Best Barf Books And Advice

[Katdogs]

I know I can get hold of Billinghurst 'The BARF Diet' from the BARF website. Should I just go with this as a guide, or are there better books available?

I don't need convincing. I've got Royal Canin in reserve and it's served us well, but Stevie is developing ongoing ear problems and the preservatives may be a factor.

I can get the frozen BARF patties locally but these are very expensive, so I want to do at least half of the meals myself.

I need to sort out some ratios/quantities of vegies to meat, and supplements such as glucosomine or fish oil, that sort of thing.

So far this week the diet has been:

* Sunday breakfast Lamb bones

* Sunday night chopped vegies (pumpkin, sweet potato, broccoli, brussel sprout) + glucosomine capsule

* Monday morning BARF patties

* Monday night chopped vegies (as above but carrot instead of pumpkin) microwaved softer + splash of ACV

* Tuesday morning turkey necks and a bit of pear.

* Tuesday night is probably just a bit of carrot and an egg, maybe some yoghurt.

Too many vegies? And can they be chopped instead of pureed? The dogs don't seem to mind chomping away at them.

Please hold my hand! It feels like I'm spending more time on dog food than our own food at the moment.

[MonElite]

My dogs wouldnt touch the veg with no meat, so if yours do, you are very lucky.

My dogs diet would be

once a week raw fish

3-4 times a week meaty bones - lamb flaps, chicken carcasses, wings, turkey necks brisket bones, pork spine bones

rest of the week is chicken bone mince mixed with veg pulp (ne in the food processor) or vets all natural. there is yoghurt and egss in the mix, sometimes some nuts, some fruit, whatever I get at home.

They get some ricotta cheese, table scraps and liver as treats pretty much daily.

Occasional lamb hearts in the meal, or mix of chicken hearts, liver and giblets

Fish oil capsules daily, occasional multi vitamine. For Rex glucosamine and joint stuff.

I dont buy BARF patties they are just too expensive, but I do buy Scotties rolls (pro peak) when Im lazy.

ETA

I use Missing Link as a suplement - it goes in the veg and mince mix.

I dont find anything difficult about BARF, and as you know my dogs look great.

Edited September 11, 2007 by myszka

[Purpley]

I recipe I use is out of The Barf Diet - Dr Billinghurst. I think its pretty much the same recipe that they use for the barf patties. I make the canine multimix patties.

[Hazz]

You really need to puree the vegies for them to be of any nutritional means for your dog.

[4 Paws]

I'd recommend you get yourself a copy of Dr Ian Billinghust's 'Give your dog a bone book"

[Katdogs]

I can get both Ian Billinghurst books, but is the new one better than the other?

Also I've just asked the guy in the juice shop downstairs from my work, he normally just chucks out the pulp as he goes along. If I give him a container he can fill it with carrot, beet, celery, apple etc, pulped. Is it a problem if there's lots of citrus or should he be picky? He's a great guy, has an overweight rescue StaffyX but has never thought to feed it anything other than tinned food so I can educate him at the same time!

And Myskva if I walk into Roselands fish shop what sort of fish should I get? Sardines/mackeral/whitebait, just anything small?

[MonElite]

Fish - whatever is the cheapest but I get sardines, pilchards, makrel most of the time. $3.99/kg is my top price Ill pay.

Actually I get a box of sardines from a fisherman friend most of the time 15 kg at the time and I share a box with someone as I cant store that much.

My dogs eat those sardines just liek seals do at SeaWorld

As to pulp - best no citrus, my dogs dont really like celery as well.

I just put the veg into a food processor/blender and make the pulp that way.

[Prydenjoy]

The BARF diet is more straight to the point, his other books have a lot of garbage you don't need to know in them, although Give Your Dog A Bone is quite an interesting read anyway.

If you're microwaving your veggies or cooking them otherwise, you don't really need to puree the veggies. So long as they aren't raw and unpureed! You'll get the same result if you cook them, although you will lose a small amount of nutrients (not as many as some would have you believe!)

Good luck

[Clyde]

You really need to puree the vegies for them to be of any nutritional means for your dog.

Why is that?

Cheers

[Katdogs]

OK I've ordered just 'the BARF diet' book.

Anyone near Central want to share in the pureed fruit and vegies from my friendly juice shop man? I was presented with about 4kg of carrot and apple today! It just gets chucked out normally, so if I only use some of it and chuck the rest it's no more waste. I've asked him to do more of a mixture - celery, beetroot, banana, etc.

Just in two days our local beetles and ants are very happy with their new diet too!

[MonElite]

I forgot to tell you that my dogs like the fish frozen, or semi frozen.

I give it to them semi frozen most of the time. A lot less smell and a lot less clean up after their meal.....

As to pulp - next thursday lunchtime pick up/delivery would suit me

[Prydenjoy]

You really need to puree the vegies for them to be of any nutritional means for your dog.

Why is that?

Cheers

Plants have a rigid cell wall that dogs digestive systems aren't built to break down. Animal products are more easily digested, and the short digestive tracts of dogs are designed specifically to do this. That's not to say veggies aren't great for dogs, just that they need a little assistance to extract the nutrients. When juiced or pureed the cell wall is smashed, meaning dogs can extract the nutrients. In cooking the cell wall is also damaged and the nutrients become available to the dog.

[Clyde]

Thanks Jeanne, I didn't know any of that