Which is right dog for me??

Question
I am planning to get a dog for me as a friend and for safety. The main thing
is my family is pure vegetarian living in Madhya Pradesh, India. I was planning
about a German Shepherd or a Pomeranian. Can you please let me know
which would be an ideal VEGETARIAN dog for me which can survive healthy in
this environment. Also please let me know the maintenance procedures and
charges like health care, food etc.  Thank you.

Answer
Hi Amit,

Well, as much as I admire your intention - I am personally making a transition to vegetarianism - I would have to disagree with feeding a dog that way. It's true that it *can* be done - as long as the diet is properly formulated, I have done many of these formulations for sick dogs who required it - but for a healthy dog, an animal that is naturally a carnivore, it is not optimal to feed this way. I personally feel it is unfair to the dog - but personal feelings aside, you need to either purchase a premium quality vegetarian food - I will list a few links below but don't know these are available in India - or else you need someone like myself to formulate the diet so it covers all nutritional needs, such as calcium, B12, certain amino and fatty acids, and so on. Otherwise your dog will become ill.

If you are interested on a consultation, I would prefer you have me do the diet and NOT try it on your own. As for breeds that tolerate it, I feel it's harder on Northern breeds such as Huskies, but I doubt you're considering one of those. Please research any breed you wish to consider very thoroughly before deciding - if you're looking for a protective dog, the Shepherd is a better bet than the Pomeranian, for example. But they all have unique nutritonal needs and you also need to find a breed that fits with your lifestyle and personality.

Here are the two best formulas I know of, there may be more, but Natuiral balance is the one I see best results with. A home made diet will need to include rice, beans, tofu, oils and a great deal of supplementation. If you use dairy and fish or eggs that's MUCH easier on the dog. But let me know if I can help you with this, my email is catlane@thepossiblecanine.cim, and my website is www.thepossiblecanine.com. If I cannot persuade you to reconsider, I can at least make sure your dog's health is protected.

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/VegTestimonials.html

http://www.breeders-choice.com/dog_products/avodermdog_veg.htm

All the best, Catherine