Do you feed a B.A.R.F diet for your dog?

Question

Can someone who'se been feeding the B.A.R.F. diet to their dog tell me how much more it costs, and how much inconvenience there is, and whether it's really much better thank kibble? Please tell me your experiences with the BARF diet, I'm thinking of it for my puppy.

Answer 1

I've been feeding it for a few years now. I have actually been able to cut the cost of my dog food bills.

The expense is really up to you. I use chicken as the staple of my dog's diet. Its relatively inexpensive, and readily available. For their organ meat I use chicken livers and gizzards, and beef liver. For added muscle meat I use hamburger. I also watch for meat sales. Just last week I was able to load up on ground turkey, for $1 a pound.

Buying in bulk can help cut costs as well. And if you have friends who hunt, you might be able to get some freebies. My dogs love hunting season, every year I get more and more freebies from hunter friends. I'm also able to get free recreational bones from a local butcher. There glad to give them to me, saves on their disposal bills.

As far as inconvenience, I usually buy a month's worth of food at a time. It only takes me a few hours one day a month to portion out daily meals for my dogs for that month. I usually do it on a day off. It may be a little more time consuming when you first start out. I know I used weigh every bit of it for each dog. Now I just eyeball it. I use baggies and tupperware containers to store my dogs food. I just dethaw a day or two worth for one of my dogs, one of them gets his frozen. He's a power eater, and this slows him, slighty.

I honestly do believe it is far better than kibble. It offers great teeth cleaning benefits, which no kibble can offer. You are in control of exactly what your dog eats. My dogs have never been healthier.

I was sold when I began this diet with one of my dogs who no matter what food I fed, or how much I fed her she couldn't keep weight. Numerous vet checks showed she was otherwise healthy. Poor dog could do nothing but eat and still not keep a healthy weight. She looked like she was starving to death. When I started her this diet, she gained weight, and kept it.

My dogs shed less, eliminate less, what solid waste they have, dries up and crumbles in the sun in a day or two, unlike kibble fed dog poo. They also don't have a 'doggie' odor. I honestly never really noticed an odor with dogs, until after I started feeding this diet. Now when I visit people who don't feed it, I can smell their dogs.

Do your research, and until you've done that take the myths you'll hear with a grain of salt. People will your dog will get you sick. Unless you practice unsafe meat handling, or go out and eat your dog's poo, you have very little to worry about. I feed my dogs outside, or on mats in the kitchen.

You'll hear that bones aren't good for dogs. Which is only partially true. Cooked bones of any sort are a problem and should never be fed. Raw bones on the other hand are fine to feed.

You may hear that this type of diet may make your dog aggressive. Also untrue. In fact many people who switch to this type of diet see improvement in their dogs behavior.

I'll post some research links.

http://www.willowglen.com/barf.htm.........

http://www.bestfrisbeedogs.com/diets.htm...

http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html.....

http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html.....

http://www.rawdogranch.com

What's Really In Pet Food
http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&m...

Answer 2

I feed my dogs B.A.R.F. diet. It has done wonders for both of my dogs. One of my dogs had a skin condition that caused MAJOR dandruff and shedding. The other one had weight issues, and puked a lot. I seriously tried everything under the sun. But when I fed them the B.A.R.F. diet, everything went away~~and quickly! No dandruff, minimal shedding, soft shiny smooth coats, loss of and maintained weight, and no more puke! They diet really doesn't cost much more than feeding your dog dry kibble, because you actually feed them less! Dogs get twice the nutrients from the diet than they do from dry kibble. You'll love it even more when you are not picking up so much poop! At first, I found it inconvenient to make their food on a daily basis, but I.ve learned to make a week's worth of food, and freeze it into portions for the week. I just take out what I will use for the day.
I have been doing this now for 2 years, and my dogs have not been more healthy than they are now!!

Here's a website to get started and more FAQ's if you are interested....and believe me, it will be the best thing you ever did for your dog!

http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm

Answer 3

This is an excellent diet alternative for your pup. I feed my two Saint's a BARF diet and their health has changed over night. My older one was kinda run down and overweight and has since gained a TON of energy and lost his extra lbs. The younger ones coat and skin irritation was irradicated almost immediately.

This diet can be a little pricey which is why I do a 1/2 and 1/2 diet using Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance ($40 for a 40lb bag) avail at Petco and 1/2 raw meat. Be CAREFUL though- don't feed your dog raw meat and kibble in the same day if you do this. You have to be sure to do it every other day as kibble slows down the digestion of raw meat and can cause a bacteria backup which is dangerous for your dog.

You won't be disappointed if you switch your pup to this and you will likely extend his life span with a healthier diet and therefore all over health.

Answer 4

I feed a whole prey raw diet and not a BARF diet because the BARF diet (traditionally) is exceedingly high in calcium. To find out more about a raw food diet that is more natural, try www.rawfed.com

Answer 5

Most people I know who use BARF love it. But you have to have a lot of time on your hands and you have to be careful. My aunt's doberman did very well on this diet for a year, then suddenly dropped dead from food poisoning in the chicken she gave him. :( it was very sad. Now she uses Innova EVO dog food, like me. That is great dog food and my dogs love it.

Answer 6

I don't personally use it, but know people who do. They swear by it.