Meet Rosy. She’s a Shih Tzu / Chihuahua cross. Mostly she’s a swiffer. Or a speed bump/part mooch. She eats almost entirely plant-based whole food. I say almost because she sometimes gets meaty treats from well-meaning dog owners and from her grandma (my mama). But at home she eats whole food, plant-based: rice, pumpkin, squash, yam, peas, chick peas, lentils, black beans, peanut butter, flax seeds, oatmeal, kale, broccoli, etc. Her favorite foods are carrots and red peppers.
I’ve been given a lot of sideways looks when I tell people that Rosy eats plant-based. Most don’t know that dogs are opportunistic omnivores (not carnivores) so they do not require animal products, whereas kitties must have meat. Dogs, like humans, do not have a dietary requirement for specific proteins. They need to eat a number of essential amino acids to make up protein.
I was inspired to start making Rosy’s food once I reviewed the ingredients in the food I was buying from the vet. Rosy was overweight, her teeth were tobacco stained (and no, she doesn’t smoke) and she didn’t have a lot of energy for walking. While researching I found a company in Vancouver (doggfood.ca) that is doing groundbreaking research on canine nutrition. From there I found more evidence-based research supporting this diet.
After almost a year: Rosy is much lighter, she is spritely at the park, her hair is soft and is much less prone to matting and her teeth are whiter. Even her vet was very impressed – didn’t even try to sell us a teeth cleaning. 😉 Go Rosy go.
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