Author Topic: Confussed about BARF  (Read 1528 times)

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Offline Gunner

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Confussed about BARF
« on: December 19, 2007, 02:14:47 PM »
Hello All

We are due to bring home our puppy on 29th December his name is Gunner and he's a Blue Roan show type he'll be coming home with Pedigree complete I am very interested in starting him on a BARF diet as i feel it would do him better than his current food. I have the book "Give a dog a bone" but am not finding it very good  :-\ . How do you know how much to give him ?? Should i wait till hes a bit older??
How many times a week should he have veg?? what about vitamin supplements and stuff like that it is all very confusing  :-\
In an ideal world I'd like someone to give me a list of what he'll need each week  :D  :D  :D
Oh and if there are anymore straight forward books i could get

I have looked on all the previous posts about this diet but can't find what I'm looking for ??

Many thanks
Charlotte

Offline Annette

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Re: Confussed about BARF
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2007, 04:47:00 PM »
I feed BARF to Buddy but he only started on it after he was fully grown as I didn't really know about it beofre. SO I can't offer much advice for you. But I do know that Clairep4, Silkstocking  and others have raised Puppies on BARF so should be able to help you.

There have been some great, step-by-step threads on BARF in recent months. Try doing a search (I am pants at doing linky things, sorry!)

Whatever you decide about diet, I would advise getting your pup off Pedigree quite soon. YUK!

Offline happydog

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Re: Confussed about BARF
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2007, 05:01:48 PM »
Shameless plug here  :005: .

I started a BARF diary last year when I changed Fern over from tinned rubbish when she was 7.  It is 18 pages long so wait until you have the time! Lots of info in there, my fear of feeding chicken bones  and how i got over it ph34r , books, links to other sites for more info and how I calculated the amounts she needed. I found it confusing too. Just remember it is not an exact science.

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=22308.0

It's good to weigh out amounts to begin with so you have a rough idea of what it looks like but don't become obsessed. Every dogs metabolism is different and you will get to know your own dogs requirements. You will learn to feed a bit more or less if he needs it and as he goes through growth spurts. I just chuck it in the bowl now by the handful! Start straight away. Several breeders wean their pups straight on to BARF with no problems. Good luck. I bet you can't wait for your pup to come home  :luv: .
happydog

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Offline clairep4

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Re: Confussed about BARF
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2007, 05:21:37 PM »
I raised Zorro on raw from 11 weeks old (I'd already been feeding Bella on it since she was a year) and I have to say it's actually pretty easy - especially in the early days it's no more faffy than kibble.

I did some reading on the BritBarf Yahoo site (well worth joining) and also read Billinghurst's "Grow Your Pup With Bones" although I found it was all a bit too technical really.

Anyway the basics are:

Feed around 10% of your pup's bodyweight per day - so if he's 2kg, feed him 200g per day.

When Zorro was on 4 meals he had:

2 meals of mince (one of these with a spoonful of pulped veg)
1 meal of either porridge or scrambled egg
1 meal of a chicken wing

The mince was the frozen packs from pets at home - you can get the "original" version which contains a bit of offal as well. I started him on beef and then gradually introduced other types of meat.

When he was on 3 meals I just cut out the porridge/egg meal.

At around 14 weeks I started introducing other boney meals, like the very softest ribs from breast of lamb, just to get him used to dealing with different things (he had no problems at all).

You can read other threads which will explain about the nutrients you need to be getting to your pup but it's basically the same for a dog and a pup, just in different quantities.

With the 10% weight rule, you'll probably get to a point when your pup is around 4-5kg where is just seems like a crazy amount of food so just adjust it as you think seems right - if he's getting porky, lighten up on it, if he's getting lean, give him more - we found with Zorro because of the growth spurts he did go up and down a little bit over his first few months in terms of how lean or not he was.

Zorro's now 16 months and is doing great - not a day's illness since we had him.  :D

Edited to say re. veg, mine get a spoonful of pulped veg once a day - other supplements are Kelp powder from Dorwest's Herbs, and then cod liver or evening primrose oil.
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Offline Gunner

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Re: Confussed about BARF
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2007, 01:00:53 PM »
Thanks for your replys am still a little confused  :-\

 i've now joined BritBarf yahoo site so hopefully i'll get some more info on there

Thanks fo ryour help  :D
Charlotte

Offline JaspersMum

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Re: Confussed about BARF
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2007, 01:43:56 PM »
For the veg mix I tend to pulp a batch and freeze on a tray then break into small pieces in a freezer bag, adding a ice cubed size to their meals, means less mess and can defrost with the meat blocks.

I add keepers mix to the feed to top up vitamins etc.

Barf isn't as bad as it sounds once you get started although never as easy as a bag of kibble.

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

Offline Gunner

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Re: Confussed about BARF
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2007, 04:03:36 PM »
Jaspersmum

Do i use a Juicer to pulp the veg or would i just chuck it all in a blender??
Also do they have a portion of veg (ice cube size) with every meal or just once a day??
Does this Keepers mix have lots of different vitamins and minerals in it and is it for dogs that have a raw diet??

Sorry for all the questions  :005:
 

Offline fenn2006

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Re: Confussed about BARF
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2007, 04:54:20 PM »
Hi Gunner - I am a complete novice  ph34r too but as far as I was aware the Keepers mix is for any dog whether feed BARF or conventional dry/wet food.

I am thinking of getting some too so let me know how you get on?
Cockers are little people with minds of their own... x0x

Offline LesleyW

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Re: Confussed about BARF
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2007, 03:10:37 PM »
...Do i use a Juicer to pulp the veg or would i just chuck it all in a blender??
Also do they have a portion of veg (ice cube size) with every meal or just once a day??
Does this Keepers mix have lots of different vitamins and minerals in it and is it for dogs that have a raw diet??

Sorry for all the questions  :005:
 

FWIW, I pulp mine in a food processor.   I fill it to the top with whatever veggies we have, including some nuts, seeds, honey and natural yog, whizz it, and then dollop it a tablespoon at a time into those take-away plastic dishes - one processor-full makes enough to last about 2-3 days, and it keeps well in the fridge.  She one with each meal.  :D