Barf

[silkstocking]

Hello there!! I just thought I'd start a topic about feeding......not sure that I've started it in the right place but nevermind!

I have two blue's and they are both fed on the BARF (bones and raw food) diet and I wondered if there were any other barfers out there?! to share meal ideas with.........or indeed if there was anyone interested in the BARF diet then I can fill you in.......i carried on from what my dogs breeder was doing, she feeds all her dogs BARF, now i'm a reall advocate of it!

Lisa x

[Linda12]

I would like to know more about this. I use one of the well known 'complete' dried foods but keen to supplement with fresh food but not sure if I would then be giving unbalanced diet?

Linda and Wallace

[silkstocking]

Hi linda! BARF gives them everthing they need and it's so easy and cheaper!! Basically my dogs are fed on rotation meals like, scrambled egg and cottage cheese, toast and honey, pasta, rice, raw minced beef, raw minced chicken, raw minced tripe, lambe etc. They also have raw chicken wings which they love (the bones are small enough for them to break and digest), tinned tuna, mackeral, pilchards, they also have vegtable and fruit meals, porridge, stuff that you have in the cupboards so you never really run out of food!!

BARF makes their breathe fresher, the poos smaller and less stinky, because they are digest nearly everything, completes have e numbers and additives and god knows what in them!

My dogs breeder shows her dogs and has 10 cockers of her own, they are all fed BARF and thrive on it. I have two friends who changed from complete to BARF and noticed changes in their dogs like better coat condition and in the case of one who had a rescue dog who was very hyper and disliked other dogs a change in his behaviour for the better....I guess it's like a child with e numbers!!

You can add herbs to their food which helps to maintain fresh breathe and things like flax seed oil and kelp. They get everythingf they need and it is a very balanced diet if it is done properly, free from all the processed stuff that is added to complete foods.

There is a web site you might find interesting www.ukbarfclub.co.uk, it has articles and various other info from fellow BARFers!

Hope this helps!! Feel free to ask any more questions!! Lisa xx

I would like to know more about this. I use one of the well known 'complete' dried foods but keen to supplement with fresh food but not sure if I would then be giving unbalanced diet?

Linda and Wallace

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[Penel]

Hello, I feed a raw natural diet and I'm afraid that doesn't include scrambled eggs and toast  but hey if that works for you then fine !!!!     mine don't have grain either - so no rice, pasta etc.
I've posted quite a lot on the subject here on COL, they are all probably bored to death reading it      

[silkstocking]

Hi there!, mine love their scrambled eggs and cottage cheese and toast and honey! It was on their food list when I picked them up from their breeder so i just carried on with it!! Have to say toast and honey is quite a treat though! They love it!!

 I give my two chicken wings and their are bones in the natures menu food they have (frozen stuff) what other raw bones do your dogs have? I'd like to add another kind to their diet
Thanks Lisa xxxxxxx

Hello, I feed a raw natural diet and I'm afraid that doesn't include scrambled eggs and toast   but hey if that works for you then fine !!!!     mine don't have grain either - so no rice, pasta etc.
I've posted quite a lot on the subject here on COL, they are all probably bored to death reading it     

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[Cob-Web]

.... completes have e numbers and additives and god knows what in them!

Actually, not all of them do...but a lot of supermarket shelf brands do  

I don't feed BARF because at present I  don't have the storage/time/commitment avaiable to do it justice   . Having browsed the UK BARF Club website extensively, I believe in avoiding cereal too - but at the moment I'm just not able to guarantee the several times a week trip to the greengrocer for veggies to puree, and our freezer just would not cope with the meat needed on top of the usually family meals  

Instead, I feed a premium complete food - with no additives or cereal, and supplement Molo's diet with ham bones, chicken wings, raw carrots and broccoli (he pinches from the guineas, so I give him his own now   ) I also use "natural" treats - dried pigs and cows ears, pig snouts, dried buffalo meat, home dried liver and of course, pizzles  ::  I reduce the amount of complete food he gets each day to reflect the treats he is given - but it gives me the confidence that he is getting a complete, balanced diet  

[silkstocking]

Maybe I was genralising by saying completes have e numbers and god knows what in them, you are right not all do....I guess it just comes down to personal preferance at the end of the day, I know my dogs would turn their noses up if i gave them complete (my mum tried to once and they weren't having any of it, and they usually always wolf their food down!!) I guess you have to do what is best for you and your dogs.

I was avoiding cereal but my vet felt that my dogs needed the extra substance as they both eat loads but don't put weight on and they needed a bit if extra which he said the cereal would give them and it has worked.  


Lisa xx

.... completes have e numbers and additives and god knows what in them!

Actually, not all of them do...but a lot of supermarket shelf brands do  

I don't feed BARF because at present I  don't have the storage/time/commitment avaiable to do it justice   . Having browsed the UK BARF Club website extensively, I believe in avoiding cereal too - but at the moment I'm just not able to guarantee the several times a week trip to the greengrocer for veggies to puree, and our freezer just would not cope with the meat needed on top of the usually family meals  

Instead, I feed a premium complete food - with no additives or cereal, and supplement Molo's diet with ham bones, chicken wings, raw carrots and broccoli (he pinches from the guineas, so I give him his own now   ) I also use "natural" treats - dried pigs and cows ears, pig snouts, dried buffalo meat, home dried liver and of course, pizzles  ::  I reduce the amount of complete food he gets each day to reflect the treats he is given - but it gives me the confidence that he is getting a complete, balanced diet  

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[waisis]

I feed a pre-made version of the BARF diet that comes in patties (http://www.healthy-paws.ca/).  The raw bones are ground up though so he doesn't get to chew his meals, but t's sooooo much easier then preparing it myself....that will be the ultimate goal!  Bailey was quite a picky little eater before I changed his diet and had the stinkiest poo ever!  

[bluegirl]

I fed a raw natural diet to my dog, but it isn't BARF.
She has been fed this way since 8 wks old and she is now 3yrs. I am very happy with the results.

[shonajoy]

Three great foods are naturdiet (wet) James Wellbeloved, dry, and Burns, dry. All are free from nasty additives and are good balanced foods. I add bran to naturediet to help with anal glands too.

There are good foods in both - BARF may be ok if you can afford the time and money, but not everyone can or wants to - I'm not a fan of dogs and bones, I work in a vets.

[silkstocking]

Three great foods are naturdiet (wet) James Wellbeloved, dry, and Burns, dry. All are free from nasty additives and are good balanced foods. I add bran to naturediet to help with anal glands too.

There are good foods in both - BARF may be ok if you can afford the time and money, but not everyone can or wants to - I'm not a fan of dogs and bones, I work in a vets.

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BARF doesn't take that much time to be honest, and I don't find it to expensive either, infact my friend who has 4 cockers has nearly halved her food bill since she started feeding BARF, but at the end of the day we all do what we see is best for us and our dogs.

Lisa x

[silkstocking]

I fed a raw natural diet to my dog, but it isn't BARF.
She has been fed this way since 8 wks old and she is now 3yrs. I am very happy with the results.

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Your signiture quote is great and too true!! My dogs have been fed BARF since they were weaned and I to am very happy with the results. I think dogs tell us what they like and don't like.......my too are chasing round the lounge like mad at the mo I think they trying to attract my attention!!!!

Lisa x

[silkstocking]

I feed a pre-made version of the BARF diet that comes in patties (http://www.healthy-paws.ca/).  The raw bones are ground up though so he doesn't get to chew his meals, but t's sooooo much easier then preparing it myself....that will be the ultimate goal!  Bailey was quite a picky little eater before I changed his diet and had the stinkiest poo ever! 

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Thanks that sounds interesting I will take a look at the website and pass it on to my BARFER friends!! Lisa xx

[sarahp]

I feed a BARF diet - having got lots of info from Penel    on another forum  

To be honest Daisy chose it herself - she hates biscuits of any sort - even human     My mom did discover that she would eat rich tea - but you have to dunk it first ::  ::

So now she has a better diet than me and my OH!!!  We went to a farm shop today and bought organic chicken wings and lamb chops - the lady in the shop thought I was mad when I said it was for the dog   She asked Chris if he had the Pedigree Chum  

[Spanielsmum]

I tried with the raw bones but both my dogs were passing blood with their poo(sorry if you're eating) when I'd given them neck of lamb. They seem fine with raw chicken wings. I'll still give them but have gone back to Butcher's choice and Autarky, I can't stand the worry.