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BARF Diet for Dogs
BARF diet for dogs (bones and raw food diet) has numerous health benefits for our dogs, but if handled inappropriately,
the raw food may pose health risks to both dogs and humans. This page looks at the pros and cons of raw food diet for dogs.
BARF diet for dogs (i.e. bone and raw food diet) is gaining popularity recently. Many dog parents have reported numerous positive health benefits after switching their dog
diet to a raw dog food diet.
There are a lot of debates and conflicting information on BARF diet for dogs which can be overwhelming sometimes.
After much research, we have put together this page and hopefully it will help you make a more informed decision as to whether you want to feed your dog a BARF diet.
Specifically, this page is going to look at:
Pros and Cons of a BARF Diet for Dogs
The main benefits of a BARF diet for dogs are:
- Raw foods contain tissues, enzymes, vitamins and minerals that are intact, i.e. they are not broken down or destroyed by cooking, and are therefore
able to be used by the dog's body to maximum advantage.
- Raw foods are digested and absorbed slowly. Lower digestibility results in a lower glycemic index (i.e. rate of an increase in blood sugar after a meal).
This can prevent obesity, diabetes mellitus, and insulin intolerance.
- A BARF diet is generally low in carbohydrates, which can prevent tumor growth and can prevent and treat chronic inflammatory disorders, such as skin allergies and
ear infections.
- Dogs on a raw food diet generally have smaller and firmer stools, shed less, have cleaner teeth, fresher breath, and fewer dental problems.
The main disadvantages and risks of a BARF diet for dogs are:
- Meat is currently one of the most polluted food sources in the market. Even meat for human consumption contains toxic materials (e.g. lead, mercury, dioxiin)
and residues of pesticide, hormones and antibiotics. High-quality organic meat, bones, and other fresh wholesome ingredients can be costly.
- Raw food diets, especially those prepared at home, may be significantly imbalanced with respect to their mineral content, with
excesses or deficiencies in calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium and iron being the most common imbalances. Some raw food diets are deficient in fiber.
- Typical BARF diets for dogs may not be able to supply the additional requirements for growth or reproduction, and may not be suitable for growing puppies or
pregnant bitches. For these dogs, veterinary advice is especially important to ensure a balanced diet is being fed.
- Raw foods may contaminate the environment - for example, the feces of dogs on a BARF diet may contain disease-causing bacteria, such as Salmonella,
E. coli, and Campylobacter jejuni, any of which can be present as contaminants on even human-grade food products.
- If there are family members with compromised immune systems due to serious diseases or chemotherapy, these family members will be at
increased risk of contracting bacterial infections if the family dog is fed a BARF diet.
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What Precautions Can Be Taken to Minimize Contamination?
In order to minimize the possibility of contamination, follow the same sanitation practices that you use when preparing your own foods. For example:
- Wash your hands and all utensils thoroughly before and after handling raw meat.
- DO NOT use wooden chopping boards.
- Store the dog's meat and bones so that it cannot contaminate human foods.
- Confine the feeding of the raw diet to one location in the house, or to one location outdoors.
- Do not allow your dog to lick or kiss your and your family members' hands and faces.
- Ensure that the meat is frozen before preparation, and that raw food prepared in advance is frozen until needed. Freezing does not kill all bacteria, but
reduces their numbers in food significantly.
- To avoid environmental contamination, always clean and disinfect the feeding area after a meal.
- Make sure you pick up after your dog immediately and dispose of the fecal matter properly.
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What Type of Meat Can be Included in a BARF Diet for Dogs?
Different meats can used as part of a raw food diet for dogs.
The key is "rotation" - introduce different types of meats so that your dog can get all the different nutrients contained in different meats.
Meats that can be fed to your dog include:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Duck
- Beef
- Lamb
Rabbit and pork meat may contain parasites such as tapeworms or trichinosis organisms, so these should be cooked before you feed them to your dog.
In addition, organ meat such as liver and heart can be given to your dog occasionally, but these meats should not be over 10 percent of the diet.
When introducing raw meats to your dog, be sure to introduce one new meat at a time. For example, feed chicken meat for a week, then lamb for a week, and so on. By doing
so, if your dog is allergic to a particular protein, you can easily identify which meat he is allergic to.
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How About Raw Bones?
Depending on the size of the dog and the size of the bone, when used properly, raw bones can be beneficial.
Dogs chewing on raw bones can minimize the build-up of tartar on the teeth.
Raw bones are rich in calcium as well as other beneficial minerals. The cartilage contains glucosamine and chondroitin which are beneficial to dog joints.
However, there are also risks of feeding bones to a dog. For example, an improper size of bone may cause an intestinal accident such as an intestinal
obstruction or blockage. As well, bones that are frozen hard should not be given to dogs since the rock-hard bones can break teeth.
Similar to raw meat, raw bones may contain bacteria and can contaminate the environment. To minimize environmental contamination, bones should be fed outdoors and the
area should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before humans are exposed to it. After handling a raw bone, you should thoroughly wash your hands.
Fresh bones with lots of marrow can spoil easily and must be discarded within one day in the summertime to avoid rancidity.
Cooked bones must NEVER be fed, since they are brittle and prone to splintering, which can cause tooth fractures, intestinal obstruction and intestinal perforations.
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What Other Raw Foods Can be Included in a BARF Diet for Dogs?
Besides bones and meat, there are a lot of other fresh foods that can be included in a BARF diet for dogs.
For protein, raw eggs, cottage cheese, or tofu can sometimes be fed to our dogs.
For fiber, vegetables can be added to a BARF diet. However, not all vegetables can be given to dogs uncooked.
The following vegetables do not have to be cooked. They are best served blended or pureed since that is the way they would be found in the wild diet (from the stomachs of
dead animals):
- alfalfa sprouts
- beets
- bell peppers
- carrots (Occasionally, you can give your dog a whole unpeeled and uncooked carrot to chew on. It is good for the teeth and gums.)
- celery
- fresh corn
- cucumber
- zucchini
On the other hand, these vegetables should be cooked before being fed to your dog:
- broccoil
- cauliflower
- grean beans
- peas
- potatoes
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How Can We Switch Over to a BARF Diet for Dogs?
If this is the first time that you try to feed your dog a BARF diet, transition your dog slowly.
Mix the new food with the old food product for 5-7 days (gradually increasing the amount of the new food and decreasing the amount of the old food).
By transitioning slowly, it will not only help your dog get used to the new taste, but will also allow the dog's digestive system sufficient time to adjust. If there is
not sufficient time for the system to adjust, diarrhea or appetite loss may occur since the bacterial flora in the dog's system cannot adjust abruptly to the new food.
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Can We Get BARF Diets in a Package?
If you are considering feeding your dog a BARF diet, perhaps the easiest way is to get a high-quality natural product to ensure that the diet is well-balanced and all the
necessary nutrients are included.
Some highly-recommended BARF diet products include:
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Stella and Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Dinners for Dogs
 : This product
is made of 96% human-grade, free-range meats and bones, and 4% organic fruits and vegetables. These quality foods meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog
Food Nutrient Profiles for all Life Stages.
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Raw Advantage Rock Island Raw Recipe for Dogs
 : This product includes
organic meat, grains, herbs and vegetables free from all hormones, chemicals and pesticides.
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Primal Pet Foods Raw Dog Food
 : This product contains the
proper ratio of muscle meats, meaty bones and calcium rich organic ingredients, organ meats and finely ground raw fruits and vegetables, as well as a well balanced
combination of nutritional supplements such as calcium, phosphorous and Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids.
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Fido Says: Have an opinion or suggestion on dog food and BARF diets? Share it! Join our
Forum on dog food. |
See Also:
Natural Dog Food Diet
Home Cooked Dog Food
Dog Food Labels
High Fiber Dog Food
Vegetarian Diet for Dogs
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