Why does dog food contain vegetables when dogs are carnivores?

Question

The bag of purina I just bought is advertising that they now have even more peas, carrots, and whole grains. How can this be good for my dog, when in the wild he would only eat meat?

Answer 1

Dogs are really omnivores. They will eat anything that doesn't eat them first. They primarily like meat, but do eat grass, etc. Veggies are in dog food for two reasons: 1. they are cheaper than meat; 2. they are healthy for your dog's digestive system, coat, eyes, etc. Just as they are for humans.

Answer 2

1: any of an order (Carnivora) of typically flesh-eating mammals that includes dogs, foxes, bears, raccoons, and cats ; broadly : a carnivorous animal omnivorous : feeding on both animal and vegetable substances Because a dog and cat will eat an animal(meat) they are classified as carnivores. The fact that they eat grass to ease an upset stomach doesn't make the dog or cat an omnivore. These definitions came from Merian-Webster on line dicitionary. By the way grass and leaves are not classified as vegetables. They are considered vegitation. There is a difference.

Answer 3

In the wild they would also build a lot of muscle from hunting instead of the casual short sprint they do around the yard. They dont need as much meat protein as they do if they lived in the wild. Parts of a complete diet anyway.

Answer 4

they do eat vegetables if they found them in the wild. it helps with going to the bathroom. they even eat fruits in the wild if they can find them. but they eat meat all the time because that is what they can find the most. my great grandma said that they even eat leaves if they can't find food. they eat Grass for the stomach. i think it just like eat vegetables.

Answer 5

In the wild, a dog would eat the whole prey. So, bunny rabbit eats greens, dog eats bunny. Dog eats stomach, including greens, so they do get greens in the wild.

Answer 6

It's basically for nutrition. Most domesticated dogs enjoy vegetables if they have the opportunity to eat them, as well.

Answer 7

Dogs are not carnivores. There actually omnivores and vegetables contain useful vitamins for dogs.

Answer 8

Because if a dog did not have its every day vegies than just like a human it would not have viber and stuff. Other words it keeps their diet balenced.

Answer 9

cost effective. Many dog and cat foods have no meat at all being mostly based on soybeans. weird eh, and then they tell you table scraps are no good for dogs and they can't tell you why so many dogs go around eating their own poop.

Answer 10

Fiber could be one reason. Dogs will even eat grass sometimes... otherwise, just to keep them healthy.