Vegetarian Diet for Bichon

Question
Hello,

I have a 5 yr old Bichon Frize who loves to play, walk, highly energetic and sometimes "hyper". He is around the 10 pounds margin on his weight. He has had a hair loss( appeared to be allergic reaction to a detangling spray) on his back once which never grew back but is covered by surrounding hair; Ear problems - which is now treated and resolved and has tear stain.

He is believed to be a member of our family - by all of us; our relatives; friends and acquaintances. He is very much loved and cuddled by those who know him or meet him.

We are a vegetarian family and find it impossible to cook non-veg meal for him..plus I am personally scared about all the recalls on commercially available non-veg dog food. I would like to provide him with home made diet, for him to live a LONG, HEALTHY LIFE.

I know the current diet is NOT best, though I have mentioned it below for your analysis. He seems to like the current diet though. Earlier with dog food, he would refuse to eat if repeated with same dry dog food on a daily basis. Please write back at your earliest with your veg healthy food advice.

Breakfast:

1 boiled egg yolk( he doesnt like the white, so I add just a lil of the white with the yolk of a boiled egg ).


Lunch:

1 boiled potato with little rice( he is very particular with this as well - will not eat if rice is too much OR the mix is not dry enough )

Dinner:

3, sometimes 4 slices of white bread.

Other than this, he has water, always available and dry - Pedigree Veg food available at nights in case he feels hungry.

He is taken for a walk once a day. Left out into the balcony during the day, when he asks for more potty breaks. He is given 1 snack a day - Pedigree Denta Stix.

Thanks ALOT for your time and advice.

Regards,

Priyaa

Answer
hello Priyaa
I am so sorry to disappoint but a dog isnt a veggie, they DO require protien in the form of meat based foods, because this is how a canids digestion system is designed.
Too many grains in the diet will make loose stools and they are carbs so he will be hyper for much of the time. If you are set on using such a diet may I suggest that you add meat and bone meal powder to his feed daily at 1 tsp or 2 tsp because otherwise his diet will be lacking the amino acids they would get in meat.
White bread is not a choice for dogs its yeasty and really poor for dogs so I would not use this again, in place use seeded granary brown bread as at least the doggy can derive some nutrition from it.Egg whites cooked would actually be better for him as this is where the protein is the whites are yolk is fat based and can increase cholesterol , he can eats nuts like peanuts (NOT macadamia they are poisonous) so use peanut butter in his diet daily, he can eat fish cooked, so try these, carrots, broccoli spinach green beans peas are all excellent for him daily.
Good luck
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