are dogs omnivores

Dogs are generally classified as omnivores. While they have a natural carnivorous bias due to their ancestry from wolves, their physiology and metabolism also show significant adaptations for digesting and deriving nutrients from both animal and plant sources. Dogs have teeth adapted for tearing meat but also molars to crush plant material, and their digestive systems can process carbohydrates and starches better than strict carnivores. Genetic evidence also supports their ability to digest starch, making them facultative carnivores who are capable of thriving on a diet that includes both meat and plant-based foods. However, they are not obligate carnivores like cats, which require meat to survive. In summary, dogs are best described as omnivores with a preference or adaptation towards a meat-based diet but able to utilize plant-based nutrients as well.