A BARF Diary.

[Cob-Web]

Tripe doesn't smell that bad to me - fresh rabbit on the other hand.........

[Annette]

He has stonky breath for a while, so no kisses, but I can't say the smell upsets any of us (ah, I DO feed it out in the utility room though!)

Personally I find cocker breath no worse after eating tripe than I do after feeding her sardines 

Oh you are sooooo right. Sunday evening kisses are definitely out in this house! Makes it worse that he goes into a frenzy wiping his mouth on the rug after his pilchard supper!

[Nicola]

Tripe doesn't smell that bad to me - fresh rabbit on the other hand.........

Oh god yeah, they're a real 'hold your breath' job    and now that OH is away I have to cleaver them myself 

[bluegirl]

Tripe is the only thing I really can't stand the smell of, even the smell of high meat is better than that.

When they do get it they are all fed outside.

[cyrus04]

hello,how much would you feed a 6month old who is 10.2kg as we are going to change to raw in the next couple of weeks, when i get a new chest freezer for the garage so i can stock up as i also have a ddb to feed aswell.

[happydog]

Quantities are not an exact science as each dog has different nutritional requirements, according to age, build, metabolism and lifestyle etc (much like humans). I wasn't feeding Fern BARF when she was a growing pup so the amounts suggested may not apply. The UK Barf Club  http://ukbarfclub.co.uk/sitemap/ Suggest for every 10kg weight, a dog should eat about 100-150g meat and twice this volume in fruit and veg( ).

I found another guide that suggests 20% of bodyweight per week.  The BARF books I have suggest far less fruit/ veg than the barfclub. That much fruit/veg would defo give her the runs, but she is a very active dog, and that reduces her chances of getting constipated (raw veggies tend to help keep things 'loose' - providing roughage as well as providing trace elements, vitamins and minerals). She has a small dollop (about a heaped dessert spoonful)of whizzed veg most days, but if I run out I don't panic.

Your pup is still growing so may need a little more (don't just believe him if he 'tells' you he is still hungry though, most cockers will eat until they burst! ) Fern is very active so I am feeding her at the top end of the scale. I am reducing it though as she is starting to lose her waist and has gained over 2 Kilos .

So, to reiterate, UK Barf club say you should feed approx 102g-154g/day raw meat.
Barf books I have read say your 10.2 Kg dog should have approx. 290g/day. (I include the total weight of the chicken wings I feed in this and add veggies)

This is only a guideline to start. If your dog is gaining weight, reduce quantities, if they are losing weight, then increase.

Confused? I was and then I stopped worrying about it, .

Whats a ddb 

[Nicola]

Whats a ddb 

I *think* it's a Dogue de Bordeaux 

[cyrus04]

Whats a ddb 

I *think* it's a Dogue de Bordeaux 

yes it is and thanks for the advice

[happydog]

BARF: 5 months on.

I have one fit and healthy dog  and long may it last. The only visit to the vets has been due to an encounter with barbed wire a few weeks ago but she healed well with no problems . Fern will be 8 years old in June this year. Her eyes are no longer gunky and she is full of energy when out, but a contented laid back cocker at home, although she is not averse to a daily mad moment of charging through the house and garden with toys trying to instigate chase games when the mood takes her    .
I think she has stopped putting on weight since I reduced quantities slightly in January ( See Jan.23rd page 13 of this thread). I shall pop her down to the vets to weigh her later (this is just for all of you interested in this thread and not because I am paranoid  ) Her food is easy to bag up now I have mastered the art of setting up a production line once a month or so.
I thought it would work out more expensive to feed her this way but when I actually worked it out today I was suprised to find it is cheaper than feeding her 'premium' (e.g. Pedigree Chum, Winalot etc) tinned dog food and mixer. It costs 50p/day to feed Fern BARF and that includes two chicken wings a day, veggies and home made treats.
The bonuses of course are seeing Fern so happy, fit and healthy without having to feed her '4% meat with animal derivatives (I've discovered what some of them are )  , cereals  and various sugars ' and knowing that I am not  inadvertantly supporting any doubtful practices the commercial pet food companies may be involved in. The smaller firmer poos are a definate plus too  .

[clairep4]

Glad to hear it's going so well - I think it's a fantastic diet. Bella has now been on it for coming up to 18 months, she just went for her boosters (our vet rotates them so she gets one for some stuff every 3 years and then one for Parvo each year as there is alot of it around near us). That was her first visit to the vet in a whole year, which for me speaks volumes as prior to the BARF diet she was at the vet's every couple of weeks with numerous ear and eye infections.

Here are the vet's comments:

"wow, I can see right to the bottom of her ear canals, that's great for a cocker"
"lovely clean teeth"
"coat in great condition"

He does want me to shift about 3-400g off her weight as it's crept up very slightly so she's now on smaller portions (150g per day instead of 180g - she weighs 10kg).

Zorro my 7 month old has been on this diet since he was 12 weeks and his only visit to the vet was when we thought he might have an ear infection, but it turned out he just had some excess wax, so he's had nowt wrong with him whatsoever. 

[Penel]

I am so pleased you guys are happy with the diet your dogs are on.  You know how I truly believe a good diet gives them so much of a headstart - look how quickly Tilly has recovered from that adder bite.

Hattie's nearly 3.  She's only been to the vet once - to be spayed.

[clairep4]

I have to say I think COL has been fab - I'd never have taken the plunge without all the help from people on here (esp Penel!).

Forgot to add when I took Bella to the vet's he called her "Bellissima Pearson" 

[cazza]

OK that's it I've read up to page two so far    but want to ask a question, where does everyone get the chicken wings from?    I'm having problems getting them.

Now I've got a new freezer I want to put both dogs on BARF fully, they've been having the odd bit as treats, everytime I find chicken wings I stock up but they seem to have stopped doing them the last few months 

[Joules]

I get chicken wings in Tesco or Asda - they always seem to have them.  You could also ask your local butcher.  In the supermarket they are about £1.25 for 10 or 12.  I just freeze them on a tray then put into a bag so I can take out one or two at a time.

[happydog]

Asda for me too. I do the same as Joules. Sometimes AMP have 2Kg bags of them loose frozen but I haven't seen them lately. Butchers don't stock them round here.