This is a guest post from Rosemary, founder of GermanShepherdCorner.com. Let’s show her some love by sharing and commenting on her great work!
If you’re looking to find out more about feeding your dog a raw diet you’re in the right place.
And, if you’re new to all this, there’s something you should know…
Dog nutrition is a controversial subject.
Kibble feeders and raw feeders argue. Raw feeders argue among themselves (BARF v. Whole Prey). Cooked diet feeders argue with raw feeders. And then you have the anti-raw feeders – they argue with everyone.
Personally I don’t care much for the arguing.
I feed my dogs a BARF diet and so today I’d like to dispel some of the most common myths around feeding dogs a BARF diet.
So What’s a B.A.R.F. Diet?
Yes, I know the acronym is a terrible one. My husband says he wants to barf when he sees the food.
And in all fairness, it’s not the most attractive looking food! But my dogs don’t seem to mind.
BARF used to stand for Bones and Raw Food. But it’s since been upgraded to Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.
And in a nutshell that’s what it is. Feeding your dog the appropriate food he or she is meant to eat based on their biology.
Myth #1 – Bones are Dangerous for My Dog
Generally speaking bones aren’t dangerous for your dog, however cooked bones certainly are!
The process of cooking bones results in a change of bone structure. Making them indigestible and particularly brittle.
So, it’s cooked bones you should avoid feeding your pooch.
Raw bones on the other hand, will only impact your dog’s life in a positive way. Raw bones are soft, chewable and easily digested. They provide a major source of calcium and phosphorus, making them a very important part of a dog’s diet.
And no one can ignore the amazing teeth cleaning benefits of feeding raw bones. None of my 3 dogs have ever needed dental work, and my eldest, Charley is 9 years old. Her gnashers are beautifully clean.
Because a BARF diet is essentially a raw ground diet, there’s no need to feed your dog whole bones. Although, I do recommend doing it anyway (but more about that later).
Myth #2 – Raw Meat Will Make My Dog Aggressive
This myth originally stems from the transition to a BARF diet. Many dog owners experience their dog as more protective over their food when they’re first exposed to a raw diet.
This is simply because your dog sees the raw meat and bones as a higher value food source than the regular bowl of kibble you offer them at meal times. And once your dog realizes this food is ‘for real’ and not a one-off, the protectiveness usually disappears.
If you’re feeding 2 or more dogs, I’d suggest feeding them separately to begin with. Just to avoid dog-dog aggression. Although I never had this problem with mine.
So don’t worry. A diet containing raw meat will not turn your dog into Stephen King’s Cujo! A dog that’s aggressive towards humans, needs further training and possibly the input from a behaviorist.
Myth #3 – Raw Diets are too Expensive
Raw diets do not have to be expensive at all. In fact a BARF diet may actually save you money in the long run.
And diversifying your dog’s meat and bone sources is a great way to save on costs.
Think outside the box…
Meats like turkey, beef or chicken are your go to muscle meats. But rabbit, deer and other ‘wild meats’ are perfect for a BARF diet too. Just pick up whatever specials you find – this will save you money and help with that diversifying.
As long as it’s human grade meat from a reliable source, you’re good to go!
You’ll be amazed at the great deals you can find on human grade meat. Finding a high quality supplier of meat is critical to ensuring that you get the best meat for your buck.
So, befriend your local butcher or visit farmer’s markets. Or if you’re lucky enough to know hunters, take advantage of that.
With a BARF diet you can include just about any part of the prey animal’s meat. Including organ meats like liver, kidneys, heart and lungs.
And of course unbleached, green tripe – yup! Dog’s love tripe.
These are all cheap ‘cuts’ but if they come from an animal that’s fit for human consumption they are just fine.
Also, increased dog health means a huge amount of savings on vet bills. Money you can put towards preparing high quality meals with the best ingredients. And you’re still likely to be spending less than you are on vet bills.
Heck, you’ll be seeing so little of your vet, you might even forget what he or she looks like!
I know, because this happened to me.
Myth #4 – Dogs are Living Longer Because of the Enhanced Nutrition Provided by Kibble Diets
It’s true. The lifespan of our dogs is increasing, and it is claimed that this is due to the rise of the kibble diet. But, it can be also be argued that this increase in lifespan is actually due to the improved medical care that our beloved dogs receive in today’s modern world.
Yes, kibbled dog food has vitamins and minerals. But those are added after the baking process. So they don’t have the same nutritional value as whole foods do.
Myth #5 – A BARF Diet is not Balanced
Feeding your dog only raw meat is not a balanced diet and will lead to problems. But, if you are feeding your a variety of meats, bones, eggs, fruits and veggies, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about.
Just like with our own diets, nutritional needs are met over time. Not on a meal-by-meal basis.
A BARF diet prepared with this in mind will even out over time providing the correct the proportions of fat, protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that your best friend needs.
The vast majority of pet food companies state that your dog will require every meal to have a balanced nutritional profile. This is simply not true and impossible to achieve.
Look at your dog’s diet like you do your own. You don’t painstakingly calculate each meal to the finest nutritional value – unless you’re a bodybuilder. You eat a balanced diet with healthy, whole foods and the rest is taken care of by mother nature.
Myth #6 – Canines are too Far Removed from Wolves to Thrive on a BARF Diet
It is true that dogs of today are different from wolves. But it’s only their external appearance and behavior that’s changed. The anatomy and physiology of your dog is still very much the same as a wolf.
And to further debunk this myth it has been found that dogs and wolves share 99.8% of their mitochondrial DNA (Wayne, R.K. Molecular Evolution of the Dog Family).
A BARF diet made from fresh, whole ingredients supports your dog’s immune system for optimal health – just like nature intended.
Myth #7 – Dogs Don’t Need Fruits and Veggies in Their Diets
Often times in the wild, a wolf pack will eat whatever partially digested vegetation is left in the prey animal’s stomach. Dogs, like wolves are omnivores and scavengers by nature – they can eat just about anything.
Vegetables – especially green leafy ones – are an excellent source of health promoting antioxidants and phytochemicals, vitamins and enzymes. And the natural fiber found in veggies helps with digestion. Increased digestion means your dog’s body is making use of all those wonderful nutrients it’s getting.
And, no, your dog does not need starch or grains as a source of carbohydrates. It’s fruits that give the carbs they need. Fruits are valuable energy foods for your pooch.
Both fruits and veggies help to alkalize the body. Keeping the alkalinity and acidity of a diet in equilibrium is very important in keeping your dog in tip top shape.
Your dogs stomach becomes more acidic when they eat a raw diet. But the liver, pancreas, heart, hormones, gallbladder and kidneys all function far better in a more alkaline environment. A body high in acidity can give cause to inflammation which this can then escalate into more serious chronic diseases.
So keeping things in balance with fruits and veg is ideal. Balance is especially important as your dog begins his or her senior years. Which is when most degenerative diseases rear their ugly heads. Fruits and veggies work their magic to do this in a natural way.
Myth #8 – The Bacteria in Raw Food will Harm My Dog
This is one of the myths that had me worried to begin with…
But your dog is designed to deal with bacteria. Your pooch carries an enzyme in their saliva called Lysozyme, which has antibacterial qualities.
Also, a dog’s stomach has a pH level of 2. As I mentioned, this is a very acidic environment in which most bacteria has no chance of survival.
Your dog also has a uniquely designed digestive tract which is very short. A short digestive tract coupled with a highly acidic environment means bacteria doesn’t have any time to colonize.
And if you’re worried about worms, don’t be!
They don’t survive the short digestive tract and acidic environment either.
As a point of interest, when dogs eat a raw diet their bodies will quickly let you know if something is out of wack. I do poop patrol everyday and have never seen any worms or signs of imbalance.
There are a few more precautions you can take to avoid issues with bacteria and worms.
- Always keep a strict hygiene routine when preparing your dog’s food – just like you do when you make your own food.
- NEVER feed your dog the intestines of any prey animal.
- Freeze meats for 72 hours before feeding. This should kill off any unwanted visitors.
Myth #9 – BARF Diets are Not Suitable for Small Breed Dogs
I know this is a concern for many pooch parents who have small breed dogs. And I know why…
It’s a fear of choking.
But I’m here to tell you that couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact, a BARF diet is perfect for smaller breeds because the ingredients are ground up – bone and all. So your little dog gets all the goodness without you worrying about trying to fish out a chicken bone that’s gone wrong.
Keep in mind if you’re a petite pooch parent, that with a BARF diet you don’t need to feed whole bones at all. But I do recommend substituting at least 2 meals a week with a juicy raw, meaty bone.
It’s great for cleaning teeth like I mentioned earlier, but it also stimulates their natural drive to gnaw, rip and tear. Your pooch might be little but there’s as much wolf in them as a Husky, German Shepherd or Rottweiler.
Just stick to these 4 golden rules for feeding bones and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
- Only feed appropriate sized bones. The rule of thumb is, the bone should be the size of your dog’s head.
- From beginning to end, always supervise your dog.
- Never feed weight-bearing bones.
- Take the bone away once it starts fragmenting.
Conclusion
If you landed here on your quest to research feeding your dog a BARF diet. And I can give you any advice…
- Keep a clear head.
- Price your ingredients.
- Build friendships with reliable suppliers.
- Ask lots of questions.
- Join online communities.
- Join Forums.
- Read a lot.
- And whatever you do, don’t get wrapped up in all the politics.
Changing your dog’s diet so radically is a lifestyle change and it takes planning and commitment.
But once you get into the groove – it’s easy. And when you see the physical and psychological changes in your dog you’ll wonder why you didn’t make the change sooner.
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When she's not inventing a new dish in her kitchen, or poring over the latest dog behavior studies, She's feeding her obsession with dog toys and games.
My pup primarily eats BARF (they need a better acronym) and he’s pretty tiny and he has no issues.
So nice to hear your pup is doing well on BARF! When I’m at a barbecue and dog nutrition comes up mentioning the BARF acronym always piques peoples interest. The first response is always “you feed a what diet?” It’s always a great way for me to start sharing about my experiences. 🙂
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Cookie has been on raw for two years now. It seems to agree with her and we never had any problems.
Hi Jana,
It’s great to hear Cookie is doing so well on a raw diet. Seeing the difference it makes is so rewarding!
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Growing up we had a miniature dachshund who was fed a raw diet. It was comprised of ground beef, egg yolk and cottage cheese. She loved it!
Hi Jane!
It’s fab that your folks were feeding your dog a raw diet while you were growing up. On my quest to find out whether a BARF diet is the way to go, I met people who’d been feeding their dogs a raw diet longer than I’d been alive. 🙂 Many of them are breeders who passed the feeding protocol on to the new pup owners.
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Yes, that is the diet instructions the breeder had given to my Dad when we got our puppy. We also had 2 cats whose diet was strictly raw organs, kidneys fresh from the butcher!
Jane recently posted…What Happens When You Have A Creative Block?
Fabulous post! As raw feeders for our family of cats, we know how important it is to dispel these myths and encourage more people to consider a species appropriate diet just as nature intended. I didn’t know the original acronym for BARF ~ interesting.
I’m pleased you like the post!
My mom recently lost her Calico cat Maya at 22 years of age. She ate kibble until she was around 18 years old and then she just went off the stuff. The vet told my mom to start feeding her a ground raw diet, since she didn’t have many teeth left.
Maya did so well on the diet that she was active until the day before she crossed the rainbow bridge. Unfortunately, she had a stroke 5 weeks ago. But personally I don’t think she would have lived those extra years if my mom hadn’t changed her diet.
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
very informative post. I am looking seriously at a BARF diet for kiloo
Excellent news to hear you’re considering a BARF diet for Kiloo. I can recommend a great Facebook group where BARF and Whole Prey feeders ask and answer questions. It’s where I did most of my learning.
I’ll just need to check with Lindsay if I can post the link to the group here.
🙂
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Hi Rosemary and hoe gaan dit ? I am an ex South African living in San Francisco and sorry but I only speak a little Afrikaans 🙂
Diet wise I think there are so many diets out there and I say that people should do what they feel is right for their pets – it’s like anything else each body/pet is different.
01. Bones – Layla gets Beef Neck Bones – one a day as she is a 15 lb monster LOL. I par boil them and my vet says that is fine – they keep her teeth clean and she loves chewing on them
02. Layla does not get kibbles at all of any kind – I do have a bowl out for an emergency but she hardly touches it
03. I cook Layla’s food mixing her turkey meat with veggies and fruits and its working for her perfectly especially as I have in the past had so many allergy problems with her.
Thanks so much for the great post and its always interesting to read what others do and don’t as that is how we learn.
Alles van die beste
Layla
Hi Ruth!
Dit gaan goed dankie! It’s so nice to meet a fellow SAFFA!
You’re spot on, there are so many different diets. And that’s why I always warn people who are new to dog nutrition. There’s so much needless bickering but at the end of the day, it’s about doing the best for our dogs.
I can so relate to the allergy problem you had with Layla! German Shepherds have a lot of health issues, I won’t even go into everything mine were struggling with, but allergies was one of them. It’s going on 4 years now and they’ve had no more issues allergies or otherwise.
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
I never got a chance to try the BARF diet with Prince because i just recently learned about it but i am definitely going to give it a try when i have another dog
Malaika Fernandes recently posted…Be A Star Of The Royal Canin Pet Calendar 2017
Hi Malaika!
Making the decision to start off on a BARF diet is a fantastic idea when you invite your new best friend into your life. You won’t be sorry.
And since you have time now, you can research, learn and ask all the questions you need to. So by the time your new friend arrives, you’re good to go!
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Thanks for this post. I am going to save it for future reference. We incorporate a bit of BARF into Ruby’s rotational diet. Some day we may transfer her over to 100%, but for now this works well for her and us.
That’s a great feeding protocol – rotating Ruby’s diet. Whether you change over to raw at some stage or keep her diet as it is, it’s still great that she’s getting those health boosting benefits of raw food. As a side note, many people will tell you using raw and kibble together in a diet is a bad thing. But seriously, just ignore them if they ever cross your path. As long as Ruby is thriving that’s all that matters.
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Our Dusty gets raw so does Miranda, most of the others I can sneak a bit in but they really don’t like it soo I use natural supplements instead.
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That’s great to hear. I can relate to sneaking raw goodies in. Charley had a tough time transitioning to raw. That’s one of the reasons I went for a BARF diet instead of a Whole Prey one. She’d puke up any poultry. Now she has poultry as part of her diet and she’s fine.
And using natural supplements makes a huge difference. The natural kind take longer to work their magic, but when they are at full tilt they really do make a difference.
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Very informative post! While I do not feed raw, I do incorporate fruits and veggies into my Huskies’ diet. Another plus for the raw diet – it has helped many Epi-dogs (epileptic dogs) in reducing seizures! Pinning to my “Bark About” board to share with others!
FiveSibesMom Dorothy recently posted…Dear Gibson, A Letter From Hu-Mom, With Love
Fruits and veg are super foods to incorporate into a canine diet. It’s great to hear that raw diets help dogs who suffer from epilepsy. I had no idea a raw diet could turn epilepsy around.
Another reason I transitioned my dogs to raw is because my male Zè has Endocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency. So basically his pancreas doesn’t function properly making it almost impossible for his body to absorb and use the nutrients from food. If it’s not controlled the result is the total waste away of the body and euthanasia is inevitable.
Zè has had no issues since changing to a raw diet. He does get a digestive supplement too. But the raw diet has really helped a ton.
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Fascinating. So, does the meat need to be ground? How do bones get incorporated? Is there a listing of website resources that you think are good for folks to get additional and accurate information?
Hi Bryn!
Yes, with a BARF diet the muscle meats, bones, fruits, veg, herbs and whatever else you decide to add is ground up. A whole prey diet is basically feeding a whole chicken for example. The food is not ground and fed as a whole animal fur, feathers and all.
If you don’t want to do this yourself then there are some great BARF suppliers where you can buy pre-made food. But I like to make my own so I forked out for a decent grinder that can handle bones too. I make around 80 kg per month which is about 170 lbs. It’s a lot and takes time and planning so I don’t run out, but I manage it in about 3 full days and then I’m set for the month.
There are some great resources.
Facebook: Just search for Raw Diet & Nutrition for Dogs – it’s a great group where I learned a lot. Everyone is really friendly and help out with information. And there’s no arguing between BARF and Whole Prey feeders – which is unusual! 🙂
http://www.wildatheartpets.com/pages/what-to-feed-how-much
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bone-food-values-for-raw-feeding-dogs/
http://www.drianbillinghurst.com/ (Dr Billinghurst is the guy who came up with the BARF diet)
Hope this helps!
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
Real food, baby! Thanks for this great post. I’m a fan of a raw diet, but my dog and I have worked with our holistic vet and he just can’t tolerate the raw food. She said some dog’s QI just can’t handle it. We home cook all our meals and he’s thriving. Great post.
Hi Tonya!
Home cooked is great! I remember growing up, my grandparents fed their GSD’s cooked food. They were all healthy and lived to a ripe age for large breed dogs.
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
I find it very interesting to read about raw feeding for cats and dogs. I’ve chosen not to do it at this time, but I’m not saying it’s wrong and I don’t argue with people about the choices they make for what is best or their furchildren.
The arguing is silly, there’s no two ways about it. It’s like you say, each pet guardian should do what they believe is best for their 4-legged friends.
Raw diets are great for cats and dogs – as long as they are balanced properly. I’ve thought about going to a raw diet with my cats before, but it just hasn’t happened yet. There are a lot of great nutritional elements found in uncooked meats!
Hi Robin!
You’re spot on, balanced is the key. Unbalanced diets can cause many problems and that’s one of the reasons I think raw diets have got a bad reputation. But usually an unbalanced diet is because owners have a lack of knowledge – so education is the key, I think.
Very interesting. Thanks for clearing those myths up! I’ve never fed my dog raw food and probably won’t, but I don’t think anything is wrong with doing so. I’m not sure why people tend to argue about dog food so much. Sheesh!
Hi Kia!
Yip, the arguing is insane and it’s quite volatile sometimes – lots of stone throwing. Silly really. That’s why I always warn people new to canine nutrition to keep clear of the politics.
The only thing that really matters is whether the dog or cat is thriving.
Rosemary recently posted…The Best Tennis Ball Launcher for Dogs
I’d forgotten what the acronym BARF stood for, so thanks for the reminder. Feeding one’s pet is such a personal and passionate conversation. It’s SO important to educate oneself about one’s pet’s diet, because as you mention, there is SO much information available, and sadly, not all of it is accurate.
My dogs get raw beef marrow bones as a treat on occasion and they love them. I watch them constantly, though. Never had any issues!
Hi Elizabeth!
The acronym BARF always gets people interested – although they usually laugh first!
I like the way you describe feeding our dogs – personal and passionate.
As long as dogs are supervised, there’re endless options in terms of feeding bones. Mine get cow heels (not hooves) as something fun to stimulate them. And then of course their raw meaty bones twice a week.
I found this post very helpful and detailed. In fact, even i got caught up in some of the myths, especially the first one about the bone. Thank you for sharing such great information, i hope you’ll keep on writing more post like this in the future.
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Hi Diana!
I’m pleased you found this useful and it’s dispelled one myth for you.
It’s Lindsay to thank for giving me the opportunity to share this information on her blog. 🙂
Much obliged, Rosemary, thanks so much for an excellent guest post! I’ve learned a lot from it, and have been adding some fresh foods to my dog’s diet, and I already see a change. Cow’s teeth look better and better every time she has her weekly turkey neck, though I know it has a lot of bone so I’m still working out how to create a balanced meal plan that I can stick to!
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…Bloated Copy – It’s Bad For Business
There’s no harm in following these myths, maybe I can use it as a guide in taking care of my dog,right?
I’ve been feeding my pups a raw diet for almost 2 years now. I’m somewhere in between BARFing and Prey Model feeding. Sometimes I feed pre-made raw meals that contain veggies and fruits besides the muscle meat, organs and bones, and sometimes I put my own raw meals together. When I do, I sometimes add pureed fruits and veggies, as well as supplements such as kelp, fish oil, green lipped mussel powder, and diatomaceous earth. I believe in overall balance, as you described in your post.
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Hey Barbara!
Compliments of the season! And it’s super nice to connect with you again!
Like you’ve described – that’s the best part about feeding a raw diet, you can mix it up. And mixing it up is so healthy for our pooches, it’s part of the balance. I love the fact that I can pick up whatever meat is on a special – as long as I can eat it, so can they. Although I’d never actually eat green tripe!
I’m a big fan of DE, I give it for any critters and I use it on their coats too. I should get my hands on Kelp, I’ve heard from tons of people that it’s a great addition to their diet.
As a side note, my oldest GSD Charley had hip surgery almost 2 months back and her hydo therapist she looks amazing for a dog that’s almost 10. And she’s a firm supporter of a raw diet. Needless to say my chest swelled with pride. My girl looks awesome!
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Good post, but I need to bring up an issue or two.
One misleading thing was bringing up the Wolf vs Dog thing – especially the DNA! We share 98% DNA with Chimps but our diets are different! Not only different, chimps have much bigger large intestine (colon) than humans do. The larger colon is better for the chimps’ low-quality, high-fiber diet because it allows the fibrous fruits, stems, and leaves to be digested (i.e., fermented by gut bacteria) for a longer period of time. 98%! This makes serious changes in their diet, for example meat is only 5%, they digest fruit, leaves (!) and other vegetable based foods much better than humans!
Similarly wolf vs dogs – they diets are different and bringing up genes is not valid argument. It has been both tested and proven that domesticated dogs are more omnivorous than wolves. Dogs can eat wider range of products – basically because we fed them those during those thousand years of domestication. Also wolves eat vegetable based foods from stomach content of their preys – dogs have been fed different composition – this leads to another changes. Wolf eat once every few days, once a week even. dogs eat daily. This has tremendous impact on their diets.
Yes, dogs can and probably should be fed with barf like diet. But no, dogs shouldn’t be compared to wolf. Dogs have different nutritional needs and capabilities. And not all breeds are that similar to wolves – even if their genes are.
Healthiest wolf is the one that lives in a wild, healthiest dogs are the ones kept in households.
Also – modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated.
BARF diet yes. Wolf BARF diet – no.
useful tips…!