Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-08-14
THE FOOD OF DOGS.
VEGETABLES AN IMPORTANT ARTICLE
OF THEIR DIET.

vi I'LL.
An Enthusiast Who Disputes tho Claim
That the Dog of Today Is a Carnivorous
Anirnal-supported by the Testimony Of
Veterinarians and Observation.
1t seems strange to me, strange that,
in the light of such broad, everyday evi-
dence, there are those who still main
tain that the dog is carnivorous ami
NAL exclusively, and that a vegetable
diet is injurious to him, or at least un-
healthful and improper, and that the
dog in his nature is much the same as
he was in wild state-a meat eating,
bloodthirsty animal, ever vigilant to
kill AID destroy. The life of the dog to-
day, the practical, everyday habits Of
the dog as a companion to civilized peo-
ule, is enough of itself to refute this
theory. Dogs eat vegetable food and
thrive on 1t. Many eminent physicians
and vegaiarians teach us that animal
food fed to the dog without large pro-
portion of vegetable food is sure to pro-
duce vitiated blood, organic trouble Of
the liver, stomach and kidneys, and to
a certainty obnoxious skin diseases
mango, eczema, etc. These results, COM
ing as they do directly from feeding
meat, are proof of the unwholesome-
ness of meat as an article of diet. We
have the testimony of the best vegeta-
rians-Glover, Sherwood, "Ashmont,"
Mills, etc.-which should settle the sci
entifc phase of the question.
We have the evidence of the dogs
fondness for vegetable food to settle the
natural features of the question.
It is true that at some time in the
past, so far back that the mind or knowl-
edge of man cannot reach, when the dog
was in the wild state, and when he was
forced to eat meat or starve to death, he
was carnivorous. While he has the ca
pabilities of living on vegetable food,
nature seems to be remiss in furnishing
him with the correct teeth for grinding,
such as we observe in the horse, OK,
sheep and goats. This is surely q re-
markable instance of adaptability, as we
observe in only one other animal, and
that is man himself.
No doubt all these changes in the ma
ture of the dog have been brought about
by domesticity; the association with
man and the consequent impressions and
education which have been transmitted
from generation to generation through
centuries, till at last what was mere
education became natural and heredi-
tary.
Man himself has changed greatly in
his nature from civilization or the as
sociation in a state of society, which has
benefcent effects in enlarging his mind,
improving his body and adding to his
knowledge.
These effects, while not so pronounced,
are quite noticeable in all the animals
under his dominion, the horse, the OK,
the dog and the cat which in it's wild
state is the most blCOdthirsty and cruel
Of all animals and has Withstood the
beneficial effects of associating with man
to q degree exceeding that Of any other
animal. Still the nature Of the cat has
been much softened and improved by it's
life in domesticity, and it, too, is grad
ually changing from a meat eating ami
NAL to an eater of vegetables.
With the testimony of our best pro-
fessional men, the testimony of many
owners of dogs and the testimony of the
dog S natural craving for vegetable food,
and the good health which follows iv-
ing on vegetable diet, is it not aston
ishing that there should be any person
who claims that diet of meat alone is
proper for cur dogs? In the light of
modern science and experience the old
fashioned notions are gradually being
swept away to the oblivion which over
takes the misbeliefs left in the rear by
progress.
It is possible that the habits of the
dog as they are acquired about the home
of his master may not be considered as
containing complete evidence of his
whole nature Then I offer one or two
traits which observed while on visit
in the south in the past year, and which
I was informed were SO common and
well known in that section as to occa-
sion no remark.
The native negro dogs and hounds
will visit the cornfelds and tear off the
green ears from the growing corn and
eat them with relish and avidity. They
also will visit the persimmon trees and
eat the ripe fruit which has fallen to
the ground. Dogs have regular route
from one persimmon tree to another,
sometimes long distances from home,
which they travel daily, SO dearly do the
crave for the fruit. All this evidence
convinces me that the dog is naturally a
vegetarian now, no matter what he was
in a wild state. Forest and Stream.