barf debate

[kb]

I have been fascinated by the discussions I have been having on another thread about raw feeding and would be interested in hearing the opinions of those who are for and against it. In fairness to the original post of the thread, I thought it might be better to open a new thread. I am genuinely interested in the debate and would like to know if I am the only one out there who is unsure about it?

[Tracey J]

I will be raw feeding my 2 (once they're home from quarantine and settled) as I feel they would benefit from it.  My only concern is that I might get quantities wrong, or I might miss out something really important.  I'd love to find a website that stated exact quantities/ingredients until I'm confident enough to go it alone .

[kb]

I do not feed it, but am very interested in the debate. I can not help you with quantities but I am sure someone will be along who can - I know there are definitely people here who do feed it. Can I ask what it is that you feel is positve about this diet and why you have decided to try it?

[Magic Star]

I would never even consider raw feeding or barfing, a dog is not a wild animal, its a domesticated animal that has wild ancestors, the dogs body is now IMO not designed for feeding raw meat too   Although I am sure someone will be along to try and prove me wrong, but tbh I wouldn't necessarily believe anything thats written in a book as for every book that recommends it there is another contradicting it, so that proves absolutely jack to me  

I'm sure the people who barf have their reasons and if they are happy with it great   I just get a tad fed up of the preaching about the subject

[silkstocking]

I feed BARF  My dogs were both weaned to BARF as pups by their breeder.

She feeds all her cockers BARF and they look amazing!!! 

People often comment on how shiney and silky my dogs coats are and how healthy they look. As you all know I groom alot but I dont think its down to that I think its down to BARF that they both have a healthy sheen! I promise I'm not preaching Em!  and I know Indie has a lovely healthy shiney coat 

My vet is very impressed by the condition of my dogs teeth, amongst other things and is more than happy that I feed BARF.

I understand why some people dont agree with it and I respect how they feel. All I know is BARF works very well for me and the dogs and so I will always stick to it. I'm sure people who feed complete etc feel that there dogs have lovely shiney coats etc too.

What we feed is up to each individual, like I said though it works for me and I am more than happy to stick with it!

I hope this BARF chat stays friendly!!    And the end of the day we all do what we believe is best for our dogs  so how can any of us be wrong with those intentions!! 

[Cathy]

I have no interested in Barf Diets either - Fair play to those who have the time and stomach to do it. I do not.  

I am sure there are many highs and lows to all types of diets, so its really about what suits you and your dog. Jazz eats Burns dry food. Has a lovely silky glossy coat, and has been speyed.  

If i give her a meal of chicken she ends up eating her own poo,   she does not do this with the burns.   SO as I get lots of cocker kisses - dry food is ok to me !!!  

Besides I wanna throw up if I smell raw food.  Also from a time point of view. Its much quicker. Which suits my life style.  

[Magic Star]

I hope this BARF chat stays friendly!!    And the end of the day we all do what we believe is best for our dogs  so how can any of us be wrong with those intentions!! 

Exactly Lisa:D

Ps:  You never preach

[silkstocking]

I will be raw feeding my 2 (once they're home from quarantine and settled) as I feel they would benefit from it.  My only concern is that I might get quantities wrong, or I might miss out something really important.  I'd love to find a website that stated exact quantities/ingredients until I'm confident enough to go it alone .

To be honest quantities differ from dog to dog, well thats how I work with BARF anyway, for example three chicken wings or three ribs would be too much for Nancy 2 would be plenty for her but Milo could easily stomach 3 and I have Mich's Bailey here at the mo and he would easily have four!! The same with quanitites of mince really. If your dogs are maintaining there weight then you are probably feeding plenty if they have lost or put on then you may want to adjust it.

As for ingredients there are loads of things you can add to a BARF diet, mashed potatoes, porridge, pasta (although some BARFERS debate pasta), rice, herbs dried or fresh..................the list goes on! If you let me know exactly what you want to know then I'm sure I'll be able to help xxx

[silkstocking]

I hope this BARF chat stays friendly!!    And the end of the day we all do what we believe is best for our dogs  so how can any of us be wrong with those intentions!! 

Exactly Lisa:D

Ps:  You never preach

Hee hee well maybe a little bit about grooming!!!     

[kb]

Silkstocking - Is it Lisa?

I hope I am not prying, but did I read somewhere that you are pregnant? -hope that is not being cheeky! Are there any special precautions you need to take feeding Barf while pregnant? or with young children?

I do not feed raw and do not see myself ever doing it, but am genuinely interested in the debate. I know we clashed in a previous thread, but I was very uptight then about Honey's behaviour - I am sorry about that. I am much morereassured now and things have settled a lot. I too hope to learn from this debate and would like it to be as friendly as possible. I hope I have not opened a can of worms!

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

I think it's a case of each to their own, and what suits our dogs best  Nell (blacklab) is fed on Burns and Nature Diet. Her coat is very glossy, we always get comments about how fit  heathy and trim she looks from our vet too  ..... Nell is nearly six now and her teeth are pure white and without a hint of tartar. To be fair though, i think that's down to the marrow bones we give her once a fortnight.


I'm quite happy with what i'm feeding my girl, if it didn't suit her, and her condition wasn't good, then i would definatly  change her diet but it wouldn't be Barf, ive got no interest in it either    Although i have a friend who swears by it, it's just not for me or should i say Nell   

Years ago, dogs used to be fed on scraps from the table. The dog my hubby had as a youngster was fed this way,  and he lived till he was eighteen. and was as fit as a fiddle, considering his diet 

[Petra]

I see what you are saying Emma, maybe  for a domestic dog it is not 'natural' to eat raw.   But how 'natural' is dried dog food.   Exactly what have they done to chicken etc to produce these dry pellets???   To my mind that is even more unnatural???   Yes it is a complete meal, but I can't help but feel it is too overprocessed......

At the moment I have one foot in either camp, have decided to try raw, but if after a period of say 5 months it does not suit then we will change back...

I think with raw feeding you can take it as far as you want to.   In the first instance I am looking at feeding raw minced meats (AMP and Nature's Menu), which are very similar to wet dog food but not cooked ...  Apart from remembering to take it out of the freezer, and preparing some whizzed up raw veggies for freezing once in a while, it should not be any more difficult than feeding pre-prepared conventional dog food.
I am certainly not looking to do away with conventional dog food and throw Dill a rabbit, fur and all..... (for Dill that would so not be natural  )

If I had found a dog food that Dill was happy with then I would probably still be vehemently anit-raw.....    
But, dry food gave him the runs, nature diet gives him a mucus sleeve, and on top of that he has smelly breath and weepy eyes.....   After extensive research, and ClaireP4's account of how raw helped Bella, I have decided to give it a go.....
It may not work, Dill may not take to it, or I may not be able to cope with it, but I won't know till I have tried....
I don't like dismissing something without trying. (well, most things, you will never ever get me to bungee jump )

However, I don't like the 'holier than thou' attitude that sometimes comes with raw feeding (some of the websites I browsed seemed to have this attitude)  and I agree that we should all do what we feel is best for our dogs....

[ClareB]

I've recently considered feeding Milo a BARF diet.  This is mainly because he's quite a fussy eater and I've heard many fussy eaters are transformed once they're fed a BARF diet.  I've also heard people say that their BARF fed dogs have better skin and coats, cleaner teeth, cleared anal gland problems, less flea/worm/tick problems, fresher breath etc etc since changing to a BARF diet.  I'm simply considering it because a lot of processed dog foods are full of additives, preservatives etc and Milo is as important to us as our human friends and family.  I try to eat healthily myself, although I'm certainly no  and it just follows that I want to do the same for Milo.  (Not that I think people who feed processed dog food don't have their dog's best intentions in mind or have unhealthy dogs!  My last Cocker was fed on a variety of food, table scraps etc and lived to be 15, never being ill in his life.)

However, if BARF doesn't suit him, I have no objections with feeding him the best quality pre-prepared dog food I can lay my hands on.  I'm only looking into at the moment, and, like Petra, my only concerns are what quantities to feed, and what supplements, if any, need to be added.

I've re-read a dozen times hoping I haven't offended anyone or preached, apologies in advance if I have!

[sarahp]

I'm a raw feeder, by Daisy's choice not mine!  She has some psychological block to biscuit!  I think she may have been fed kibble in her previous home and she was definitley fed it at the rescue centre and she refuses point blank to eat it.  I know the theory of let her get hungry enough and she'll eat anything but tbh if she has that much of a 'thing' about it I am not going to force her.

So I started feeding Daisy raw about a month after she joined us (18 months ago).  I truly believe that is why she is so fit and healthy.  I'm not going to preach - as Lisa says we all do what we believe to be best for our dogs - but I really like it as a way of feeding and tbh I find it easy, I dont stress about it like I used to, but I am still learning and asking questions, because even amongst BARFers there are variations and differing opinions.

For me and my dogs its great and I will always feed this way, but for others it doesnt suit.  If we were all the same it would be sooooo boring!!

[Rhona W]

I had never heard of Barf feeding before I joined COL and I do find it interesting. But I don't feel it is right for me at the moment. The main reason being I would be too worried that I wasn't feeding them the right balance of nutrients. Secondly, it all sounds very time consuming. Sorry if that makes me sound like I wouldn't be prepared to make an effort for my puppies; I don't mean it like that. But I have to be realistic. I work part-time and am a full time taxi driver for my 4 children.  So processed dog food is convenient and gives me peace of mind for now.
( If it makes me sound more caring I did go and see a representative from Arden Grange today and will be changing to their food over the next few days! )