The domestic dog has undergone 10,000 to 30,000 years of adaptation since diverging from the wolf. As part of this adaptation domestic dogs have evolved multiple copies of the gene that makes amylase, a digestive enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates, as opposed to their wolf ancestors whose amylase activity in the pancreas is 28 times less active than dogs. Dogs can digest carbohydrates and use carbohydrates for their energy needs. New research indicates that dogs on plant based diets live an average of 18 months longer than dogs on meat based diets. The plant based protein digestibility is comparable to meat. They also digest vitamins and minerals better from plant based matter. Since plant matter in rich in flavinoids and photonutrients they help boost our pups health and vitality. Research suggests that dogs in plant based diets need fewer vet visits than dogs on meat based diets.


Dogs are physiologically omnivores, though classified in the order carnivore. Dogs can manufacture amino acids not found in plant foods from the amino acid building blocks that are available in plant based foods. That said, it is prudent to properly supplement any home-prepared food, plant-based or meat-based. Adding taurine to the diet allows the building blocks of taurine to be utilised for other bodily processes and ensures your dog has enough taurine in their diet. Due to the high heat and processing that denatures the naturally occurring taurine in commercial, meat-based pet food, all food manufacturers add synthetic taurine to nutritionally complete animal companion food. The synthetic taurine your vegan dog will have supplemented in their diet is no different than the taurine used to supplement meat-based foods, though the taurine in Curry n Pepper Meal Balancer is human-grade. A number of other nutrients that Curry n Pepper Meal Balancer supplies are otherwise deficient in home-prepared plant- or meat-based diets, including: 10 Essential Vitamins including D3, 6 Chelated Trace Minerals and 3 Amino Acids.

On the Curry n Pepper diet, most nutrition is supplied by fresh whole foods, but the gaps are filled in using the Meal Balancer supplement. Our recipes and the Meal Balancer supplement have been updated to meet the most up-to-date nutritional requirements set by the AAFCO.