BARF diet

tsukitsunetsukitsune
edited May 2008 in Food, Nutrition, & Health
Does anyone use the BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods) method to feed their dogs? Like a raw meaty bone/fresh fruit and veg diet minus the grains?

I've been reading more and more about it - but my vet keeps telling me that dog food goes by that old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and frankly, our diet of Eagle Pack Holistic Fish Meal kibble and raw meaty bone combo with freeze dried liver and salmon snacks works for our shibas, they are young, healthy, full of energy with wonderful teeth, breath and coats. But if there is a better diet out there, like the BARF diet sounds, why wouldn't I switch?

Comments

  • brandon_wbrandon_w
    edited November -1
    I have never fed BARF. I believe there are some other discussions on here about feeding Raw though. Brad used too, maybe others.

    For feeding dogs, I am not a fan of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it", I guess I'm more of a fan of continually seeing what I can do to improve my dogs diet. Whether it is changing foods (protein or brand) to create a rotation of foods with different nutrient structures, rotating supplements and trying new ones, or trying out different types of treats. There are some constants, such as high quality grain free kibble, fish oil, and a glucosamine supplement, but everything else changes around a bit.
  • tsukitsunetsukitsune
    edited November -1
    I don't know if BARF has specific components though to cover every dietary need in a dogs diet? It has to be a little complex to give the dog complete nutrition through RAW foods only - right?
  • brandon_wbrandon_w
    edited November -1
    Feeding a proper raw or BARF diet takes a good amount of research, and yes the diet has to offer a good amount of different things to be balanced. However you do not need to worry about a complete balance in every meal. You could feed one protein, one or two types of veggies, and eggs for a few weeks and then switch things up. Humans don't need complete balance in each meal and neither do dogs, but over time it is necessary.
  • BradA1878BradA1878
    edited November -1
    We fed BARF, or a RAW diet based on BARF, not exactly BARF... we had to plan out what we would feed the dogs everyday, we made a feeding calendar. Then monitored their poops and weight to make sure everything was going well. You can tell if you are giving the right nutrition simply by monitoring your dogs poop.

    For the Shibas, it worked GREAT, they loved it and look great on it.

    Once we added Ahi we moved to a RAW & grain free mix... then w/ Hilo we moved to even less RAW.

    ----
  • tsukitsunetsukitsune
    edited May 2008
    do dogs have a different 'food pyramid' than humans where you can use it as a reference to what types of foods to be mixing.
    Since my vet doesn't recommend the change, we're getting really good info through a holistic specialist near us that has an herbal clinic and reiki school (which I want to be certified in too!) and she gave us a bunch of literature on the BARF diet and some on dietary components, and i'm waiting for a book to come in from amazon.com.. its just kind of an intimidating change to do! We;re used to relying on the kibble to satisfy a vast majority of their dietary needs save for the occasional raw salmon additions and raw meaty bones and raw carrots but that was the extent of it - and this change will all be on the foods we prepare..
  • brandon_wbrandon_w
    edited November -1
    Yes dogs would have a different food pyramid. I'm no expert, but I'm guessing on the bottom would be meat/protien (like 70% of the diet or more), next would be fruits and vegetables, and if you wanted to add grains then you could add some cooked rice or whatever but it would make up a very small portion. The holistic specialist will really be able to help you out.

    Also on Yahoo there are many Groups dedicated to BARF or Raw feeding, including ones setup just for certain states.
  • scarletscarlet
    edited November -1
    There is so much information out there, I can't digest it all. I fed Jake Diamond for months and he had gas. I switched over to the Kirkland Chicken, Rice, Vegetable and he's done fine but I got a lot of hate mail from dog owners telling me how I should not feed that to my dog! However his coat is shiny and full, his teeth are white and strong, but that may also be hereditary..?? I give him 'greenies' which he loves, pig ears, which sometimes he doesn't want, and always fresh beef frozen butcher knuckle bones. They use to last him a few days, now seems like he wants a fresh one every day. I usually add a taste of fresh salmon once a week, and sometimes even some white tuna. A lot of the 'best' dog foods advertised are not readily available to me.
  • brandon_wbrandon_w
    edited November -1
    Most dog food companies ship, some even for free depending on how much you order. What's most important is that Jake is healthy and looking good. I would recommend rotating protein sources though.
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