The barf diet? Information needed!?

Question

Ok, I am getting a dog soon and after researching A LOT raw food looked like the best. Could someone please give me some information on barf diets? Should I include some vegetable matter in their diet? Is it ok to mix raw food with a good quality dry dog kibble (either California Natural, Healthwise, Eagle Pack (Holistic maybe) etc)? What sort of food do you feed your dog if you feed them a raw diet? Has your dog been good on a raw diet (example: has a shiny coat and produces less p**p)?

I am planning on getting a book on the subject but for the meantime it would be great if I could get some information. I really want what is best for my dog!

Thank you, all answers appreciated!

Answer 1

Since I started feeding totally raw to my dog, I have found that he has been much less constipated, and his breath doesn't have such a doggy smell anymore.

He also tends to beg for food less, which is strange to me, because he was getting a similar amount of food before I started feeding raw. I wonder if raw feeding keeps them fuller for longer or something like that.

I'm glad we switched to totally raw, but talk to your vet about whether it would be the best thing for your dog, and see what they say and what they recommend!

Answer 2

Some feed veggies, some don't. I don't feed prey model raw. Everyone looks good on it.

I do have to watch Bindi's intake of "enhanced" meats though or she'll get explody butt. Bindi's weight and teeth have both made a marked improvement since starting raw with her. Her teeth were icky, and she's only 2 years old. Now they are white again, and for the first time in her life she actually eats and is putting on weight.

You can feed a high quality food with a raw diet, but you don't want to feed them at the same time. So you could feed kibble for breakfast, and raw for supper. But never in the same meal, they digest at different rates and could cause some tummy upset fed at the same time.



Here's some information to get you started.

I feed my dogs prey model raw. My dogs currently include a 2 year old belgian malinois, a labrador, and 5 14 week old pups.

This diet cosists of feeding rmb's, offal, organs etc. While its not as simple as throwing a chicken in a bowl everyday, its not that complicated once you get started.

My pups have been getting a raw diet since they were 6 weeks old. They love it. Some breeders wean their pups right onto a raw diet.

They get, game hens, chicken breast, chicken thighs, drumsticks, beef and chicken liver, beef heart, beef skirts, catfish, ground turkey, pork ribs, pork roast, beef cheeck, I buy what's on sale, and in bulk when I can.

I feed them 2% of their expected adult weight daily, so each pup gets about 1.5lbs of food divided into 3 daily meals.

There's a bit more to than what I described it here, but all in all, its pretty simple, and is only as expensive as you make it.

Yahoo has some rawfeeding groups, there's also a group called "rawdogs" on Livejournal, this thread on Dogster http://www.dogster.com/forums/Raw_Food_D... has lots of information about raw feeding. All 3 places are glad to help new raw feeders get started.

Let's also dispel some myths about rawfeeding with this link http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html

Some books on the topic include

Raw Meaty Bones by Tom Lonsdale, and Australian vet.

Works Wonders also by Tom Lonsdale

The BARF Diet by Dr. Ian Billinghurst

Food Pets Die For by Ann Martin (the feeding info isn't great, but the look at the pet food industry is)

Also keep in mind that vets are a good source for medical information, a poor choice for nutrition information. In the many years it takes to become a vet they receive little if any nutrition information. What they are offered is elective and taught by major pet food companies such as Hill's the makers of Science Diet. (an icky overpriced food)

And for anyone who says the pet food companies have done extensive research on nutrtion for our pets. Sure they have. But what they concentrated on was how to feed the animals c**p ingredients at the lowest cost without them tipping over right away. If they'd the pets best interest mind the foods wouldn't loaded with things such as corn and soy, which our carnivore pets can't digest. Good nutrition studies eh?