The BARF diet (biologically appropriate raw food) or ‘bones and raw food’ in layman’s terms, is based on the idea that dogs should eat a diet based on raw food and bones, just as their ancestors once did in the wild.

Advocators of this diet believe it's the healthiest and most natural diet for dogs. However, it's not just a case of giving Fido a bone and letting him get on with it.



The BARF diet (biologically appropriate raw food) or ‘bones and raw food’ in layman’s terms, is based on the idea that dogs should eat a diet based on raw food and bones, just as their ancestors once did in the wild. Advocators of this diet believe it's the healthiest and most natural diet for dogs.

However, it's not just a case of giving Fido a bone and letting him get on with it. Anyone planning to feed their dog raw food as the sole source of nutrition needs to make sure they are providing a well-balanced diet able to meet all the nutritional requirements necessary to keep them healthy and happy.

Just like humans, domesticated dogs are omnivores and able to eat a wide range of food. Though meaty bones are a prominent feature in the raw food diet, accounting for around 60-80 percent, it should also include fish, fruit, vegetables and eggs. However, the BARF diet doesn't contain dairy or grain products, so they mustn't eat bread, pasta or rice for example. If you prefer your dog to follow a less stringent raw diet, for example not the BARF diet, then you could include dairy, grains and supplements.

Commercially prepared dog food contains a balanced level of the right nutrients. But if your dog is surviving on the raw food diet alone, you need to make sure his food contains the right nutritional balance. This includes protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants as well as adequate fiber. Although a raw food diet that's well balanced should give your dog all the nutrition he needs, if he refuses to eat from any of the food groups in the diet you may need to top up with additional supplements.

Fruit and vegetables will provide your dog with the majority of their carbohydrates. Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, spinach and celery are great sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. And many dogs love to eat fruit. Try giving fruit such as apples, pears, grapefruit and oranges which are all good for dogs as long as you remove the seeds first. Tropical fruit provides the most antioxidants which can help boost their immune system and longevity.

Generally, around 18 percent of the diet should come from protein and 9-15 percent from fat. However, these amounts will vary among different breeds so you should check with your vet or a dog breeder on the exact proportions for your pet.

Most of their protein requirements can be met from meat such as chicken, beef and lamb. And fish, particularly oily varieties such as salmon, are rich in essential fatty acids. Meat will also provide most of their B vitamins and it contains all the essential amino acids, is low in sodium and rich in potassium, which are all great for helping to lower risks of heart disease.

Bones contain minerals and fat while the nutritious marrow inside is rich in minerals and a good source of iron. Offal such as liver and kidney are a concentrated source of many essential vitamins and minerals and are especially useful for providing extra nutrients during times of reproduction and growth.

Further sources of nutrition can be found in eggs which are another excellent source of protein and some carbohydrate. They contain all the necessary minerals for dogs and are a good source of calcium, essential fatty acids and all vitamins apart from vitamin C. Flax seeds contain essential fatty acids which can help reduce cholesterol as well as helping to prevent diabetes and certain cancers.

Nothing is cooked on the BARF diet. This means you will be handling and preparing raw meat which poses a potential poisoning hazard for both you and your dog. Raw meat sometimes contains various parasites and bacteria that would normally be destroyed through cooking. However, as long as your dog isn't ill or suffering from a compromised immune system, they are equipped to deal with bacteria found in meat. By ensuring you purchase good quality meat from a reputable butcher, there is little risk of parasites.

The raw food diet is a controversial feeding method because it can be difficult getting the nutritional balance right along with the associated risk of handling raw meat. But those whose dogs follow a raw food diet believe them to be healthier, with fewer digestive problems, glossier coats, cleaner teeth and fresher breath along with an increase in well-being and life expectancy. And dogs on this diet are unlikely to become affected by the modern day curse of obesity.

While the raw food diet might take longer to prepare than commercially prepared food, it does however, give you the benefit of knowing exactly what your pet is eating. As long as their food contains the right balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals and they are healthy and happy to eat a wide variety of fresh food, you should be able to meet your dog's nutritional requirements with the raw food diet.

Sources:
http://www.barfworld.com/html/barf_diet/barfdiet_specific.shtml
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/barf.html
http://www.rawfed.com