Should your dog be eating more like a wolf? Or is a wild diet all wrong for your domestic pets? Test your wild food knowledge with this quick quiz, and find out whether your dog is eating the food nature intended.
1. In the wild, wolves usually eat …
a) Only the muscle meat and organs from prey animals, like deer and rabbits.
b) The entire prey animal, including meat, organs, bones, and hair.
c) A wide variety of foods, including meat, grass, fruit, and grain — whatever they can find.
d) The scavenged remains from prey animals that other animals killed.
2. Compared with wolves, domestic dogs …
a) Have almost identical nutritional needs.
b) Have the same kinds of teeth.
c) Prefer the meat from smaller prey animals.
d) Are better adapted to digest starch.
3. Scavenger canids like foxes and coyotes are more likely than wolves to …
a) Eat fruits and vegetables in the wild.
b) Hunt their own prey.
c) Suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
d) Only eat fruits and vegetables if they are starving.
4. Domestic dogs should only eat raw meat if …
a) They hunt and catch it themselves, and eat the entire prey animal.
b) The meat is sterilized first.
c) It is part of a supplemented, nutritionally complete diet.
d) A veterinarian says it’s OK.
5. A safe, well-rounded diet for most domestic dogs would be …
a) Raw, organic meat only.
b) A combination of approximately 80 percent high-quality commercial dog food mixed with 20 percent fresh meat and ground vegetables.
c) Wholegrain-based premium dry dog food, with no people food added to it.
d) Whatever you are eating, if you eat a well-rounded diet.
Answer key:
1) b; 2) d; 3)a; 4) c; 5) b
Scoring guide:
Five correct answers: Congratulations, you seem to know what a wild diet is — but there’s always something new to learn about this fascinating topic!
Four correct answers: Way to go! Spend some more time reading up on wild food, and you might earn a perfect score.
Three correct answers: Not too shabby. Brush up on your natural dog care knowledge by visiting DogChannel’s Natural Dog section.
Two correct answers: You could do better — maybe you’re just a little tired. Come back and try again.
One correct answer: Don’t wait another second! Read up on wild dog diets, then come back and try again.
Eve Adamson is a DOG FANCY contributing editor.
Want to improve your score? Read more about wild diets
in DOG FANCY’s Natural Dog in the February 2009 issue.