breakthrough™ Initial Feeding Trial: Wood Green, The Animals Charity

Before we launched breakthrough™ to the general public, we made sure that dogs enjoyed the food (that’s pretty important….) and we also wanted to see what results we’d get (in terms of behaviour) by just feeding breakthrough™ alone. We called upon many of the COAPE trained behaviourists within the UK to feed some of the dogs in their care for 3 to 4 weeks (more details of these results coming soon). In the instance we’re focussing on in this blog; we worked with Wood Green.

A summary of the trial results – Val Strong Msc

Dogs were referred to a behaviour specialist who was responsible for making and recording the emotional and mood state assessments. Inclusion into the study required the dogs to be in good health, not receiving any veterinary treatment or medication, or receiving any form of behaviour therapy and no history of dietary intolerance.

Rescue kennels are stressful environments for most dogs and that stress can have a major impact on their welfare and management, and ultimately their chances of being adopted.

Seven dogs were identified as having long term problems, with several displaying various degrees of kennel stress. Following the introduction of breakthrough™ each dog showed a significant improvement in emotional and mood state and overall behaviour enabling them to be successfully re-homed.

These results clearly suggest that the diet had a significant positive effect on the dogs’ behaviour. This could have profound effects on the welfare and management of dogs in rescue shelters and their successful rehoming.

The Case Results

3 year, male, neutered SBT

Main problem: Kennel Stress, destructive and self harming. Very dog focussed but sociable.

Progress: Able to be moved from isolation kennels to the re-homing kennels half way through the trial. Generally calmer and quicker to settle.

2 years Springer Spaniel, male neutered

Main Problem: Nervous Aggression to strangers

Progress: Able to be taken off site for a walk without any reaction to strangers

3 years GSD, male neutered

Main Problem: Reactive to strangers when in kennel and reactive to other dogs

Progress: Much calmer and relaxed in kennel. On walks less reactive, and a significant improvement with dogs.

3 years SBT male neutered

Main Problem: Reactive to other dogs, redirection onto handler, kennel stress

Progress: Much calmer and relaxed in kennel. Very good walking with other dogs.

2.5 years Siberian Husky, male, entire

Main Problem: Mounting humans and other dogs. Intolerant of handling around head.

Progress: No Mounting of humans or other dogs. Now giving a paw instead of mounting people. Much better with lead on and off.

3.5 years SBT X, Female, neutered

Main Problem: Reactive to other dogs. Reactive in kennel to people

Progress: Very good on walks. Past lots of dogs with no reaction at all. Only occasional reaction to people passing kennel

3 years SBT X, Female, entire

Main Problem: Reactive to other dogs. Nervous of strangers.

Progress: Very good on walks. Relaxed in kennels. Generally much calmer.

More results will be shared soon.

Val Strong Msc