The Need to Gnaw.

A dog's gotta chew what a dog's gotta chew. Alright, enough puns. You've probably noticed by now that most dogs enjoy chewing on things (like your shoes, your furniture, your mp3 player...). It's important for a dog to have his own safe chew items, especially for young dogs. Obviously for vegan dogs, rawhides (yuck), pig ears (double yuck), and many of the chew bones marketed for dogs are out. Worry not. I have searched far and wide to find chewies for your pup!

First, the "non-edibles". These toys are very durable.

Nylabone-UPDATE: In an email from the Nylabone corporation (thanks healingpaws!), they give the following info on which products contain meat and which do not:

Nylabone Non-Edible "Original" flavor chews (including Dental Chews) contain a small amount of chicken or other meat-based powder. The "Chicken," "Liver" and “Bacon” lines have extra flavor, meal or powder added. Our Dog-Safe Chocolate Flavor is an Original flavor bone coated with a chocolate-flavored caramel coating.

The following chews and toys do not contain meat or meat-based protein of any kind:

For Strong Chewers: Double Action Chews, Double Action Dental Chews, Bar-B-Chews T-Bone

For Moderate Chewers: Bar-B-Chews Cob Bone and Rib Rack

Interactive Toys: FRISBEE flying discs, Chubby Buddies (plush), Flexible Tug Toys, Rhino rubber Cones and Bones (vanilla scent), Rhino Tug Toys & Rope Toys (vanilla scent)

I hope this information helps you select an appropriate Nylabone for your dog.


Sincerely,
Christa Wilding
Nylabone Consumer Care
PO Box 427
Neptune, NJ 07754-0427
info@nylabone.com
www.nylabone.com
Tel: 732-897-6897 / 800-631-2188 x8976897

So it seems that their "chocolate flavor" does contain traces of meat. (Aaargh!!!) Sorry for any confusion. The good news is several of their new items do not contain animal products, according to the email.

Kong-the other classic. A great toy for keeping your dog occupied, they can be stuffed with food to keep your dog interested. Good for keeping your dog out of trouble when you aren't home. (Their website is all graphics-y, so if you don't have a high-speed connection, be forewarned.)

Smart Chew- Sable was obsessed with these for a while. They are made by the Greenies company, but are not the edible chews (which are not veg by the way). These come in different "strengths" (Hard, Medium, Soft). The "Hard" seems to be made from nylon, like nylabones, The "Medium" and "Soft" are more rubber-like. They have "a burst of melon flavor", which could be why Sable liked them so much. (Yes, I did try to taste one, no, it didn't taste like anything.)

Now for the edible chewies:

Sam's Yams-I talk about these a lot, huh? Sable loves them. They are dehydrated sweet potato chips, great for dogs with food allergies, since sweet potato is the only ingredient. They don't last super long, but take longer to chew than a biscuit.

Vegan "Pig Ears"- Again, these don't take long to chew up, but they are a definite hit with most dogs.

Healthy Edibles Bones: Vegetable with Vitamins- According to Nylabone Co. these are a "100% vegetarian product". They come in various sizes, please find the one appropriate for your dog, and supervise to make sure she is not swallowing large pieces.

Cloud Star Farmstand Slices -Available in Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Apple. These are round, flexible slices that hardly last longer than a biscuit for large dogs, but Sable loves them just the same.

These various chews aren't in the U.S. unfortunately, but I believe the site will ship to you if you pay extra. There's a good selection listed here.

UPDATE: Ami Vegan Bone Chew Treats are now available in the US through vegancats.com!

All aboard the chew-chew train!

Commercial Vegan Treats

Sometimes you just don't have time to bake your own dog biscuits. These vegan treats are available at many pet supply stores.

PetGuard:
Mr. Barky's Vegetarian Dog Biscuits
Mr. Pugsly's Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)

Cloud Star:
Buddy Biscuits Sweet Potato Madness (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Buddy Biscuits Molasses Madness (Corn and Soy Free)
Buddy Biscuits Peanut Butter Madness (Corn and Soy Free)
Buddy Biscuits Veggie Madness (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Farmstand Slices: Apple, Carrot, and Sweet Potato (Wheat, Corn, Soy, and Grain Free)
Muttos Oatmeal and Blueberry Flavor (Corn and Soy Free)
Muttos Peanut Butter and Green Apple Flavor (Corn and Soy Free)
Trail Hounds Peanut Butter Flavor (Corn and Soy Free)

Old Mother Hubbard:
Just Veggin' (Corn and Soy Free)

Front Porch Pets:
Sam's Yams (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Green & Clean (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Berry Yammy (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)

Newman's Own Organics:
Vegetable Formula Treats (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)

Meyer Country Farm:
Bellyrubs Peanut Butter Dog Treats (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Bellyrubs Veggie Flavor Dog Treats (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)

Nature's Animals:
Original Bakery Biscuits Peanut Butter Flavor (Soy Free)
Gourmet Select Organic Carrot Crunch (Soy Free)
Gourmet Select Organic Peanut Butter and Carob (Soy Free)

Northern Biscuit:
Harvest Vegetable (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Peanut Butter Crunch (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Copacabana Peanut Butter Banana (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)

Bark Bars:
Peanut Butter Crunch (Corn and Soy Free)
Wheat and Corn Free (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Brownie Delight (Corn and Soy Free)

Onesta Organics:
Veggie Hides-Original and Banana (Wheat, Corn, Soy, Rice, Gluten and Grain Free)

Sojourner Farms:
Monzie's Organic Dog Treats (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)

Wet Noses:
Pumpkin Cookies (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Apple-Thyme Biscuits (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Dooces (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)

Darford:
Vegi-Hearts and Mini Vegi-Hearts (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Super Premium Peanut Butter Biscuits (Soy Free)
Organic Veggie Hearts (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Organic Triple P'Nut (Corn and Soy Free)

Zuke's:
Mini Bakes Peanut Butter n' Berryz (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)
Superfood Biscuits: Very Berryz, Mean Greenz, and Health Nutz (Wheat, Corn, and Soy Free)

Boston Baked Bonz
All Biscuits are Vegan!

I have been able to find all of these treats in local stores. They are all vegan according to their ingredient lists I have found online, however ingredients can change without notice so please check the packages before you buy. If you find any of this information to be incorrect, please let me know.

Happy Treating!

Vegan Dog Food Recipe #4

This recipe comes from Halo, Purely for Pets. They manufacture non-veg dog food, but this recipe happened to be vegan. You may even want to share this with your dog, if she'll let you!


HEALTHY CORNUCOPIA FOR DOGS
Yield: About 8 Cups

1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup acorn squash (or yellow squash), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup zucchini, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup tofu
1/2 cup portabella mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon tamari (or natural soy sauce)
Dash of oregano
Dash of rosemary
4 to 6 cups spring water

Combine all the ingredients in a stainless steel pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and let cool. Serve at room temperature topped with one or all of the following condiments: a sprig of parsley, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, and/or 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger. Using ziplock bags or plastic containers, make up meal-sized portions and freeze whatever you won't use within 3 or 4 days.

*Remember to rotate recipes frequently! (Are you sick of me saying that yet?)

Vegan Collars and Leashes

I had been looking for a while for a sturdy, comfortable collar for Sable. Obviously leather was out, and nylon didn't seem too comfy to me (and since my dog wears her collar 24/7, I wanted it to be comfy!) Then one day, I came across a pretty hemp collar by Planet Dog. It was very soft and flexible, and the fact that it was made with hemp, a renewable resource, was a plus. Check out the collars here (and don't forget to put an ID tag on that collar!). They also have matching leashes and assorted toys for sale, some made from recycled materials. The toys shaped like artichokes, eggplants, and strawberries seem especially appropriate for vegan dogs!


Hope all doggies out there are doing well and having fun. I'll be posting more recipes soon, promise!

Check out these happy vegan dogs!

Veg For Life's Vegan Pet Photo Gallery (Sable is there too!)

Vegepet's Gallery of vegan pets and their stories

Vegan Dog Food Recipe #3

This sample diet is from the Animal Protection Institute (API). They note that the diet has not been formulated for daily feeding over a long period of time. (I'd like to stress again, no recipe should be fed daily for a long period of time. "Variety, Variety, Variety" is essential for a balanced diet.) Please read their full instructions for feeding using this recipe. I've provided the recipe utilizing their vegan food options only to simplify it for you. Be aware that the taurine and carnitine dosage suggestions they list on their page are much much lower than usually recommended, and are not (I feel) high enough for vegan dogs.

DIET FOR ADULT DOGS:

Amounts given are adequate for one day’s feeding of a 20-35 pound dog (depending on age & activity level). Adjust amounts proportionally for your dog’s weight. Starches may be decreased or omitted in case of digestive problems or for weight loss.

CHOOSE ONE PROTEIN SOURCE:

• 1/2 cup tofu, firm
• 1 cup soybeans, cooked
• 1 cup lentils, cooked

CHOOSE ONE STARCH SOURCE:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 cups cooked potato, with skin, chopped or mashed
• 2 cups cooked macaroni
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 cup plus cooked black-eyed peas
• 2-1/2 cups rolled oats, quick, cooked (1-1/4 cup raw)
• 1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice plus 1 cup cooked kidney beans

SUPPLEMENTS:

• puréed veggie mix (up to 1 cup)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil, or 1/2 Tbsp olive and 1/2 Tbsp flaxseed oil
• 400 mg calcium (elemental, as calcium citrate or carbonate)
• 1/4 tsp salt substitute (potassium chloride) — give 3 or 4 times a week
• 1 multiple vitamin-mineral supplement (human quality)
• 1 probiotic/digestive enzyme supplement

Vegetarian dogs should get Vitamin B12, carnitine , and taurine supplements.

Hey folks.

Updates may not be as frequent for now as they were in the beginning, due to my schedule. I'll just be posting a few dog related links today.

A great article on dog trainer Dr. Ian Dunbar

Itchmo.com- where I get my daily pet-related news.

Petfinder.com- Find a new friend!

If you have any questions for me (about vegan dogs or dog issues in general), please ask away. I'll always do my best to help.

Sable says "Time for a rest!"

Vegan Dog Food Recipe #2

This was the second dog food recipe I tried. It is great for breakfast or a mid-day snack (for your dog, silly!) In case your computer is like my mom's and has a stroke at the mere mention of adobe acrobat, I will post the version of the recipe that I make here.

Vegetarian Dog Food Recipe by Asians for Humans, Animals, and Nature (AHAN)

1 Cup Quick-cook oats
1/4 Cup smashed, cooked Pinto Beans
1/4 Cup Wheat Bran
1 Tbs Soy Lecithin
1 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbs Wheat Germ
1 Tbs Ground Sunflower Seeds (unsalted)
1/6 Tbs Blackstrap Molasses
1 tsp Ground Flax Seed
1/2 Tbs Oil (Canola, Coconut, Hemp, etc)

Combine all ingredients. Add hot water to form an oatmeal-like consistency and let sit for 20 minutes. Serve.

You can add in any healthy veggies and fruit you have on hand for a little flavor. The soy lecithin I was able to find in the vitamin/supplement section of my local Whole Foods. The sunflower seed I purchased (already shelled) and ground myself. I don't always have wheat bran on hand, so I do leave it out occasionally (its main purpose is providing fiber, which most vegan dogs get plenty of.) I usually double the recipe, you can keep leftovers in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them in meal-sized portions.

Remember, variety is important to your dog's diet, so don't just make the same recipe over and over. Don't be afraid to experiment with different recipes and food!

Yummy For Dogs Birthday Cake

Every year, I bake Sable a cake from this recipe. (Yummyfordogs.org has tons of vegan doggie treat recipes. Bookmark their site!) It's super easy and a big hit with the dogs! Carob chips can be a bit tricky to find, try your local health food store, or order from an online store. *Do not replace the carob with chocolate!* These are photos from Sable's 7th birthday last June. I tried to make the number 7 with Mr. Barky's dog biscuits. It didn't work out too well.

Happy New Year!

Hope 2008 is a great year for all you vegan doggies and your humans!