A Vegetarian Diet for Your Dog?

Many animal-loving vegetarians are faced with the dilemma concerning how to deal with their pets' nutritional needs. They don't like the idea of other animals being slaughtered to feed the pets that they love. On the other hand, they don't want to subject their pets to malnutrition. This can be a tough game of give and take for many pet owners.

The truth is, it is possible to provide a healthy, vegetarian diet for dogs - but it is very difficult, and often more expensive than conventional choices. Your dog is not a true carnivore, but rather an omnivore. Read the ingredients on the back of the bag of dog food some time. The first ingredient listed is corn. The second is soy. The first meat product, poultry product (not even meat), doesn't come in until number three.

What does this mean? It means that while meat may not be as dominant in Fido's diet as you might have believed, your dog is still getting many of his essential nutrients from animal by products. And while a dog may not be a true carnivore—like, for instance, a cat—he is much more carnivorous than a human. Putting your dog on a vegetarian diet is much more complicated and must be monitored much more tightly than the vegetarian diet you provide for yourself.

There are many products available for those interested in canine vegetarianism, including commercial dog foods (of varying degrees of quality), and various books which provide recipes and tips for ensuring that your pet gets all of the amino acids and vitamin B12 that he needs from his non-animal sources. Even if you don't choose to go entirely vegetarian with your dog food you can still choose natural and organic foods too. Natural dog food is made up of ingredients that have not been processed and do not have added chemicals or hormones. Organic pet food is made from at least 90% organic ingredients that also do not have chemical ingredients or hormones.