Can dogs eat raw meat?

[Bloopy]

well the question is simple, can dogs eat raw meat?

 

[tessa_s212]

Yes. In fact, more and more people are feeding Raw these days. It is actually healthy for dogs, and they do thrive on it. But of course, alot of research must go into it before you start feeding raw, because you have to have it balanced.

 

[vanillasugar]

They're carnivores! Why not?

Think of it rationally. Look at their teeth. Dogs are designed to eat meat. Canned food came about in 1922, and kibble has only been around since about 1950. It only became overwhelmingly popular in the mid-60's. But we as people have kept dogs a LOT longer than that. What were they eating?

 

[LizzieCollie]

Of course they can! Lizzie is fed both kibble and raw. She gets kibble in the morning and raw meat in the evening. I have to chop it into pieces because she wont rip/tear it, just lick it if I give it whole

 

[Herschel]

They're carnivores!

That is very debatable. I think they're omnivores.

 

[Bloopy]

thx, i was just wondering because they have been eating like cooked and only cooked.. just thought maybe they couldent eat raw after a while :s i mean humans used to eat raw meat too

 

[vanillasugar]

That is very debatable. I think they're omnivores.

Biologically, they are carnivores. They may not be obligate carnivores like cat, and they do better with some plant matter in their diet, but the canidae family is listed as a part of the carnivore order.
http://1kai.dokkyomed.ac.jp/mammal/en/species/canis_familiaris.html

And Bloopy, dogs digestive systems have not evolved away from the ability to eat raw meat (yet... that would take a LOT longer than 50 years). Dogs and cats have a very short digestive tract, meaning they can process raw meat quickly, and it passes through them before the bacteria grows enough to harm them.

 

[papillon806]

vanillasugar--actually, they are scientifically classified as omnivores, but are considered opprotunistic carnivores.

 

[Saje]

lol and they are off!

 

[vanillasugar]

I'm not going to argue, but I've never been able to find anything that leads me to believe dogs are not carnivores. I'd look harder, but it's late and I'm going to bed!

 

[Herschel]

vanillasugar--actually, they are scientifically classified as omnivores, but are considered opprotunistic carnivores.

Biologically, they are in the order Carnivora. However, they are NOT obligate carnivores (like cats).

The domestic dog receives a significant part of its diet from plant material from which it derives nutritional value, leading me to consider it an omnivore.

Mordy will disagree, saying that because the plant material that dogs eat is heavily processed they are not omnivores.

Just a matter of opinion, I guess. (But I know I'm right )

 

[wolfsoul]

I feel that dogs are carnivores. In the wild, dogs will tear open and shake out the contents of the stomach before eating the stomach. The only time they eat berries is when food sources are low.

My dogs eat a raw diet and they are doing very well. My newest addition was just switched to raw and she loves it. I'll never go back to kibble after seeing so much improvement.

 

[Herschel]

Humans can't eat raw meat (other than fish), it has to be processed, etc. for consumption. Does that mean that people are herbivores?

If you're going to give me the argument that there is some unnamed aboriginal tribe somewhere in the world that eats raw meat, I'm going to say that there are dogs that are completely vegetarian. (Xoloitzcuintli)

 

[Mordy]

I'm going to lock this thread since some people seem to find it difficult to not hijack every single discussion in which the herbivore vs. carnivore topic comes up.

Apologies to the person who originally started this thread. Yes, dogs can eat raw meat, and there are several really good books on the topic, such as Dr. Lonsdale's "Raw Meaty Bones" for example.