Our pets rely on us entirely for their nutrition. So if you’re making your own judgments, that could lead to a mistake. At the same time, we have more control over our pet’s diet than we do with our children or with ourselves, so your vet can tell you what is appropriate for your dog and you can assign them that.

Sweeney emphasizes the ethical responsibility that comes with pet ownership: because animals cannot choose their food, owners act as their sole nutritional gatekeepers. She cautions against relying on personal hunches or trends when making dietary decisions, since well-intentioned “common sense” can still produce harmful imbalances. The quote also highlights a practical asymmetry—owners can control a pet’s diet more completely than their own or a child’s—making it both easier and more consequential to implement expert guidance. The underlying message is pro-veterinary oversight: nutrition should be individualized and evidence-based, with a veterinarian helping translate general principles into an appropriate plan for a specific dog.