That is the question :-) In the research I have done, based on their anatomy (teeth to cut with etc) I have to agree that dogs are carnivores. You can look at their teeth to know that they were designed for chopping not grinding like an omnivore does. Yes dogs can eat plant/grains but they don't 'thrive' on them and they aren't required for life. Dogs/wolves are opportunistic carnivores.
Evolutionarily speaking, dogs are classified as carnivores:
Kingdon: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus Canis
Species Lupus
Subspecies Familiaris
Here are a couple of links to support:
The 1st 2 are written by a Veterinarian
Dogs Are Carnivores
http://www.thewholedog.org/NHMVTheOm...ivoreQuest.pdf
http://www.vetbalance.com/index.php?/carnivore-vs.-omnivore.html
http://britfeld.com/dietry-care-specie-differences.htm
Thursday, November 11, 2010
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Actually, order Carnivora and carnivore are two totally different things.
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