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This is a strictly anecdotal account of my experiences
with the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (B.A.R.F.) diet.
I'm not a scientist but a dog fancier with numerous
dogs and over 45 years worth of experience.
Like virtually every other dog person I know, I had bought
in to the propaganda that dog food companies could feed
my dogs better than I could. When I really thought it out
I realized the folly of that approach. Dogs are wolves and
jackals, genetically they can't be distinguished from
wolves. So why should we take these magnificent animals
that God has created to eat meat, carrion, eggs, and raw
vegetable matter ( pre-digested) and feed them cereal with
a little bit of meat added for flavor? Very convenient for
the cereal manufacturers, a high priced way to dispose of
their below grade product, not so appropriate for dogs.
This doesn't sound reasonable to me.
The 27 dogs on the farm range from a 100 pound German Shepherd
who caretakes the farm and all its occupants; 15 working
sled dogs; a few young Fox Terriers; 3 ancient Fox Terriers;
and an equally ancient Boxer. Without exception all have
benefited from the diet that nature designed them to have.
About 7 months ago I attended a show to watch Fox Terriers.
There was a young male there that was in the greatest condition
I had ever seen. Coat blue black and sparkling white, eyes
clear, good tight feet, lovely, hard muscular condition.
His coat seemed sprayed on it fit so tightly. When I commented
on this wonderful condition his owner said BARF. This unfortunate
acronym stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or
Bones And Raw Food. I had heard of it before but never actually
seen the evidence.
The diet consists of roughly 60% raw meaty bones and 40%
raw vegetable, grain, and egg matter. All supplemented with
brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast, kelp, dried parsley,
ester C powder, Garlic powder. The easiest raw meaty bones
to get is chicken backs, frames ( the part of the carcass
left after they take off the breast, wings, legs, and head),
and necks. It is desirable to feed a variety of meats to
make sure the dogs get their proper nutrition. Any meat
is fine, but only raw. The old story about bones splintering
relates to cooked bones. According to the experts even chicken
and pork raw bones are fine. We have used chicken, pork,
lamb, mutton, venison, and emu. The chicken comes in 40-pound
boxes, clean and straight from the processing plant. We
bag in daily portions, for 27 dogs that is a big bag, and
freeze it. Hunters bring us venison that they are not going
to use.
The hard part for us was getting used to the vegetable
part. Leafy greens need to be ground, with carrots, onions,
garlic, and quick cooking oatmeal. Think of the contents
of a prey animal's stomach. Grass and grains, pulverized
and wet. A few pieces of apple and banana make it taste
good. Recently we have found a dog food that is grains,
fruit, veggies, and has minimal processing. It is easier
to give them a prepared food two days a week and meat the
other five. We'll see if the results are as good as
home ground. It is better to give them one category of food
at a time than to attempt to balance every meal. It takes
different enzymes to digest protein than it does to digest
carbohydrates.
Our 14 year old terriers were simply old. Two of the three
had heart problems. The female with congestive heart failure
is on lasix. When she is on the meat or veggies without
kibble, she does well. When we are in a hurry and give her
kibble she coughs all night. After a short time we made
the connection, no more kibble for her. One of the males
was literally at death's door. We didn't think
he was going to live a week. He wouldn't eat or drink
anything. He smelled the fresh meat being given to the younger
housedogs and wanted some. Of course we gave it to him along
with vitamin C and E. The next day he was eating the raw
meat and drinking. It has now been 6 months since his episode
and he is doing great. He is active, coat and color is better,
and he eats and drinks well.
The sled dogs are phenomenal. Their coats and color are
vibrant, all are in good flesh but no one is fat. They can
run all day. My young terriers look great. Hard, tight coats
with good color.
One other item is clean up. With the raw food diet the
stools are firm, dry, and almost odor free. The stool volume
has been reduced by more than half. Clean up time is reduced
to almost nothing. |
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