Energetic Properties of Food for Dogs
In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), food is more than a source of calories—it’s a therapeutic tool that can restore balance, support healing, and influence both physical and emotional well-being. Every food carries energetic properties that affect the body in different ways, depending on your dog’s constitution, the current season, and any health imbalances present.
TCVM considers these energetic properties—such as temperature, flavor, and direction of energy movement—when designing a diet. The goal is simple: nourish the whole dog by restoring harmony between yin and yang, excess and deficiency, heat and cold, movement and stillness.
Let’s explore what this means for your dog—and how you can start to apply these principles to your daily feeding practices.
Food Energetics: The Basics
Every food in TCVM is classified by its effect on the body—not just its nutrient profile. These categories include:
Thermal Nature: Hot, Warm, Neutral, Cool, or Cold
Flavor: Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Pungent (Spicy), and Salty
Energy Direction: Upward, Downward, Inward, Outward
While flavor and energy direction are deeper layers often addressed in customized consults, thermal nature is the most accessible and practical place for pet parents to begin.
Thermal Nature of Foods
Warming (Hot/Warm) Foods
Warming foods increase circulation, stimulate digestion, and energize the body. They can be helpful for dogs who run cold, have low energy, or need immune stimulation—but when overused, they may aggravate heat or contribute to inflammation.
Examples:
Proteins: Chicken, lamb, venison
Veggies: Parsnip, pumpkin, mustard greens
Fruits: Cherry, peach
Oils/Spices: Ginger, cinnamon, clove, coconut oil (mildly warm)
Use With Caution If Your Dog Has:
Hot skin, itching, or red ears
Anxiety or reactivity
Chronic inflammation
Aggressive or hyperactive behavior
Cooling (Cool/Cold) Foods
Cooling foods reduce inflammation, calm the nervous system, and nourish yin. These are ideal for dogs with “excess heat” signs or for seasonal balancing during hot weather.
Examples:
Proteins: Duck, rabbit, white fish, sardines
Veggies: Cucumber, spinach, zucchini, broccoli
Fruits: Blueberries, watermelon, banana
Oils/Herbs: Peppermint, flaxseed oil, dandelion
Helpful For Dogs With:
Allergies or itching
Restlessness or irritability
Red eyes or panting
Inflammatory symptoms or heat signs
Neutral Foods
Neutral foods help maintain stability and balance. These are generally safe for regular use and serve as a foundation in most TCVM-based diets.
Examples:
Proteins: Beef, pork, eggs, turkey
Veggies: Carrot, peas, squash, sweet potato
Fruits: Apple, pear
Grains: millet, oats (if tolerated)
Ideal For:
Daily use and rotation
Dogs who are already in balance
Serving as a base to build from when addressing imbalances
How Food Energetics Affect Behavior and Health
In TCVM, emotional wellness is deeply connected to physical balance. Food energetics can influence:
Behavioral Health: Too many warming foods can overstimulate the nervous system—often seen as hyperactivity, irritability, or poor emotional regulation.
Allergies and Skin Conditions: Dogs with red, itchy skin often need a cooling diet to calm internal heat.
Digestive Function: Some dogs benefit from warming foods to stimulate sluggish digestion, while others need cooling foods to soothe hot, irritated guts.
Seasonal Health: In colder months, warming foods support circulation and vitality. In summer, cooling foods help regulate heat and prevent inflammation.
The Importance of Rotation and Variety
One of the most common mistakes pet parents make is feeding the same food over and over. Even the most balanced food, when fed daily, can create imbalance over time.
By rotating foods with different energetic properties, you support:
Greater nutrient diversity
A more resilient gut microbiome
Seasonal alignment with the dog’s environment
Better long-term emotional and immune health
Food Prep Matters Too
How food is prepared also affects its energetics. Here’s a quick guide:
Raw food: More cooling—may be ideal for hot dogs, but too cold for yin-deficient or senior dogs
Lightly cooked or steamed: Neutral or gently warming—easier to digest and balance-building
Roasted, grilled, or high-heat cooked: More warming—may exacerbate heat in hot dogs
For senior dogs, dogs recovering from illness, or those showing yin deficiency signs (dryness, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue), gently cooked meals often offer the most supportive energetics.
Bringing It All Together: Energetics + Observation
Learning to use food energetics is as much about observation as it is about memorization. Start noticing how your dog responds after certain meals:
More relaxed or more restless?
Cool to the touch or running warm?
Itching or calm skin?
Sleepy or amped up?
Use this feedback to adjust the thermal nature of foods you offer.
Wrapping Up
Understanding the energetics of food in TCVM allows you to move beyond “feed this, not that”—and into a deeper, more personalized way of supporting your dog’s wellness. When you begin to think in terms of warming vs. cooling, yin vs. yang, stimulation vs. grounding—you unlock a new level of care that supports not just the body, but also the behavior and spirit of your dog.
Want to go deeper with food energetics?
Inside the member forum, you’ll find our TCVM Energetics Food Chart listing common proteins, fruits, veggies, and herbs—plus seasonal feeding tips and coaching support to help you fine-tune your dog’s meals.
Member Forum: https://members.welloiledk9.com
"Statements in this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Educational content only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please do your own additional research, consult your vet as needed."
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See a list of foods based on their energetic properties — hot, neutral or cooling. I find more emphasis on the need for cooling foods with dogs who have allergies, aggression or anxiety issues.
Take The 5 Element Theory Quiz For Your Dog