Dog hyper - due to new food?

Mmel

I have a two year old terrier cross who has recently (since last week) been switched from Iams to Maxi zoo own brand food (multifit). In the past couple of days I've noticed a change in his behaviour. It's almost as if he's reverted to puppyhood - jumping up on me when on the lead, trying to eat his lead/pull on it and growling (playfully), running around in circles like a mad thing (despite having just been on a long walk and off lead run which would normally wipe him out for the day).

The only change in his life this week that I can think of is the change of food. Anyone any experience of this? (or of the multifit food?) I did notice it has colourings in it which I tend to avoid.

Toulouse

How do the protein levels compare to his old food?

It says on the Maxi Zoo site that Multifit is comparable to Beta or Pedigree and if it's anything like Pedigree then it could easily be contributing to your problems.

Maybe if you give us your budget for dog food a month we can recommend a good food for him?

Mmel

The protein content is almost the same, old food was 25% and new one is 22%. I hadn't realised the multifit was on the same level as pedigree, won't be buying it again. What about Arden grange, was just looking at that on zooplus? Off to look at the ingredients of that now...

To be honest he was fine on the iams, but producing a lot of poo and a bit smelly. Only got the multifit as we happened to be in maxizoo and it was on a deal.

andreac

Arden Grange is much better but you cant order it off Zooplus as they dont deliver it to Ireland.

Toulouse

You can get Arden Grange from Dogfood Direct. It's a good food but didn't suit my girl.

http://www.dogfooddirect.ie/

Cutie18Ireland

I have my lot on burns. With 3 dogs works out at about a euro a day which is great. Had them on JWB but they went off it after awhile. Got the burns because the pup and adult dog have the same food. Much easier Lower protein too which is good for the older fella. Its chicken flavour and they love it, before bowls would be sitting around all day, now they eat it all as soon as its put down.

Shanao

The protein count wouldn't have any effect on him either way, higher protein doesn't make them hyperactive, its the fat content that would affect them. But the Multifit food has colourings and additives in it which would make the dog more hyper certainly, same as kids. They have another brand called High 5 that is a fiver dearer but still cheaper than pedigree and beta and its comparable to Eukanuba so seems to be a pretty good food for the price. Friend of mine has his boxer and JRT on it and they're doing brilliantly on it; shiny coats, less poo etc. Haven't used Argen Grange, but I've heard its pretty good as well so that would probably be worth looking into as well.

Mmel

Thanks for all the replies, yes I have concerns about the colourings alright so definitely won't be buying any more of it. I wonder do the more expensive maxizoo versions have the colourings as well. Off to research that, and the Burns.

Having said all that, he's been much better behaved all weekend, even took him to a dog park and he was great with the other dogs (was racing up and down like a racehorse after his ball but not too excited!) so maybe he's getting used to the food.

moving_home

Mmel wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, yes I have concerns about the colourings alright so definitely won't be buying any more of it. I wonder do the more expensive maxizoo versions have the colourings as well. Off to research that, and the Burns.

Having said all that, he's been much better behaved all weekend, even took him to a dog park and he was great with the other dogs (was racing up and down like a racehorse after his ball but not too excited!) so maybe he's getting used to the food.

I have my dog on the High 5 brand from Maxizoo aswell and so has a friend of mine and we are both finding it great. it has high quality ingredients so you feed less of it, the bag is lasting me for 3months v 6weeks with Beta. I find it great. Its €40 for a 15kg bag
it has no colourings either - find anything with colourings drives dogs mad!

Mmel

Well he was like a loony on his walk again yesterday, jumping up in the air like a circus act, people were laughing away walking past us. I've got a bag of the high 5 now so will gradually get him used to that, fingers crossed for an improvement. Thanks for the recommendations.

SlimCi

I'd be interested to hear how you are getting on with the High 5. Let us know what you think please.;)

mark1310

hi folks i can assure you that multifit would be the same quailty as ped chum,maxi zoo do have 2 other own brands called select gold with a min 15% meat contant and another excellet food called real nature with 34% meat contant.protien levels wont contribute to hyperness as proteen only does 3 things ,1 build muscele ,2 help prmote a good coat 3 , helps with the reproduction system,a high suger or added suger is to blame for hyperness.i would recommend calling in to your local maxi zoo store with your dog and have them weighed for free and also avail of there own brand free samples to try your dog on . sorry bout the spellings as im a bit dyslex or how ever you spell it ,just to add that real natre has i think 15% angus beef 10% duck ND 5,5 % FISH IN the ingredients and is 69.99 a bag but you feed a lot less then you would other brands because of the quailty of the food , so there for the bag of food i actuslly lasting a lot longer then its competitors or even cheaper bags of food

Mmel

Well the update is that he is a bit (not much) less hyper on the high 5 but he's decided, for the first time ever, that he doesn't like his food. Up until now any brand of food has been hoovered in a few seconds but now he eats it in dribs and drabs. Any other form of food is still wolfed down so it's not an appetite issue. Back to the drawing board...

cocker5

Mmel wrote: »

Well the update is that he is a bit (not much) less hyper on the high 5 but he's decided, for the first time ever, that he doesn't like his food. Up until now any brand of food has been hoovered in a few seconds but now he eats it in dribs and drabs. Any other form of food is still wolfed down so it's not an appetite issue. Back to the drawing board...

My cocker was hyper (like i mean crazy mental) when we had him on royal canin... so i moved to burns and find it fab... he's much happier as am i

with regard to a dog liking his food... if he's been fed a lower quality food ie pedigree chum etc (i know for you this isnt the case) when you give him better food or course he wont like it... my cocker refused to eat the buns stuff for 3 days... after that he wolfed it down and we have never looked back since....thats over 3 years ago... once a week we give him a tin of sardines in oil.... another day a raw egg mixed in... and another day some all bran (keeps his glands clear :P)... he's nearly 7 now and in the best shape of his life...

for treats we give him... sliced peppers, carrots, sugar snaps etc.... and some dog treats but not much... he adores the veg!

heres where i get my burns::

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dry_dog_food/burns/burns_adult/156518

i get 15kg bag and its lasts my cocker 2 1/2 - 3 months

Best of luck

no1girliegirl

The go Holistic foods are very good, and have no beet pulp in them so less poo. only problem is they are expensive but smell so good you'd eat it yourself.

portgirl123

just a thought. are you gradual changing the food, old with new or are you giving just the new food? if so please dont as your dog could end up with a very bad tummy. best to change grad between 7-10 days.

cora2

Check the oil content of the food. if its too high thats whats causing the hyperness. There are foods reasonably priced that are excellent quality. just keep looking. Maybe you could get a sample of some & see how the dog is

Mmel

Just an update. The maxizoo high 5 wasn't any better in the end than the cheaper one. Also one or both of the new foods stained his little white beard brown... so he's back on the Iams which he was on before and all is back to normal, except the beard so hopefully the staining will grow out soon!

meoklmrk91

andreac wrote: »

Arden Grange is much better but you cant order it off Zooplus as they dont deliver it to Ireland.

Just to let everyone know that you can get Arden Grange delivered to Ireland from Zooplus despite what it says on their website. It's what I feed my Boxer, have ordered the economy pack twice and no issues other than DHL taking their bloody time from Koln to Ireland.

Also we are big fans of AG in our house, I couldn't recommend it highly enough!

Helen1976

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

andreac wrote: »

Arden Grange is much better but you cant order it off Zooplus as they dont deliver it to Ireland.

Just to let everyone know that you can get Arden Grange delivered to Ireland from Zooplus despite what it says on their website. It's what I feed my Boxer, have ordered the economy pack twice and no issues other than DHL taking their bloody time from Koln to Ireland.

Also we are big fans of AG in our house, I couldn't recommend it highly enough!

I tried to order it a few weeks ago. Got as far as the checkout, payment went through and then they sent me an email to say sorry they wouldn't be delivering it!! The refund took about 10 days - I was raging!!

meoklmrk91

Helen1976 wrote: »

I tried to order it a few weeks ago. Got as far as the checkout, payment went through and then they sent me an email to say sorry they wouldn't be delivering it!! The refund took about 10 days - I was raging!!

Thats so weird, I can understand why you were so upset, I would be too 10 days:eek:, I don't understand why they did they did it though, am I special or something that they are giving it to me?;), also I'm getting it for €40 a bag when I buy the economy pack, which is a feckin steal:D.

Helen1976

I know! It's a brilliant price! Nobody else can match it unfortunately