Never realized that dogs were omnivores. Thought they were pure carnivores. Huh, you do learn something from M[c]S now and then, I guess. I do know that domesticated dogs are scavengers…
Yeah, but most dog food is mostly vegetable matter cast off from human food processing (y’know how “baby carrots” are really just large regular carrots carved down? What do you think they do with the rest?). So much so that some dog food companies advertise on what percent of their food is actually meat.
Now dogs are descended from the rather carnivorous wolves, but other canids are much more omnivorous (say, foxes). Thus dogs still have the biological machinery to digest an omnivorous diet and prosper. Cats would suffer severe protein deficiencies.
Smaller animals have a higher metabolism and eat more often. Larger animals have a larger gut that processes the food more thoroughly and therefore don’t need as much. There are some exceptions, like horses, but most larger animals process the food they eat more thoroughly.
Also, large dogs can eat things like small dogs and cats to supplement their diet. 😀
It also has to do with body mass versus surface area. Smaller animals devote a relatively larger portion of their diet to basic metabolic functions, such as keeping their body at 98.6 (or whatever is normal for their species). Thus, while a larger creature might eat more, a smaller one will eat more in-relation-to-it’s-own-mass.
That really doesn’t explain why smaller ones cost more, though. That has to do with the significantly higher vet bills most smaller dogs have. They are farther specifically bread away from the basic dog frame (wolf), and as such have more osteoarthritic issues and often some metabolic ones as well. That’s what happens when you take something that looks like a wolf and selectively breed it for traits that allow you to fit it into your purse.
Small dogs tend to live significantly longer than large and especially giant dogs, meaning they eat several years worth of food more over the course of their lifetime.
Dog owners are also less likely to get mugged or have their homes burgled. I have no stats, but I believe this to be true. Only an idiot would try to rob me while I’m walking my dog. Although, truthfully, they’d have more to fear from me than my cowardly pit bull cross. He is sweet and gentle, and I am full of rage and hate.
I’ve heard it said that there is evidence that dogs were domesticated as many as 100,000 years ago. The animal behaviourist Temple Grandin believes that many human traits were learned from dogs. Our primate cousins don’t practice monogamy (and we aren’t so great at it, but at least we try) and they don’t hunt cooperatively or form friendships like we do. Wolves do these things, chimps don’t.
I love cats, but I can live without them. Without a dog, I am miserable.
And most large dogs don’t live past 9. Doberman’s and anything bigger usually end up seriously arthritic. It’s very sad.
Yeah, I can’t imagine anyone attempting to get around my pup. He’s a huge black lab (110-120lbs and nearly 6 feet). He’s also getting old and has a greyish white patch on his chin, right below his jaw. When he barks he shows really large, very white teeth and it looks like he’s foaming at the mouth. It’s a pretty impressive display.
He turned 11 on March 1st and despite some dysplasia is still going strong.
Never realized that dogs were omnivores. Thought they were pure carnivores. Huh, you do learn something from M[c]S now and then, I guess. I do know that domesticated dogs are scavengers…
Any dog owner will tell you – dogs eat ANYTHING. 😀
Yeah, well, “will eat anything” doesn’t mean that their systems will properly process it.
Yeah, but most dog food is mostly vegetable matter cast off from human food processing (y’know how “baby carrots” are really just large regular carrots carved down? What do you think they do with the rest?). So much so that some dog food companies advertise on what percent of their food is actually meat.
Now dogs are descended from the rather carnivorous wolves, but other canids are much more omnivorous (say, foxes). Thus dogs still have the biological machinery to digest an omnivorous diet and prosper. Cats would suffer severe protein deficiencies.
Cats also have almost no ability to regulate blood sugar. They can go dangerously high or low in a matter of minutes.
My female cat will each spinach.
Oh man, I could really go for a calzone right now….
Damn right poodles are smart, they’ve been out to get me since I was six, fucking monster…fucking……..fucking……they scare me so much.
Why would a large/giant dog cost less than a small/medium dog? This makes no sense — especially in terms of cost of food.
Smaller animals have a higher metabolism and eat more often. Larger animals have a larger gut that processes the food more thoroughly and therefore don’t need as much. There are some exceptions, like horses, but most larger animals process the food they eat more thoroughly.
Also, large dogs can eat things like small dogs and cats to supplement their diet. 😀
It also has to do with body mass versus surface area. Smaller animals devote a relatively larger portion of their diet to basic metabolic functions, such as keeping their body at 98.6 (or whatever is normal for their species). Thus, while a larger creature might eat more, a smaller one will eat more in-relation-to-it’s-own-mass.
That really doesn’t explain why smaller ones cost more, though. That has to do with the significantly higher vet bills most smaller dogs have. They are farther specifically bread away from the basic dog frame (wolf), and as such have more osteoarthritic issues and often some metabolic ones as well. That’s what happens when you take something that looks like a wolf and selectively breed it for traits that allow you to fit it into your purse.
This is certainly true. I have dachshunds, and I believe they are divided into 45% stomach, 45% colon, 10% everything else.
Small dogs tend to live significantly longer than large and especially giant dogs, meaning they eat several years worth of food more over the course of their lifetime.
Chocolate
Dog owners are also less likely to get mugged or have their homes burgled. I have no stats, but I believe this to be true. Only an idiot would try to rob me while I’m walking my dog. Although, truthfully, they’d have more to fear from me than my cowardly pit bull cross. He is sweet and gentle, and I am full of rage and hate.
I’ve heard it said that there is evidence that dogs were domesticated as many as 100,000 years ago. The animal behaviourist Temple Grandin believes that many human traits were learned from dogs. Our primate cousins don’t practice monogamy (and we aren’t so great at it, but at least we try) and they don’t hunt cooperatively or form friendships like we do. Wolves do these things, chimps don’t.
I love cats, but I can live without them. Without a dog, I am miserable.
And most large dogs don’t live past 9. Doberman’s and anything bigger usually end up seriously arthritic. It’s very sad.
Yeah, I can’t imagine anyone attempting to get around my pup. He’s a huge black lab (110-120lbs and nearly 6 feet). He’s also getting old and has a greyish white patch on his chin, right below his jaw. When he barks he shows really large, very white teeth and it looks like he’s foaming at the mouth. It’s a pretty impressive display.
He turned 11 on March 1st and despite some dysplasia is still going strong.