Vegetarian Dogs?

[Ranga]

Weird that it is overweight - poor dog probably get lots of bad treats like potato chips etc. I just don't understand some people

The owner doesn't give the dog bad treats, but the lack of exercise means the dog gets fat. I tried to take the dog jogging for a while but she held me back - and I'm not fast by any means! I've never met a working breed with so little enthusiasm for exercise :laugh:

[Yonjuro]

Weird that it is overweight - poor dog probably get lots of bad treats like potato chips etc. I just don't understand some people

The owner doesn't give the dog bad treats, but the lack of exercise means the dog gets fat. I tried to take the dog jogging for a while but she held me back - and I'm not fast by any means! I've never met a working breed with so little enthusiasm for exercise :laugh:

Yeah, that was a bad assumption on my part. Still sad the dog has no energy.

[VizslaMomma]

The reason I raised this subject is that my neighbour has a dog with no health issues ... All good. It is a working breed (BC/Cattle cross). For no apparent reason the dog is on a vegetarian diet

This animal has always been 'lazy' and now seems very lethargic. It looks healthy (apart from being overweight) i.e. shiny coat, bright eyes, and is only about six years old.

The owner is not a vegetarian, and so I don't understand the purpose in not feeding the dog meat

Well the dog has a health problem if it is overweight.

Should that vegetarian diet be more carbo than protein, then there are issues there I would say.

Would the neighbour consider a Vet visit for a check up or not bother?

[Ranga]

The reason I raised this subject is that my neighbour has a dog with no health issues ... All good. It is a working breed (BC/Cattle cross). For no apparent reason the dog is on a vegetarian diet

This animal has always been 'lazy' and now seems very lethargic. It looks healthy (apart from being overweight) i.e. shiny coat, bright eyes, and is only about six years old.

The owner is not a vegetarian, and so I don't understand the purpose in not feeding the dog meat

Well the dog has a health problem if it is overweight.

Should that vegetarian diet be more carbo than protein, then there are issues there I would say.

Would the neighbour consider a Vet visit for a check up or not bother?

VM I've never discussed the diet with her, but I think I'll raise the question next time I see her. She's a lovely lady and certainly not stupid, and the dog is very sweet. She obviously thinks it's the right thing for the dog

[LisaCC]

The reason I raised this subject is that my neighbour has a dog with no health issues ... All good. It is a working breed (BC/Cattle cross). For no apparent reason the dog is on a vegetarian diet

This animal has always been 'lazy' and now seems very lethargic. It looks healthy (apart from being overweight) i.e. shiny coat, bright eyes, and is only about six years old.

The owner is not a vegetarian, and so I don't understand the purpose in not feeding the dog meat

Well the dog has a health problem if it is overweight.

Should that vegetarian diet be more carbo than protein, then there are issues there I would say.

Would the neighbour consider a Vet visit for a check up or not bother?

VM I've never discussed the diet with her, but I think I'll raise the question next time I see her. She's a lovely lady and certainly not stupid, and the dog is very sweet. She obviously thinks it's the right thing for the dog

There are dogs that can have protein allergies. Perhaps this dog is one of them?

[BrunoDi]

I know a fair few Vegetarians who feed either kibble made with meat products or a Raw Feeding Model.

They consider it ok for a Dog to eat Meat even though they won't as it is a natural function for the Dog while (most of them) are vegetarian for either cruelty reasons or because they believe we as humans should be herbivores.

I agree that if you aren't willing to do what's best for your dog regardless of your personal beliefs and convictions, get an animal that has the same philosophy as you.

[OSoSwift]

If I tried to force feed my horse or Alpaca a steak there would be an uproar, why is there not for a dog forced to be vegetarian?? - unless for a valid medical reason.

PS If you want a dog to run with, swing past and grab our BC. That thing runs multiple lots of KMs, by choice each and

every day :)

[cannibalgoldfish]

Ronin caught and ate his third bird this morning (2 this month). I am pretty sure he believes he is an obligate carnivore The cheeky bugger then conned the Mrs into giving him his brekky as she didn't see the kill. Fair play to him though, he has been hunting these doves for a while now and slept outside of which I am sure was so he could be up at dawn to hunt. He then slept most of the day!

Is like a bloody wildlife doco in my backyard - Hunt, eat then sleep. He's taking this whole prey model raw diet to another level.

Sigh..... I know. This time of year the birds start to fledge and flutter about. Wylie has all the best trees staked out

Sorry, off topic...

[Podengo]

I'm a vegetarian, and I prey model raw feed :)

I knew one dog on a vegetarian diet when I worked in boarding kennels, he was apparently allergic to every meat protein.

[RuralPug]

There was a study in the US years ago (sorry I no longer have details but I'm sure that someone can find them) that studied dogs which were on a vegetarian diet, the major protein source used at that time was from soy. The study found that the dogs, although they survived on the diet, had low immune systems, poor coats and less energy than dogs in the same study which had animal proteins in the diet.

Unfortunately that study started a myth that soy proteins were poisonous to dogs, which is, of course, not the case. I think that myth is finally vanishing. All of the vegans and vegetarians I know feed their dogs on meat based proteins - many of them feed prey model or grain free, as is happens.

Dogs can survive on a vegetarian diet but they will not thrive on it. Cats cannot survive on a vegetarian diet.

[JulesP]

Amber has been on a soy based diet for about 4 years now. Her coat is great and she has stacks of energy. Bright eyes and white teeth. I actually get random strangers commenting on how healthy the dogs look.

(For people that don't know Amber is on this diet for health reasons)

[sas]

Weird that it is overweight - poor dog probably get lots of bad treats like potato chips etc. I just don't understand some people

Why is it weird? There are many many overweight and obese veggies and vegans. Just because those people have made what is usually an ethical decision doesn't mean their diet is healthy. Any diet can be unhealthy. Veggies and Vegans can eat processed foods for convenience and just like non veggies and vegans this can be an issue as well as portion size and lack of exercise,

[sas]

The reason I raised this subject is that my neighbour has a dog with no health issues ... All good. It is a working breed (BC/Cattle cross). For no apparent reason the dog is on a vegetarian diet

This animal has always been 'lazy' and now seems very lethargic. It looks healthy (apart from being overweight) i.e. shiny coat, bright eyes, and is only about six years old.

The owner is not a vegetarian, and so I don't understand the purpose in not feeding the dog meat

Well the dog has a health problem if it is overweight.

Should that vegetarian diet be more carbo than protein, then there are issues there I would say.

Would the neighbour consider a Vet visit for a check up or not bother?

VM I've never discussed the diet with her, but I think I'll raise the question next time I see her. She's a lovely lady and certainly not stupid, and the dog is very sweet. She obviously thinks it's the right thing for the dog

All you're doing is making assumptions.

[sas]

There was a study in the US years ago (sorry I no longer have details but I'm sure that someone can find them) that studied dogs which were on a vegetarian diet, the major protein source used at that time was from soy. The study found that the dogs, although they survived on the diet, had low immune systems, poor coats and less energy than dogs in the same study which had animal proteins in the diet.

Unfortunately that study started a myth that soy proteins were poisonous to dogs, which is, of course, not the case. I think that myth is finally vanishing. All of the vegans and vegetarians I know feed their dogs on meat based proteins - many of them feed prey model or grain free, as is happens.

Dogs can survive on a vegetarian diet but they will not thrive on it. Cats cannot survive on a vegetarian diet.

This.

Dogs can also survive on Coprice and Bonnie and like but don't try and tell me they thrive on it.

[Maddy]

There were studies done on numerous aspects of dog nutrition that suggest dogs are carnivores, not omnivores. L. David Mech's study of wolves found they actually shook stomach contents out of the stomach before eating the stomach itself- disproving the theory that wild canids ingested substantial amounts of plant matter from herbivore stomachs.

Then there was the study of Australian wild canids that found less than 5% of their intake was plant-based and what was there was likely incidental (probably from eating whole small prey). And finally, the study done on street dogs that found the dogs (who were eating almost exclusively vegetable scraps/waste) were able to survive on a plant-based diet for a couple of years but the cause of death (usually around two years of age) was almost always malnutrition.

Canids can survive for short periods of time on plant-based foods (it's a considerable survival advantage over other predators) but ability to survive short-term on plants doesn't make something an omnivore.

As an aside, deer occasionally eat rabbits, fish or birds. Not because they're omnivores but because sometimes, eating outside of their normal diet serves a short-term purpose. In the case of stags, increasing calcium intake for antler growth.

Anyways..

I have to admit, I can't understand vegans/vegetarians owning carnivores as pets if they are unable/unwilling to provide them with a species-appropriate diet. Rabbits make perfectly good pets

[JulesP]

I have to admit, I can't understand vegans/vegetarians owning carnivores as pets if they are unable/unwilling to provide them with a species-appropriate diet. Rabbits make perfectly good pets

The vegos that have posted on this thread do feed their dogs meat. The person is question is NOT a vego. So lets not be slagging off vegos.

Even the Vegans that I know feed their dogs meat.

[Maddy]

I have to admit, I can't understand vegans/vegetarians owning carnivores as pets if they are unable/unwilling to provide them with a species-appropriate diet. Rabbits make perfectly good pets

The vegos that have posted on this thread do feed their dogs meat. The person is question is NOT a vego. So lets not be slagging off vegos.

Even the Vegans that I know feed their dogs meat.

I didn't make any reference to the vegans/vegetarians who feed their dogs meat so I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that I'm "slagging them off". I've bolded the bit so you can re-read it.

The majority of my friends are vegans/vegos and all of them feed their dogs meat.

[JulesP]

I have to admit, I can't understand vegans/vegetarians owning carnivores as pets if they are unable/unwilling to provide them with a species-appropriate diet. Rabbits make perfectly good pets

The vegos that have posted on this thread do feed their dogs meat. The person is question is NOT a vego. So lets not be slagging off vegos.

Even the Vegans that I know feed their dogs meat.

I didn't make any reference to the vegans/vegetarians who feed their dogs meat so I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that I'm "slagging them off". I've bolded the bit so you can re-read it.

The majority of my friends are vegans/vegos and all of them feed their dogs meat.

You said you can't understand vegos not feeding their dogs meat but the person in question is not a vego.

[DesertDobes]

If dogs evolve (devolve) to have teeth like a cow I might consider it :D

[Ranga]

If dogs evolve (devolve) to have teeth like a cow I might consider it :D