I heard about the BARF (bones and raw food) diet a while back, and initially thought it was a good idea – what could be better than feeding simple things that a wolf would find in the wild?

BUT I now have doubts, and I think this is actually quite a dangerous thing to believe in (although I’d be happy if someone could explain it to me differently, as I like the idea of this diet). I think it’s perfect for cats, first of all, because cats are pure carnivores. They don’t need any of the rubbish they put in cat food. But for dogs…

Dogs are omnivores like us. They need carbohydrate. Feed a human on nothing but meat and we’ll live for, what, 20 years if that (and be very unhealthy). There’s a reason why dog food is not the same as cat food. Feed a dog on cat food and it will become ill because there isn’t enough carbohydrate.

I suggest that maybe modifications need to be made. I intend to feed my future dog on the BARF diet, but supplemented with carbohydrate.
Wasn’t enough room to put this, but people often incorrectly assume that what a dog eats in the wild is the best possible thing for it to eat in captivity. Wild canines do not fulfill the same life expectancy as captive ones – they eat to survive, not to be healthy, and as long as they survive long enough to reproduce then their genes will be passed on.
Thanks everyone, I didn’t realise the BARF diet includes carbs as well.

Dogs are omnivores. 34 years in vet tech and you don’t know that? Their teeth are different from pure carnivores. They do need a diet that is mostly meat but supplemented with carbohydrates. Their tooth structure is similar to that of apes – which are omnivores.

Before dog food was around, dogs didn’t live that long.

And dogs are different from wolves, totally different although they are the same species – and different kinds of dog need slightly different diets (some are prone to obesity etc). But the basic diet is the same. However as I said above, what an animal eats in the wild is not necessarily the best for them. Take iguanas for example – in the wild they sometimes feed on meat. Feed them meat in captivity and you lower their life expectancy drastically. But even so, wolves in the wild eat berries and fruit. Not much carbohydrate, but a little is essential.

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I’m getting a puppy in (hopefully) a month or two. I’ve thought about feeding normal dog food but it seems that a raw diet is much healthier for dogs.

What ingredients should I use?
How much of it?
How many times per day?

I’d probably be getting a female Labrador so I’d need something that a Labrador would feel full eating.

I’d prefer ingredients that I could buy at the supermarket or butcher, not online or somehwere I need to go hours away to find. I live in Australia so please do not suggest Wal-Mart or PetSmart etc.

Thanks.

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I will be getting a small breed dog soon and I have been doing some research on dog foods. I would like to do the "home cooked" or "raw" food diet but I would like some more information on this.

-what are some recipes?
-can this be frozen to be used later(could I make all the meals for the week and freeze them)?
-how much does this cost?
-how much time does this take per day?
-How much should I feed the dog (also include how many times a day I should feed…keep in mind it is a small dog I would be cooking for)
-Would a raw food diet be better? (reasons why/recipes for this)…I would imagine that uncooked chicken would be bad…?( i know dogs are animals but they’re also domesticated)

I’ve looked into different kibbles and decided that Blue Buffalo would probably be best as it seems healthy, had good reviews, and is available at my local pet store…but I’m unsure of this as I would imagine that the raw/home cooked diet would be best
So a few questions I have about this are…

-would it be good to mix both the blue buffalo and the home cooked diet together (how much should I give of each)?
-If I was unable to give the home cooked meal would the Blue buffalo be ok for the week?
-what are your experiences with Blue buffalo (for small breeds)?

I want to feed what’s best for my dog but I also cannot afford to spend 60 dollars on a bag of dog food that will last me a month. (I did the math and blue buffalo should last me around 2.5 months for 30 dollars….plus I can get a discount on the food)

Please let me know your experiences for both and help me make the right choice for my dog

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me and my dog has had this battle for months now. i had my dog on table food, she got real sick from it. had liver problems. her vet says she is now 90% better. but im having so much trouble getting her to eat dog food. she has lost so much weight and she looks awful. sometimes she will nibble at it, other times she will walk past it 100 times a day and not eat. her energy level is low and i know its cause shes not eating like she wants to. someone please tell me what i can do to get her to eat, what can i try. is there any human foods i can give her with her dog food to help? im really at my wits end and when i look at her i grieve for her. anyone please help?
many of u wanted to know wat kind of food i was giving her, i have been trying nutro. i wouldnt give her a cheap brand. and she HAS been to the vet, that is why she is off the table food. i have tried everything, gravy, water, canned food with and without gravy, this has been going on for 2 months. there are some new ideas i noticed that i will try. is egg whites okay for a dog?

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After reading about the raw food diet and looking into it more, I think I’m going to talk to my grandparents. So far, I know that you need meat, bones, and organs. I also know that they have to be given to in a certain amount of each. I also know that asking a vet wouldn’t matter, since they don’t study nutrition much in college.

I have two dogs. A 70lbs wolf mix, and a less than 5lbs chihuahua, and I plan on feeding them both the raw food diet. I already know that they eat raw food anyways, because I’ve seen them eating a rabbit, a rat, and a bird that my wolf mix killed. I feed them both Blue Buffalo right now, and I know that that is a good dog food, but I think a more natural diet would be better. I’ve read reviews, and seen that people have seen improvement in their dog’s energy and overall health. I just want to know every piece of information I possibly can, so I can present my grandparents with the facts.

Also, Blue Buffalo is about for a large bag. The bags last about, eh, a month and a half, give or take. How much would the raw diet cost us monthly? Basically, the dog food is, like, 0 a month.
I just read that online book, and now I am definitely getting my grandparents to get it. I cannot believe how in danger my dogs are. I didn’t even know they could live well into their 20’s! No doubt in my mind: I’m switching to raw food for our dogs.

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I have a 5 month old pup who while i was out pooped in his kennel. There was like 2 piles of poo and they were green and had alot of mucus. like super slimy.

We just changed their dog food two or three days ago. We have been feeding him the same brand and type since he started eating solids and then we ran out and went to buy more but they were out of stock so we had to get a different kind.
We bought Purina dog chow. His dad had diarrhea a bit yesterday and vomited once but is fine today (he has a sensitive tummy) his dad is a Neopolitan mastiff amstaff mix.
so the pup is 5 months old amstaff/neo/pit bull
Should I worry?
He is acting fine, he wants to play. and the other three are acting fine too.
Im just a very cautious pet mommy. Thanks for your answers :-)
he was treated at 8 and 10 weeks of age for worms. with most worms dont they get a bit bloated? He isn’t bloated.

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If I fed my dog fresh vegetables, selected fruits, and soy and egg products for protein; will he live just as long and healthily as any other dog on a pet store bought, "dog food" diet?

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I was considering trying a different diet for my dog, she is too picky about dog food and hardly eats, I have tried changing from dry to wet, different brands but its no use. If anyone has any other diet ideas I would love to know.

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I mean are dogs carnivores I asked a pet store owner whats better he said Well one has grains one doesnt. do dogs do better with grains. cuz i dont get the raw food diet. dont they need more then just chicken why does every dog food have grains then cuz which is better

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Deer necks (meaty) my dogs are power chewers but I don’t know if deer necks are "break bones" and if I’d need to remove the bones after they eat the meat?

Also can they eat beef gullet? Is that a good choice to buy?

Thank you in advance for the help.
These are raw not cooked. Dog food contains a ton of chemicals in it to give it an abnormally long shelf life. I choose to feed my dogs fresh natural food, safely though.

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I started researching the BARF diet after my dog got sick and I have decided to stop or at least start weaning my dog Bob off of store bought dog food.

The comments I’m finding are mixed, while a large amount say it is a good idea there are a handful that say it’s not healthy.

Is it? Would Bob, my two year old (almost three) Westie be healthier on a raw food diet or would I be doing him more harm?

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I’m thinking about switching my pug to a raw food diet. Rather than starting a debate here, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good book on switching to such a diet, what to serve, how to prepare it, how to transition from commercially available dog food, etc?

Also, about how much will it cost on a daily basis to feed such a diet, to a 20 pound pug?

Thank you.

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I’ve be transitioning to Primal Dog Food patties. So far there have been no problems but I’m not convinced that raw is the right diet.

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I have heard people talk about a raw food diet for dogs, what exactly is that? What are the benefits and will it make him gain weight. He is pretty small for his size and he eats a healthy dog food and he still hasn’t seemed to gain much weight. Any advice will help.

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I'm always thinking about the idea of "absolute health"…there has to be some diet out there that is the best possible diet for a human…we have dog food figured out; the same food every day and they get all they need! Why isn't there "human food"?

So, I wonder if raw food is the most natural and healthy way to eat. It sounds good on paper, but what do you think?

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