Some folks have come to the erroneous conclusion that dogs must be carnivores because they fall under the
. A close look at the anatomy, behavior and feeding preferences of dogs shows that they are actually omnivorous — able to eat and remain healthy with both animal and plant foodstuffs.
Carnivore, herbivore, omnivore; the three classifications of animal kingdom diets. Many people believe that dogs are carnivores, but is this really the case? Recently, there has been a surge in the promotion of raw diets, with raw pet food manufacturers claiming that since dogs and wolves share 99% of their DNA, they should be fed similarly. In general, dogs prefer the taste of meat to that of plants, but this does not mean that plant matter is not beneficial to them in their diet. Let’s explore the evolution of dogs and consider what might set them apart from other true carnivore species.
Dogs Have a Natural Carnivorous Bias
We know that dogs directly descended from timber wolves around 15,000 years ago thanks to DNA studies.
And, of course, it should come as no surprise. Wolves are clearly carnivores.
Therefore, due to their genetic heritage, dogs also exhibit similar and observable carnivorous traits. Their teeth, digestive systems, and behavior all amply attest to this.
But we must also acknowledge that dogs have a significant omnivorous ability. It has long been known that they can digest foods high in carbohydrates.
After all, current genetic research has demonstrated that ten canine genes play crucial roles in fat metabolism and starch digestion.
A dog’s body, however, still demonstrates unmistakable signs that it is designed for eating meat.
For comparison, think about a typical herbivore… a dairy cow. Picture the way they “chew their cud”.
Cows chew widely from side-to-side. And they have broad, flat back teeth. Furthermore, flat teeth are perfect for pulverizing grains and plant matter into smaller particles.
True omnivores, including humans, share the same set of back teeth that are boxy and grind their teeth sideways. Think of your own mouth and how you chew.
Dogs, on the other hand, don’t have flat teeth. Like all carnivores, they have narrow pointy back teeth.
Plus dogs can’t chew from side-to-side. Their jaws can only move in an up-and-down, chop-chop motion. It’s the perfect combination for cutting meat into smaller chunks.
One digestive aid that carnivores typically lack is shared by omnivores and herbivores.
Carnivores do not produce amylase in their salivary glands.
The majority of omnivores and herbivores produce the specialized enzyme amylase in their saliva. Before they reach the stomach, it aids in the beginning of the breakdown of starchy carbohydrates into simple sugars.
Despite the fact that dogs do produce amylase, the digestive tract’s pancreas and small intestine are where the enzyme is added.
Carnivores have larger stomachs than their grazing, plant-eating counterparts because they consume fewer but larger meals.
Additionally, animals that consume meat have higher levels of stomach acid. This allows faster digestion of animal protein.
The more potent acid also eliminates the disease-causing bacteria that are prevalent in decaying meat.
Additionally, herbivores have unusually long digestive tracts that are more than ten times longer than the length of the animal. Such longer systems are required for a plant-based diet.
In his revealing, 4-part series, Dr. Conor Brady explains why dogs should be fed as carnivores. Despite the video’s outdated technology, its content is important and properly cited.
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The result of these findings, argues Dr. Hendriks, is that the dog is undeniably a true carnivore. The dog simply has an adaptive metabolism as a result of living alongside humans for thousands of years. Because of this, the dog is perfectly capable of consuming a diet high in grains, as do the majority of commercially fed dogs.
However, there is a problem with that logic: Just because dogs are a domesticated species with an adaptable metabolism that enables them to live as omnivores doesn’t mean they aren’t actually true carnivores. Accepting “this explanation derived from feeding ecology,” offered Dr. Hendriks concluded by saying that his work “helps to improve our understanding of the dog’s digestive physiology and metabolism and may help to continue optimizing foods for our pet dogs.” But that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be switching away from a grain-based diet for the majority of dogs anytime soon — in fact, most of them will probably never benefit from what may be a more biologically appropriate diet, even if it does have potential benefits. That is simply not feasible due to the numerous difficulties in obtaining meat proteins. Nonetheless, the cornerstone of any nutrition program is understanding what a dog’s ideal diet entails. But whether or not it is possible to design a diet based on the ideal is a completely different matter.
Given these subtle distinctions, it stands to reason that we could properly classify a dog as an omnivore. But it’s apparently not so cut and dry. Consider Dr. Hendriks’ rebuttal to the above: 1. Coefficient of fermentation. It’s not about intestinal length, says Dr. Hendriks. The total volume of canine and feline intestines is actually quite similar when you account for the wider girth of the feline intestine. But it may be best to avoid considering things like length, girth, volume, capacity, or any of those things when comparing the digestive systems of different animals. Consider looking at a measurement known as the “coefficient of fermentation” instead. Herbivores have a high coefficient of fermentation because they can ferment plant matter, which allows them to extract more nutrients from it. Because they lack the necessary tools to do this, carnivores have a low coefficient of fermentation. Interestingly, both dogs and cats have low coefficients of fermentation. 2. The wolf myth. Wolf researchers have concluded that wolves are clearly carnivorous. The most recent research shows that wolves leave their stomach contents behind after killing prey and that foraging only makes up a small portion of their diet. In addition, no evidence was found in a literature review that looked for the origin of the notion that wolves feast on stomach contents. Dr. Hendriks’ conclusion? It’s a myth. It’s not based on systemic observation. 3. Dogs have adapted well… but that doesn’t make them carnivores. Dogs have evolved over the fifteen thousand years that it is now believed they have coexisted with humans. So, too, have humans. Our diet has changed from reflecting a hunter-gatherer lifestyle in the Paleolithic to an agrarian one. We’ve discovered a few genes in dogs that reflect this adaptation. We have also discovered genes that point to a neurologic adaptation to living alongside humans. However, a change in just a few genes is thought to be an adaptation to a condition. These cannot possibly change a species’ entire digestive evolution on their own. Dogs still exhibit a number of characteristics that are exclusively carnivorous.
The answer is not straightforward, but it helps to explain the science behind the omnivore “dogma” in order to comprehend how we might have been misled. To that end, the following three arguments support the dog-as-omnivore theory: Intestine size. The intestinal length of carnivores like cats is relatively short because meat is relatively simple to digest. Due to the difficulty in digesting plant matter, herbivores have much longer intestines. With an intestinal length just a little bit longer than the cat, dogs, like omnivores, fall somewhere in the middle, so it makes sense that they might be categorized as omnivorous in this case. 2. Wolves eat grains too. According to legend, the dog’s ancestors in the wild consumed a lot of grains. Wolves are rumored to regularly consume grains found in their prey’s stomachs in addition to the occasional berry. 3. Dogs are especially adapted to eating grains, anyway. According to a recent discovery, dogs differ from their wild relatives in that they possess three genes for the digestion of starch and glucose. Dogs are therefore particularly well-adapted to consuming grains and other vegetation, which is difficult to dispute.
Humans, who are omnivores, have medium-length GI tracts that are between 20 and 40 feet long. Actually, the large intestine’s fermentation system left behind the appendix.
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The long canine teeth and tightly digitated molars are only found in dogs and cats. The teeth of omnivorous humans more closely resemble herbivore teeth because they have strong molar arcades and short canines that facilitate the grinding of fruits and vegetables.
In order for plant-based starches and cellulose to be absorbed by the small intestine or, in the case of cellulose, further fermented to produce usable food macronutrients, the body needs the digestive enzymes amylase and cellulase. When a plant enters the mouth of an herbivore or omnivore, amylase is secreted into the saliva to start the breakdown of starches into glucose.
The dentition of a carnivore is very different, however. Carnivore teeth are made to rip and tear meat from the bone before gulping it down for additional stomach digestion. Long, pointed, and sharp canine teeth allow for deep prey penetration. Additionally, the teeth are tightly interlocked so that the carnivore can rip the flesh from its prey. The meat is mechanically broken down by just two or three chomps of the molars before the food is swallowed, so there is little to no grinding.
FAQ
Are dogs carnivores or omnivores explain?
In actuality, dogs are omnivores, and even wolves in the wild consume both plant- and animal-based foods for food.
What kind of carnivore is a dog?
The majority of the anatomical evidence suggests that dogs are carnivores, but many contend that they are not obligate carnivores like cats are (their protein does not need to come from meat). Instead, dogs are scavenger carnivores.
Why are dogs called carnivores?
Dogs have teeth that are adapted to a carnivorous diet, which allows them to tear muscle and crack bones to get at the marrow. Many of their innate behaviors are carnivorous in nature.