed reduced microbiome diversity, with 9% fewer species and 2.5% less balance.

Additionally, dogs with recent behavioural changes have an average Invisible Health Score that is 9% lower than that of healthy dogs.

Assess your dog's gut health with the BIOME9 GutDiscovery® test and report. This comprehensive analysis can help determine how your dog's gut microbiome contributes to neurological health and provide valuable insights into its immune system and digestive function.

Read more about your dog's behaviour and their gut health from our Head of Veterinary Sciences, Dr Joe Inglis BVSc MRCVS: Dog behaviour and the gut microbiome — BIOME9 

^[1] Kirchoff, N.S., Udell, M.A. and Sharpton, T.J., 2019. The gut microbiome correlates with conspecific aggression in a small population of rescued dogs (Canis familiaris). PeerJ, 7, p.e6103.

^[2] Mondo, E., Barone, M., Soverini, M., D'amico, F., Cocchi, M., Petrulli, C., Mattioli, M., Marliani, G., Candela, M. and Accorsi, P.A., 2020. Gut microbiome structure and adrenocortical activity in dogs with aggressive and phobic behavioral disorders. Heliyon, 6(1).

^[3] Ma, X., Lazarowski, L., Zhang, Y., Krichbaum, S., Smith, J.G., Zheng, J., Cao, W., Haney, P.S., Wilborn, R.R., Price, S.B. and Singletary, M., 2024. Associations between memory performance and Bifidobacterium pseudolongum abundance in the canine gut microbiome. Iscience, 27(5).