Vegan Dog Food – Can Dogs Be Vegan?

I’ve been doing a ton of research on whether or not dogs can be vegan…

And based on the research, it looks like dogs can eat a vegan diet, but ofcourse you need to make sure they are getting the proper nutrition.

We recently adopted a gorgeous little Jack Russell Terrier who was a rescue dog.  We named him Peanut, because he is our precious little peanut and he looks like a little peanut.

Anyway, Peanut is NOT Vegan, but he LOVES Vegan food!

My hubby and I are 100% plant-based and since Peanut keeps looking at us with his cute, big brown eyes everytime we have lunch, I decided to give him some vegan foods that he can eat, and that is safe for him.

Here’s what he loves – and this is all in order

1. Chickpeas are his absolute favourite!  He goes insane for chickpeas.  I give them to him as a treat and will use chickpeas as a “training tool”.  Believe it or not, he prefers chickpeas over actual doggie treats
2. Yams are his next favourite thing to eat on this planet.  It’s so strange, because I can give him his regular dog food, or just a plain yam, and he will go for his yam any day, anytime!  Once the yam is fully cooked, I’ll put it in the food processor and mash it all up.  Sometimes I’ll add a tiny splash of almond milk to his yam, but most of the time, he gets it plain.  As soon as it’s in his dish, it’s gone.  He literally inhales it!!
3. Mashed potatoes and carrots are his third favourite thing to eat!  I’ll cook the potatoes and carrots for him and then put in the food processor to mix it all up.  By the time it’s done, it looks very much like baby food.  The trick is, there must always be more potatoes than carrots, or he will give me a dirty look and will pout all day long.  If I give him cooked or raw carrots by themselves he refuses to eat them.  What a funny little guy.
4. Mashed potatoes and broccoli.  From what I’ve seen on YouTube, most dogs do not like broccoli and Peanut is no different… except when I mix his broccoli into his mashed potatoes.  It’s so funny how I can trick him!!

That’s all I’ve really tried so far.  If you’d like to feed your dog vegan, please make sure you follow these basic guidelines (see below) and also do your own research.

• Chocolate.  While chocolate is a delicious treat for us humans, it can be toxic for your fur baby.  So no matter how tempting it is, never, ever feed it to your dog.
• Onions and garlic.  I know many people feed their dogs from their plates, but please keep in mind that onions and garlic can be toxic for them.
• Dairy products.  Your dog doesn’t have the enzymes to break down the lactose in milk products – so feeding them milk, cheese and other dairy products can cause tummy problems for your little love bug, including diarrhea
• Avoid the obvious things like alcohol, sweeteners, salt, pepper, anything spicy, nuts and caffeine and citrus fruits.

Again, I’m not an expert on dogs, but now that I have one, I’m trying to learn as much as I can.

As I learn more, I’ll post more!  And if you have anything extra you would like to share, please let me know by posting your thoughts in the comments section below.  Please include the reference link to your comment (if necessary).

ASPCA – https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB – https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-onions/#:~:text=All%20parts%20of%20the%20onion,chives)%20are%20harmful%20to%20dogs.

VETS NOW – https://www.vets-now.com/dog-chocolate-toxicity-calculator/