[steves]

<span style="color: #3333FF">Hi all,
As I belong to a vegetarian family, I would like you all to help my GSD regarding her meal.

She is 1 yr old breed and weigh around 20+ Kilograms.
Is she thin or is it the right weight for her.

Please let me know what should I treat her in vegetarian (no egg) for her?

Is it good to give milk everyday?

It would be nice of you all if i could get few vegetarian recipes to treat her.

Please help me because this is really important.

Thank You
Steve</span>

 

[Elaine]

Unless your dog some extreme medical condition that requires her to eat vegetarian, you should not feed her like that. Dogs were designed to eat meat and it's not healthy for them to eat vegetarian. There are a lot of vegetarians that feed their dogs meat. They understand that their preferred way of eating isn't the way to feed their dogs and there are even a lot of them that feed raw. Eating vegetarian can be a very healthy way of eating for people, but it isn't for dogs.

 

[natalie559]

Great post Elaine and I absolutely agree.

 

[lhczth]

Hi Steve,

While dogs can handle small amounts of vegetables/fruits in their diet, they are carnivores. They have teeth designed for tearing and eating meat/bone. Digestive tracts designed to eat meat/bone. Please reconsider the desire to feed your dog against her nature. She may do OK, but she will never thrive.

 

[nellybelle]

I agree with the above posts. Dogs were never meant to be vegans or vegetarians. At 1 yr. your dog is still developing and needs lots of meat in her diet if you are feeding raw. Otherwise get hold of the best brand kibble you can find and feed her this.
Wolves don't raid vegetable gardens, but they will kill chickens and rabbits and larger prey to consume. The stomach contents are all the vegies they need.

 

[3K9Mom]

hi Steve, I'm a vegetarian, and I agree with all the others. I've heard of fully-developed adult dogs living a vegetarian --lacto-ova -- life, but I really don't know how healthy that is for the long term. Your pup isn't even fully developed yet. Even once she reaches her full size (about 18-24 mos), I certainly don't see how you can pull this off without giving eggs, which are a rich source of protein and other nutrients.

Dogs can be lactose intolerant, especially in the massive doses of dairy products that you would need to feed to provide the protein and enzymes that your dog isn't getting from any other animal sources.

I feed my dogs a home-made diet. I feed them a large variety of vegetables. But I do feed them meat. I just can't see a way around it.

Here's what it boils down to for me. We vegetarians are usually vegetarians because we have some strong principles or ethics that require us to abstain from meat. But those same strong ethics should require us to give our dogs the best nutrition possible. If we are unwilling to do so, then we really need to re-think our decision to have a pet that is omnivorous and needs a heavily protein-based diet.

I have chosen to purchase mostly organic and grass-fed meat and organic poultry, from local farms as well as certain species of wild fish. I buy it at my health food store. It's not perfect. But many of my reasons for abstaining from meat myself are mitigated -- including horrific treatment of the animal by industrial farming; no hormones, antibiotics, etc; a smaller carbon and pollutant footprint on the environment, etc.

Ultimately, I can't treat my dogs improperly because I have ethics that dictate that I, myself, don't eat meat. That's contradictory in so many ways to me.

BTW, GSDs fed a single food for a long period of time *tend to* develop allergies to that food. So even if feeding soy-based proteins like tofu every day were practical (I don't think it is), you may just end up with a dog that is allergic to soy.

Sorry there isn't better news. Being a vegetarian is rarely convenient, is it?

 

[CindyM]

Okay, here goes. I am a strict vegan myself, and do not even have anything in my house that has animal products or is tested on animals, EXCEPT the dog food. It's a moral dilema that I face daily, and I do not think that people were meant to have dogs as pets, but since we do, I do think they need meat to be healthy, unlike us.

I've found a little bit of a happy medium in Dr. Pitcairn's Book. He does offer several vegetarian recipes, But IMO I feel dogs really should have meat as well. Either way, I think you will enjoy the book.

http://www.drpitcairn.com/books/pitcairn_book.html

I agree with 3K9Mom and, when possible, I try to get free range meats when on sale. Remember organic just means the animals are fed organic foods but could still be kept in tiny cages and what not...so go with free range when you can. Also, try going to some local butchers. A lot of times they end up throwing out the "extra" parts that are good for dogs like gizzards, hearts, bones, etc...

I do give my dogs milk occasionally and they have no issues with it, although many times I feel dairy cows are treated more poorly then the cows used for meat.

Thanks for posting - I always get so excited to meet new veggies, and keep in touch, I'd like to know how things go!

 

[DianaM]

Dogs were born to chase animals, kill animals, tear apart animals, eat animals, live by animals and die by animals. Everything in their bodies requires meat. It's cool that your family is vegetarian, but if you were able to consult this decision with your dog, she'd probably look at you as if a foot sprouted out of your head and request that you continue feeding animal-based foods to her and never speak of veggies again.

HOWEVER!

If you're just looking for *treats* and not looking to replace a kibble diet (which should already have meat in it), my dog loves bananas, blueberries, strawberries, fresh and canned green beans, fish, peanut butter, carrots, celery, bok choy, doggie fruit smoothies and doggie ice cream (all homemade), garlic, potatoes, canned pumpkin, the list goes on! If it's not poisonous or deadly for a dog, I'll give it to him and if he likes it, he'll get it as a goodie. Renji does get a raw diet though, mostly a prey-model diet but he seems to do very well with some veggies or fruits in his meal. I wouldn't give milk as it can cause stomach issues (but I have given it in small amounts when making smoothies or ice cream for him without issue), nor would I give soy (tends to be an allergen for dogs). If your bitch is 12 months old and about 50 lbs, that sounds a little small, but she could just be on the low end of the standard. Do you have a photo of her?

This is what I made as a cooling treat for my pooch: I mashed up a banana and some strawberries, added some chunky natural peanut butter, a splash of milk (I didn't have vanilla ice cream on hand), a bit of honey, then I froze it in a bowl. Once frozen, I gave it to Renji and he polished it off QUICK! Next time, I'm loading the Kong with this but mixing it with baby carrots to make it more difficult to extract. Also, giving whole frozen bananas and carrots and celery is fun. I'm pretty sure most of this goes in the dog and out the dog without much "in between," but he enjoys it and I like giving him goodies like that. Sure better than a silly Milkbone!

 

[Barb E]

3K9Mom - Could I send your post to my friend that owns the natural pet supply store?

She and I were just talking last weekend about vegetarians and vegans that own dogs/cats.

Your post says beautifully what I was trying to say.

 

[CindyM]

I might make that "cooling treat" for my pups - thanks!

 

[Cooper&me]

I am also a vegetarian. I think it is the healthiest choice for me. I also do no dairy or soft cheeses.

The dogs are all fed a raw diet for one meal and hig quality kibble (oriejn) for the other meal. This is what I feel is best for them. An all vegetarian diet seems to go against their natural make up. I would never endannger the health of my dogs that way.

 

[LadyHawk]

Yup - I'm another vegan here- My dogs eat meat - as nature intended them to- It's not my first choice for them , but it's thier health that comes first .....they get (High quality) dry kibbles- soaked 15 minutes in chicken broth and a taste of canned for each meal......................twice daily.
and lots of treats (beacause they are the best in the whole world)
On occasion , they will have a rawhyde but no pigs ears; tails, hooves etc.....I don't trust them...... I have seen and heard too many cases of Salmonilla

 

[selzer]

Good luck. I am not a vegetarian and I feed my dogs meat. I suppose it depends on your reason for being a vegetarian, and what all you will or will not eat, no eggs, huh? If the reason for not eating meat is simply health, eat vegetables, etc., and feed your dog meat. If your reason for not eating meat is the treatment of animals raised for that industry, there are some things you may concider:

1. By organic free range meat for your dog.
2. Feed your dog a recipe with fish rather than meat source.

Not sure if fish is included in what you allow.

I guess it may be easier to pick a pet that is a herbivor. But its a little late for that now.

If you think your pup is skinny at 50 pounds, she probably is, and I really think you need to start feeding her meat or fish right away. She is still growing, and should not be very underweight now.

 

[Timber1]

Steve,

your post is scary. There is no way on God's earth a dog should be fed a vegetarian diet. The replies that follow your original post clearly explain why.

Also, do a bit more research. There is no such thing as to much meat; a diet heavily loaded in veggies can cause problems.

 

[Elaine]

This post was started a year ago.

 

[Timber1]

The point you ae trying to make. So many other posts were started a long time ago, but if still alive our feedback might help.

 

[DianaM]

If anything, because so many people are interested in vegetarian diets and vegetarian diets are now available for pets, it'd be good to keep this post visible so people thinking about feeding a veg diet can read the information here and perhaps make a wiser choice.

 

[steves]

Hi all,
Thanks for sharing all of your comments and advice and I really hope there should be a better solution for those who are strictly vegetarians...

Please do stick this topic.

Steve

 

[Brightelf]

Steve, where are your thoughts on this, then? What has your research turned up? Will you try to do a vegetarian diet for your dogs, or a species-appropriate(meat-based) diet for your dog?

 

[Chris Wild]

Originally Posted By: stevesI really hope there should be a better solution for those who are strictly vegetarians...

Unfortunately there really isn't.

Mammals come in 3 types: herbivore, omnivore and carnivore.

Humans, being omnivores, can choose vegetarian diets because they have digestive tracts that are designed to handle both types of food and can adjust.

Dogs are carnivores. Their digestive systems cannot properly process plant matter. They can handle a small amount in their diet (though it's not necessary) but everything from their teeth to their stomachs to their intestines is designed to eat meat. Their digestive systems are not adaptable like that of an omnivore, so they must eat a meat based diet to be healthy.

Feeding a dog a vegetarian diet is like trying to feed a horse a meat based diet. It is inappropriate and unhealthy for the species.