Wondering about this B.A.R.F. diet and if anyone knows anything!

**Serra'sGhost** · 03-06-2002, 06:49 PM

Hello, this is my first time on Pet Talk and already I love this site. Now my question is this. I have been reading up on food for my siberian huskies and on yahoo there's a group all about "B.A.R.Fing Sibes" and well...I'm curious if anyone out there has used this diet and if so were the results good? I've been trying to find some books on it. I have one but it's still a little shaky for me to try it. My oldest sibe is 4 months and I want to feed her a nutritional food. I was also reading about Nutro. Right now she eats Science Diet. Any advice is welcome.
Thanks,
Serra

**tatsxxx11** · 03-07-2002, 05:02 AM

Yes!! The "bones and raw food diet." I have to go to work now, but I'll get back to you later. A groomer/breeder I work with swears by it! And welcome to Pet Talk!!!

**lbaker** · 03-07-2002, 06:09 AM

Bones And Raw Food Now I get it. Never heard of it but as long as the BONES are knuckle bones or some such and the raw food isn't tainted it sounds quite healthy. Too much of any one "diet" can be tricky however. Trust your instincts. Laurie p.s. WELCOME

**tatsxxx11** · 03-07-2002, 04:36 PM

The BARF diet is based on the premise that dogs in the wild, pre-domestication, consumed raw meat and bones as their primary sustenance. When I first heard of it, my first thoughts were.......choking and salmonella!!! Those who support it, including some vets I've spoken with, say that only cooked bones present a choking hazard, as they do not splinter when raw! EVEN chicken bones!! And salmonella and other bacteria, as might be found in some commercial raw chickens and meats, does not affect a dog's digestive system in the same manner as humans. They say that if the "raw" part concerns you, that cooking is an option. Often, the diet is suplemented by other "raw" foods such as carrots, apples, etc.

There is a terrific new pet supply establishment near me. She carries primarily the high, high end commercial foods, such as Wellness, Gold Star, Innova, Fromms, Flint River Ranch, Wysong, Bil Jac and many "hollistic" brands. There is one brand called Sojourner Farms. It is a dry, flaked product that you soak in water for 15 min before adding to raw OR cooked meat. The ratio is 2/1, flakes to meat, e.g. one cup soaked flakes to 1/2 cup meat. It consists of nothing processed or artifical what so ever. It contains crushed pecans, rolled oats, rye, wheat germ, kelp, nettle, spriulina and parsley. Amazingly, The protein content is 13.0%, the same as found in most premium dry dog foods! Raw or steamed veggies, fruit, yogurt, can be added as you wish. And they absolutely encourage you to cook the meat if you feel at all uneasy. Of course they recommend, as with any change in a dog's diet, that it be gradual. They recommend a transistion stretched over the course of appx. two weeks, gradually adding larger and larger amts. of this meal to the one you are already serving. (10% additions per day) The woman who owns the store uses this product, and adds cooked or raw ground turkey meat and steamed veggies to it.. She breeds and raises Boxers and they are in fabulous shape, with the shiniest coats!! Anyway, it is a very personal decsion! I have some links discussing the BARF diet, and will post them when I find them! Hope this helps!

**Serra'sGhost** · 03-07-2002, 05:54 PM

Thanks Sandra, I'd appreciate some links...I bought this book by Kymythy (can't remember last name) on Natural Diets for dogs and cats...but no one around here knows anything about it. I wish i lived near you that woman sounds cool...the dog food sounds great...oh well...I'll find something if i can't do this diet..i requested a trial size of that Flint River Ranch stuff...but like i said i'd appreciate the links alot

thanks so much, sarah and ghost

**tatsxxx11** · 03-07-2002, 07:04 PM

Hi Serra! Here are two links....One is a pro barf site; the other a decidedly anti-barf site, which is promoted by a wolf rescue org.! On the first link, once you are in, click on the little brown "nutrition" bar toward the top to read their opinion on raw diets.

Flint River Ranch is an excellent commercial food! I feed my girls Gold Star which is excellent as well. Have you asked your vet about her/his opinion about diets? I'm going to the vet tomorrow and will ask him what he thinks! And Serra, your babies are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I love your sig. photos! We would all love to see more! So happy to welcome you here!! Sandra, Cody and Star!!
P.S....My Cody a Husky/Shep!

http://www.secondchanceranch.org

http://www.barfdogfood.com/

**AdoreMyDogs** · 03-08-2002, 06:35 AM

Hi Serra! Welcome to the site, you're gonna LOVE it

The dogs that you have in your signature and your avitar are SOOOO pretty

As far as the BARF diet goes, I give Graham, my aussie mix, the Sojourner Farms mix and it's wonderful and SO easy. It's a grain mix loaded with great human-grade ingredients like oats, sea veggies, nuts, and other good stuff. Sandra was right in that you soak it for a certain amount of time (I soak Graham's food overnight), add the raw meat and raw veggies and it's a complete diet. It's also alot easier then some of the other raw diets because of the Sojo mix.

As far as raw meat and bones, chicken wings are excellent for dogs. They are very safe when kept raw. In addition to providing wonderful health benefits, the bones do a great job of keeping the teeth clean. Graham gets a variety of raw meats, so it's not only chicken wings that he eats, but he absolutely loves them.

I highly recomend Sojo dog food to anyone who is interested in a BARF diet. It takes longer to prepare their food, and it's on the expensive side, but it is worth it, in my opinion.

Here's a link for more info on Sojo dog food:
Sojourner Farms Review

Again, welcome to the site.