This week I converted my dogs diet from a dry vegan dog food, to a 100% whole raw food diet. And by the way, he did really good on the vegan diet and got more than enough protein since I laced it with super foods like spirulina. But anyways, lately I’ve been having a little trouble trying to get him to eat certain raw foods. he loves stuff like coconut and certain nuts but won’t eat a lot of other things like some vegetables,fruits or seeds. I was hoping some of you could give me any ideas or maybe even recipes that you prepare for your dogs or cats. Shedding any light on the subject would be so helpful.
thanks
Comments
Wow, I thought the people on here would be a little more opened minded being that this is a community of raw foodists, but I guess not. First off, I find it very interesting that some of you would call it animal cruelty to feed dogs a vegan diet, when most people feed their dogs commercial processed antibiotic, pesticide, herbicide, containing real dogs, allergy causing grains and many other poisons, death food. Its not that I don’t want my dogs to eat meat, its just that Killing other animals and supporting an industry that tortures and then slaughters animals in an unnatural setting just for a profit, now that is animal cruelty. I don’t get mad at my dogs when they eat mice or small birds, and maybe I’ll start taking them to the wild mesa where they can wild craft rabbits. LOL. But I am in no way going to have animals tortured and slaughtered by humans so that my dogs could have raw meat. They can get all the protein they need from spirulina, bee pollen, goji berries, ect these have far more protein than meat and complete protein. They are actually my parents pets and I’m taking care of them because they were like dying before I saved their lives from the standard dog diet and now they are the youngest healthiest happiest dogs I have ever seen! The oldest one had arthritis and looked like he was going to die in like 6 months, and I’ve seen this happen to countless dogs that are feed regular dog food. My dog no longer has arthirits and looks at least 5 years younger. My dogs are so healthy its unbelievable. Yes, a regular vegan diet wouldn’t provide enough protein for an omnivore, but with super foods included, they can actually get more protein than with meat. And again, I am not forcing them to withhold from eating meat, I encourage them to eat bugs, birds, mice, and rabbits, as we have so many of these where I live. I agree that what they naturally eat is probably best. But you have to consider that some foods are still just as sustaining and health giving even though it is not natural for us to eat them. Like spirulina for ex. Our ancestors or cavemen or even monkeys never eat algae as a large portion of their diet, but yet spirulina and chlorella are so nutritious that you can actually totally survive off of it and just water. Buddhists have been know to do this for years and they become healthier than almost all health conscious Americans. Now imagine combining 10 other superfoods this nutritious, and adding it to foods they enjoy, that already contains a substantial amount of raw protein, fats, and sugars. The results are pretty remarkable. I could lecture some of you for your choice of food you give to your pets, but its easier to criticize me just cause mine is more unusual or radical(Remember, all of the greatest people of time were radical, Jesus, Gandhi, ect..) you seem to think what I’m doing is wrong even though you haven’t thoroughly researched the subject.
So please, if any of you are going to lecture or attack me about this, please don’t even bother to post. Only productive answers,
Thanks
Any suggestions or places where I could find more information about feeding my dog a raw vegan diet? What would be the best way to start? Thanks!
Below is a web site, written by a veterinarian, outlining some of the reasons that a vegan diet may not be suitable for dogs and cats. While I am convinced that you, rawuniverse2, have only the very best intentions, and while I don’t agree with everything the vet writes, there is the ethical question of feeding an animal a diet that is outside of its nature. Everyone must decide for themselves, of course, but please also do some research yourself and at least consider some other points of view as well. If I’m going to feed myself foods that are appropriate for my anatomy and physiology (mostly vegan, mostly raw), how can I do any less for my beloved pets?
http://www.dognutrition.com/vegetarian-diet-for…
Rawuniverse2 You asked what people thought and they are telling you. I don’t think anyone was trying to attack you, they were just giving the information you asked for. Dogs in nature ate meat that they killed. Since we have domesticated them they can no longer do that. It is up to us as pet owners to be responsible and provide them with what is best for them and their health not our ideaology. And are you comparing yourself to Jesus and Gandhi?
rawuniverse2 – you might find browsing through posts / posting your question on this forum helpful:
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=31
Thanks for all your posts, a lot of different views which is good. I actually caved yesterday and decided to keep my dogs only on the vegan diet. They don’t like raw plant food very much. They like cooked plant food though because their use to it. I actually think one of them is playing with my head though, He acts like he doesn’t want the raw food I prepare, and then as soon as I leave, he starts eating small amounts,but making sure I can’t see him, I spied from the window and noticed this. I think they know that I’ll cave if they hold of from eating, since they probably prefer taste of cooked food, its what their use to. So instead of giving them 100% raw food, I’m just going to try and introduce more and more raw food into their diet.
By the way, I never meant to compare myself to jesus or gandhi, it was just a simple analogy, sorry if anyone took it that way.
Some of you might think its wrong to feed dogs a vegan diet, but honestly my dogs are the healthiest dogs I have ever seen. They could be dog models, seriously. Think about what rawmumma said, do you think that the longest living dog in the world would be on a diet that is not suitable or nutritious for them. I think a vegan diet is very clean and healthy way of living. Dogs are omnivorous, they scavenge and live off what is avaliable, kind of like us, and as long as enough protein is supplemented like spirulina or hemp, than I think that all of their nutritional needs will be taken care of.
I tried switching my 2 Maltese dogs to a raw food diet. I purchased organic raw food by Nature’s Variety and supplemented with raw meaty bones. My dogs loved it, but they did not do well on it at all. They started getting tear stains and paw stains. They started panting very heavy at all times. As soon as I took them off of the raw diet, they returned to normal. I have no idea what the problem was. I have started giving them INNOVA EVO dog food. It is a raw kibble. The animals they use in the food are not given antibiotics and are grain fed, etc although the meat is not organic. My dogs love this food and are doing well on it. I, too, hate buying meat for my dogs. PETA does recommend vegetarian dog food. But my dogs won’t eat it, so I feel like I have no choice! Best of luck! Love, Tammy
Rawuniverse2 I understand why you dont want to feed your pets slautered animals. It is bad enough that we have companion animals in the first place that are not allowed to live natural lives in the wild, because man has destroyed the natural world. I have cats and I know they are carnivores. I get around buying them raw meat by #1 dumpster diving. I smell the meat ( i know it is gross) and see if it is fresh enough. # 2 going to antibiotic free organic butchers and asking them for whatever scraps they will donate me. I dont want to contribute financialy to the killing of animals but this seems to be a “freegan” (free and vegan) alternative so my kitty can get fed an ideal diet. I believe though that dogs, unlike cats, are fine being vegan.
I had a german shepherd who was really sick for a long time from being poisoned. He really got better when I treated him to carrot juice mixed with avocado with shredded up kale and nutritional yeast and Bragg’s (don’t know if they are raw). I put this on top of his food. He gobbled it up!
There is a book called “Reigning Cats and Dogs”, all about raw food for pets. Can’t name the author.
Dogs and cats do excellent on a raw diet. They need vitamins, minerals and enzymes too. Look at the Pottinger Cats study. It showed that a raw diet was superior over a cooked or blend of raw/cooked diet. Raw meat and raw bones with some raw veggies are great. Animals will choose distilled water or other types too. Animals in the wild do not eat raw meat everyday and neither should domesticated. Feeding them 6 days on and 1 day off being a fast day of water is fabulous each week. Many dogs love the carrot/vegetable pulp from the juicer also. There’s some more ideas.
I have a chihuahua named vinny who eats raw animal meat- turkey, chicken rabbit, and he absolutely loves it. he runs around the house like a crazy dog!! It is so funny! He also love veggies and fruits, I actually thinks he likes the raw vegan diet better. But dogs are carnivores I do not think feeding an all raw vegan diet would be healthy. By the way my chihuahua thinks he is a tough guy!! No yappy dog syndrome for him! He has hiked all the Vermont mountains with me, and I do not carry him! LOL-
what is this dogs name? i looked up the worlds oldest dog and it seems to be BELLA in England , a lab that is 203 years old in dog years?
but this dog is not vegan
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1021224/At-203-doggie-years-Bella-mongrel-worlds-oldest-dog-ever.html