already asked this in pets but....?

Question

do you guys feel its fair to feed a dog on a vegetarian or vegan diet????
I am a vegetarian myself(but eat fish- am I a pesci-veggie or pesky-veggie, pls correct me!)
I dont think its right to feed my dog on a wholly vegetarian diet and most people on the dog section agree but I wonder what you would think on the vegetarian/vegan section.

I dont feel its right to impose our beliefs on our animals/pets who have no choice but to eat what we offer.

I have a working cocker spaniel whos fed on working gundog kibble and chicken and veg once or twice a week. I wouldnt put any dog on a vegetarian diet to be honest but its nice to hear other peoples points of view.

Michael
you wonder why a vegetarian would keep a dog that has to be fed on other dead animals??
But as you state, Im not a vegetarian but a pescitarian, thank you for that info.
My dog is a working dog,yet is a softy as she only chases after toys, not rabbits. I dont eat meat for health reasons that are too private to go into here.
Thank you for your answer.
AND BTW, I apologise if I have insulted vegetarians like you claimed I have. Try not to be so militant.

Answer 1

This forum tends to be rather fanatical as you have already learned. I agree that we do not impose our beliefs on animals. Turning animals in vegetarians to suit our needs is a form of cruelty.

Now opposed to that is one of your commentators that was particularly offensive. This person admits he raises 3000 bales of hay and sells it to people who feed it to animals that will be slaughtered for food. His justification is "what should I do burn them?" and suffer the economic loss.

It never occurred to raise something else that is consistent with the ethics he allegedly believes.

So I'm not sure why you deserve any criticism for having ethics that are sincere in maintaining your animals that may be different than what you choose for yourself. It shows you are able to "put yourself in your animals' shoes" as so to speak. You have empathy.

So while your choice contributes to the well-being of your animal, the choice of others who sell hay to those who fatten cattle for killing certainly is not contributing to the animal's well-being. So while your ethics are genuine, the other's are fraudulent. That's like claiming to be against war and an ardent pacifist and claiming innocence because you sell only the bullets.

Also, you are chided for being a pesco-vegetarian--a designation welcome and understood in other cultures. Yet the person who held you to such a parochial standard of what a vegetarian means --- eats eggs. So does that mean there are different standards for "ovo, lacto" vegetarians but not for pesco vegetarians? ....LMAO ... the individual is abusive and you don't deserve that kind of abuse.

Enjoy your fish . . . and dont forget to give some to that lovely animal that is lucky to have such a caring mistress.

Answer 2

It is really up to you. The vegetarian pet food on the market is specifically designed to give animals all the nutrients they need. People (and animals) require specific nutrients, not specific styles of food.

Besides, it isn't like you are feeding your dog a bowl of carrots and spinach.
:)

Some people feel their pets are happier when they have food their omnivorous bodies are used to eating, some feel that their pets show now changes when eating vegetarian food. It is about preference.

Oh yes, you can be a pescatarian, or even a piscavore, but there is no such thing as an animal-eating vegetarian... it kind of defeats the purpose.
:)

And I wouldn't say that MichaelH is "militant" just because he has different views. It isn't very nice.

Answer 3

There are to many dogs and not enough supervision. If you were in Control of your dogs, there is no excuse why they are off of your property. All of them roaming free has already proven to be a problem. Call a layer or something, obviously the police are being biased. Both you and your neighbour care now so prevent it from happening. Spend what ever is necessary to keep them safe. Or you will just be paying more and more vet bills. Put up a fence around your house, and when its time to go for a walk, let the dogs out and stay with them!

Answer 4

I am not insulted. My dog eats as she is made too(mostly). I make a dog food, it has animals flesh as well as lots of veggies with a small amount of brown rice. I changed her over when we were having the pet food scare. The brand she was eating was never on the lists but when I investigated I found all the scary info that even the better brands were including in bad things. Since changing her diet a life long problems with allergies & vomiting has stopped. She no longer has to take Benadryl or Zantac,,yeah her vet had her on both.
I say mostly because I am reading allot on RAW diets for dogs. Her food is 99% cooked stuff.

Answer 5

I'm a vegan but I still feed my dog dog food with meat in which may be hypocritical but to be honest I don't care if it means my dog's happy and healthy. The only reason she is on a meat diet is because she's very old... she's been eating the same dog food for 12 years and I don't want to change her diet now just because I've decided to change mine. I was advised by my vet that I shouldn't even switch over to another brand this late on in her life. I don't like that she eats meat but her health is the most important thing for me when she's this old.

I believe that dogs can definitely be healthy and even healthier on a vegetarian diet and if my dog were younger then I would move her on to a veg diet straight away and when I have dogs in the future they will be vegetarian. I don't think it's cruel because I don't even think they would notice... I'm sure the veggie food would smell just as good as meat dog food. Sure in the wild they would be eating meat but they're not in the wild anymore and we as owners know how to give them a balanced diet. By keeping pets we're already imposing our beliefs on them... we train them, tell them when they can go outside and we basically control their whole lives so it's a bit unrealistic to think that we aren't. If your dog understood then they may even thank you for moving them onto a healthier diet. A couple of family friends have been vegetarians for over 30 years and have had countless numbers of rescue pets, all of which have been vegetarian... they've all been very healthy and lived to an old age.

If I were you I would give it some more thought. You are the 'pack leader' so it's your decision but please don't just go by what meat eaters say... a lot of them say vegetarian diets are unhealthy for humans when they've done no research on the matter.

http://www.happidog.co.uk/2-health-main.html

Answer 6

Good question! I was going to say "No", based on the fact that dogs are carnivorous, but I've just had a look on the internet & found an interesting article about vegetarian pets, which basically says that you're doing them no harm by feeding them a veggie based diet. Apparently it doesn't matter which foodstuff animals get their nutrients & protein from, as long as they get them. X

Answer 7

What sort of dog have you got? If you have a mongrel or hunting dog variety in the olden days they were used to the scraps coming off the tables. A friend who has a springer spaniel was advised by the vet that the dog would do just as well on scraps as formulated food but to mix the diet. I believe the dried foods contain a well balanced meal which would not offend your sensibilities rather than opening a can of dog meat. Hope this contribution helpful.

Answer 8

The oldest dog in the world is a vegan dog! A 27 year old Border Collie in Australia.Dogs are omnivores and can survive as strict carnivores or herbivores.

There are vegan cat foods that come synthesized with Taurine,Vitamin A Retinol and everything else cats need.

Answer 9

Sweetie..if you eat fish, you are not any type of vegetarian. Vegetarians do not eat fish or any other animal. As far as pets go...I've heard that dogs that can do pretty well on a vegetarian diet...especially if they have many food allergies. A cat though is a born carnivore.

Answer 10

Dear friend

Many of you are wondering if a vegetarian or vegan diet might be appropriate for your animal friends. Fortunately, your dogs can be vegetarians! Vegetarian Dogs provides answers and gives directions to easily purchase (see resources) or prepare a healthy meal.

There is no scientifically known reason why dogs cannot live full, healthy lives on a vegan diet. Furthermore, a homemade or commercial vegetarian food can avoid the potentially detrimental health effects of many meat-based commercial foods.

Some suggest more widespread benefits: "Dogs would benefit in health and temperament worldwide....Such a diet would also greatly reduce the risks of cancer, strokes, heart attacks, and other common diseases and disorders.


I will give some vegan dog food if u want yr dog goes veggies.

Vegetables
Vegetables are highly digestible by dogs after cooking. Baking is best for nutrient retention; but boiling is fine, if you also use the water in the food. Dogs love most cooked vegetables, but may prefer them cut into small pieces or pureed. Whole cooked potatoes make an excellent snack. Just fill a pan with potatoes and place in the oven for about an hour at 350 degrees. After cooling, store in the refrigerator and give as snacks. As much as 1/3 of the basic recipe can consist of "extra" vegetables without greatly altering the nutrient balance.

Millet, beans, lentils, and other grains/legumes.
Add up to one cooked cup per basic recipe. Beans, lentils and other legumes are especially high in minerals and protein. However, as mentioned earlier, you should check the dog(s) stool to see if they are digesting such foods. If you see whole beans, for example, cook them longer and/or put them in a blender.

Pasta
Add up to 1 cup dry or cooked pasta to the food. Any size shape or variety will do-- it should be whole wheat or enriched, however.

Whole wheat bread
Dogs love bread. Fortunately, bread is a healthy snack. You can add it to the meal or use for treats.

hope this will help u lots..


Or try this link for more vegan recipes:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/moredogtreatrecipes.htm

put it on Google u will find the link u want.

good luck.

Answer 11

I'm a vegetarian. My cat is not. That's not the way God made her. If, some morning, she tells me that she would rather eat vegetables, I'd oblige her. Until then, I feed her a diet that is more conducive to her species.
I'm a beliver that God put animals on the Earth and those animals eat certain things. It's not for me to make my own decision about this.