Feeding Dogs A Vegetarian Diet

[Poodle wrangler]

In this situation I would encourage this woman not to own any pet that is a carnivore..............

+1.

I fed my dogs bones when I was vegetarian, even though I hated handling the meat....

Got around it by wearing disposable gloves and giving meat frozen when it's warmer weather (less bloody).

[zayda_asher]

For what it's worth I couldn't care less what other people eat either. It never ceases to amaze me how much other people want to talk about what we do and don't eat. I can't see how it's anyone's business what anybody else eats and frankly after 7 years of vegetarianism I now find the topic quite boring.

Wait until you get to 18yrs - you'll be ready to stick a fork in your eye whenever the topic comes up! :D

I'm vegetarian, my dogs are not... they eat a raw diet. As other's have said: if you can't cope don't get a meat eating pet!

I get vego client's that shriek when I suggest cooked liver as a good treat: I tell them "Im vego, and I do it, so you can get over it and do it too!!"

[kyliegirl]

I don't think its fair to force your choices on others who cant even speak their opinion..

In reality if you gave a dog a choice between a cabbage and a raw steak cut it would be obvious that the dog would choose the steak as its more desirable and nutritional.

I recall someone on here saying some tenants that lived on their property owned a wolfhound and their wolfhound resorted to killing the sheep on the property because the owners were feeding it a vegetarian diet.

and as for cats surviving on a vego diet, Cats are obligate carnivores they NEED meat as that is their only source of obtaining taurine. If a cat gains a taurine deficiency it will cause severe problems like blindness and even death.

Edited November 4, 2009 by kyliegirl

[Winterpaws]

Huski - One of my holistic doggy books has a story about a couple who insisted on feeding their dog a vegetarian diet and it eventually kiled the dog

I'll try get some time on the weekend and track down the book name and page numbers so you can refer her to it. I am fairly certain it was Dr Martin Goldsteins book

[OSoSwift]

I don't think it is the correct way to feed a dog at all!

Tell her to get a herbivore.

I think if you buy an animal you are obligated to look after the animal and meet it's needs. A dog needs meat and bones, therefore she should not have one as she is not prepared to do that!.

Wouldn't like me much - I have just sent one of my home grown weaners to the butchers to fill my freezer - and shock horrer I will bring home some bones for the dogs as well! Oh and the poor things are so stressed before they go, the eat their heads off in large paddocks with ample feed for a good 14 or so months. Not a bad life really.

[Cavalier]

Im going to go against the grain here.... *Prepares to be blasted*

I have one dog who is 100% vegetarian, and 3 that are weaning their way onto it.

Their diet consist of a balanced vegetarian dry food, vegetables, eggs, lentils and home made treats. Recently introduced a vegetarian dog bone and vegetarian pigs ears.

She has been on this diet now for about 3 years. I am a vegetarian and originally I thought of putting her on the diet to combat her allergies - and it worked wonders. It sits well with her (she loves her vege protein balls!) and fits in with my beliefs. She is as healthy as she has ever been (I do yearly blood tests on my dogs to prove it), and do not feel I have in any way compromised my dogs health.

Prior to starting this diet, in the 20 years or so I have had dogs, I have NEVER fed them bones or raw meat. Simply because I find it repulsive (especially getting meat juice in the beautiful Cavalier ears...).

However - my pup is not on a vegetarian diet. I dont feel I have the time (or inclination) to balance a vegetarian diet suitable for a large breed puppy (although I am sure it can be done with a lot of thought). He will also never receive bones or meat....

[Guest bigdogg]

Dogs that are on a strict Vego diet - are their owners neglecting their dogs by not providing a suitable diet? How does the RSPCA or Vets feel about this?

(these are questions not statements so please dont flame me)

[ninahartland]

I don't eat meat, haven't done since I was 12 (a long time ago, haha ) but it wouldn't ever occur to me not to give the dogs meat !

I still cook meat for the other humans, just handle it with rubber gloves

[chuckandsteve]

Preparing to be flamed

Dogs are actually omnivores so can be completely healthy on a vegetarian diet. Cats are carnivores and for them its a no no.

The problem with the dog question is that people who aren't vegetarian themselves aren't fully aware of the alternatives to meat. I dont see the problem with no meat the problem is with the wrong alternative. So long as the dog likes what it is eating (enjoys it) and is healthy on the diet then I dont feel like they are suffering but it is a lot of work on the owner to get it right. I think this women would have problems with no egg.

Vegetarians feel about killing all animals the way most people of here do about killing dogs in pounds. But some meat handling is going to be needed to simply change the diet over.

Just to questions above, they are not carivores so its not cruel, and vets have varied opinions although I think most admit its doable for dogs but not cats, but like most dog owners are against it for ethical reasons.

Edited November 4, 2009 by chuckandsteve

[B-Q]

Don't agree with it, I've been vego for coming up on 4.5 years now and vegan for almost a year.

I did look into a vegetarian diet for Buster, not because I think dogs shouldn't eat meat but because he honestly doesn't like meat very much. not as much as he loves his vegies and I've seen him pick tofu over chicken before, he's a weird little dog. He's funny about food and he thinks meat is icky. He's got better over time though.

I decided not to, I'm vego for ethical reasons and imo its unethical to force an unsuited diet on an animal that needs meat. If she wants to do that why not get an animal that doesn't require meat.

I do think a dog could survive on a vego diet but thrive? And I would worry too much about problems cropping up later like bone issues from not enough calcium and stuff like that.

Edited November 4, 2009 by busterlove

[poodlefan]

Prior to starting this diet, in the 20 years or so I have had dogs, I have NEVER fed them bones or raw meat. Simply because I find it repulsive (especially getting meat juice in the beautiful Cavalier ears...).

However - my pup is not on a vegetarian diet. I dont feel I have the time (or inclination) to balance a vegetarian diet suitable for a large breed puppy (although I am sure it can be done with a lot of thought). He will also never receive bones or meat....

You could do what many owners of dogs with long hairy ears do and fit a snood for meals.

Edited November 4, 2009 by poodlefan

[Kirislin]

There's a lady at my work who is a vegetarian (practically vegan - she doesn't eat eggs or anything that 'has a mother'). She doesn't own a dog at the moment but is adamant that any animal she owns in the future will be a pure vegetarian too. She's had dogs in the past who she fed a home cooked 100% vego diet to.

I don't think she really understands the difference in a human's dietary requirement vs a dog's, because from what she was telling me she'd basically feed the dog what she'd feed herself as a complete vegetarian diet including fake meat (i.e. I-can't-believe-it's-not-bacon). She wouldn't feed anything like fish or egg.

I've seen vegetarian dried dog food before, I always assumed it was for dogs with allergies and that it would be a complete canine diet. I feed my dogs a raw diet, and I know this woman was quite horrified at the idea I feed them raw meat/meat. IMO it's really important for dogs to eat meat and raw bones (unless they can't for medical reasons).

I don't think it's right to feed your animals a vegetarian diet just because you are vegetarian too - what does everyone else think?

I suggest she gets a bunny or a guinea pig then, they have the teeth and digestive system made to cope with vegetarian only diet.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Kirislin

[huski]

Im going to go against the grain here.... *Prepares to be blasted*

I have one dog who is 100% vegetarian, and 3 that are weaning their way onto it.

Their diet consist of a balanced vegetarian dry food, vegetables, eggs, lentils and home made treats. Recently introduced a vegetarian dog bone and vegetarian pigs ears.

She has been on this diet now for about 3 years. I am a vegetarian and originally I thought of putting her on the diet to combat her allergies - and it worked wonders. It sits well with her (she loves her vege protein balls!) and fits in with my beliefs. She is as healthy as she has ever been (I do yearly blood tests on my dogs to prove it), and do not feel I have in any way compromised my dogs health.

Prior to starting this diet, in the 20 years or so I have had dogs, I have NEVER fed them bones or raw meat. Simply because I find it repulsive (especially getting meat juice in the beautiful Cavalier ears...).

However - my pup is not on a vegetarian diet. I dont feel I have the time (or inclination) to balance a vegetarian diet suitable for a large breed puppy (although I am sure it can be done with a lot of thought). He will also never receive bones or meat....

It's not the dog's fault you find it disgusting If given the choice between vegies and raw meat I'm sure they'd chose the latter.

I find puree-ing raw liver disgusting, but I know my dogs need it as part of their diet, so I put aside my own feelings to do what is best for them.

I totally understand feeding a vego diet if it is for medical reasons but I just don't understand doing it to force your beliefs onto your dogs.

Preparing to be flamed

Dogs are actually omnivores so can be completely healthy on a vegetarian diet. Cats are carnivores and for them its a no no.

The problem with the dog question is that people who aren't vegetarian themselves aren't fully aware of the alternatives to meat. I dont see the problem with no meat the problem is with the wrong alternative. So long as the dog likes what it is eating (enjoys it) and is healthy on the diet then I dont feel like they are suffering but it is a lot of work on the owner to get it right. I think this women would have problems with no egg.

Vegetarians feel about killing all animals the way most people of here do about killing dogs in pounds. But some meat handling is going to be needed to simply change the diet over.

Just to questions above, they are not carivores so its not cruel, and vets have varied opinions although I think most admit its doable for dogs but not cats, but like most dog owners are against it for ethical reasons.

Dogs evolved to eat raw food, they were designed to eat other animals. If my dogs were in the wild they'd kill other animals to eat. The thing that worried me most about this woman at work was that she thought that a balanced canine diet was the same as a balanced human diet, without understanding the differences between the two.

Sure, a dog may be able to survive on a vego diet but will it do as well as it would when it's eating raw meat and bones too? Or fish, or egg, etc?

Edited November 4, 2009 by huski

[WreckitWhippet]

Don't want to feed your dog meat, then find another pet.

[Tim'sMum]

I don't think it's right to feed your animals a vegetarian diet just because you are vegetarian too - what does everyone else think?

Anyone that even contemplates it is a total fruitloop and IMO to do so borders on cruelty! :D

Dogs are decended from carnivores who consumed a small amount of vegetable matter when eating a carcase (which does not make them an omnivore)......always have been carnivores, always will be, their bodies have been designed to eat meat as the majority of their diet and they have evolved this way over milleniums.

You can't muck around with nature and expect it to work out well.

Tell her to buy a pet rat!

Edited November 4, 2009 by Tim'sMum

[Spot.]

However - my pup is not on a vegetarian diet. I dont feel I have the time (or inclination) to balance a vegetarian diet suitable for a large breed puppy (although I am sure it can be done with a lot of thought). He will also never receive bones or meat....

Your poor dogs :D

Your dogs don't care about your beliefs, so why you go to so much effort is rather funny.

Edited November 4, 2009 by spotty

[chuckandsteve]

If you get the diet right they should do as well theoretically. Practically not enough research to know. I think this women is an extremest though.

I did research it for my dogs haven't gone through with it as I didn't believe I could get it right they eat dry food and my husband will give them wet as I have the gross factor.

If you are going to try and encourage her away from it statements like get rabbit won't help nor will telling her they are carnivores because they are omnivores. Vegetarians spend a lot of time discussing their diet so trying to win the argument that eating meat is natural wont help either (virtually every meal I have gone to since the age of 8 people just can't stop asking). I hate talking about it so I am def not pushing my views on anyone.

Use statements that are true, their diet is different to ours so the dog can't eat the same diet as her and the research is not there to help her work out what to feed, she will have to cook every meal for the dog its a hell of a lot of work. She will also need to slowly remove meat from the diet so for serveral months she has no choice but to feed meat. These are the things that put me off doing it.

2 things that really annoyed me were the carivore arguement (they are omnivores) and forcing your views on the dog (well my dogs didn't chose to be desexed but they are) Not trying to force my views on anyone just trying to help with an opinion from the other side.

Also vegetarians are used to being abused and mocked so that line of attack just makes you think that the person is crazy rather than informed. Talk about not letting the dog have a choice. Resorting to insults is not helping anyone

Edited November 4, 2009 by chuckandsteve

[huski]

If you get the diet right they should do as well theoretically. Practically not enough research to know. I think this women is an extremest though.

I did research it for my dogs haven't gone through with it as I didn't believe I could get it right they eat dry food and my husband will give them wet as I have the gross factor.

I get the gross factor with wet (canned) food too - IMO it's revolting and not terribly nutritious so I don't feed it at all. Except for tinned sardines and mackeral.

If you are going to try and encourage her away from it statements like get rabbit won't help nor will telling her they are carnivores because they are omnivores. Vegetarians spend a lot of time discussing their diet so trying to win the argument that eating meat is natural wont help either (virtually every meal I have gone to since the age of 8 people just can't stop asking). I hate talking about it so I am def not pushing my views on anyone.

Use statements that are true, their diet is different to ours so the dog can't eat the same diet as her and the research is not there to help her work out what to feed, she will have to cook every meal for the dog its a hell of a lot of work. She will also need to slowly remove meat from the diet so for serveral months she has no choice but to feed meat. These are the things that put me off doing it.

If she did have a dog now or was planning to get one in the immediate future I would definitely use arguments like the above, but she's the kind of person who refused to be on the kitchen roster at work because she was a vegetarian and some people who used the kitchne ate meat. Even if I talked to her rationally, she's not the kind of person to change her mind (I'd still try though :D ).

2 things that really annoyed me were the carivore arguement (they are omnivores) and forcing your views on the dog (well my dogs didn't chose to be desexed but they are) Not trying to force my views on anyone just trying to help with an opinion from the other side.

That they are omnivores still doesn't change the fact they evolved to eat raw meat and bone. I'm not sold on the idea that my dogs would do as well on a vego diet as they do on a complete raw diet. Sure they could survive but is it really the best thing for them nutritionally?

And desexing your dog is not just a moral argument like it would be forcing your dog to be a vegetarian.

Edited November 4, 2009 by huski

[chuckandsteve]

If you are a vegetarian it is to desex and to feed vegetarian diet are very similar. Both result in an animal dying. I had problem I wanted to rescue a dog but I didn't want say a cow to die to feed the dog... If that makes sense (and yes i know it doesn't to most people)

As I said though I respect everyones opinions just trying to help you understand her opinion makes it easier to reason with them.

[huski]

If you are a vegetarian it is to desex and to feed vegetarian diet are very similar. Both result in an animal dying. I had problem I wanted to rescue a dog but I didn't want say a cow to die to feed the dog... If that makes sense (and yes i know it doesn't to most people)

I don't understand how desexing results in an animal dying :D

I think of animals like dogs eating meat as a natural process, if they were in the wild that's what they would do and that's what they evolved to do over centuries.

As I said though I respect everyones opinions just trying to help you understand her opinion makes it easier to reason with them.

That's cool

Edited November 4, 2009 by huski