I asked about veg dog food at the local pet supply place,

[Critters2]

and got quite the lecture! I went in to get some catnip and dog treats (they have the sweet potato treats the beagle loves!). They don't carry any veg dog food, but I know they'll order food they don't carry. They order Wysong for my cat who can't keep anything else down. I've been getting the veg dog food online. But I like to support local businesses, and they carry Natural Balance. So, I asked if they could order Natural Balance Vegetarian Dog Food.

WOW!! I got this long lecture about how dogs are carnivores and MUST have meat! I even mentioned that the beagle is allergic to eggs, and veg dog foods are the surest way to be sure she doesn't get eggs. Didn't matter. He started telling me that Merrick doesn't have eggs, that the Natural Balance Duck or Venison foods don't have eggs. Said I was killing my dog.

When he finally calmed down, I told him I order my dog food online, and can get cat food and dog treats the same way. And with that, I bid him a fond "Good Day!".

:grr:

[flvegan]

1. Funny thing about clerks at pet supply places

they know shit about animal nutrition. I wouldn't ask them about dog food any more than I'd ask the clerk in the 10 items or less at the grocery about the amino profile of the veggie burgers in my cart.

[LeftyMom]

2. That happened to a friend of mine here.

She was going to a little mom and pop high-end pet food place, so she could support a local business, and when she asked if they have any vegan dog foods she got one hell of a lecture. The funny thing is, her dogs are huge and crazy healthy.

[Robeson]

3. Was it the owner or a cashier/clerk?....

...I'm sure the owner would want to know if his/her employees were running business away. If it was the owner, he/she is not a very good business person.

[Critters2]

5. One of the owners. The place is owned by two brothers

who inherited it from their father. When it started out, it was a feed and seed, but the area is becoming less agrarian so that isn't so profitable anymore. They've expanded their pet supply selection and are really doing mostly that now, with the high-end stuff.

It was one of the two brother co-owners who gave me the lecture. He seemed to think he could talk me into buying some of what they had on hand (lots of people have complained that they push the Merrick stuff real aggressively). He was wrong.

[peacebuzzard]

4. I had the same thing happen in a Natural Foods Pantry

that sells all organics and natural fare/vitamins etc....
I couldn't believe the guy telling me that. I was fuming and couldn't wait for him to get out of my face. He still works there.

Have you seen the article about the oldest living dogs?

http://dogsinthenews.com/issues/0209/articles/020918a.htm


I have a little beagle/basset (bagel) dog who watches everything I do in the kitchen and shares everything I eat....He goes nuts when I pull out the salad stuff, celery, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, apples, bananas you name it. He was in fairly fragile health some time ago and I started giving him all of these veggies and you should see him now....he is great.

[Critters2]

6. The Vegan Beagle LOVES apples and cherry or grape tomatoes!

Even knows the words "apple" and "tomato". And I think she's catching onto the spelling A-P-P-L-E.

At the encouragement of her obedience instructor, I tried her on a raw diet with some meat. She suddenly had a bunch of health problems--ear infection, bladder infection, URI. And having meat in the house made me nauseous. She's back on a vegan diet, and doing great. We've found a new canned veg food she completely loves (though I haven't found one she didn't like). She's both happier and healthier on a vegan diet. I was an idiot to get guilted into feeding her meat!!

[peacebuzzard]

8. what is the name of the canned veg food?

[Critters2]

9. Evanger's Vegetarian Dog Food

http://www.evangersdogfood.com/dog/20101.html

She also likes Nature's Recipe Canned and Natural Life. But Evanger's is her favorite.

[RebelOne]

7. If you live in an area that has Kroger supermarkets,

they carry a vegetarian line of dog food. It's in the organic foods section.

[Critters2]

10. Really?! We do have Kroger's here, but I never even thought to look.

I will now.

[Tumbulu]

11. Dogs are omnivores, not carnivores.

I used to observe the eating habits of wild coyote packs by looking at their scat for about 3 years in Arizona (what kind of a nut does this- you might say?). The lions share of their diet appeared to horse and cow poop with mesquite seed pods. Occasionally there would be animal parts.

I think that the way some dogs love to eat an herbivores poop is related to the food already being partially digested ( with lots of enzymes).

But they are definitely omnivores, there are only a few true carnivores (cats, eagles, owls, sharks, snakes, dragonflies, lady bugs...I am sure that I am missing lots). But bears, all canines, humans, most birds, are omnivores. Now many people argue that omnivores need a little meat sometimes, but to suggest that they need a lot of meat is not true. It is certainly not true of the Coyotes in the part of Arizona I lived in.