Vegetarian Dog Food - Feeding your Dog on a Meat-free Diet

When you have pets you want to give them the best and most natural food available. Before dogs were domesticated they would have eaten a diet of fresh raw meat. Domesticated dogs nowadays are usually fed on a diet of processed food made up of a variety of meats and other additives.

Why Do Owners Feed Their Dogs a Vegetarian Diet?

There are many reasons why an owner would place their dog on a vegetarian diet. Some dogs may be placed on a vegetarian diet because they exhibit allergies towards traditional meat-protein diets.

Other owners feed their dogs on a vegetarian diet because they themselves are vegetarian and wish to follow that dietary philosophy in all aspects of their lives.

Things to Consider Before Feeding Your Dog a Vegetarian Diet

Dogs are part of the carnivorous species of animals, however domesticated dogs nowadays are considered omnivorous as their diet is usually made up of both meat and plant products.

Physiologically, however, dogs are designed to eat meat – this can be seen from their teeth and digestive systems. Their nutritional requirements – lots of protein and calcium - reflect these features.

The most important consideration before putting your dog on a vegetarian diet is whether all of its nutritional requirements can be met by the new diet. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) have developed a nutrition profile for a dog's diet. Finding a regular, meat diet for dogs is hard enough, but the challenge becomes even more difficult when making it vegetarian.

Although protein and calcium can be found in many plant products, these may not contain sufficient levels for your dog's daily needs. When selecting a diet it is important to ensure that it meets the nutritional requirements set by AAFC, preferably through scientific testing.

It is important to ensure that your dog is in optimum health before changing their diet and then to follow up with your veterinarian about two months later to ensure that they are maintaining optimum health. Be aware of any changes in your pets behavior, coat sheen, clarity in the eyes and energy levels.

Choosing a Vegetarian Diet for Your Dog

As mentioned above, choosing a vegetarian diet that meets all your dog's nutritional requirements can be difficult.

As mentioned above, choosing a vegetarian diet that meets all your dog's nutritional requirements can be difficult. Many homemade meals do not meet the nutritional requirements of your dogs. Unless you have a high level of awareness regarding food and nutrition and a lot of time to craft a wholesome diet for your dog, it is probably a better option to source ready-made vegetarian dog food.

There are a number of vegetarian dog food products on the market that meet the nutritional requirements set by AAFCO. Any product you buy should not only meet these standards, but also be one that your dog likes and will readily eat. It may take a little while to get your dog to adjust to a meat-free diet and it is recommended that you adjust their diet slowly to avoid stressing their digestive system. Depending on your reasons for placing your dog on a vegetarian diet, you might want to consider feeding them on a largely vegetarian diet, combined with small amounts of fresh, organic, free-range meat products

Before changing your dog’s diet (whether to a vegetarian diet or a meat-diet) you should consult with your veterinarian, and remember to schedule regular checkups for all your pets.