Dog Community

I think i'm ready to switch Max to BARF, what do I need to know?

Posted : 6/3/2006 11:34:54 PM

Max is curently on Evo, and i'm sorta tempted to switch him to a BARF diet. I've got my own mini fridge sitting empty, nobody else in the house cares what I feed him, and it's better for him, so I think i'm ready to go that route. Except I am totally clueless. I give him beef soup bones a few times a week, depending on availability, and i've given him about a chicken wing a day starting a few days ago because he needs something to chew up. He's pretty mouthy, and likes to chew and tear things up a lot, so i'm hoping it might help a little in that respect (am I totally wrong to be hoping for that?)
I'm going to use up the Evo I have, which I would guess is at least enough for another month. Until then, what are the best books and websites I should check out?
Millie won't be switched, because any dietary changes give her stomach problems that I would rather not have. We've found something that works, so i'd feel better not messing with it. Plus, I buy the food for Max, but I do not buy for Millie. I'm not entirely sure how that happened, but I just started buying Max's food and paying his vet bills a few months ago. I couldn't really comfortably afford to feed two dogs the way I feed Max right now either, but for one I can afford it. Millie isn't on a bad food at all, she eats Natural Balance. If she were, i'd be on my mom's case about it.

starsenchis

Posted : 6/3/2006 11:48:16 PM

[linkhttp://www.k9rawdiet.com/how2.htm]http://www.k9rawdiet.com/how2.htm[/link]

[linkhttp://members.cox.net/starsen/feeding%20guidelinespart3rawfoods.html]http://members.cox.net/starsen/feeding%20guidelinespart3rawfoods.html[/link]

[linkhttp://rawfed.com/myths/]http://rawfed.com/myths/[/link]

glenmar

Posted : 6/4/2006 7:31:31 AM

check out rawdogranch.com (I think) and find Lauric and PM her. She has a wealth of info on feeding raw and she is very generous in sharing it.

mudpuppy

Posted : 6/5/2006 8:48:20 AM

also I suggest buying Monica Segal's $5 booklet "raw food recipes for dogs". She has actually chemically analyzed many of the most popular BARF diets and suggests what to feed and what supplements or other ingredients you might need to add to get a balanced diet.

Hope Lumbis

Posted : 6/6/2006 8:46:25 PM

I am sure that there have and will be many debates on the BARF diets versus regular feeding diets.

I have had only bad experiences with BARF diets and would really look into it and talk to other people who have tried it.

Personally, I know that I have had clients dog's sick on BARF diets as well as some choke and have pieces lodged in their intestines. I recommend really researching the matter before deciding to switch and way the pros and cons.

I have seen way too many dogs and puppies choke, get blocked or sick on BARF diets or even chewing on a bone, or wing or steak.

Can I ask why you decided you wanted to swtich over from a regular dog food ?

griffinej5

Posted : 6/7/2006 6:14:48 PM

So far, Max hasn't had any problems eaitng raw chicken wings, and I actually just found out I am supposed to let those thaw first (do I really have to do that, he does just fine with frozen ones?). He is very mouthy, and a chewer, and I am hoping that having to rip and chew his food will help that. Even though i'm only feeding him a chicken wing a day o so, I think his poop looks better, so I can only speculate that it would be even better if I went to totally raw.
I understand he could die from eating raw food, but all the same, he could die from eating manufactured food as well. If I cooked his food, he could die from that as well, plus, I don't have time to cook food for myself, let alone cook for the dog. I'm taking a risk no matter what I do.

ron2

Posted : 6/7/2006 6:37:50 PM

I'm taking a risk no matter what I do.

Quite true. We take a risk walking out of the door in the morning.

Good luck with whatever you do.

cakana

Posted : 6/7/2006 7:01:35 PM

[linkhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/K9Kitchen/]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/K9Kitchen/[/link]

This is Monica Segal's yahoo group and you can ask questions and get lots of information there too. You can also order her booklets (very informative and easy to read) on her website [linkhttp://www.monicasegal.com]www.monicasegal.com[/link]. In case you're not ready to take the full plunge, she has a booklet on supplementing a diet with raw or homecooked.

Hope Lumbis

Posted : 6/7/2006 8:46:12 PM

Although it may be true that you are taking risks each and everyday with not only yourself but your dog you are certainly not helping it with RAW or BARF diets.

Working in the veterinary field and all the courses and training I have taken on nutrition there is none or close to no nutritional value in these diets.

Dogs need these added supplements in hard food to help digest, create enzymes, fight infection and boost their immune system.

Yes the meat in dog food is processed but so is our, are you out there eating the equivalent which would be meat and bones sliced right from the animal itself, because in comparisson to human feeding that is how it would be.

I mean the decision is ultimately up to you on what food you want to feed your animal but there is NO WAY I would ever feed mine a RAW or BARF diet. You may be taking a risk feeding dry food but a bigger one is being taken feeding this brand of diet.

Dana

Posted : 6/7/2006 10:05:44 PM

I too have worked in the veterinary field for years and have seen great evidence to support the benefits of a raw diet. I understand that you are against feeding this. For those of us that have been here for a while, we have seen this debate over and over. It can get very passionate. (and my dumb post count is wrong! ;(

The important thing to keep in mind is that there is really no perfect diet for all dogs. One diet like Innova will work great for some dogs and can wreck havoc on others. The same goes for raw diets, and even Purina. The vet I worked for saw a few dogs that were on the raw diet and had wonderful BW, great coats, teeth, eyes, weight ect... She would say that if it is working like that she saw no problem with it. She is very respected in her community.

There is a really good interview of the new head of the ahvma in the latest Whole Dog Journal that discusses diets and allergies. She has some really good points about feeding raw and not feeding raw. She will tell her clients that if their dog is not doing well on kibble, try homecooked, and vice versa. Her spoint is that not all foods apply to all dogs all the time.

starsenchis

Posted : 6/7/2006 11:33:43 PM

"all the courses and training I have taken on nutrition"

Could you please go into more detail on which courses you've taken on nutrition and what type of training you have had?

ron2

Posted : 6/8/2006 5:38:48 AM

Her spoint is that not all foods apply to all dogs all the time.

That would be my view. .