APPLES

I saw a wonderful video recently of a wolf eating an apple. Yes, an apple. It made me curious about the things we feed our dogs and why they enjoy them. My dog absolutely loves apples, and will wake up from a sound sleep clear across the house at the first hint of a knife cutting into apple skin. He’ll also eat anything remotely resembling salad, which I find incredibly odd. So, what makes dogs eat leafy green vegetables and fresh fruit?

It’s obviously inherent in their DNA, if the wolf video shows us anything. According to scientists, dogs fall on the herbivore-carnivore spectrum somewhere between omnivore and carnivore. That means they are not pure carnivores OR omnivores. History shows that they have always eaten vegetation-wolves and other wild canines eat the stomach contents of their prey, and scavenge fruit.

Vegetables and fruit also help alkalize the body chemistry. Wild canines, such as wolves consume organ meat, which is highly acidic. Vegetables are alkaline in nature, which balances body chemistry. Of course, dogs don’t actively seek them out, thinking these things, they just crave certain things. Like I sometimes crave a slice of cheese cake.

The next time you find yourself offering your dog a treat, think about offering a carrot or a piece of apple instead, with your veterinarian’s blessing, of course.