Veggie Diet ?

[Cyncyn]

I have heard good and bad about turning your pup vegetarian. I mean I know meat give us protein but would it be so bad for Yorkie's too? I should probably read up on it, but my friend showed me a blog about it that sounded enticing..any insight would be appreciated!

This is what they said: https://www.petdoors.com/blog/raw-ve...-ditch-cans/:D

[Lovetodream88]

The only reason a dog should go on a vegetarian diet is if they have a health issue otherwise it is not a good idea.

[lillymae]

I agree with the above . Dogs are not by nature meant to not eat meat. Why do you want your dog to be vegetarian ?

[Mercgirl]

Dogs, like humans, are designed by nature to be omnivores. Now, people can make an informed choice about eating meat, our pets can't. Do we have any right to force a vegetarian diet onto an animal that has no choice?

Consider the quote below.

Pet care professionals who warn against vegetarian diets for dogs and cats empathize with pet owners’ concerns that lead to these decisions. But there are options other than species-inappropriate diets for dogs or cats.
“People do this to make themselves happy,” says Olson, who worked in psychotherapy before changing careers in the early 1990s. “It’s not about the animal. When people tell me they want to feed a vegan diet, I say, ‘Get a goat, get a rabbit.’”

[Buddylove86]

There are a couple of diets that are vegetarian Royal Canin (prescription) and Natural Balance that are vegetarian. They are nutritionally balanced and complete diets. They can live long healthy lives on these diets. I would not personally do it for my dogs because they love meat. They are good for some food allergic and kidney disease dogs though.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by Mercgirl

Dogs, like humans, are designed by nature to be omnivores. Now, people can make an informed choice about eating meat, our pets can't. Do we have any right to force a vegetarian diet onto an animal that has no choice?

Consider the quote below.

Pet care professionals who warn against vegetarian diets for dogs and cats empathize with pet owners’ concerns that lead to these decisions. But there are options other than species-inappropriate diets for dogs or cats.
“People do this to make themselves happy,” says Olson, who worked in psychotherapy before changing careers in the early 1990s. “It’s not about the animal. When people tell me they want to feed a vegan diet, I say, ‘Get a goat, get a rabbit.’”

I just cannot get behind the idea of dogs eating a vegan diet unless it's a necessity and for health reasons.

[Wylie's Mom]

Any creature, dog or human etc, can obtain a balanced diet being a vegetarian / pescatarian / vegan or whatnot.

But, dogs are descendants of wolves and are designed to eat a meat based, high protein diet (evidenced by teeth, shortness of GI tract relatively, acidity of stomach enviro, ability to consume raw meat etc etc) -- so for me (even though I haven't eaten meat in 25 yrs or so) a dog's ideal diet is high meat/high protein/low carb.

If anyone wants to pursue a vegetarian or vegan diet for an animal who is designed to eat meat, I would hope they'd consult a vet nutritionist to design a balanced diet for their kiddo.