B.A.R.F stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And Raw Food, which is a diet for dogs that supplies them with raw food substitutes instead of commercial dog food. I went to a talk about this diet about three years ago, and although the entire idea of this diet is a little too much for me to handle, and truthfully not feasible for me to fully apply in an apartment living situation, I have taken the basic premise of this diet and applied it to my dog. Before I get into what I feed my dog, let me explain the premise of the B.A.R.F diet. Dogs were not designed to eat grains, artificial additives, preservatives, or any of the other junk that the manufactures put in commercial dog food. To learn more about the ingredients that are found in many dog food brands, click here. Dogs are closely related to their relative the wolf, which thrive on smaller prey. The thought behind this diet is to feed your dog what it would be eating if it lived out in the wild. All food that is fed to the dog is in raw form, raw animals, raw organs, raw bones, etc. Never cook the meat before giving it to your dog because for one, it will deplete many of the nutrients and secondly, cooked bones are dangerous to their health.
In the talk that I attended the speaker boosted that she buys whole rabbits, and other small creatures and gives them to her dog; fur and all. Her dogs ate all pieces of the creature - bones, organs, muscle, fat, etc. They ate until they were full, even if that meant they left parts behind. This is where I was a little disgusted and as I mentioned before, I highly doubt my apartment complex would appreciate my dog devouring a dead creature on our balcony. But as I will cover in a minute there are still ways to take this theory and modify it for those that are not entirely keen on this concept.
What exactly are the benefits of a B.A.R.F diet? According to the founder of the diet, Dr. Billghurst:
- Tarter buildup on the teeth is eliminated, breath is improved and your dog will have strong, beautiful teeth using our toothbrush from Mother Nature.
- Itchy skin conditions associated with allergies will be alleviated and you can expect a shiny and lustrous coat.
- Chronic diarrhea often disappears and stool volume and odor is significantly reduced.
- Your pet's weight will be brought into line and it's easy to maintain a leaner more fit body.
- The immune system is strengthened and you'll begin to see increased mobility in arthritic pets.
- Your pet's health, well being and vitally will improve for a long and wonderful life.
If you are interested in learning more about the B.A.R.F diet and how to make the switch with your dog, click here.
How have we incorporated the B.A.R.F diet with my dog?
We feed our dog, Kaya, raw meat bones that we get from the butcher shop, these are super cheap and she loves them. We still feed her commercial dog food that she always has available in her dish if she gets hungry. We try to look for good quality, grain free formulas when it comes to her normal dog food. Then we add in raw food to her dish as well. The brand that we like is called Primal pet food, she loves the beef formula.
Here is a list of ingredients found in the canine beef formula from Primal pet foods:
Ingredients: Beef, Beef Hearts, Beef Livers, Ground Beef Bones, Organic Kale, Organic Carrots, Organic Yams, Organic Broccoli, Organic Apples, Cranberries, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Parsley, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Kelp, Alfalfa, Salmon Oil, Mixed Tocopherols (source of vitamin E).
Amazing how you can read and understand all the ingredients!
Kaya is about to be five years this fall, she is a healthy, happy dog. We always comment how she still looks and acts like a puppy (in a good way- she is potty trained and doesn't chew anything). She is in great shape, amazing muscle definition and not overweight in any way. She is not aggressive or protective when it comes to being around food with other dogs. Her coat is shiny and soft, and she is energetic and alert. Honestly we couldn't have asked for a better dog!
Pura Vida!
Alica Ryan, NTP
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