What Are The Pros And Cons Of Barf Feeding Your Dog?
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Jan 24th, 2010 |
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Some dog owners testify that BARF feeding is actually better for your dog. Afterall, in the wild, they eat raw food. But if this is the case, how come I don’t see testimonials by vets, or even breeders?
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Domestic dogs are not physically different than wild dogs, so that’s not a reason not to feed BARF. Their activity level usually is, however, and wild dogs need a lot more protein and carbs that would make a domestic dog fat. But like someone else already said, it’s about getting BALANCE. This is much more important in a dog than in a human. In a human, you can eat some things some times, take a calcium pill here and a vitamin C pill there, and as long as you’ve got *enough*, you’re ok. Not so with a dog. With a dog, all the vitamins and minerals actually have to balance. The quantity doesn’t matter so much as the quantity in relation to everything else. So if you’re an expert at feeding BARF, this is doable. The problem is if you’re not an expert, you could easily get that balance wrong. This is dangerous and could lead to allergies, hip dysplasia, even renal failure and death.
Also, I’ve heard many very good breeders say that you should feed your dogs whole (RAW) chicken bones, as this is what they eat in the wild. However, I ran across an article once (sorry, I have no idea where it was, maybe you can google for it) that was by about 12 different vets. They were all independently asked about the feeding raw bones thing. They all independently answered the exact same thing: that in the wild, yes, dogs eat bones, but they also eat the skin and the feathers or fur of whatever they are consuming. The bones break apart in the stomach, and the fur actually wraps around them. When the wolf poops, there are actually bits of bone with fur wrapped around them in the poop. They had seen dogs with intense intestinal bleeding because they didn’t have that furry protection as the bones passed through the intestines. However, I know of one particular breeder of German Shephards who has raised over 300 litters of pups and swears by this diet. So who knows; I’m sticking with holistic food (Life’s Abundance).
Also, feeding dogs raw meat (so I’ve heard) is perfectly fine. I’ve been told that the bacteria that would make us lethally sick is actually good for their digestive tract. I don’t remember if I heard this from a breeder or a vet, but I would trust both of those sources.
Good luck in your choice! I struggled for months before I got our Golden over what to feed him; I’m still deciding!
If you do look there are many breeders who feed a raw diet. The Westminster bull terrier that won BIS is fed a raw diet.
Vets do not get a lot of nutritional education. If you find a vet that has a extended training in the nutritional field your will get more information. (holiwstic vets)
It’s not the right diet for everyone or everdog however it’s a doog diet if one researcheds it.
I feed raw to my cats and my dog. Have for many years and it’ working great for them. I researched for almost a year before switching.
Dogs are carnivors with onoviourous eating habits. They are desinged to eat meat/bone/orgnas. They do not need the carbs, veggies nor fruit. Althoiugh they can eat that stuff with out too much harm.
You do not have to worry about a daily balance. That can actually cause allergies and other issues. (a daily balance of the same thing daily makes a excess and deficientcy in many areas) What you have to figure is a balance over time, say a week or 2.
If you cook chciekn or meat for your family you are handleling raw meats, you just use the same precautions as they would by wiping the surfacise clean, washing your hands ext. There is no increase risk factor unless your sloppy.
High protein is not what is bad for pets. Any low qaulity protein is what is bad. And that is what is found in pet foods. Low quality proteins. Most are plant proteins which is not proper protein for pets. Studies are showing that a good quality, fresh animal protein in any quantity is the heathiest for pets.
Dogs foods have only been around for about 60 some years. They were ‘invented’ to help people not animals. Pets were much healthier before dogs foods were invented and most of the foods are by products of the human companies waste products. For example brewers rice is the stuff thrown away from making beer. http://home.att.net/~wdcusick/03.html
Pros= Fresh foods, natural foods, you selct ingredients, you know quality, qaunity etc. Lots of moisture, natural enzymes, natural amino acids and efa’s. Less poops, normal poops, poop cleaning is much easier. Cleaner teeth, healthier gums, no brushing the teeth. Healthy skina dn coat, avoiding allergies, avoiding ear problems. More energy, less diet related health issues, better attention span, a happy healthy pet.
Cons- it’s not for everyone, you must understand a few basic things like calcium/phosporus ratios, many differnt diets to choose from from differnt view points, not widley excepted by traditional vets.
Here are some links.
BARF FOR BEGINNERS FAQhttp://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm
BARF STEP BY STEPhttp://touchmoon.com/dotters/raw/index.s…
There are some yahoo groups as well that are great.
Pet dogs and dingoes have different nutritional requirements due to domestication, leading to vast differences in lifestyles. Dingoes are able to get the nutrients they need as they are free to forage freely. Pet dogs don’t have that “luxury”, so by feeding them only raw meat, it’s too much protein without any other essential nutrients they require for them to live healthy lives.
Sticking to good quality dog food, with side treats of raw vegies (such as carrots, celery, broccoli and cauliflower), fruits (apples and other crunchy fruits cut into easy to bite pieces are good options) and bones (remember never to give small easily broken bones like chicken and fish bones as this can cause them to pierce your dog’s digestive tract. Instead, give big sturdy beef, mutton or lamb tigh bones) is a much more advisable dietary option.
no use actual dog food. They have done the scientific tests for proper nutrition
I’ve beginning to think that the BARF diet might be better for dogs. The problem is in getting a balanced diet. I spoke with a vet who holds a degree in canine nutrition, most vets don’t. He said that wild dogs (wolves) eat the whole prey and therefore are eating whatever the prey ate also. Prey would have greens in their diet. Feeding only meat would not provide the greens. You would have to really look at what the nutritional requirements are for the dog and make sure that the diet is balanced.
On the other side, most dog foods contain preservatives like BHA and BHT. These are thought to cause cancer.
The challenge is making sure they receive a BALANCED diet, and it is much more difficult to insure with BARF feeding, as the animals will not always eat in the equal portions you provide.
Your dogs aren’t wild animals, so the fact that wild canines eat this way (they have to, as they have no pockets to keep money for kibbles), doesn’t mean it applies to domesticated dogs that are hundreds of generations away from “wild”.
Too much protein. Domestic dogs are not the same as wild dogs, their nutritional needs are different.
The main worry with any raw food diet is spread of disease to humans from the raw meat, i.e. salmonella. We have a dog who boards with us who is on a raw food diet. The food is handled with gloves, the bowls are sterilized, etc. We have not had any problems with it, but we are very careful.
I personally would not use it, but many people swear by it, especially for dogs with allergies. I use a natural dog food (Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance), and my dogs do well. There are similar diets: Wellness, Canidae, Blue Buffalo, Innova, etc., that are all excellent foods.
yuck!
REPORTED!!!!