BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate
Raw Food, and also Bones And Raw Food. Developed
by Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst, it is based on
the concept of evolutionary diets and is about feeding
dogs raw, whole, natural foods including raw vegetables,
whole raw bones and supplements instead of commercial dog
foods or cooked homemade diets.
Some pet experts recommend the BARF
diet as the most effective means of achieving peak health
in dogs and to aid with persistent dry
skin and allergy problems.
BARF Diet versus Commercial Dog Foods
The BARF philosophy is that dogs should
be fed the foods that mimic what their wild ancestors ate
because that is evolutionarily what they are meant to eat.
Proponents of the BARF diet feel that commercial dog foods,
many of which are primarily grain based, lack essential enzymes
and other important nutrients and may contain ingredients
that cause allergies.
What Kinds of Raw Foods Can Your Dog Eat
Under the BARF diet, your dog is not tied
to the same bowl of kibble every meal. He has whatever you
happen to have fresh in your refrigerator that day, including
raw meat and organs, eggs, cheese, raw vegetables, whole bones,
yogurt, fruit, and supplements. You can also make your own
dog food. There is an excellent book called "Healthy
Food for Dogs: Homemade Recipes"by
John Miller that gives you great recipes for homemade
dog food. For convenience, you can also order raw
food. on line. For example, SitStay.com has raw
food.
Some dog owners are concerned about feeding
their dog bones because they have heard they can splinter
and cause problems. However, these problems can occur with
cooked bones. On the BARF diet, dogs are fed raw
bones, which do not splinter.
Raw Meaty Bones (RMB)
There is another philosophy that advocates
a completely raw diet consisting of raw meaty bones
(emphasis on the meaty). This diet is simply called Raw Feeding
and follows the prey model of what wolves and dogs ate in
the wild and advocates a wide variety of meats, from chicken
and beef to pork, venison, rabbit and other game. On this
diet dogs are not fed vegetables, fruits or grains. We feed
our dog this diet ourselves and feel it is more beneficial
and less work than following the BARF diet. Learn
more about Raw Meaty Bones and Raw Feeding.
Important Info About Commercial Dog
Foods:
As a dog lover, you MUST watch this video that I just saw about the dog food
industry. It could save your dog's life. Click
here to view this short video
Additional Resources on Raw Meat Diets
When contemplating a switch to a raw food
diet for your dog, you are bound to have some concerns, such
as, what kinds of raw foods and meats should you feed your
dog,can you get frozen raw dog food or dehydrated raw dog
food for added convenience, whether to make the change gradual
or "cold turkey," etc. We strongly recommend you
do some research before you make the change, because you can't
just go half way and feed your dog a raw food diet part of
the time and regular commercial food other times. Further,
there are some seemingly innocent foods like broccoli that,
when fed to your dog in large quantities, can cause illness
or toxicity in dogs. Below
are some excellent books about raw food/raw meat diets.
