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Why Vegetarian
Dogs?
This book was written to address
the subject canine nutrition, ethics pertaining to vegetarianism,
exercise, health and rehabilitation. We have raised numerous
dogs in the manner described in this book successfully for over the
past twenty years, many examples of which are illustrated and
discussed in this book. The purpose of this book is to shed light
not only on the vegetarian or vegan nutritional alternative
pertaining to K-9 health, but to also provide a sense of awareness
to the many horrors and ill-effects of the meat industry. Equally
important, the relationship between dogs and people is exemplified,
nourished, and enriched through the beautiful illustrations and
related stories you will learn about.
Is feeding my dog
Vegetarian Food safe and healthy?
Can dogs live healthy and active
lives on a vegetarian or vegan diet? Yes! In fact, dogs can thrive
on a vegetarian, or vegan diet, regardless of age, breed, or being genetically predisposed
to any particular ailments. The fact is that it's 100%
safe for ANY dog to
subsist on an exclusively vegetarian or vegan diet, provided you
follow the guidelines, as illustrated in this
book. We have fed
numerous dogs a completely vegetarian (vegan) diet for over 20
years now. All of our dogs have thrived and
showed no
evidence of malnutrition . In most cases, the dogs lived well beyond their
normal life expectancy! Furthermore, numerous studies
cited throughout
this book give support to this practice. There is no scientifically
known reason why dogs cannot live full, healthy lives on an
exclusively vegetarian diet or vegan diet. Some suggest more
widespread benefits from a vegetarian diet:
" Dogs would benefit
in health and temperament worldwide... Such a diet would also
greatly reduce the risks of cancer, strokes, heart attacks, and
other common diseases and disorders. "--Michael W. Fox, D.V.M. Changes in temperament
can be correlated with the increase of norepinephrine. Dr. Judith
J. Wurtman of MIT notes: "Carbohydrate foods are relaxing, reducing
stress and anxiety...Lean meat, in contrast, is one of the foods
that stimulates brain chemicals such as dopamine and
norepinephrine, which have log been linked to the fright, flight,
or fight reactions..."
What about
meat?
Firstly, dogs are omnivores, not
carnivores. Hence, as is the case with humans, it is not necessary
for dogs to eat meat. Remember, there is nothing magical about
meat. Meat contains high amounts of proteins, amino acids, iron and
B-vitamins, among other things, which can be derived entirely from
plant-based sources. Therefore, as this book will teach you, with
proper feeding and supplementation, adequate nutrition is 100%
attainable through a vegetarian diet. In fact, a vegetarian diet
may help avoid suffering and the many potentially detrimental
health effects (e.g., diseases, cancer, etc.) of consistent
exposure to commercial meat-based food products. This is to due to
chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, improper nutrition, herbicides,
and other toxins farm animals are commonly exposed to on a daily
basis. As mentioned, changes in temperament can be correlated with
the increase of norepinephrine. Dr. Judith J. Wurtman of MIT notes:
"Carbohydrate foods are relaxing, reducing stress and
anxiety...Lean meat, in contrast, is one of the foods that
stimulates brain chemicals such as Dopamine and norepinephrine,
which have log been linked to the fright, flight, or fight
reactions..."
Proper K-9 nutrition is
not related to a Meat-based diet.
The question of proper nutrition
is not related to whether or not the diet contains animal products,
but rather if it contains sufficient amounts/proportions of a
variety of nutrients. According to the National Research Council,
(NRC), "Dogs require specific nutrients, not specific feedstuffs."
Remember, there is nothing magical about meat. Although dogs have
higher protein requirements than humans, hormones/antibiotics
founds in many commercial meats, unless explicitly specified, pose
a potentially greater risk of disease and cancer for your dog.
Moreover, an exclusively meat-based diet may be outright dangerous,
given the risk of potential impurities found in many commercial
meats as explained. The absence of impurities may make for healthy
meal for your dog, but remember, there are other great reasons to
not promote the plights of the animal slaughter food production
industry: for example, have you considered how world hunger could
be ended with vegetarianism? Think about how much grass, or corn
(cows by the way,develop intestinal
disease as a
result of being corn fed, which is the cheapest way to nourish a
cow), is required to feed any given cow, before it is finally
brought to its brutal death, after having spent its life trampling
on its own feces and eating food that makes it ill. The
aforementioned changes in temperament can be correlated with the
increase of norepinephrine. Dr. Judith J. Wurtman, of MIT notes:
"Carbohydrate foods are relaxing, reducing stress and
anxiety...Lean meat, in contrast, is one of the foods that
stimulates brain chemicals such as Dopamine and norepinephrine,
which have log been linked to the fright, flight, or fight
reactions..."
What about Commercial
Vegetarian vs. Home-Made meals?
Some suggest that a good
scratch-made meal may be more beneficial than one prepared from the
commercial varieties, as Todd Metcalf, D.V.M., writes: "As a
general trend, I would say dogs appear to do better on well made,
home-made diets." Although we encourage incorporating both dry and
wet commercial vegetarian dog foods,
we strongly
suggest not
maintaining your dog exclusively on either a kibble or canned food
diet, regardless of brand, whether or not the product is meat or
soy- based . This is not to say we believe commercial pet foods are
good or bad, or that there is a lack of difference in quality
between products; rather, we feel that byincluding wet and dry commercial products into your home
made meals, allows for providing a greater variety of taste
and texture; as this book will teach you. A never changing diet can
easily lead to an undesirable and less than ideal PH
chemistry of your
animal companion. A PH level which is too acidic is a breeding
ground for all cancers, viruses, and so on. Also, remember that
most all commercial vegetarian dog foods are soy-based.
Regrettably, the majority of all soy crops farmed worldwide, is
largely non-organically farmed, and thus may also pose various
health risks. For example, conventionally farmed soy plants in
America are farmed from inception to be immune
to Roundup , an especially dangerous herbicide.
What about the "Pet" Food
Recalls?
There have been an alarming and
increasing number of commercial dog food recall incidents as of
late. In many cases, even the most reputable companies were forced
to withdraw many products. All the more reason, for the safety of
your animal companion, to purchase this
book!Vegetarian
Dogs not only gives
you nutritional guidelines and recipes, but explains how to create
your own. The most up to date information
on 'Pet' Food
Recalls can be found
on the FDA's website: http://www.fda.gov
We do not refer to dogs as 'pets,' but rather as 'animal
companions'. 'Pet' implies 'ownership' and 'replaceable'. 'Pet'
invalidates and undermines an animal's right to be taken care of
safely and responsibly. 'Pet' also provides justification and
tolerance of inhumane and irresponsible treatment of animals. Thus
we believe that dogs, and all other animals, have rights, which we
have an obligation to uphold and preserve.