Raw Food Diet for Dogs

365seasons · #1 06-17-2009, 03:34 AM

Hey everyone,
Have been contemplating putting our 4 year old boxer on a raw food diet or B.A.R.F for a year or so now, but haven't made any final decisions. He's been having a bad go with the food he's been on since he's a puppy lately so the husband and I have made the decision to switch foods for sure with him. We're just not sure whether to go with another dry kibble or if we should just use this opportunity to go for the raw food.

Just curious to have some peoples inputs on this? Has anyone tried it? Had luck, liked it, bad reactions? What does a diet like this run per month? We figure it should cost under a $100 a month out here.

We've done quite a bit of research, but the internet is so controversial, and the debate on it is so heavy towards both sides it's hard to make a decision.

Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Lisa & Andrew

heyfredyourhat · #2 06-17-2009, 04:00 AM

We fed our 2 dogs for almost 2yrs on raw. We started with chicken legs/drumsticks and every once in awhile eggs and veggies and the odd beef chunk...etc...etc... After about a year we switched over to a brand called mountain dog food, which is raw, but mashed up and packaged. IIRC we bought 3-400 lbs and it was a bit over 500 bucks, that lasted us 6 months. I think i had it figured out to about 1.47 per pound shipped to my door. Our 2 dogs are in the 25lb range so they only eat a small amount per day. But it was messy, and with a baby on the way we decided to switch to a dry food. We buy Orijen, which is a grain free high protien kibble. As far as i can tell its basically raw but dry!

One thing we noticed was when they were on grocery store raw food there poop was small and not very often and it almost seemed as though they never drank any water. And when we switched to the MDF they always had to drink water and they seemed to "go" more often.

We also never cut any of the raw meaty bones up. With our dogs it worked out really good, they each got one chicken leg for breaky and one for dinner.

There is a lot of info on the net about it, but IMO raw is the best hands down. (its just messy)

Oh and the orijen food we have now was 68 bux and it should last us about 5 weeks.

blueyota · #3 06-17-2009, 05:21 AM

I have been feeding my two malamutes raw for over a year and a half now.. It is they way to go it costs around 50 bucks a month..but the health benefits is the major plus my older pup Nico is 14 yrs old and when she was 10 she broke her leg on a hike... got her an operation and the vet says she wont be able to walk no more then a short distance for the rest of her life .... well she was right for a while then i started to feed them raw and about 6 months after i started nico could easily triple her old distance and now just the other day we hiked 10 kms mind you shes not a runner anymore but she keeps up ...with a smile !!!

blueyota · #4 06-17-2009, 05:22 AM

oh and they poo way less

Aquattro · #5 06-17-2009, 05:39 AM

I feed both dogs raw and notice an improvement overall in their appearance and energy levels. I don't feed any of the pre ground stuff, I feel they need to crunch through their food. I buy 44 pound cases of chicken carcasses, which is mostly back/neck with the rib cage attached. I supplement this with organ meat and whatever I find in the "about to expire" bin at the grocery store. $5pack of ground lamb for $4 off, is a pretty good deal. Today a hunter friend gave me a bag of venison, so I'll add that in as well. An egg once a week or so tops it off.
I don't add veggies, dogs don't normally produce the enzymes to digest cellulose materials, so just meats. An occasional fish as well, mackerel or salmon (freeze salmon first for 24 hours).

Aquattro · #6 06-17-2009, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueyota

oh and they poo way less

lol, ya, way less.

Aquattro · #7 06-17-2009, 05:43 AM

Here's a good link

http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html

StirCrazy · #8 06-17-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Today a hunter friend gave me a bag of venison, so I'll add that in as well.

and your giving that to the dogs

thats blasphemy!!

Diana · #9 06-20-2009, 05:59 PM

hey doggies are people too!

imisky · #10 06-20-2009, 06:29 PM

the reason dogs drink less water on BARF is due to the fact that they retain most of there water from there food in the wild. They also drink less due to the fact that there isnt as much salt in the raw meat than compared to the kibbles.

thats all i know about the BARF diet, ive been wanting to put my 9 month old schnauzer mix on it but decided against it due to the mess. although i do give him raw bones to chew on.