Do dogs need an all-meat diet, or are they considered omnivores?

Dogs can be considered omnivores. This is due to their dietary requirements, as well as the shape of their teeth, their ability to digest carbohydrates, and the size of their intestinal tract. Unlike cats who are true carnivores, dogs do not need high amounts of taurine and other vitamins, and can synthesize their own essential animo acids from vegetable products. Cats cannot do this, and require meat to get these amino acids such as arachidonic acid. Cats also need higher amounts of taurine. A dog's molars are relatively flat on the surface, which allows them to grind up fibrous plant material as well as bone and meat. Their small intestine compromises about 23% of their total gastrointestinal volume, which is consistent with other omnivores. Cats, on the other hand, have a small intestine that comprises only 15%. Dogs can also synthesize vitamin A from betacarotene found in plants. It is due to these reasons that dogs can be considered omnivores. I hope this helps :-)

You are right, this is a myth. Some people even believe that today's modern dogs are descended directly from wolves, and therefore should be fed raw. When was the last time you saw a pack of pugs running wild in the woods taking down deer? It's ridiculous! Todays dogs are so far removed from wolves it's even funny. They have evolved, and grains are beneficial to dogs. Dogs are actually omnivores, and even wolves in wild will eat the contents of the stomach of their prey first, which consists of veggies and grains! I hope this helps!

Dogs have evolved to eat a very mixed diet similar to ourselves as they have become domesticated, indeed wolves and wild dogs do not eat an entirely meat diet either. Many dogs do very well on a diet with a mixture of meat, cereals and vegetables - the true value is in the correct balance of digestible nutrients - protein/carbs/fibre as well as vitamins, minerals and supplements and not in the actual source they came from as long as they are prepared correctly. Bear in mind however some dogs have particular sensitivities or dietary conditions which require specialist or prescription diets

No, this is not true. Modern dogs have absolutely nothing to do with wolfes and their nutrition any more. The AVMA is not recommending raw feeding due to the danger of the meat being contaminated with salmonella, campylobacter and other bacteria. You should feed a complete food for medium sized to large sized dogs. Here is some information: https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/Raw-Pet-Foods-and-the-AVMA-Policy-FAQ.aspx https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/Raw-or-Undercooked-Animal-Source-Protein-in-Cat-and-Dog-Diets.aspx

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The topic of 'what to feed your dog' is complicated and very opinion orientated. This means that you will likely get a different answer from each person you ask. My recommendations are to get the best quality dry dog food you can, and feed that. As long as your dog is happy, eating, having normal poops, is a good weight and has a good hair coat, don't worry about other details. Raw meat of any kind is very dangerous and causes severe infections, and bones of any kind (cooked or raw) are very dangerous as well, so I would avoid those. If you would like to feed some meat or vegetables in addition to the dry food you can. Cook the meat as you would for yourself to eat, but without any spices or seasoning (garlic and onions are toxic to dogs), and vegetables like potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, are all good as well (cooked or raw). Best of luck with your little one!

Because dogs are mostly carnivorous it is healthiest to have your dog on a meat based diet. Dogs can survive as vegetarians but it is certainly not the healthiest option. Vegetarian dogs may be prone to health and skin issues.

Hello! All great questions and comments - and you're right, there's a lot of conflicting information out there regarding food. Some of the information you're going to find is based on personal preference or a value bias. Corn is a good source of digestible carbs, fatty acids, and protein - but these things are better digested in dogs than in cats (who are obligate carnivores), and some people prefer to minimize grains, so those people might state corn is "bad".... in my opinion, the focus on grains is based more on trends in human nutrition than evidence-based pet nutrition. Statements regarding what pet foods are "good" vs "bad" will also come from personal preference...your vet can probably explain what made them state that Purina is better than Merrick, and another vet might have their own input on the matter. I do personally like both Purina and Hills because I find their products consistent, reliable, and I like that those companies put a lot of their profits back into nutrition research to work on creating good foods - but that doesn't mean they're the only good foods out there. Raw food is another hot topic. I have worked extensively with dog mushers, and raw meat is a very common component to their food - and I'm fine with that. However, I also have a degree in Public Health, and know that raw foods increase the likelihood of foodborne illness such as salmonella both in the pets themselves, and in the humans who are in contact with them. So, again, there are going to be different sides to the conversation. It's confusing when there's conflicting information! Try to sort through what's based on research and evidence, and what is based on the personal opinions and biases of the speaker. Good luck! Hope this helps.