Are dogs carnivores, like their closest wild cousin the wolf? Or are they omnivores, like the coyotes who scavenge berries and other plant material when prey is hard to find? We’ll get to the answer, but first, let’s go over what it means to be a carnivore or an omnivore.
What Is the Difference Between Carnivores and Omnivores?
As we’ll get into, there’s a difference in whether we’re talking about dietary requirements or taxonomy. Most of the time, people use these terms to refer to dietary requirements, which, simply put, define carnivores as animals who eat meat and omnivores as animals who eat plant matter and meat.
Whether domesticated dogs are considered carnivores or omnivores is a topic of much debate. If you think that, nutritionally speaking, dogs are carnivorous animals who eat meat, you’re not alone. Many people believe that’s the case, but it doesn’t take much online searching to find arguments in support of dogs as carnivores, omnivores or even facultative (i.e., optional) or scavenging carnivores. So, are dogs obligate carnivores, facultative carnivores or true omnivores?
Dogs Are Omnivores
(Actually, a more appropriate term for some dogs might be “opportunivore” because they’ll eat whatever they’re given an opportunity to consume!)
Some of the confusion may come from the taxonomic category dogs are in. Here’s what that means, and why scientists and nutritionists consider dogs to be omnivores who eat a meat and plant-based diet.
Why Are Dogs Omnivores?
Remember learning about scientific names and classifications like kingdom, phylum, class and so forth during biology class? Biologists use this science to name, define and classify organisms into groups based on shared characteristics (like their teeth). Carnivora, an order within the kingdom of Animalia, is made up of at least 280 diverse species, including dogs, cats, bears, wolves, raccoons, lions, tigers and giant pandas. Scientists often refer to the animals belonging to this order as carnivores.
Many people assume that because domestic dogs (and cats) belong to the order Carnivora, they must be meat eaters. That’s mostly true. However, not all members of Carnivora are obligate or true carnivores like cats, minks, seals and lions. Several species, such as bears and raccoons, are omnivores and giant pandas are considered specialized herbivores, with almost all of their diet consisting of bamboo shoots and leaves.
Dogs Can Eat Meat and Plants
Nutritionists, however, use carnivore to classify animals according to their nutrient needs and feeding behavior. Nutritionists consider dogs to be omnivores because they can get their essential nutrients from both plant material and meat, like humans. For example, dogs have an intestinal enzyme that converts the beta-carotene found in plants to active vitamin A. They can also convert linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid, to arachidonic acid at a high enough rate to meet their needs.
The bottom line is that evolution has allowed dogs to use nutrients from a wide variety of plant and animal sources, which makes them more accurately classified as omnivores than carnivores.
What Meat Can Dogs Eat?
Animal proteins are rich in amino acids that help your dog thrive, maintain strong muscles and support healthy body function, endurance and performance. Diamond Pet Foods formulas contain many different animal products, including beef, chicken, fish, lamb, pork and turkey meal.
Most dogs can eat any type of meat as long as it’s prepared correctly. Meat should be cooked before you feed it to your dog. While dogs can eat raw meat, they shouldn’t because it puts your dog and your family at risk of illness from viruses, bacteria like Salmonella or Campylobacter, or parasites like roundworm or tapeworm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend feeding raw pet food or treats to dogs and cats.
All bones should be removed from cooked meat since they could splinter, causing damage to your dog’s throat, stomach or intestines. Bones (from cooked or raw meat) also pose a choking hazard and could cause an obstruction in your dog’s digestive system.
Can Dogs Be Vegetarian?
As an omnivore, your dog can obtain all the nutrients they need by eating dog food that combines ingredients from both meat and plant sources. While specialized plant-based diets, like vegetarian and vegan diets, can be formulated by nutritionists to meet a dog’s nutritional needs, dogs often prefer when at least part of their dietary protein is an animal-protein source.
Choosing the Right Dog Food
If you have any questions about your dog’s nutrition, like whether they can eat a vegetarian diet or a meat-based diet, be sure to talk with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can help you determine what dog food and feeding plan works best for your dog.
