Mental Health Disorders

Bernie’s Perfect Poop helps battle mental health disorders in dogs

When your dog suffers from mental health disorders, you want to do what you can to stop it. Whether it’s depression, anxiety, stress or aggression, Bernie’s Perfect Poop may help.

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  • Good dog gut health is critical for your dog’s mental health and welfare. As many of the neurotransmitters the brain makes are also made in the gut, the gut is often called a ‘second brain.’ These neurotransmitters are ones that play key roles in a dog’s mental health. Neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid being balanced may be the key to ensuring good mental health in your dog.
  • Food and diet impact your dog’s mental health and mood. Good dog gut health relies on your dog’s ability to digest and process the food you give him. A poor gut can happen if there’s poor absorption of nutrients, and this affects your dog’s mental health. Bernie’s helps your dog digest food and absorb nutrients better, and this leads to a healthier dog gut.
  • The key to your dog digesting his food and feeding helpful bacteria in his gut is ensuring appropriate levels of quality fiber. When there’s quality fiber in your dog’s gut, good bacteria feed off the waste and create a healthy microbiome. The perfect combination of Miscanthus grass, pumpkin and flaxseed in Bernie’s gives your dog the fiber they need for clearer mental health.
  • Bernie’s Perfect Poop creates the perfectly balanced gut microbiome in your dog, by including a combination of prebiotics and probiotics in every bag. As research continues to explore the connection between a dog’s brain and his gut (the gut-brain axis), we find it to be pivotal to behavior and mental health. With good dog gut health, your dog doesn’t have to worry about harmful bacteria destroying the communication between the gut and the brain. This combination of prebiotics and probiotics stimulates a balanced gut, and better mental health for your dog.
  • When your dog is able to nourish the cells of his body with nutrients from food, he has a healthier body and gut. The unique combination of enzymes in Bernie’s helps break the food you feed your dog down, and this encourages the optimal absorption of nutrients. This helps build a stronger gut and a stronger mental frame of mind in your dog.
  • A happier, healthier life for your best friend starts with good dog gut health. Bernie’s Perfect Poop is a 4-in-1 combination of fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes. This combination helps your dog’s gut be the healthiest it can be, and can curb many of the mental health issues like depression or anxiety your dog may face. Bernie’s helps balance the digestive tract and provide a better gut microbiome.

4.4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 16,055+ reviews

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What other pet parents say

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Thank you so much. My wife began to notice the dog was acting strange. Less energy and confidence. Couldn’t figure out what was going on. After a month or so on Bernie’s (Perfect Poop), our dog seemed to be back to normal. Can’t recommend this stuff enough – Dwight F.

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What is poor mental health in dogs and what are the symptoms/signs?

Maybe your dog has phobias about going down stairs or thunderstorms or even when the doorbell rings. Or seems to be constantly depressed, not even wanting to chase their favorite frisbee or eat their favorite foods. Maybe they seem anxious or nervous, pacing and never seeming to ‘settle.’ Maybe your dog seems to be having trouble cognitively—endless circles chasing its tail or shaking excessively every time you get up to go to the bathroom. None of those situations are optimal. And, while many may say, “It’s just a dog,” more research continues to show the similarities in a dog and human’s brains and their feelings. Dogs can and do suffer from mental health disorders, typically in the form of anxieties, phobias, depression or even cognitive dysfunctions.

  • Lethargy or excessive sleeping
  • Loss of appetite, shivering, destructive behaviors or hiding from family/other pets
  • Irritation when touched or petted
  • Excessive licking or chewing, whining, shedding, confusion, barking/howling.

Causes of poor mental health in dogs

There are many reasons experts believe your dog may suffer mental illness. Often, it’s a brain dysfunction, just as it is in humans. When the gut-brain axis is not optimal, their brain will believe things that aren’t necessarily true. They’ll imagine situations differently than may be the case, and they’ll find despair as many humans do in situations that make them feel sad.

Possible causes of mental health issues Can Perfect Poop help?
Gut health Yes
Irritable bowel Yes
Poor nutrition absorption Yes
Chronic digestive disorder Yes
Separation anxiety Yes
Age-related cognitive dysfunction Yes
Past trauma
Genetic predisposition
Puppy socialization
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If your dog’s depression or mental health prevents him from finding any enjoyment in his day-to-day routine, it’s important that you address the issue. Dogs who are extremely depressed may stop eating and need veterinary intervention. Additionally, excessive depression or anxiety can lead your dog to harm himself or others.

More information about mental health in dogs

Good dog gut health is pivotal to overall physical and mental health in your dog. Good nutrition isn’t just what fuels your dog’s body; it’s what keeps his gut healthy and happy. A strong microbiome connects with your dog’s brain in positive ways, and keeps your dog’s mental disposition in tip-top shape.

Fiber may help with bad moods in dogs

Mood and mental health start at the cellular level in your dog. Quality fiber will help your dog feel fuller and less worried about eating/finding food. The right supplementation of insoluble and soluble fiber will make sure the bacteria in your dog’s gut is balanced as well. When there’s enough good bacteria in your dog’s body, the gut-brain axis communication is better and your dog’s mental health is better too. Fiber is key in helping achieve that balance.

Prebiotics and probiotics may help with separation anxiety and depression

The best way to help your dog achieve good dog gut health is to ensure the prebiotics and probiotics you give are quality and do their job. Not all prebiotics and probiotics are created equally, so it’s important you supplement with ones that do their job. The prebiotics and probiotics in Bernie’s helps balance their digestive tract bacteria and microbiome. This means that your dog will stay healthier in body and mind. The prebiotic in Bernie’s is Insulin, which acts as a fertilizer to feed the good bacteria in your dog’s lower digestive tract. When the good bacteria in your dog’s digestive tract gets the right nutrition, they thrive and keep any additional harmful bacteria at bay. If your dog’s gut is full of good bacteria, he can produce all the feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters his gut and brain need for a happier disposition.

Enzymes may help with dog depression and compulsions

When your dog is depressed or anxious, they’re not absorbing food appropriately. The Enzymes in Bernie’s Perfect Poop help break your dog’s food down better, meaning they can absorb the nutrients better too. This makes their gut stronger and healthier, and that leads to better overall health of their body and mind. Better absorption leads to less depression and a better mental frame of mind over all.

 

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Other ways to help

  • Give your dog plenty of exercise
  • Play games and activities they like
  • Make sure your dog has lots of toys/things to occupy instead of engaging in obsessive behavior
  • Play music when you leave your dog at home
  • Consider crating when you leave
  • Make sure your dog is hydrated
  • Feed quality foods
  • Feed smaller meals many times a day
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Related terms

  • Canine depression
  • Dog depression
  • Mental illness
  • Canine phobia
  • Canine PTSD
  • Dog PTSD
  • Separation anxiety in dogs
  • Canine compulsive disorder
  • Canine obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Canine OCD