I would like to hear from someone who regularly feeds their dog(s) the BARF (bones and raw food) diet. Our dogs average 70 pounds and I'm having trouble figuring out their daily diet needs for this type of feed.

-- Marge (mboyc73@yahoo.com), April 15, 2002

Answers

Marge, I'm so glad you asked that question. I've been trying to get my dogs started. I found out yesterday that my dogs do not like carp. Are milk and eggs considered a part of the BARF diet? Hope you don't mind me adding a question to your thread.

-- sherry in Arkansas (chickadee259@yahoo.com), April 15, 2002.

I think you can go to barf.com.Some ladies started a business here preparing the meat part and selling it frozen to add to your own veggies.

-- teri (dnsmacbeth@aol.com), April 15, 2002.

Hi Marge, I found a wonderful website http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/overview.htmand thought I'd pass it around (again) I've been off line for ages and sooo happy to get back on! Happy Health to All, Debb in MS.

-- Debb (toot@locnet.net), April 15, 2002.

This last deer season I was processing deer for people and I was shore wishing that I had some dogs to feed the bones too. By the time I cut the meat off there is still a lot of meat on them and I just knew that dogs would greatly enjoy them.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), April 15, 2002.

Hi, until last night, I had read many positive things about the BARF diet on one of the pet forums that I visit. While doing some reading about rescue organizations last night, I came across the following info on one of the sites: http://www.mybluedog.com/rawmeat.html I found it very interesting. It certainly discouraged me from ever wanting to try the diet. Really weird that you should post your question so soon after my reading this. Hopefully, it will help. I'll be curious to see what those who use this diet have to say.

There are many good packaged foods available now. We feed our dog Solid Gold. She's a rescue Maltese, who was very underweight when we got her. We tried Nutro, then Sensible Choice, then the Solid Gold. She just loved the Solid Gold. She has out on weight, her coat is nice, & the staining from her previous life & bad diet is starting to disappear. Other good diets are Wysong, Canidae, Precise, & Natural Balance. They all contain human-grade ingredients, & I think all are wheat- & corn-free - which are allergens. They are harder to find, but it's worth it. We get ours at our local feed store.

Again, hope this helps!

-- Erica (natureselegance@hotmail.com), April 15, 2002.

Maybe there is your answer. Do you have a meat processor nearby? There is a man that butchers our meat who most likely has more scraps than you could shake a stick at.

-- Gayle in KY (gayleannesmith@yahoo.com), April 15, 2002.

In Our area the butchers give free bones.

-- Hank (hsnrs@att.net), April 16, 2002.

Thanks, I have all the meat bones I need. We're switching to a BARF diet because one of our dogs seems to have food allergies to every commercial food we try. My problem is that all I've read about the BARF diet seems to read like a commercial for it - shiny coat, healthy bones, lots of energy, etc... and never explains how to actually apply the diet. How much do I feed a 70 pound dog, and what should it consist of?

-- Marge (mboyc73@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.

Try plugging in BARF mixing into google search engine and got this site and there are others: BARF, http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/riverien/nutritogether.htm

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.

I knew in the past I had read references to BARF groups on yahoogroups.com, so I just checked there again. Would you believe 166 groups?!! From yahoogroups.com I selected "pets" in the "science" catagory and "health" for the next selection criteria. Seems like over-kill!!

I use BARF diet more than commercial. My dogs seem much more health with reduced commercial food. Of course, the raw food I give them is also grown on this ranch, so I know they are getting good food that has not spoiled or been exposed to chemicals.

-- Danni in NV (IMDT@email.com), April 16, 2002.

Hello I feed 4 labs, 2 Great Pyrenees, 1 Beagle the BARF diet. Several of my Labs are 70# dogs. In a day they willreceive either 1 chicken leg quarter or 4 chicken backs. 4 x's a week I feed an evening meal consisting of raw veggies(what ever is on sale) run thru the food processor with raw eggs, yogurt, flax seed oil, raw sunflower and raw pumpkin seeds, raw liver. (The liver and the eggs inspires them to eat their veggies). I give each dog about a cup of theveggie mix. I found a chicken supplier in our area that supplies the small grocery stores in the area. I buy the chicken backs in 40# boxes for 29cents/# delivered to the local store. I totally believe in the BARF diet. I have a 11 yo male Lab that has had skin cancer for 2 yrs. I totally believe the only reason he is still around is because of the BARF diet. If I had kept him on processed foods he would have died a long time ago. I switched myself to God's diet(listed in the Bible). I eat 80% raw and 20% cooked. Every medical problem I had went away. Goiter, arthritis, allergies, sinus, grey hair, weight problems. All gone. Becky

-- Rebecca L. McComas (fivelabsownus@outdrs.net), April 25, 2002.