DogFoodRatings

 

 

The BARF diet is controversial and can provide both benefits and risks to dogs.  BARF is the best known raw diet for dogs and stands for Bones And Raw Foods. A BARF diet can cost more money and is more time-consuming than feeding your dog store-bought specially-formulated dog food. 

 

The BARF diet strives to mimic the dog's diet in the wild.  The BARF philosophy is that the closer a dog's diet is to its natural diet, the healthier.  This diet simply isn't about cutting out cooking, but also cutting out the preservatives, colorings, and flavorings that are found in commercial dog food.

 

Many veterinarians do not believe in feeding a BARF diet to dogs.  At the same time, many vets sell commercial dog food at their practice, so there may be a conflict of interest.  Feeding your dog a raw diet is easier if you have the support of a vet, so try to find one who is familiar with it.  If you cannot find a vet, talk to dog owners who feed their dogs a BARF diet. 

 

One concern of feeding a raw diet is the prevalence of salmonella, e coli, or other diseases in meat.  Be sure to practice proper kitchen hygiene when dealing with raw meat.  Proponents of a BARF diet point out that commercial food is also filled with dangers--as seen in the numerous pet recalls that have affected all three major private labelers. 

 

If you feed your dog a raw diet, it's important to make sure that the food you give your pet is free of antibiotics and pesticides.  This will help reduce your dog's exposure to diseases and chemicals. 

 

The meat should not be from a factory farm.  Try to locate a local farm that you can visit to check on the condition of the animals.  Also, try to find sources of organic and non-genetically modified foods for the produce that you feed your dog. 

 

If you don't have the time or the local resources, some companies specialize in frozen BARF meals for dogs.  You won't be able to find these in the supermarket or the local pet store, but these meals will save you the trouble of blending the ingredients yourself and searching for suitable local sources.

 

Dogs are omnivores--not carnivores--so a BARF diet is not simply meat and bones.  It will also include healthy produce.  In the wild, wolves eat the stomach contents of the prey that they catch.  While produce can be part of a nutritious diet, the BARF diet avoids the corn, wheat gluten, and cereal grains that are common in commercial foods but provide no health benefits to dogs.  Instead, include foods such as broccoli, carrots, and bok choy.  The vegetables should be pulsed in a blender or food processor before being fed to your dog.