Have You Ever Purchased Vegetarian Dog Food?

Gharrissc · 11-23-2012, 11:12 PM

Has anyone up here ever tried their dogs on a vegetarian food? Several years ago when I was still trying to decide what I was going to feed, I purchased a sample pack of Evolution for my dogs and they wouldn't eat it,so that was the end of that.There was a lot of hype about dogs/cats being 'guaranteed' to live twice as long on this brand of food,but there was also some backlash about those claims.

ChancetheGSD · 11-25-2012, 02:02 PM

Well considering my dogs aren't vegetarian and there is no point for them to be...No. In fact, Zoey eats a carnivorous diet of raw muscle meat, organ meat and bone. No fruits, veggies, grains, ect. Those things caused yeast infections over her whole body therefore being useless additions to her diet, something that would make up ALL of her diet on a vegetarian food. (Which would lead to nothing but medical bills and suffering for her!)

Only thing I'd find it half useful for would be to supplement real meat for those who feel that the non-animal products in this food would be useful to their dogs diet without having to feed them fresh which some dogs don't take very well to and/or for the added vitamins in the food if they feel they can't "balance" a real diet. Even then I feel if you're going to feed kibble and meat, just go for a regular kibble with meat in it. I wouldn't JUST feed a vegetarian kibble by it's self. JM2C.

As for guarantee of living twice as long, do you get a refund for all the food you buy if the dog dies "early"? What about medical bill coverages if the dog has problems on it? I mean "twice as long" for our breed would be roughly 18-24 years. Heck, many small breeds average 15+ years. Does this mean they'll live to 30+ years old?? Where are all the dogs at to prove these double lifespan claims?! :O

Are you interested in feeding a vegetarian diet? Is there any specific reason? If someone absolutely HAD to feed a vegetarian diet because they couldn't stand the thought of the "poor animals dying" then I'd at least put forth the effort to research and make your own diet than feeding kibbles that are mostly soy.

msvette2u · 11-25-2012, 02:36 PM

Since all vegetarian foods use soy, no, I'd never feed that.
Ever.

Sunflowers · 11-25-2012, 02:43 PM

To me, that would be a case of refusing to meet the dog's nutritional needs because of the human's beliefs.

msvette2u · 11-25-2012, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunflowers

To me, that would be a case of refusing to meet the dog's needs because of the human's beliefs.

Oh there's billions of examples of this going on daily though, not just diets

Dogs aren't small people in fur coats!

Jo_in_TX · 11-25-2012, 02:55 PM

No. In the wild, dogs are not vegetarians, and I think it's cruel to try to put a dog on a vegetarian diet.

I don't eat soy; I sure wouldn't feed it to my dog.

I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO · 11-25-2012, 03:01 PM

I'm a vegetarian-but feed my dog a raw diet. Not eating meat may be healthy for me, but my dog is A DOG and needs meat! It actually really bothers me when people feed their dogs or cats a vegetarian diet. If they are so concerned with the treatment of animals, 1)they should purchase humanely raised animal products, or 2)they shouldn't have dogs or cats if they refuse to provide a healthy diet. Get a rabbit!

Sunflowers · 11-25-2012, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO

I'm a vegetarian-but feed my dog a raw diet. Not eating meat may be healthy for me, but my dog is A DOG and needs meat! It actually really bothers me when people feed their dogs or cats a vegetarian diet. If they are so concerned with the treatment of animals, 1)they should purchase humanely raised animal products, or 2)they shouldn't have dogs or cats if they refuse to provide a healthy diet. Get a rabbit!

Thank you, my fellow Floridian.

PatchonGSD · 11-25-2012, 03:22 PM

I didnt even know there was such a thing.

Freestep · 11-25-2012, 03:41 PM

I don't know why this food is even made. There must be a niche market for it, otherwise, they wouldn't be making it... but it's hard for me to understand how that many people think a soy and grain based diet is a proper diet for a canine.

Now, if you made a kibble out of egg and milk products, it could be a decent kibble and still vegetarian. But a vegan diet is just so inappropriate for dogs. They are not obligate carnivores like cats, but they are not really omnivores either, their teeth are not like a bears' which have grinding molars in the back. A dog's teeth are designed for eating meat and bone. Sure, they can survive on plant proteins, but they won't really thrive.

I'm surprised to hear a claim that dogs will live "twice as long" on a vegetarian kibble, was that a claim made by the manufacturer?

11-23-2012, 11:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
Gharrissc Knighted Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,760	Have You Ever Purchased Vegetarian Dog Food? Has anyone up here ever tried their dogs on a vegetarian food? Several years ago when I was still trying to decide what I was going to feed, I purchased a sample pack of Evolution for my dogs and they wouldn't eat it,so that was the end of that.There was a lot of hype about dogs/cats being 'guaranteed' to live twice as long on this brand of food,but there was also some backlash about those claims.

11-25-2012, 02:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
ChancetheGSD Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 2,306	Well considering my dogs aren't vegetarian and there is no point for them to be...No. In fact, Zoey eats a carnivorous diet of raw muscle meat, organ meat and bone. No fruits, veggies, grains, ect. Those things caused yeast infections over her whole body therefore being useless additions to her diet, something that would make up ALL of her diet on a vegetarian food. (Which would lead to nothing but medical bills and suffering for her!) Only thing I'd find it half useful for would be to supplement real meat for those who feel that the non-animal products in this food would be useful to their dogs diet without having to feed them fresh which some dogs don't take very well to and/or for the added vitamins in the food if they feel they can't "balance" a real diet. Even then I feel if you're going to feed kibble and meat, just go for a regular kibble with meat in it. I wouldn't JUST feed a vegetarian kibble by it's self. JM2C. As for guarantee of living twice as long, do you get a refund for all the food you buy if the dog dies "early"? What about medical bill coverages if the dog has problems on it? I mean "twice as long" for our breed would be roughly 18-24 years. Heck, many small breeds average 15+ years. Does this mean they'll live to 30+ years old?? Where are all the dogs at to prove these double lifespan claims?! :O Are you interested in feeding a vegetarian diet? Is there any specific reason? If someone absolutely HAD to feed a vegetarian diet because they couldn't stand the thought of the "poor animals dying" then I'd at least put forth the effort to research and make your own diet than feeding kibbles that are mostly soy. Last edited by ChancetheGSD; 11-25-2012 at 02:05 PM.

11-25-2012, 02:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Sunflowers Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Florida Posts: 4,661	To me, that would be a case of refusing to meet the dog's nutritional needs because of the human's beliefs. __________________ Norden von Narnia--Hans, dob 1-15-2012 http://pdgf.pitapata.com/uC6lm4.png Last edited by Sunflowers; 11-25-2012 at 02:51 PM.

11-25-2012, 02:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jo_in_TX Master Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Houston area Posts: 766	No. In the wild, dogs are not vegetarians, and I think it's cruel to try to put a dog on a vegetarian diet. I don't eat soy; I sure wouldn't feed it to my dog. __________________ *Jo & Teddy,my female german shepherd, born Christmas Day, 2011 "One reason a dog is such a lovable creature is his tail wags instead of his tongue."* - Unknown

11-25-2012, 03:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO Knighted Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 2,864	I'm a vegetarian-but feed my dog a raw diet. Not eating meat may be healthy for me, but my dog is A DOG and needs meat! It actually really bothers me when people feed their dogs or cats a vegetarian diet. If they are so concerned with the treatment of animals, 1)they should purchase humanely raised animal products, or 2)they shouldn't have dogs or cats if they refuse to provide a healthy diet. Get a rabbit! __________________ Mikko (USDAA) MAD, SAM, GM, RM, SJ, SS; (NADAC) EAC, EJC, TN-E, TG-E, WV-O, OCC, HP-O, VerO; (AKC) NAJ, CGC; NW1 - 7 year old GSD

11-25-2012, 02:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
msvette2u Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 11,005	Since all vegetarian foods use soy, no, I'd never feed that. Ever.

11-25-2012, 03:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
PatchonGSD Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,514	I didnt even know there was such a thing. __________________ Balen Patchon Adopted 8-28-12 http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1275860 Failure is success, if you learn from it.

11-25-2012, 03:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
Freestep Crowned Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,154	I don't know why this food is even made. There must be a niche market for it, otherwise, they wouldn't be making it... but it's hard for me to understand how that many people think a soy and grain based diet is a proper diet for a canine. Now, if you made a kibble out of egg and milk products, it could be a decent kibble and still vegetarian. But a vegan diet is just so inappropriate for dogs. They are not obligate carnivores like cats, but they are not really omnivores either, their teeth are not like a bears' which have grinding molars in the back. A dog's teeth are designed for eating meat and bone. Sure, they can survive on plant proteins, but they won't really thrive. I'm surprised to hear a claim that dogs will live "twice as long" on a vegetarian kibble, was that a claim made by the manufacturer?

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