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NEWS AND EVENTS

Training, Performance, Receptivity can be Enhanced by DHA

As a breeder, looking for ways to give puppies an extra edge is nothing new. But, discovering that a distinct advantage is linked to their diet (a specific nutrient) - that's a different story. New research from P&G Pet Care reveals just that.

The P&G Pet Care study is the first study that proves feeding puppies with enhanced (high) levels of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supports brain development.

The research, unveiled first at a press conference at the 2004 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Annual Convention in Philadelphia, examined the role DHA - a long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid - plays in puppies' neural development by focusing on the puppy's ability to learn.

In the study, puppies received enhanced levels of DHA before weaning (through adding it to the dam's diet, so the puppies received it in the womb and via mother's milk) and after weaning (via puppy food). The puppies that received higher levels of DHA significantly outperformed puppies nourished with typical levels of the nutrient. In fact, in a shape-recognition food-reward test, the success rate among puppies receiving enhanced DHA was twice that of those receiving typical levels of DHA in their diets.

"Good nutrition, combined with training and loving care, primes puppies for healthy lives," said David Morgan MRCVS, P&G Pet Care. "These findings reiterate to breeders and other dog enthusiasts the known importance of a young dog's neurological development. The puppy who gets that boost at an early age can then grow into the prize sire or bitch, or a thriving family pet."

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