BARF/Raw Diet

[binka_nugget]

**It wouldnt hurt to answer this again right?

BARF is raw right?

Yes.

What does BARF stand for anyway??

Bones and raw foods/biologically appropriate raw food

Are there other raw foods besides BARF?

Barf is just a term for raw feeding. There are different ways of feeding raw. Some supplement, some don't. Some feed whole bones, some grind them up. Some give more veggies than others, etc.

Is raw a lot more expensive than kibble? (I buy higher priced kibble right now).

When we fed barf, it cost us $4 a week (feeding two dogs) for the prepared meat and veggies. Then it was an additional dollar or two per week for bones. It wasn't expensive at all. I actually think we saved money in the long run. I think if we had more space and bought bulk packages, we would have saved even more on it. It just depends on how good of a shopper you are.

Do you have to do any preperation, or does it come ready to eat?

Some barfers make everything themselves. When I started out, I wasn't comfortable with preparing it all by myself so I bought prepared meat and veggies from "Mountain Dog Food". All I did was throw in organ meats, eggs and daily bones.

How do you know how much to feed/buy?

It's generally 2-3% of your dog's body weight. It fluctuates but that's the general amount.

I have seen those little mini freezers of raw food at pet stores, but know nothing. How does it all work? Any links or tips/info would be much appreciated! Im completely clueless as you can see! Information please!

Here's a good site that might help: http://www.simplyschnauzer.net/sshnnutrition.html#BARF

Lots of dogs do really well on this diet (including mine) but there are some who don't do well at all. It's important that you research as much as you can. I started researching last year and am still researching to this day. I fed my boys raw for about half a year and they did excellent but I somehow became really paranoid with the bones so I stopped and went to ask the vet questions and researched more. I think it's really important that you look for negative things that happened to raw fed dogs so you can educate yourself more and make a more informed decision.

Some good books to check out are:

Give your dog a bone
by Ian Billinghurst (it seems to be the bible of raw feeding but I know of some barfers who aren't a fan of his work)

Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Pet Diet
by Kymythy R. Schultze

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health
by Tom Lonsdale

Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: the Healthful Alternative
by Donald R. Strombeck

K9 Kitchen Your Dogs' Diet: The Truth Behind The Hype
by Monica Segal

Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog
by Wendy Volhard & Kerry Brown, DVM

Raw Dog Food
by Carina Beth MacDonald