[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by mimimomo

Of course raw is their natural diet, canines are carnivores! Us humans are the ONLY species on this entire planet that cooks our food. There are an estimated 18 million species on planet earth.

Zoo animals eat their own species biologically appropriate diet that's specially formulated for them. If dogs were in zoos, they would be eating a raw diet. In fact, their close relative, the wolves in captivity & in the wild eat raw.

Please do not quote me, as I won't be replying to your ignorant remarks about raw diets that you know nothing about. Please do your own research or don't waste my time w/ your nonsense. If you want to continue learning, I will be happy to assist.

From petdiets.com , Dr. Rebecca Remillard who absolutely knows about this topic! Her resume (and others she works with) is here: https://www.petdiets.com/about

QUESTION:If dogs are carnivores, should not their diet be mostly meat as it was in the wild?
ANSWER:
The term carnivore may be used as either a taxonomic classification or a type of feeding behavior. Taxonomically, dogs are members of the order Carnivora, which is quite a diverse group. It includes 12 families of more than 260 species, and in fact contains some plant eating mammals such as the panda. There are three feeding behavior types (omnivorous, herbivorous and carnivorous) all of which can be found among members of the order Carnivora. Dogs are in the order Carnivora, but their feeding behaviors are best described as omnivorous. Their anatomy and physiology also support an omnivore diet. The nearest living ancestors of our domestic dog are wolves, and the closest living relatives are coyotes. Both wolves and coyotes are opportunistic predators and scavengers. They eat carrion (dead animals), small mammals, birds, amphibians, and the feces of herbivores (horses) that does contain plant material (starch, fiber). Canine predators consume the intestinal tract of large herbivores, which contains plant material. Both coyotes and wolves have been observed eating plants; fruits, berries, persimmons, mushrooms, and melons in the wild. Similarly, our dogs have anatomical and physiological characteristics that permit the digestion and utilization of a widely varied diet from both plant and animal sources.

The nutrient composition of an organ or skeletal meat, even including the bone, does not meet the known nutrient requirements of the dog; in fact, it is quite deficient in some nutrients and excessive in others. Yes, dogs like to eat meat and chew on bones. However, that does not necessarily mean that the nutrient composition of such a diet is complete and balanced for the dog. Most of us like some foods more than others, but a diet comprised of only the foods we like is not a complete and balanced diet for us, either! Dog foods today use both plant and animal ingredient sources. Most products are nearly 90% digestible with the exception of those designed to have a lower digestibility for weight reduction.