dogs, are they really carnivorous?

Philippines
December 11, 2007 1:03am CST
it is according to the book, but why our dog love eating grains and bread(even doog food) i have debate this with my classmates! WHATS YOUR SIDE?
9 responses
• United States
12 Dec 07
A good way to figure out if something is carnivore, look at the teeth. If an animal has fangs then there may be a possibility that it is a carnivore. Because we as humans have small fangs we could be considered as carnivores, but since we eat green things then we are considered omnivores.
@Seraphine (385)
• Finland
12 Dec 07
They're opportunistic feeders. They will eat whatever they can when they can as in the wild they never know when or where their next meal is coming from. That's an instinct that lives on in the domesticated breeds. What they really thrive on is meat, but their digestive system is made up so it can process a lot of different kinds of food as it may be necessary for their survival.
• Romania
12 Dec 07
The dog, our best friend, comes from wolfs and wild dogs which are carnivorous. Even now our dogs have the features of carnivorous despite that they eat plants or something that isn't made of meat. Our food tastes better than raw meat, it's easier to chew and to digest. By the way dog food is, well mostly of them, made of meat. It's true that they are carnivorous but because of us they have changed their menu. I know a dog that is crazy about tomatoes, potatoes and other food that are not meat or made of it.
• Philippines
12 Dec 07
dogs are omnivores. they eat both meat and herbs. some dogs are often mistaken as carnivores because of their violence and their capability to munch on human's flesh :))
• Mexico
12 Dec 07
not totally carnivorous, some dogs eat herbs because they're sick or have an intestinal disease. my dog eat melons and apples xD
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
12 Dec 07
Dogs are naturally carnivorous but even wild dogs will eat grass. However, as a result of domestication we have learned that they can eat a wide range of foods. In the wild dogs will eat what they can get and they eat the whole animal. The offal and internal organs etc which give them a lot of nutrition. We often call animal that eat meat as a primary source as carnivorous. Bears eat meat but they also will eat other foods if they can get them. We are the same. Dogs eat bread because we give it to them. If you were able to watch wild dogs hunting you might find that they also eat grass and the grain or seeds it contains. Even domestic dogs will eat grass but they will always be considered primarily carnivorous.
@MarkyB21 (1545)
11 Dec 07
Latrivia has already made the point I wanted to make - dogs are designed to hunt and to tear flesh from a carcass. They are also scavengers and will eat whatever they can get. Dogs eat all the food they can, preparing for a time when there's no food around - this can be a problem for pet dogs as there is always food available and they can become obese.
@Latrivia (2878)
• United States
11 Dec 07
Dogs are natural carnivores - that is why their teeth are sharp and designed for tearing flesh. They can have an omnivorous diet, but that doesn't mean they are natural omnivores. If you actually look into the anatomy and physiology of a dog, you'll notice that they're best suited for a carnivorous diet.
• Philippines
11 Dec 07
i think the dogs appetite will be developed by the way its master gave to the dog