Dog Food and Feeding

Liz: What fruits and vegetables should you feed German Shepherd? I am planning to get a German Shepherd soon, and this is part of my research. I would like to have him on a vegetarian diet. (eggs are okay). Answers and Views: Answer by Rayven-Fried Sea Kit Why? Dogs are carnivores. Unless there is an actual MEDICAL reason such as your dog being allergic to all sources of meat-based protein there is no reason to feed your dog species inappropriate food. Stick to a quality meat-based grain-free diet. If you want a vegetarian pet get a rabbit or something. Photo Credit: Dave Crosby/Flickr CC Answer by //.Karma.™ I don't agree with feeding dogs strictly fruits and vegetables, but here you go. Absolutely, you can feed your pet a vegetarian diet. But the most important thing you will need to remember since your pet won't be getting any meat is to feed high-quality protein with the meals, just as you do. The amino acids in meat are essential nutrients, and if you're not feeding meat, your pet will get all the necessary amino acids from tofu, grains, and beans. As you learn more about feeding a raw diet, you'll likely bump into many people who are totally against feeding grains. Feeding grains is a personal choice and does work well for many. It is suggested that the protein be rotated because each and every protein source you choose has a different amino acid chain and concentration. It is also highly recommended to seek out organic grains and beans. Oils are also an essential ingredient in a vegetarian diet, so make sure these get alternated as well, once a week! Putting together a proper and nutritionally complete vegetarian diet for your pet can be quite as complex as the traditional raw diet. You must do your research before plunging in! An absolutely EXCELLENT alternative, while you're researching and learning, is Dr. Harvey's. The foods come complete with organic grains, vegetables, herbs, and some required supplements. All you need to do is add your protein source and essential oils…and you have a nutritionally complete meal for your dog or cat. The food is also an excellent choice for pet owners who want to feed a traditional raw diet with meat or who want the convenience of a home-cooked meal for their pets. Answer by Launi Nope. Sorry. Dogs are NOT vegetarians. No way. Ain't gonna work. Sorry. Answer by dalksnis My she-GSD adores apples, likes some raw and boiled potatoes, likes milk, and especially kefir as a change for her meat diet. Is that unnatural? Answer by Jan G Dogs MUST have meat! Chicken is usually the primary meat, lamb is good, too. They need veggies, but, not just veggies. Keep researching and you will find this out. I have an 11 yr. old shepherd, and just got an eight-week-old male shepherd! Good luck with your new family member! Answer by J D You can feed dogs some vegetables and fruits, but the bottom line is, dogs are instinctively meat-eaters. Most dry dog foods will compose of some form of meat and say rice or corn. When you walk down the dog food aisle at the supermarket what do you find? Canned foods that are either beef, lamb, or chicken. I feel that you may run into a problem if you try and force a dog to be a vegan. Even we humans need some form of meat protein for our survival. I do not believe that vegans are entirely the healthiest people out there. Oh…..DO NOT feed your dog grapes. They are very bad for canines. Read More: How do I Get my German Shepherd to Eat Dog Food? How to Find Out if my German Shepherd Puppy is Purebred? What Should I Know Before Buying a German Shepherd Puppy? Answer by Love is a GSD Dogs can not digest vegetables/fruits very well, and some are actually deadly, such as grapes (they contain a lethal toxin). Dogs are carnivores. They descend from wolves, they only have a 0.02% genetic difference from wolves, and they are still basically the same species. Some scientists say dogs are no farther related to wolves than quarter horses are from wild mustangs. Dogs have a carnivore's digestive system. Long sharp canine teeth to grab onto prey, and molars used to rip and tear meat. Herbivores, animals that eat plants, have jaws that move side to side to allow chewing. Dogs can NOT move their jaws from side to side. They swallow their food whole. Their pancreas is VERY small compared to herbivores and omnivores. That is because they do not produce the high number of enzymes that herbivores and omnivores do. Enzymes help them digest food. animals that eat only vegetation, or a mixture, produce a lot of enzymes to help them digest this diet. Dogs, on the other hand, do not have these enzymes. They get enzymes from the RAW meat they eat (meat has natural enzymes in it), and this is what helps them digest it. They have an extremely hard time digesting vegetables and get almost no nutrients. They can't even break down the skin on most vegetables. Then you move onto the intestines. The intestines of herbivores are extremely long to give them enough time to absorb all the nutrients from vegetation. However, in carnivores like dogs, the intestines are very short. Nutrients are absorbed extremely fast from raw food, and raw food is passed through the carnivore's system as fast as possible to avoid the build-up of harmful bacteria. These short intestines do not allow for food to stay in a carnivore very long, and therefore do not allow carnivores the proper time to get nutrition from plant matter. EVERYTHING about a dog is designed to eat raw meat and only raw meat. They can not survive as a herbivore. It is physically impossible. You may give them a wide enough range of vegetables to PROVIDE all the proper nutrients, but they simply can NOT digest it! Physically impossible, I am sorry, you need to get over whatever problem you have with meat and feed your dog a proper diet. BTW, dogs do not need vegetables. Any nutrients from the vegetation they need are gained from eating the organs of their prey. Studies now show that wolves don't even eat the stomach contents of larger prey animals. If they kill a deer, for example, they have been shown to shake the stomach, getting rid of all plant matter inside, before they eat the stomach lining. Most canine carnivores do not eat the stomach contents (unless the prey animal is smaller, such as rabbits or rodents) Know better? Give your own answer to this question!