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Dear Doctor Love,
I have a vegan friend who has become fanatical about the “animal free” diet. If we are with a group and someone mentions getting food she will insist on a vegan restaurant and expects six or eight others to cater to her instead of going to the restaurant they choose and selecting a vegan dish for herself. Heaven forbid someone should mention lobster and she hear them because they will get an earful from her.
She has now decided her new puppy will be a vegan and I am worried she will kill it with kindness. She thinks animals are taught by man to eat meat, including wild lions and alligators and she holds humans responsible for animals killing prey for food. Her beliefs aside, I worry about the health of her puppy. Please tell her that dogs are carnivores and a vegan diet isn’t good for her pet.
/s/ Where’s the Beef?
Dear Beef,
Your friend seems pretty serious about her life style and making sure others have the opportunity to pursue it as well, so realize that you are not going to change her mind about this. Instead, try to get her to see the benefit of consulting with a veterinarian on how to make sure her puppy stays healthy and is getting the proper nutrients from a vegan diet.
In fact, dogs are considered omnivores and will eat vegetables. For a true test of preference, toss a broccoli floret down beside a handful of burger meat and see which one Rover will eat first. It will take a level of commitment from her to keep her canine companion eating a diet which includes everything it needs to be healthy. There are a few dog food brands that offer vegan alternatives, or she can search the internet for balanced vegan dog food recipes. It will still mean regular checks with the vet to make sure her pet remains healthy and happy. Your friend seems to have commitment and determination to spare. This is not battle you will win so get out of the way because she will roll right over you.
Dear Doctor Love,
My sixteen-year-old daughter still wants to dress up for Halloween and I say it’s a foolish holiday and she’s too old. What do you think?
/s/No Tricks
Dear Tricks,
Let your daughter dress up, it is all in good fun. There will be teen parties and she can volunteer to help with a children’s Halloween party. When she’s old enough she can dress up and enjoy one of the many adult Halloween costume parties.
