Peak Dog Nutrition & Wellness

02/03/2025

Come and say hi if you’re in Glossop on 23rd March 👋

25/02/2025

A huge thank you to Fern and Nala for this lovely review. Fern came to us for help with improving Nala’s already very good diet through our 4-week Diet Improvement Plan. We looked at all aspects of her diet and lifestyle and identified where we could easily improve these to support Nala’s long-term health and immune function. It is wonderful to hear that she is now thriving ☺️

If you would like help with improving the diet you already feed your dog, send us a message today!

18/02/2025

We hear this from clients a lot and there is a reason your dog is struggling to lose their excess weight despite you feeding them a low-fat kibble food that has been marketed for weight loss.

A low-fat diet that is high in soluble carbohydrates (all kibble diets fall into the soluble carbohydrate category) will only lead to minimal weight loss. This is due to the interplay between the hormones insulin and glucagon.

When a diet is high in soluble carbohydrates, the body releases insulin to remove excess sugar (glucose - the breakdown product of soluble carbohydrates) from the blood. This excess sugar is packed away into body cells for use later, but a large proportion of it is converted to fat and saved in the body’s fat reserves.

When we feed dogs a diet that is low in soluble carbohydrates, but high in protein and moderate in fat (the proportions that dogs have evolved to thrive on), we see insulin levels remain low, and levels of the hormone glucagon (which works as the opposite to insulin) increase.

High glucagon levels tell the body to mobilise its fat reserves and burn these for energy. This is a far more efficient and less inflammatory way to power the body and it is the best way to help your dog to lose their excess pounds.

If you would like help with your dog’s weight loss, send us a message today ☺️

28/01/2025

We have a lot of clients that come to us having put their dogs on really good quality foods. And yet they are still struggling to stop their dogs itching, having chronically upset tummies or repeated ear infections.

Sadly, it usually doesn’t matter what food you swap to once the gut microbiome has become unbalanced and Leaky Gut Syndrome has set in. A leaky gut be caused by numerous factors - stress, medications, environmental toxins, infections, regular ingestion of ultra-processed foods to name a few. If you don’t properly address the leaky gut, which is nearly always the the root cause of the issues listed above, any new food will be received by their body in the same way and the symptoms will return.

This is where a canine nutritionist can really help you - every dog needs a different gut healing protocol - every single client we have worked with has received a different one, even though their symptoms are often similar. Gut healing takes time and patience from you as an owner, but the results are always worth the effort.

If you or someone you know is struggling with recurring symptoms like these in their dog, send us a message. We offer a no-obligation, detailed questionnaire to pick up on any red flags and direct you to which of our packages will work best for your dog ☺️

22/01/2025

Intermittent fasting isn’t as scary as it sounds. It can simply mean only feeding your dog once a day, or twice a day close together.

Our dogs’ bodies are not designed to have food constantly available to them. They have evolved to go for periods of time with none, and then make the most of the times when food does become available. This fasting then eating cycle allows their bodies to function exactly as they were intended.

When the body is fasted short-term, various beneficial metabolic processes are switched on:

🌟 Insulin levels drop, meaning more fat is burned. Glucose is produced more efficiently this way, avoiding the blood sugar spikes and troughs caused by eating carbohydrates.

🌟 The body begins cellular repair and waste material removal from cells - it goes into ‘housekeeping mode’.

🌟 Harmful particles called ‘free radicals’ are removed more effectively. Free radicals are responsible for oxidative damage to cells which is the basis of all chronic inflammatory disease.

🌟 Beneficial genes are switched on which are related to longevity and protection against disease.

Why not give intermittent fasting a go with your dog? It can take a bit of time to change routines, but it is perfectly possible when done gradually 🤓

17/01/2025

✨Reviews like this brighten any day✨ Bella’s case plainly highlights the close connection between diet and behaviour. If your dog’s diet isn’t suiting them, there will be signs and they won’t always be the signs you expect. All behaviour is communication - we just need to do our best to work out what they’re trying to tell us 🔎

10/01/2025

Are you feeling motivated to sort your own health and nutrition out for 2025? Why not make this the year that you focus on your dog’s too?

If they’re itchy, have weepy eyes, recurring a**l gland issues, tummy upsets or ear infections, send us a message and let us help you get them back on track 🐕🐩🦮🐕‍🦺

08/01/2025

A new study by the research group at Helsinki University has shown that feeding your dog a raw diet from a young age reduces the risk of ear infection (otitis) later in life. In the study, the researchers looked at 3064 dogs and compared those fed an ultra-processed carbohydrate-based diet (dry food) with those fed a non-processed meat-based diet (raw food). Puppies who’s diet was more than 25% raw food had significantly lower incidences of otitis later in life whereas puppies who’s diet was made up of more than 75% dry food showed significantly higher incidences of otitis later in life. Puppies raised on a dirt floor and who were exposed to at least one hour of sunlight a day also fared better. Vitamin D from the sun helps to stimulate their immune system and soil-based probiotics have a positive effect on the immune system.

Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1186131/full

06/01/2025

The dictionary definition of ‘Holistic’ is, ‘Dealing with or treating the whole of something or someone and not just a part.’

When looking at nutrition holistically, we don’t just focus on fixing one symptom, we look at why the symptom has occurred in the first place, and how we go about supporting the whole body to either reduce or stop the symptom entirely.

Symptoms that occur in one part of the body are rarely due to an isolated problem in that area alone. We, as humans, like to separate the different body parts and systems out in our minds, as this makes them easier to learn about and understand. But this is not how bodies work. Everything is connected, and one of the main players in this connectivity is the gut and its microbiome. 70% of your dog’s immune system originates from their gut microbiome. This is why when you book in with me for help with your dogs’ recurring itchiness, ear inflammation, upset tummies or a**l gland issues, I will address your dogs’ gut health before doing anything else ☺️

02/01/2025

Raw diets have been scientifically proven to reduce otitis in dogs 💡

According to our studies, dogs consuming raw food were significantly less likely to develop ear infections, highlighting the protective effects of nutrient-rich, minimally processed diets.

Source: "Early life programming by diet can play a role in risk reduction of otitis in dogs" (2024)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1186131

All our studies are freely available in the Research section of our website www.helsinki.fi/dogrisk

20/12/2024

We close for our Christmas break today and reopen the diary from Thursday 2nd January. Send us a message if you are interested in booking in with us in 2025 😊

A huge thank you to all our clients in 2024, it has been a pleasure to work with you to help your beloved dogs. Thank you for supporting Peak Dog Nutrition through its first full year! And thank you to all our followers on here!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 🎄☃️🎁

19/12/2024

Thank you to Ginger&Browns for putting this collaborative post together 🦃

🎄🐾 Festive Dog Nutrition Tips from our co-founder over at Peak Dog Nutrition & Wellness! 🐾🎄
This festive season, treat your furry friend to a safe and healthy Christmas dinner! Here's what our collaborating dog nutritionist recommends:

✅ Lean Cooked Meat: Think turkey breast (no skin, no bones) for a delicious protein boost.
❌ Avoid: Pigs in blankets, turkey skin, and any bones (they’re a choking hazard!).

✅ Leafy Green Veggies: A small portion (no more than 5% of the bowl) of sprouts or cabbage is great! But don’t overdo it—too much can lead to 💨 and no one wants that on Christmas Day!
❌ Skip: Honey-glazed vegetables, cranberry sauce (too sugary), and stuffing (it often contains onions and is too salty).

✅ Alternative to Gravy: Use warm bone broth instead—it’s flavourful and much safer for dogs. Want to get creative? Freeze bone broth in festive ice cube trays, then add a layer of plain kefir (ensure it's free of sugars and xylitol) and freeze again. Fun and healthy!

✅ Special Treats: A little tinned mackerel or sardines can be a delightful addition—packed with nutrients and most dogs love the taste.

❗ Important Reminder: Keep treats portioned and simple. Overloading your dog's gut—especially if they’re used to dry food—can cause tummy upsets.

Wishing you and your pup a happy, healthy Christmas! 🐶🎅

✨ Peak Dog Nutrition & Wellness ✨ Peak Dog Nutrition & Wellness

What’s on your dog’s festive menu? Share below! 🐾

16/12/2024

All kibble contains a high level of carbohydrate, even if it is marketed as grain-free or high-meat. The carbohydrate is needed to hold the kibble dough together.

A high level of carbohydrate in the diet means that the pancreas is under constant pressure to bring down blood sugar levels. But the pancreas is also required to regulate blood fat levels.

A pancreas that is under pressure from regular high-carbohydrate meals cannot cope as effectively with a sudden high-fat meal (think pigs in blankets, crackling, sausages, stuffing, turkey skin just to name a few!) and it can become inflamed and extremely painful. This is known as acute pancreatitis and cases rise around Christmas each year for these reasons.

If your dog is not used to anything other than their usual kibble, but you want to treat them for Christmas, consider giving them something lean like a small amount of cooked turkey breast meat, some steamed green veg and a glug of bone broth instead of gravy (which is too salty and often contains onion) - they will enjoy it just as much!

12/12/2024

A reminder of some common festive foods that could cause your dog to become unwell - keep them safe this festive season 🐕🎅