Vegan Dogs: Are you Serious?

Vegan Dogs are you Serious?

The short answer is YES. Domesticated dogs have evolved in such a way that they are omnivorous and are able to live and thrive off of a vegan diet. With a vegan diet many pet owners have noticed healthier skin, coats, and less allergies, while also reporting more energy, a healthy weight, and good oral hygiene.

Did you know?

"Bramble", a border collie, was once listed as the oldest dog in the Guinness Book of World Records at 27 years-old! The dog was VEGAN.

Just like with human bodies, studies show that meat consumption has caused issues such as allergies, cancer, and kidney, heart, and bone problems, which also affect many of our pets. There are many cheaply produced pet foods that are filled with artificial flavors, colors, and fillers that pets go into kidney failure and more due to an improper, cheap, diet. Also many pet foods have been recalled due to mad cow disease, otherwise known as, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Therefore, it's best to avoid products that cause diseases, allergies, and obseity in our pets.

Of course your canine friend must still eat appropriately. You cannot just throw it a carrot and expect everything to be okay. Dogs must get the right amount of protein and certain amino acids such as L. carnitine, and taurine which are essential for proper functioning of the heart. Cats must also get taurine or they could lose their hearing and other ailments can arise. But I am focusing on dogs here. I do not, nor claim to, know anything about how to properly feed a cat a vegan diet. I do know several people who do have vegan cats and have had no trouble with their health.

Next, dogs should ideally eat raw food as it's easier on their bodies to digest; however, I mix in a bit of raw and cooked food as well as kibble in their meals.

Brands of Dog Food

I have been feeding my dogs V-dog as well as the base (non-meat) mix from the Honest Kitchen. I prepare the raw food from the Honest Kitchen and mix in some dry dog kibble, sprinkle a bit of nutritional yeast on top followed by a few cut up yams and a sprinkle of cumin. They go crazy! Sometimes I will add additional items if I am eating them myself such as carrots, lentils or quinoa.

Why nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast that supplies many with extra vitamins and protein. It contains 18 amino acids which make it a complete protein and 15 different minerals including B-12. Nutritional yeast also has chromium, which is a race mineral that stabilizes the blood sugar levels in humans, therefore it is a beneficial supplement for those who are diabetic. It has a mild, nutty flavor and the dogs lick it right up.

Why cumin?

Eh. They like the flavor. Dogs love to eat what humans eat because they, like us, enjoy the spices. So I sprinkle a little on for them.

Directions

Mix together filtered water (when available I use the leftover water that the yams were boiled in) and the dehydrated Honest Kitchen mix. Add a scoop of V-dog Kibble. Mix together.

Sprinkle some nutritional yeast.

Top with however many yams you like.

(only three pieces pictured here because they ate a bunch before I made the dinner)

Where to buy

I buy V-dog from their website. It is pricey but worth it. They don't skimp the food with bad quality ingredients and they also have a green company, which I like to support given the state of this world. Anyway, I haven't found it cheaper anywhere else. Sometimes Amazon will have a deal and if you're a prime member then your shipping is at least free. (click the photo to go to their website!)

I also buy the Honest Kitchen Preference base mix, I find they like that one the best, from Amazon.com. I have never once bought it from the actual website. However, they do have a deal: when you save all your UPC codes, you can send them in for a free box! I have seen smaller 4lb boxes of the Honest Kitchen at natural grocers, but never the base mix. Also, call the company, they're great at sending you samples. (click the pic to head to their website!)

Treats!

Here are some store bought treats I buy that are vegan:

Buddy Biscuits: Peanut Butter Flavor (I find these for around $4 at Target)

Both treats contain no soy, no corn, no gluten, no artificial flavors or colors, no meat, and no animal by-products. These are their favorite.

I also make them boiled yams and cut them into small bite size pieces which they love and eat daily. Meaning, I buy and make a lot of yams! They also enjoy carrots, squash, frozen papaya in the summer, peanut butter and homemade peanut butter treats which consists of flour, oats, flax, chia seeds, and peanut butter.

Isle of the Dogs: Joint (I find at Petco for around $6)

You probably have your doubts. But let me tell you a story. My parents had a little dog named Juliette, those who know me, know that Juliette is now my baby. However, back when she was my mother's dog she was eating store-bought, rotisserie chicken and store-bought, carnitas all her life. Sometimes with a mountain of cheese on top. She suffered from violent seizures, was over-weight, and didn't have a ton of energy. In fact, I remember her looking sad all the time.

The reason I now have Juliette is because my parents rescued another dog who was vicious to her and they needed to separate them for Juliette's safety.

Once she got in my possession and I became her mother she ate Wellness dog food and I took her off of her medication and she became a lot healthier. She had more energy, would be really playful and she lost weight. Her coat began to shine. Now for the past three-years she and my schnauzer have been eating vegan because we do not want to support the death of other animals, nor factory farming. Whenever I take them to the dog park they are always admired for their energy and everyone goes mad when I tell them the ages of my dogs.

T-man is 10 years old