Can a vegan or vegetarian raw feed their dog?
In short, yes they can feed their dogs a raw diet.
The reason this is possible is that it is respecting the species most appropriate and natural diet. This blog has been written based on feedback from vegetarian and vegan raw feeders, including some of our fabulous admins and mods from Raw Feeding for Dogs Made Simple (UK)
In our Facebook group we have a large proportion of vegetarian and vegan members who have chosen to give their dogs the very best diet they can. They do so as they understand fully the importance of appropriate nutrition.
Dogs are after all carnivores. Yes they have evolved significantly from their ancestors the grey wolf, however they do still have the jaw, teeth, digestive tract and even claws of a carnivore. There are three different categories of carnivores based on the level of meat consumption: hypercarnivores, mesocarnivores and hypocarnivores.
Hypercarnivores, mesocarnivores, and hypocarnivores are terms used to categorise animals based on their dietary habits, particularly regarding their consumption of meat. These categories help describe the degree to which meat constitutes a part of an animal's diet.
1. Hypercarnivores:
Hypercarnivores are animals whose diet consists primarily (often over 70-90%) of meat.
They typically rely heavily on hunting and consuming other animals for their nutrition.
Examples of hypercarnivores include big cats like lions, tigers, and cheetahs, as well as some members of the Canidae family, such as wolves.
2. Mesocarnivores:
Mesocarnivores are animals that have a diet containing a moderate amount of meat, but they may also consume a significant portion of plant matter or other food sources.
Their diet can vary depending on factors like availability of prey, habitat, and individual preferences.
Examples of mesocarnivores include foxes, raccoons, and some species of mustelids like weasels and otters.
3. Hypocarnivores:
Hypocarnivores are animals that consume very little meat in their diet, with the majority of their nutrition coming from plant-based sources.
While they may occasionally eat small amounts of meat, it is not a significant component of their diet.
Examples of hypocarnivores include many omnivorous species such as bears, certain primates like chimpanzees, and some rodents like squirrels.
Dogs typically fall into the category of mesocarnivores. While they are descended from carnivorous ancestors like wolves and retain their carnivorous traits, domestic dogs have adapted through the ages, meaning they can consume and digest some level of plant matter. While meat, bone and offal are the most important components of their diet, studies have shown dogs will consume plant matter. The amount of plant matter consumed does vary greatly breed to breed, with an average now believed to be around 4-10% of the diet. Northern breeds tend to consume the least.
What are the main concerns that vegetarian or vegan raw feeders have with a raw diet and how do they overcome these challenges?
The smell: This is not unique to just vegetarian or vegan raw feeders. Many people are not a fan of the smell that comes from a butchers shop however over time the body does adjust and feeding a raw diet to your dog is not anywhere near as overpowering as a butchers shop smell is. There are certain items that smell more than others, for example farmed tripe will smell more than tripe from organic or wild sources.
Fish: Many vegans and vegetarians struggle to feed whole oily fish due to them in essence being whole. To overcome this, you can of course choose to feed an oily fish mince or a mixed mince such as The Dogs Butcher Surf n Turf. For more information about feeding oily fish, see our blog Fish or Fish Oils
Raw Meaty Bones: As long as you are feeding a mince with bone content in it you do not “have to” feed raw meaty bones however it is highly recommended as these bring great benefits to your dog by way of enrichment (ripping, tearing and chomping after all is what their jaws are designed to do), as well as the chondroitin, glucosamine, calcium, and other minerals that a raw meaty bone brings to your dogs health and wellbeing. For more information about raw meaty bones check out our blog here
Wholeprey: This is not an essential part of the diet, and many choose not to feed whole animals, however if you can overcome this and choose to feed your dogs wholeprey then it will bring great enrichment for them. Some members choose to feed day old chicks, birds from shoots or rabbits. Again though, it is not essential so if you can’t do this please do not worry. For FAQ’s about wholeprey see our FAQ blog here
Ethically sourced: This is of huge importance for many vegetarian and vegan raw feeders. Many will search for manufacturers who use as ethically sourced, high welfare ingredients as possible. Not all proteins from brands are organic so if this is your main focus you will need to reach out to the manufacturers directly, but here are some (there are others) of the most ethical manufacturers are (in no particular order, always do your own research on ethics to find the best fit for your preferences):
Cotswold Raw
Benyfit Natural
Honeys Real Dog Food
The Farmers Dog
Laverstock Farm
Naked Dog
Nutriwolds
Paleo Ridge
Betsys
Naturaw
For a list of all raw brands that are DEFRA / APHA licensed, check out our brands list
The hygiene: Some do worry about cross-contamination such as their utensils being used for the dogs raw diet. To overcome this, our members often choose to keep separate utensils, food preparation areas, even freezers to ensure a total separation. You of course do not need to do this as basic food hygiene in the home should more than cover things however should you feel this is the best way for you personally, you can of course choose to do this. Check out our Raw Feeding in the home with children blog for more around the safety of feeding raw.