# does anyone on here do the BARF(Bone and Raw Food) diet?



## wiskodie1 (Sep 11, 2006)

I don't know how well this little post will go over, there seems to be a lot of debate about this subject on other forums around the net, but I know a person that put her old dog onto a raw food diet because of arthritis and allergies, she said that in no time flat the dog was acting like it was five years younger. the lady did her research before trying this and it was more or less a last resort to put some life back into her old dog and she swears up and down that it did just that.

well this weekend I will be going to pick up a new puppy and like any good dad I want the best for my little buddy so I started looking around for a good dog food. well after making it to the end of the internet on the dog food section. I came away feeling a lot more confused than I did educated, this subject is as bad as politics on what is good for your dog and what isn't. most of it is based around all of the byproducts and grain that are in dog food, then there is the fact that it is baked dry and a lot of the important elements that a dog needs in the meat are wrecked in this process and the dog food manufactures have to replace it with other vitamins and stuff. then there is the information about how bad kibbles are for a dogs mouth and gums, and how dogs tend to inhaul and not chew there kibbles when eating it which leads to poor digestion and a lot of waist at the other end. plus all of the ilnesses that can come from eating bad foods. sort of like that movie about the guy that eats McDonalds every day for a month. you can eat it and live but for how long?

so that's where these BARF folks come in, they believe that the best thing for a dog is raw food, and I'm not talking about tossing your puppy a pork chop every day I'm talking these people give there dogs a whole animal carcass, meat, fat, bones and even the guts if possible, they just don't feed them one find of meat they try and change it up a lot, chicken is a big part, then pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, fish, duck, goose, you name it, if it's got meat, bone and guts it's a go!

the debate on this really gets going with the science of dog nutrition and I guess there isn't much scientific proof behind the RAW movement, mostly it's people that did their own research and then decided that it was what they wanted to try for their dogs. the only real research all tend to come from, you guessed it! dog food manufactures, and sorry if I sound a bit like a kook here, I don't really trust it all that well. so after going over a lot of it and also knowing a person that is doing it, I can't help but agree with them. from what I have read there is no difference between a gray wolf and a dog, sure they look different but I guess the DNA is about as close to the same as you can get. all their guts and internal workings are the same, and I don't know of a wolf that cooks its food or eats a side dish of vegetables with it. and let me tell you know, just about every argument you can think of about not going with raw food these people can prove you otherwise, most of them with years and years of first account hands on knowledge.

so I am going to put my puppy onto the BARF diet. it might not be perfect, but I do believe it's better than kibbles. what I would like to know is....is there anyone on this forum that is currently doing it and do you have any pointers for me and the rest of the folks that might like to know a little more about the subject?

and of course, like all post, its open to debate, but let's try to keep it friendly and educational instead of a winner/ loser no holds bar death match topic.

let the learning begin!!!


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I've looked into it and think its probably a good diet but also felt like its too much committment for me with 11 dogs.

leerburg site has a lot of detailed info on it check that out

for a guy like me that travels long distances to hunt I think commercial dog food is more practical

I hate the way dog food is labeled I cannot figure out for sure whats in the bag and have tried more than once to fully investigate the topic.


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