Author Topic: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet  (Read 2671 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline annie874

  • Site Member
  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 13
Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« on: June 06, 2007, 11:47:31 AM »
Hi,

My puppy is 11 weeks, almost and i'm seriously considering feeding her the BARF diet, as she is not settling on the dry food, any! and i cant keep giving her chicken, rice and or toast as i'm sure this is not good for her being carbs and not very nutrious for her  :-\.

Has any one got any idea's, hints tips or follow the diet and recommend it?

I have read some of the links on here, and i've found them very helpfull and informative.

I have heard that this diet also help with behaviour is this true? or anyone had this experience, could it be cause the food is natural and not full of additives   >:D >:D and the rest of the crap they put in some foods?

Does anyone have any recipies for 'patties' or any suggestions on feeding for that instance, and quiet scared of this diet, for poppy and me, yuk, raw meat, but if it does her good them am willing to try anything   :luv: :luv:

The bones wont hurt her will they  :huh:

Annie


Offline *Adele*

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1103
  • Gender: Female
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2007, 08:24:07 PM »
Hi Annie, sorry I've no experience of BARF but noticed nobody else had replied to your post either way!  :o

I'm not for or against BARF, don't know enough about it and Chloe is happy and healthy on her own food at the moment. You say she is 11 weeks and won't settle on any dry food, how long have you had her and how long have you tried her on the different foods? If you're giving in and giving her chicken, rice and/or toast she won't eat her dry food! Would you?  ;) I'm always of the opinion that if they're well and hungry they will eat! (Before anyone takes this the wrong way, this is my 1st cocker but this applies to me for cats, dogs, kids... you get the idea!)

What was the breeder feeding her? Did you carry on with the same food? If not why not?

Adele

Offline clairep4

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2922
  • Gender: Female
  • The Two Muppeteers!
    • Chow Bella Pet Bowls
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2007, 11:32:41 AM »
Hi Annie,

If you search in the health topics there are lots of threads on what to feed for BARF. I've got two dogs, Bella has been on BARF since she was about 10 months and Zorro since 11 weeks, so this is what Zorro was fed as a pup:

Breakfast: 1 x chicken wing
Mid-morning: mince (I used the bags of frozen mince from Pets At Home as these have some bone content)
Mid-afternoon: mince or maybe scrambled egg
Evening: mince with some whizzed up veg

For amounts, I initially followed something I'd read which was to give them 10% of their bodyweight per day, so when Zorro weighed 4kg he was on 400g per day (a chicken wing is around 80-100g depending on size, then 3 lots of 100g of mince).

For the chicken wing, if she's never had one before you may want to bash it up to break up the bones for her and you may want to hold onto one end (can use pliers to make it a bit less grim) so that she learns not to guzzle it down in one go. They soon learn what to do though and you'll be amazed how those little puppy jaws can crunch up a boney little wing in no time at all.

Basically you want to feed the same kinds of food as you would to an adult dog but in different quantities, and while she's still on 4 meals I'd just stick initially to chicken wings and one type of mince, and then gradually start to introduce different types of meat. So you might start with the beef mince, and then introduce the rabbit, lamb, tripe etc but do it gradually.

I'd really recommend that you get a couple of the books recommended in other BARF threads so that you can find out more about what is needed, as although it doesn't have to be complicated, you do need to make sure that they get the correct balance of nutrients (enough offal-based foods, enough meat to bone ratio, omega oils etc etc). There are varying views on whether they need to have grains or vegetables and that seems to come down to individual choice, I know some COLers feed grains and some don't, but most of us seem to feed some veg.

Zorro is now 9 months old and has had impeccable health on this diet, his only trips to the vet have been for jabs and neutering, he's got a lovely glossy coat, bright eyes and absolutely bags of energy (pic of him here http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=29950.0).

On the behaviour front, I think if your dog is on a kibble that has lots of additives then you will probably notice a change if you switch to BARF, but it won't calm down loopy cocker puppy behaviour and Zorro is like a veritable Duracell bunny  :lol:. Good luck!

PS Raw bones are fine for them, especially soft chicken wing bones and breast of lamb, it's COOKED bones that you should never feed as they are splintery.
Claire, Bella & Zorro - the two muppeteers!
Tellington TTouch Practitioner P1
www.tellingtontouch.org.uk

Offline Jane S

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13205
  • Gender: Female
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2007, 12:30:30 PM »
If you search in the health topics there are lots of threads on what to feed for BARF.

BARF threads are in the process of being transferred onto the Feeding board so you won't find them in Health once this is finished although it may take some time due to the volume involved ;)
Jane

Offline DennyK

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1168
    • http://
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2007, 04:44:18 PM »
I'd also add tripe into the menu instead of one of the mince meals - it has a similar phosphorus/calcium ratio as bones and is a good source of these minerals at such a critical stage of your dog's life - when he's growing his bones!

Also try reading the Kymythy Schultze book - fast, informative and very helpful - called "The Ultimate Diet - Natural Nutrition for Dogs & Cats" - from Amazon - or anything by Dr Billinghurst.

Good luck.

Denise

Offline Tracy S

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 983
  • Gender: Female
  • louie-blue shoes
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2007, 04:57:13 PM »


We've recently gone over to BARF with Louie but he's 11 months now.

I'd wished I'd done it sooner, he wasn't keen at all on any dried food in any shape or form.  The only change I've noticed in behaviour is he seems much more alert and energetic (not manic though ;))  That said, what little he ate of his dried food was additive free.

We have recently come back from a weeks camping and even managed to keep to BARF whilst away. I would go for it if I were you, I'm glad I did although I found it a bit scary at first. ;)

Offline phillyknickers

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 567
  • Gender: Female
  • Can we go home yet.....?
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2007, 01:31:40 PM »
http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=22308.0

We've literally just changed over to BARF in the last few days and I can thoroughly recommend it.  Above is Happydog's thread about Barf which if you read it has got loads of hints, tips and book recommendations that are available from Amazon.

Good luck  :D
Harry the Sprocker - crossbreed I know, but still gorgeous !

"Don't walk in front of me - I may not follow.
 Don't walk behind me - I may not lead.
 Just walk beside me & be my friend." (and STOP PULLING!!)

Albert Camus

Offline CraftySam

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2331
  • Gender: Female
  • Max, Morgan, Sapphi
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2007, 10:57:42 PM »
Mine are all on BARF. I'd thoroughly recommend it.

I swapped over to BARF when Barney was about 7/8 months and my other two were older.  I then got a puppy and I swapped him over to BARF about 12/13 weeks old. Even though my others were on it I was a bit worried about swapping a young pup on to it. Well I needn't have! He has absolutely thrived on it.  :D

So I wouldn't hesitate on putting puppies on it.
Sam is mum to - Sapphi (working black Lab 5 1/2 yrs), Max (Golden Retriever 4 yrs) Morgan (American Cocker 2 1/2yrs) and mum in spirit to Barney (English Cocker 3 1/2 yrs now living in Scotland)

Offline bluegirl

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5875
  • Gender: Female
    • www.millionhairsdoggrooming.co.uk
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2007, 10:23:50 AM »
I raised my litter on a raw meat diet, didn't have any problems with them accepting it. Their mother has also been on it since we bought her at 8 weeks old. I just swapped her over from what she was on starting from breakfast the day after we got her, again absolutely no problems.
Karen, Penny, Logan, Phoebe and Bronte.


"Life is a series of dogs".    George Carlin

I was going to take over the world but got distracted by something sparkly.

Offline Joelf

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2708
  • Gender: Female
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2007, 10:44:42 PM »
Our dogs have been on semi-BARF for a couple of months now; I had no problem swapping them onto it although Domino did bring up a few small pieces of bone in the beginning but Spike, like most labs, has a cast-iron digestion so not much upsets his tummy. They still have NatureDiet for some meals & other times they have raw mince, Nature's Menu nuggets, sardines, chicken wings, pork ribs & a good assortment of bones, mostly lamb which I get free from my super butcher. I don't feed offal as Domino won't eat it & Spike's not that enamoured either (nor am I frankly!! :shades:)

My vet commented the other day how fit & well Spike looked (he went for his annual check-up) & he thought his teeth were amazing - both dogs have a gleaming Hollywood smile!! ;)
Jo, Domino (cocker) & Spike (black lab.)


Offline JaspersMum

  • Donator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9982
Re: Thinking of Embarking on BARF diet
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2007, 09:24:17 AM »
Both of mine are on BARF, is the family are a bit squeamish about raw meats in the freezer, I have a box in one side where all their bags of frozen mince, chicken wings, ribs and whizzed veggies are, so they are not going to end up in the cottage pie!  ;)

I don't find it too much of a prob and both dogs are well on it, Jaspers always been picky but eats this better than anything.  I do add a bit of kibble (Autarky) but its probably more that it looks like it breaks up the mince a bit rather than the boys needing it. There are lots of threads about whats good to use and what you shouldn't plus the books mentioned are worth reading.

Louie is 11 months and Jasper 2yrs.

Jenny - owned by Jasper, Ellie, Heidi, Louie & Charlie