My life as an asphalt dog

The asphalt dog, our best friend in town, lives a fast-paced and exciting life. Ride the subway, hang out in a café and hang out with friends in the dog park. But a one-sided diet and an environment far from the dog's natural habitat means that the bacterial flora in the gut is disrupted. This in turn affects the dog's health.

The dog has been an obvious part of families and households for thousands of years. It has guarded the farm, hunted rats and been an invaluable companion in our everyday life. No wonder we want to bring our pet to town!

At Animal Probiotics we usually talk about "asphalt dogs". These are dogs who live with their families in big cities with all that that entails. Mostly walking on pavements and in parks, taking public transport, being an office dog or going to daycare and hanging out in restaurants. An asphalt dog is simply a beloved friend who gets to accompany its owner on all of their antics in the city.

A normal day as an asphalt dog

We have talked to dog owners in big cities about what life looks like for their asphalt dogs. Thanks to the proximity to green areas and nature reserves in many  neighborhoods and suburbs, the dogs are often allowed to go out into the woods. If not every day, at least on the weekends.

- Our dog takes forest walks at least once a day, says Johanna, who owns the Bichon Havanese Billie. We live in an area close to a lot of forest and nature.

Having dogs in daycare or hiring a dog walker to walk the dog while the dog owner is at work is common. But there are also many people who bring their dog to work. Anna says that she has deliberately applied for jobs where she can work from home or bring her Shetland sheepdog Oscar to the office.

- His day starts with breakfast and then a walk to the subway, says Anna. Then at lunch we take a walk around a few blocks and in the evening we always go for a longer walk in the forest.

What we at Animal Probiotics think distinguishes the asphalt dog from a dog that lives in the countryside, is that it is usually kept on a leash. Although tarmac dogs visit and play with friends in the park or during walks in the woods, their contact areas with other animals are much more limited than those of dogs in the countryside. Sometimes an asphalt dog can also be carried in bags or fit in the stroller next to the family's children, further limiting contacts. In addition, they live in well-kept home environments with little exposure to bacteria - both good and bad. All of these are factors that can have an impact on the dog's health and general well-being.

The urban environment affects both dogs and people

Just like for people, it is an adaptation for dogs to live in the city. Living in a big city is actually a very new phenomenon from a historical perspective. Only with industrialization did we move from our farms to seek jobs in factories and offices. The new environment comes with many positive sides, but it also affects our health.

New dietary habits and high demands on cleanliness both inside and outside our homes mean that we are not exposed to bacteria in the same way as before. In our intestines live hundreds of different bacteria that we need to feel good. Research shows that disturbances in our intestinal flora are behind many health problems. Modern germ and dirt scares have made our home environments more sterile than ever. This leads to many bacteria that are actually good for us being cleaned away in the same way that we scrub and wash away the bad ones.

It is only in the last decade that research into the impact of gut flora on human health has really taken off. But so far, the discussion has barely included our four-legged friends. Although the bacterial flora in their intestines is also assumed to be affected by the changed lifestyle. Good bacteria that the dog previously got when it slept in a barn, rolled in a dung heap or played with the dogs next door do not find the asphalt dog's intestines as easily. In addition, many dogs receive a one-sided diet consisting of one and the same dry food. Therefore, dogs, just like humans, may need probiotics as a supplement to their regular diet to improve the bacterial flora. Because when the gut feels good, then the dog is happy.