Vegan dogs ???

[sarah.oxford]

Not something that has ever crossed my mind before but a fellow agility trainer mentioned to me that she's having trouble with a reward structure for a new client's dog, as it isn't toy motivated at all and it's also vegan

So I assumed that this was due to some horrendous allergies but no, it's vegan because the owners are vegan!

Apparently they are rewarding with kibble as normal rewards are not allowed, but it's blown my mind that vegan kibble is even a thing.

I can't help feeling that they would have been better off with a rabbit.

 

[ihatework]

Just wrong.
I struggle with vegan parents imposing vegan ethics on their children (I accept that is my issue), but on a dog??? WTAF

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It's cruel to make a dog vegan just because you are poor thing

Although my dogs go mad for bits of carrot.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

What about a tube of peanut butter just squeeze a bit out as a reward.

 

[sarah.oxford]

What about a tube of peanut butter just squeeze a bit out as a reward.

Oooh, that's a good idea. I will suggest that.

We do have a Labrador in one of my groups who has lots of allergies and is fed the insect diet. He is rewarded with cubes of cucumber, but that absolutely wouldn't cut it with my dogs, or most others.

 

[splashgirl45]

My dogs absolutely love carrots so they could be used as treats quite easily

 

[sarah.oxford]

My dogs absolutely love carrots so they could be used as treats quite easily

My current 2 only like them cooked, but previous dog was very keen on a carrot for a snack

 

[splashgirl45]

If I’m chopping up carrots in the kitchen I have 3 of them waiting for their share so I end up buying more than I need for cooking so the dogs don’t miss out

 

[skinnydipper]

It reminds me of this, from a few years ago. Owner said dog preferred vegetarian diet.

This Morning 'vegetarian' dog mugs off owner on live TV

Loyal pooch? We think not...

www.digitalspy.com

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

If I’m chopping up carrots in the kitchen I have 3 of them waiting for their share so I end up buying more than I need for cooking so the dogs don’t miss out

Same here, chop any veggie remotely edible in the kitchen and both skid around the corner of the door like Old Nick himself is on their tail.

 

[SilverLinings]

Same here, chop any veggie remotely edible in the kitchen and both skid around the corner of the door like Old Nick himself is on their tail.

When I was an older teenager we had a family cocker spaniel bitch who was so obsessed with apples that you had to hide from her if you wanted to eat one. She would hear you eating an apple from behind a closed door, and even if you waited for ages before leaving the room she would still be sitting there with the look of a drug addict on her face when you opened the door and tried to step out. She would only give up if you gave her the apple core otherwise she would pursue you for hours

 

[Rowreach]

I don't see that imposing a balanced vegan diet on a dog is any worse than the unnatural diets people give any domesticated animal really.

Carrots and Apple are the favourite treats of my three non-vegan dogs. Or cheese, but vegan cheese might work out a bit expensive.

 

[Jenko109]

I'm not okay with it. That said, given that some cheap dog foods have something absurd like 4% meat in it, I don't think it's the end of the world.

You can make peanut butter cookies which would be easier than carrying around a whole jar of peanut butter. There are simple vegan recipes available.

Failing that, there are tonnes of vegan dog treats on the market these days.

 

[palo1]

I don't see that imposing a balanced vegan diet on a dog is any worse than the unnatural diets people give any domesticated animal really.

Carrots and Apple are the favourite treats of my three non-vegan dogs. Or cheese, but vegan cheese might work out a bit expensive.

I think it is extremely difficult to provide a dog with a balanced vegan diet tbh. Not impossible, but difficult and dogs absolutely are designed for a meat based diet. They are not really even omnivorous, even though most seem to enjoy some veg. If people feel that strongly about the ethics of feeding a dog, why have one?! I do feel a bit sorry for the dog in this case...But if course the diet could be excellent, just not with canines at the heart of it.

 

[Rowreach]

I think it is extremely difficult to provide a dog with a balanced vegan diet tbh. Not impossible, but difficult and dogs absolutely are designed for a meat based diet. They are not really even omnivorous, even though most seem to enjoy some veg. If people feel that strongly about the ethics of feeding a dog, why have one?! I do feel a bit sorry for the dog in this case...But if course the diet could be excellent, just not with canines at the heart of it.

Horses aren't meant to eat haylage and grains, cats aren't meant to eat fish and cows. Why have them then? People on here are constantly claiming that an unnatural diet for a horse is fine if you feed it a balancer on top, so a formulated vegan dog food is no different, surely? (owner of multiple non-vegan horses/dogs/cats over the decades ...).

 

[Clodagh]

Can you give a dog all its nutrients without any meat? (I don’t know the answer to that). I know people can only exist in a vegan diet with a tonne of work and supplements and dogs being carnivores it must be even harder?

 

[JBM]

They’re scavenging carnivores
They can survive on these diets but if they wanted a herbivore why didn’t they buy one

 

[Fjord]

Horses aren't meant to eat haylage and grains, cats aren't meant to eat fish and cows. Why have them then? People on here are constantly claiming that an unnatural diet for a horse is fine if you feed it a balancer on top, so a formulated vegan dog food is no different, surely? (owner of multiple non-vegan horses/dogs/cats over the decades ...).

But feeding cats fish and beef is at least keeping it in the right area, at least it is meat. Dogs are carnivores, so I'm not sure I agree with forcing them to be vegan.

 

[Rowreach]

Um, domesticated dogs are omnivores.

 

[palo1]

Horses aren't meant to eat haylage and grains, cats aren't meant to eat fish and cows. Why have them then? People on here are constantly claiming that an unnatural diet for a horse is fine if you feed it a balancer on top, so a formulated vegan dog food is no different, surely? (owner of multiple non-vegan horses/dogs/cats over the decades ...).

Well, haylage (fodder/grazing) and grains (browsing for eg) are an awful lot closer to what horses would naturally eat than a vegan diet is close to what dogs would naturally eat surely? In answer to @Clodagh, I know that cats are obligate carnivores as they cannot access vital taurine without a very largely meat based diet; and certainly fish is a natural food for cats. As for the absolute necessity of meat for dogs, I am not so sure but it feels like common sense and every kind of wild canine works incredibly hard to acquire meat: natural selection would indicate that meat is necessary for dogs in the wild.

 

[HopOnTrot]

One of my dogs isn’t meant to have wheat (it’s a potential trigger for fits) and honestly I feel like such a twat saying my dog is gluten free

 

[palo1]

Um, domesticated dogs are omnivores.

Strictly speaking, I think they thrive on a variety of foods with meat/animal protein as the central element.

 

[ArklePig]

That's absolutely bonkers. If you're not comfortable buying meat products maybe a dog isn't the pet for you.

 

[Rowreach]

Well, haylage (fodder/grazing) and grains (browsing for eg) are an awful lot closer to what horses would naturally eat than a vegan diet is close to what dogs would naturally eat surely? In answer to @Clodagh, I know that cats are obligate carnivores as they cannot access vital taurine without a very largely meat based diet; and certainly fish is a natural food for cats. As for the absolute necessity of meat for dogs, I am not so sure but it feels like common sense and every kind of wild canine works incredibly hard to acquire meat: natural selection would indicate that meat is necessary for dogs in the wild.

Well of course wild canines seek out meat. They can't find kibble growing on bushes.

I've lost count of the number of threads on this forum about dog owners who can't find a (non-vegan) dog food or feeding system that suits their dog, and some which are positively harmful, and I don't see that a balanced vegan diet would necessarily be worse, especially since everyone neatly ignores the unnatural way we keep and feed our horses. Which is apparently ok.

How many people feed their dogs raw meat once every few days with nothing in between? Like they'd get in the wild?

 

[skinnydipper]

Dogs are facultative carnivores.

 

[Clodagh]

Dogs are faculative carnivores.

I googled that and in the main preview summary bit it said ‘can survive but not thrive without meat’.

 

[Annette4]

I know of one dog who genuinely needs a vegan diet due to a protein allergy, he is closely monitored by the vet but thriving. I can't say I would personally do it for my dogs (I'm vegan myself, OH isn't and neither are the dogs) but not my place to judge as long as the dog is happy and healthy. There's plenty of commercial food I wouldn't feed but doesn't make what I feed the only right thing.

In terms of reward for agility, peanut butter in a squeezey tube and added to a food toy would be my go to.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My dogs love raw cabbage as well but I wouldn't not give them meat.

 

[I'm Dun]

How many people feed their dogs raw meat once every few days with nothing in between? Like they'd get in the wild?

There are people that do that. There would be a mutiny if I tried it. But having fed grain free kibble for 2yrs due to necessity, I'm putting mine both back on raw meat. They have such a strong preference for it, look better coat wise, tiny poos! and they have much, much better teeth, which has been the main decider for me.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I had a JRT who hated meat and was probably right to avoid it as he did have hot spot problems. He thrived on a fish, vegetable and dry biscuit diet for most of his 14 years relatively hot spot free.