To feed or not to feed fruit and veg?
There is no doubting that dogs are carnivores. Their ability to make carbs from protein and fat on a constant cycle and thus zero need of carbohydrates in their diet, is the very definition of a meat eater. Your dog has a very short foregut compared to omnivores and a short smooth hindgut, this is the anatomy of a carnivore. This allows food to pass through quickly. Omnivores have a much longer intestines because vegetation takes a long time to break down. Dogs do not produce amylase in their saliva. Amylase is an enzyme needed to break down cellulose in plant matter. All herbivores and omnivores produce amylase in their saliva, dogs do not.
The jury is out on whether dogs need fruit and veg in their diet. There is no definitive right or wrong answer. Dogs may have scavenged when food was very scarce. Dogs also eat shoes and other random items but we would never include these in their diets! If dogs did scavenge, it is highly unlikely they would have consumed large amounts of vegetation. At the very most it may have been around 3-5%, this would have included the residual gut contents of their plant eating prey.
Our best advice is, if you feel you want to add fruit or veg that is absolutely fine. If you have no wish to include fruit or veg, that is fine too. By Feeding a natural raw diet, with or without fruit and veg, you can be absolutely sure that you are feeding a natural and healthy diet, free from chemicals, preservatives and grains that are found in processed dog food.
If you do decide you want to add fruit and veg, our Berry Good superfood supplement is the perfect addition.