Bark For BARF!
Stranger and I go to the dog park a couple times a week, and we often bring along some tennis balls. It’s amazing, not to mention revealing, how many different responses we get as the ball flies through the air. Some crouch and wait, as if they are hunting, some run fast and fetch, others try their best to herd the mob of barkers and chasers. And of course, there’s Stranger’s best friend who is simply terrified of balls. As well as dogs have adapted to car rides, Christmas trees, the occasional sweater, and kibble, along with all the other neurosis and rituals of modern life, it wasn’t that long ago that dogs were herding sheep (some still do) and hunting their own food.
In the last five to ten years, more and more vets have begun to recommend a raw foods diet and more and more markets have begun to carry it. What exactly is a raw foods diet? Dr. Billinghurst, author of Give Your Dog a Bone and Grow Your Pups with Bones and an expert in the bones and raw food diet ( yes, otherwise known as BARF) describes it as “a biologically appropriate diet for a dog… one that consists of raw whole foods similar to those eaten by the dogs’ wild ancestors. The food fed must contain the same balance and type of ingredients as consumed by those wild ancestors. This food will include such things as muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meat and vegetable materials and any other foods that will mimic what was those wild ancestors ate.”
Don’t let the name put you off; a BARF diet has many advantages that shelf kibble and even canned dog food can’t boast. A raw foods diet is nutritionally diverse, rich in enzymes and beneficial antioxidants, and convenient (simply thaw). The minerals are better assimilated, amino acids such as taurine are not destroyed, the vitamins are more bioavailable, and the natural digestive enzymes are still present. A raw foods diet can improve the quality of a canine’s coat and his digestive system. Some even say their dogs smell better.
Most of the dry and wet foods that populate the grocery store shelves use heat processing which can result in a loss of up to 100% of certain vitamins, 10% of certain fatty acids, up to 60% of certain amino acids, and the oxidation of cholesterol.
Critics of the raw foods diet claim that it is unsanitary, but there is little evidence to back that up. It is however incredibly important to follow the guidelines of good hygiene and common sense in preparation. Serve immediately after defrosted, and thoroughly wash hands and any dishes that come into contact with the foods. Choose a diet that has been balanced according to national AAFCO standards and passed AAFCO feeding trials. Also, gradually shift your dog’s diet to avoid digestion problems.
Below are some of the many raw foods K9 cuisine carries:
http://www.k9cuisine.com/p-356-natures-variety-raw-chicken-turkey-frozen-dog-food.aspx
http://www.k9cuisine.com/p-264-addiction-new-zealand-forrest-delicacies.aspx
And, check out our links to get more raw foods tips & recipes from raw foods veterans!
April 17th, 2008 at 5:14 am
Great article. I wish I could afford to feed my dogs BARF.. its just too expensive when you have 6 large dogs.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
There is a lot about the BARF diet that is appealing (to me as a dog owner, not to eat) (sorry). I’ve seen some pretty convincing evidence.
I like your blog. Thanks for visiting the Poodles, dogs and me.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Thank you for responding.
There is no doubt feeding raw can be expensive. This is especially so with six large dogs. There are however ways of mitigating the cost.
One option is to feed raw in combination with some kibble. Many of our customers do take this approach. You can also use the raw as a treat. Both of these methods will significantly lower your cost.
Another option is to prepare the food yourself. There are a number of good books available that will teach you how to prepare raw dog food. Dr. Billinghurst’s books on BARF are probably the most popular. These books are also the model for a number of commercial raw dog foods.
The important thing to remember if you decide to prepare the food yourself is you need to prepare a diet that is complete nutrition. It is not enough to just feed chicken breast or ground beef. The recipe needs to contain the proper ratio of muscle, organ meat, skin, bone, fruits and vegetables.
Another great resource is Whole Dog Journal. They had an excellent series of articles a couple of months back on preparing both raw and home cooked food for your dog. I am pretty sure you can order reprints of the articles. They are definitely worth reading. Even if you decide to not prepare your own these articles contain a ton of excellent nutritional information.
One final though on feeding raw. Our customers who feed raw have healthier dogs that have fewer visits to the vet.