# Vegetarian



## Lynn<3 (Jul 4, 2011)

Okay, this wasn't something I came up with on my own, but I have a few vegan "friends" who think that a vegetarian diet is good for dogs.

I'm not sure where they get that idea, but as far as I know, dogs are not ment to be vegetarians.

My cockapoo loves veggies, but she also likes to eat anything dropped on the floor.


Edit: I'm not trying to sound like a brat. I just don't think dogs are vegetarians.


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

When I was looking to put my cat on a healthier diet I research this for cats and dogs. Neither animals are vegetarian. And frankly neither are humans. We are omnivores. 

Although dogs will eat more veggies then cats. They are not strictly vegetarian. I give my cat dry grain free dry and wet food. I never really could get her on raw. Although she will eat raw organic liver when I have it. I plan on putting our dog on a wet food based diet with raw thrown in. Of course organic foods no mass produce products. I'll try to get the healthiest food we can afford

I guess you can feed the dog a vegan diet, but I think over time it will show in the dogs health.

This is just my opinion based on the research I did. Of course a lot over the internet. Plus if you just look at the diet of a wild wolf it's not a vegetarian by any means. At least not from what I have seen on the Discovery and Animal channel. LOL


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

If you you have very strong principals about eating animals then that's fair enough but I don't think it's fair on a dog to make it a veggie. It would be interesting what veggies on this forum think.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

I hope none of your friends actually do have dogs, poor things! 
I totally understand why people choose to vegetarian or vegan but to push that choice upon an animal is plain cruel.
A vegetarian diet would make a dog ill eventually.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Be interesting to know if there are any high protiein foods that dogs could have to replace meat, but purely for interest. I know someone who is a very strict vegan and only eats organic, but fed her dog a raw (meat) diet, he lived a long a healthy life. - maybe she would have looked into it but obviously decided meat was best for her dog.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

I have seen articles about feeding veggie but haven't really read them, I know they mentioned beans as a source of protein, " poor buggers" , it just doesn't seem fair, mine eat a proportion of veg and quite happily eat it, they aren't reluctant to but if I put a bowl of veg down next to a bowl of meat I'm sure I know which they'd choose x


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## Lynn<3 (Jul 4, 2011)

> It would be interesting what veggies on this forum think.


 And this thread/ rant was started by a vegetarian.


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## RubyCockapoo (Feb 5, 2011)

Lynn<3 said:


> And this thread/ rant was started by a vegetarian.


I'm surprised you have the energy to type....ha ha

I wouldn't see the point of putting a dog on a vegetarian diet, they do love a bit of meat - had to stop little Pepper eating a dead, dried up earthworm yesterday 

Ian


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## Lozzie (Apr 1, 2012)

We're both vegetarians and we seriously had a think about how we would compromise our beliefs/feelings before we got Willow. My partner and I are veggie for different reasons, I just can't handle the thought of eating an animal, it makes me feel sick and I know that I could not kill an animal myself so I think that it is morally wrong for me to allow someone else to do it "out of sight, out of mind". My partner is veggie because he feels very strongly about the treatment and welfare of animals, he would happily eat organic meat for example (but we never do at home because I don't even like touching it or the smell of it cooking).

With that in mind, as previously posted, dogs are omnivores and we decided that it would not be the right thing to 'force' our dog to comform to our beleif system. We decided to buy 'Green Dog' food because they only use human grade meat- i.e. the animals which have been treated well (as well as we could afford, I understand that there are more pricey brands which use organic meat) and they use the same cuts that they would for people (i.e. no 'mechanically recovered' rubbish).

I know that other dog foods are similarly good quality meat (Arden Grange and Royal Canin being some examples) but we were unable to establish the welfare of the animals with there brands.

My next door neighbour tells me that she has a friend with a GSD who has always been veggie. His owner cooks him fresh food every day and he has a wide variety of foodstuffs. She tells me that he is in very good health. So I guess that if you really put the time/research/energy into it then it would be possible to have a healthy veggie dog.

My partner and I are also in very good health before anyone asks 

As an aside, there is a brand here called 'Masterpet' who make vegetarian treats (you may have seen them, they do big green toothbrushes and orange hedgehogs and stuff) which we tried with Willow but they gave her the runs (she has a dodgy tum anyway).


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Embee is a vegitarian I believe...and she feeds her dogs meat...
I really don't think Dogs were meant to eat only veg...they would eat raw meat in the wild left to their own divices....so I wouldnt want to force my dog to not eat someting that is instinct for them.


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

*Question for Lozzie*



> My next door neighbour tells me that she has a friend with a GSD who has always been veggie.


What is GSD?


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## RubyCockapoo (Feb 5, 2011)

Florida Cocokapoo said:


> What is GSD?


German Shepherd Dog


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

RubyCockapoo said:


> German Shepherd Dog


Oh thanks...


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I can't imagine Linda McCartney ever giving her dogs meat! 
What do you think Lynne as a veggie, how do you feel about feeding your dog meat?


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## mary181 (Aug 1, 2012)

I'm veggie and that's my choice but I haven't forced my belief on my husband,children,dogs or cats.I give them all what they enjoy and that is meat,the only one that I refuse to have anything to do with is venison.How can anyone eat Bambi!


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

I have a friend who is vegetarian, as are her family, and her dogs also are fed a non meat diet. One of her dogs had a litter of pups a few years ago, and was fed meat during her pregnancy and whilst lactating.


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## Anita (Jan 5, 2012)

I have been a vegetarian since the age of 6, I have brought my children (aged 8 and 10) up as vegetarians because I believe it is the right thing to do. I get a lot of stick from some people for this although it is accepted far more now than years ago (my Mum who has been vegetarian for over 60 years was bullied by midwives and told that her children would be born deformed if she didn't eat meat whilst pregnant! 3 children all turned out ok I hasten to add)

My husband eats meat and I have never tried to change him - its his choice, similarly my kids can make their own decisions when they are older. Frisbee, however, is a different matter. I know he would always choose to eat meat (although I have had to retrieve a thieved Linda McCartney sausage from his jaws before now!). I hate preparing meat so I feed barking heads dry food which I can manage without the barbecue tongs I use for "distance cooking" when I make my husbands meals


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## Lynn<3 (Jul 4, 2011)

Sorry, this thread was started after I got into it with a vegan I work with. She complained that I was abusing my dogs by feeding them products with meat in them. Then again, she annoys me about being a vegetarian rather then a vegan like her.

I just know that dogs out in the wild eat meat, so why force them not to because I don't?


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## Anita (Jan 5, 2012)

I have to say that I find vegetarians who try to force their values onto others just as annoying as meat eaters who try to force their opinions onto me. In the end we all have to do what we are comfortable with and works for us.


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

Well I have come to realize that there are probably a few subjects to avoid, religion, politics, health/eating habits.  

Well unless you are talking to like minded people.


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

Lynn<3 said:


> Sorry, this thread was started after I got into it with a vegan I work with. She complained that I was abusing my dogs by feeding them products with meat in them. Then again, she annoys me about being a vegetarian rather then a vegan like her.
> 
> I just know that dogs out in the wild eat meat, so why force them not to because I don't?



Really even being a vegetarian is not good enough for her?? I have known a few vegetarians and they never push their eating habits on me.

Although for animals I think they need to stick to their natural diets.


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## Lozzie (Apr 1, 2012)

It really really annoys me when meat eaters have a go at me about being veggie. My old (as in we don't work together any more) work collegues used to do it to me all the time, they thought they were having fun and having a laugh and although they didn't upset me it's just so frustrating having to defend yourself! I once asked whether they would eat a dog and they all said they wouldn't so I said "what's the difference between a dog and a cow" and that went down in the stupid comments book!! I never ever _ever_ try to push my veggie feelings on to anyone else, it's their choice! We are all friends by the way, these sort of digging at each other conversations were a daily occurance, I just felt the veggie one was a little too personal!


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