"A dog needs meat"
Has the dog's ancestor already become extinct?
When we talk about the ancestors of our dogs, we often think of the wolves that we still find in many forests around the world today. However, in 2022, scientists discovered that the genetic makeup of domesticated dogs is made up of the remains of two different wolf genomes. Interestingly, none of the wolf genomes examined today completely matched the genomes of dogs. This suggests that the original wolf population from which our dogs descended has already died out. Due to the fact that these ancestors of our dogs are not comparable to today's wolves, dogs are not the same as wolves from a nutritional point of view. So you can easily switch your dog to a purely plant-based diet. Dogs are not dependent on the nutrients from meat-based food, but can just as easily meet their nutritional needs through a wholesome plant-based diet.
Dog and wolf are the same thing, right?
First of all: This question can be answered with a clear NO. The typical image of the carnivorous wolf can no longer be transferred one-to-one to our four-legged housemates. When people began to domesticate dogs, they developed into our best friends and most loyal companions. Along the way, dogs were no longer fed exclusively with meat. Various vegetables and carbohydrates have always been an integral part of their diet. The dog we know today has developed over the years from a pure carnivore to a versatile omnivore.
Differences in diet
A 2013 study suggests that our four-legged friends have developed genetic adaptations that allow them to switch to a starch-rich diet. Researchers found that enzymes necessary to break down starch are found in greater quantities in our four-legged friends than in wolves. This evolutionary process lays the foundation for dogs to better digest starchy foods and to be able to switch from a meat-rich diet to a plant-based diet.
The most important facts at a glance
The dog has evolved from a carnivore to an omnivore and, due to its ancestry, is not directly comparable to the wolf.
Unlike wolves, dogs have genetic adaptations that give them the ability to convert starch and digest it better.
Dogs that receive a balanced vegan diet are at least as healthy and vital as their carnivorous counterparts.
