Are Dogs Carnivores or Omnivores?

When it comes to feeding our dogs, opinions can differ. Some people believe dogs should eat like wolves, while others think they should eat more like humans. But if we look at your dog’s anatomy and digestive system, it becomes much clearer what kind of food they are naturally built to eat.

Eyes: Built Like a Predator

Animals that are prey have eyes on the sides of their heads to watch for danger. Dogs, on the other hand, have forward-facing eyes, just like other hunters. This helps them focus on and track prey.

Teeth: Designed for Meat and Bone

Herbivores (plant-eaters) have flat teeth for grinding plants. Dogs have long canines for holding prey, sharp premolars and molars for tearing meat, and special carnassial teeth made for crushing bone.

Jaw: Made for Cutting, Not Chewing

Herbivores can move their jaws side to side to grind plants. Dogs’ jaws only move up and down like scissors. This lets them bite hard and rip through meat and bone, but not chew plants well.

Taste: Meaty Over Bitter

Plant-eating animals have lots of bitter taste receptors to help them avoid toxic plants. Dogs don’t have many of those because meat and bone aren’t usually poisonous. Instead, they have strong “umami” (meaty flavor) taste receptors.

Saliva: Not for Breaking Down Starch

Animals that eat a lot of plants have saliva full of enzymes that help break down starch. Dog saliva contains little to no starch-digesting enzymes, since their food in nature (meat and bone) doesn’t need it.

Stomach: One Chamber, Strong Acid

Cows and other herbivores have complex, multi-chambered stomachs to ferment and digest plants. Dogs have a simple, one-chamber stomach built to digest large meals of meat. Their stomach acid is very strong, helping them break down bone and kill harmful bacteria in raw meat.

Intestines: Short and Efficient

Plant-eaters need very long intestines to fully digest plants. A cow’s small intestine can reach almost 50 meters long. A dog’s small intestine is much shorter, around 5 meters, which is just right for quickly digesting meat and bone.

Caecum: Almost Nonexistent

Herbivores have a large caecum (a pouch at the beginning of the large intestine) to help ferment plants. Dogs have a small, almost useless caecum because meat and bone don’t require fermentation. Too much fermentation in a dog’s gut can actually cause bloat, which is very dangerous.

Gut Microbiome: No Cellulose Breakdown

Plant-eating animals have gut microbes that help them digest cellulose from plants. Dogs don’t have those microbes, because they don’t need to break down cellulose.

Conclusion

When you put it all together, it’s clear. Dogs are designed to eat primarily meat and bone, with only a limited ability to handle plant foods. While they can eat some fruits and vegetables, their anatomy shows us that animal-based foods should make up the bulk of their diet. Feeding your dog in line with what their body is built for can help support their digestion, overall health, and long-term well-being.