Do dogs need a raw diet? Are they carnivores or can they eat grains?

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

There is still much debate on this topic. My personal opinion is omnivore. Dogs are derived from wolves which are carnivores however, dogs have been domesticated for a long time and their diet has evolved just like ours has since the caveman times. Here are a couple of good articles for you to read. They are written by veterinarians and researchers. In my limited time/space in this forum I could not possibly give you all the information. http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/are-dogs-carnivores-heres-what-new-research-says https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/canine-nutrition/dogs-carnivores-omnivores/ Hope this answers your question.

Great question! Grains are fine for Buffy, you do not need to feed her a grain free diet. There is absolutely so scientific evidence that grain free diets have any benefits to dogs, and it's a fad in my opinion. In addition, it's actually extremely rare for a dog to have a grain allergy. Only 10% of all allergies in dogs are due to food, and the majority of them are protein allergies. Go ahead and feed Buffy a diet with grains in it, it will provide a source of fiber and energy for her. I hope this helps!

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 :-)

This is a great question! There is currently no evidence that wheat or other grains in pet food and treats is 'bad' unless a pet has an allergy to wheat. Grains provide important nutrients, and even strict carnivores like wild cats probably ingest some grain contained in the stomachs of their prey. All pet foods need some way to provide carbohydrates, and the potato or pea in grain free foods is just an alternative source of carbohydrate. In summary, the 'grain free' pet food trend is mostly about marketing, and probably reflects the popularity of grain free and gluten free diets for people.

Hello. Dogs are definitely omnivores & can digest grains & vegetables just fine. Many pets enjoy chewing on raw carrots, but a little processing will not hurt with any vegetable. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Great question! In my opinion, grain free diets are a current fad. There is actually no scientific evidence that grain free diets are beneficial to dogs at all. Grains are fine for dogs, they provide a source of fiber which helps fill them up and keeps them satisfied. It sounds like Koda is letting you know he likes grains if he's picking the Royal Canin over Blue. Also in my opinion, Blue is a terrible food and you will find many, many veterinarians agree with that opinion. It is not a well regarded food in the veterinary community. Many vets have seen terrible cases of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in dogs in Blue, as well as a lot of gas. In addition, they have been caught a number of times lying about what goes into their product, false advertising, and no quality control over how their food is made (they don't own their own factories, they send the recipe out to be made). Royal Canin is an excellent brand of food, and the best part of it is that they have veterinary nutritionists on staff. Blue, as far as I'm aware, does not. I would think a veterinary nutritionist would be best to know what a dog does and doesn't need in a diet. If Koda likes the Royal Canin, I recommend feeding that to him. Just be sure to switch his food over slowly so that he doesn't get GI upset from a quick change. I hope this helps!