What Are Some Pros And Cons Of Feeding Barf Or Raw Diet?
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Dec 1st, 2009 |
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My friend feeds raw to her 19 year old Golden retreiver for 8 years. She said that it really improoved her dog performance and health but she also said the cons were the time to prepare it, the fact another freezer just for raw food is needed,and the fact that there is a risk of the owner getting sick from handling meat for their dogs. Anything else I should consider?
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1. You don’t necessarily need another freezer, although it does help because buying in bulk is cheaper. I got lucky because my family happens to have 2, though.
2. As long as you take the necessary precautions in handling meat, there isn’t a bigger risk of the owner getting sick. There is bacteria and germs everywhere. Raw meat doesn’t make a difference. Just don’t do anything stupid like not wash your hands/area after handling meat and you’ll be fine.
Feeding raw does take more time than dumping kibble into a bowl, but I enjoy watching my dog eat species appropriate food. I love meat shopping for my dog and knowing the fact that she’s eating something so healthy and appropriate. She has sparkling white teeth, a soft and shiny (and non-smelly) coat, a muscled and toned body, good energy, and tiny poop. The best part is, she actually LIKES to eat now.
ETA
It is a complete myth that dogs get aggressive. Check out this link about raw myths:
http://www.rawfed.com/myths
Most veterinarians do NOT condone raw. Vets are not trained in pet nutrition and vet schools are usually sponsored by pet food companies like Hill’s (of Science Diet). Don’t be surprised if your vet is strongly against raw.
ETA2
I think the fact that the Golden is 18 years old is proof enough that raw is the best food out there for dogs!
ETA3
Just wanted to add- it takes time finding good meat that’s on sale. I get a lot of my meat from Asian markets because they have all sorts of weird food- chicken feet, spleen, pig feet, etc. I also try to stay under $2/lb.
Also, it’s not easy trying to find a boarding facility that will feed your dog raw, so it gets tough if you travel a lot and have to leave your dog at home with someone else to feed him.
ETA4
Raw is only as expensive as you make it. A lot of people find that feeding raw is cheaper than kibble.
FACT: Dogs are CARNIVORES. Their DNA is only 1-2% different from that of wolves. People need to get their heads straight.
I just started feeding my dog raw, and my freezer’s full, but I can’t afford another one quite yet. The only disadvantage is that my dog is taking some time to adjust, which isn’t something I expected from her. I disinfect my hands all the freaking time.
And besides being a bloodthirsty aggressive wolf-dog… oh wait, she isn’t!
I cannot think of many “Pros”, but to be honest with you a few months ago I considered switching my young Golden Retriever to a raw diet. The reasons I decided to keep her on a high quality commercial food diet (Canidae) are;
1) The high cost in terms of money and time it takes to properly prepare a raw diet
2) Concerns about not having a nutritionally balanced diet in terms of vitamins, nutrients and minerals
3) My husband is a total germophobe and even if I wore a full body suit and doused my hands in sanitizer AFTER washing them thoroughly, he would still flip if I fed her raw food
4) Dogs are in fact OMNIVORES… not carnivores as many raw or BARF advocates claim. This means that if left to their own devices in the wild they would eat ANYTHING, including plant material! Granted, most grains (corn, wheat, etc) are not great for them (corn gives my dog terrible gas)… so I try to avoid grains (Canidae has rice which is much better than corn, wheat or soy).
5) We do not have kids yet, but I considered down the road when we do have them…. as much as I love my dog, I do NOT want her eating raw meat and then licking a baby or young child. If salmonella or E. coli are bad for adults, they are so much worse for youngsters with undeveloped immune systems. Nor do I want to keep the dog and young kids from interacting.
6) The dog seems to be happy with the Canidae. I also give her some cooked meat on occassion, but I mix it with the kibble. Why mess with a good thing?
Some people will insist that their dogs lived so much longer or so much more healthfully on a raw diet. Good for them. My dog looks great, has a beautiful soft shiny coat, is healthy and is easy to feed. As long as she conitnues to do well on her current diet I will continue to keep her on it.
Feeding raw is easy….once you have studied it enough to balance a diet. Do some googling, and find a list that will help you, if that’s the way you want to go. I’ve been feeding a raw diet for 17 years now, and find it easy. It would a lot easier to just feed a kibble, but I’m sure that I would be at the vet a lot more than now…..which is zero. Four dogs aged from 5 to 12, and no illness *at all* in their lives…so no vets bills. That certainly cuts down on the overall expense. No arthritis from grain-based kibble. No skin problems. No gunky ears. No teeth needing cleaned. No aggression.
What Are The Benefits Of A BARF Diet?
The truth is there are a lot of healthy advantages to switching your dog over to a raw food diet. Aside from the nasty ingredients listed above, this diet is much easier for your dog to digest and provides a multitude of vitamins and minerals that he/she would not normally get.
Owners of dogs that have switched have found that problems such as skin irritations, food allergies, weight problems and a host of various diseases have been significantly improved through this diet. I can attest to this fact myself. My dog has stopped vomiting her food up after eating, no longer sheds enough to make 10 sweaters in a day, has not had any episodes of stiffness with her arthritis in over 2 years, and her teeth are sparkling clean with…get this… no bad breath! Another benefit is that she no longer has that “doggy smell,” even after coming in from the rain.
However, the overall benefit of the BARF diet is the improved health and vitality of your dog. You will also find that your dog will produce fewer stools that are smaller and not as smelly, making clean up easier.
What Are The Disadvantages Of A Raw Food Diet?
1) It takes longer to prepare. Obviously, you aren’t just scooping out a bunch of kibble and tossing it into a bowl. A BARF diet requires you to measure and weigh the correct amount of meat, bones and vegetables according to your dog’s weight. A rule of thumb is to serve your dog 2% to 3% of their body weight. My dog weighs 75 pounds; therefore I give her 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of food per day (divided up with a meal in the morning and one at suppertime). Most owners buy their meat in bulk then repackage it into daily servings and freeze. Vegetables should be chopped up fine. At least 50% of the meal should contain meat and bones.
2) It can be slightly more expensive than commercial dog food (unless you’re currently using a premium brand – in which case this raw diet will probably be cheaper). If you keep your eyes open and watch for sales, you can get a good amount of meat on sale for a greatly reduced cost. It pays to invest in a deep freeze for those times when you can buy a large bulk of meat at a great price and stock up the freezer with pre-packaged meals.
I have not heard about handling raw meat being a danger to myself or my family, When I cook meat for my family, it is always raw when I start the process. I need to investigate that concern further, I have been feeding raw food for about 4 years since my dog is elderly and he has prostrate and liver cancer. I also use flaxseed oil for his immune system so he is doing a lot better. Most commercial dry foods are so full of grain and really poor meat and fat ingredients that I cannot feed him something that I know is of such poor quality as a food item.
I think if you just read all you can about dog foods and how they are made and graded and then follow your heart you’ll be OK.
My dogs eat raw and it is the easiest thing I have ever done, I don’t understand why people want to change dogs from there natural way, I think it is controling and selfish.
Really, the prep work and storage issues are the only downside of feeding raw. As far as the dog is concerned, it’s all benefit. Better health, less poop, less smell, better teeth, longer life, etc.
If you’re willing to put in the time and effort to feed raw, your dog will be around to thank you for a very long time.
I suggest investing in a vacuum-sealing system, an extra freezer if needed, and a lot of hand soap.
Edit: Ok, I don’t know why people are silly enough to perpetuate that foolish wives tale, but eating raw bloody meat does not turn dogs mean. It doesn’t even make sense, for crying out loud! And second, vets receive ZERO nutritional training- they are trained in medicine, not diet. They don’t know to suggest raw foods, all they know is that Hills, Eukanuba, and Royal Canin pay for their research and fund their hospitals, so those are the foods they endorse. You may as well ask a psychic for dog food advice as a vet.
Hey there. I feed raw and my dogs enjoy the diet and do very well on it. Their teeth are fabulous. All of the stomach drama that my 6 yr old dog used to suffer from are gone. It does take time to prepare and plan – I need to balance what they eat (too much bone and they will get constipated)
My vet is fine with me using the BARF diet – I agree, there is a lot of conflicting information out there about it and it’s hard to make a decision when no 2 vets will have the same opinion.
Following the directions for handling on the packages of chicken wings etc is important. Variety is important too. I get ground rabbit, quail, and trachea and I get special organic cow tails and chicken feet from my supplier. I feed organic whenever I can.
I try to cut down on prep time by doing it all at once. Making portions and freezing them also allows for easier travel. It’s hard to keep things clean if your dogs don’t eat in their crates so I recommend doing that, especially when you’re traveling.
Good luck!
WOW 19 year old golden … amazing. I feed RAW/BARF and I had a GSD that lived till 16 on it from a puppy.
I haven’t bought commercial dog or cat food in 17 years now.
The results are amazing.
I work for a doggy daycare, and we have a few dogs that are on the raw diet. Other than it being time consuming and expensive, the dogs on these diets tend to have unbelievably foul gas. I know two golden retrievers that I can’t stand to have laying near me because it’s so potent and disgusting.
almost all dog food will try to claim that they are the best. If whatever dog food you are feeding your dog is working well, no health issues then stick with it, changing a dog’s diet too often is not good. If you have a small dog then stay away from high protein foods, it gives them diahrea, if it’s a bigger dog, it is ok. high protein as in over 35% protein dog foods.