Barf Question

[cassie]

I've just borrowed Dr Billinghurst's "The BARF Diet" from the library and am pretty excited about possibly switching my boys to BARF I am happy with the commercial diets they are currently on, however I have been reading up on BARF a fair bit lately and thought we might give it a shot. I may continue to feed them kibble for one meal, and BARF for the other each day, would this be ok do you think?

Anyway back to my original query...I've just read that the raw vegetable matter fed to dogs must be crushed, not just grated/chopped up etc. The book says you need a food processor or juicer, with the juicer being the better option. I have a blender, I assume this won't be suitable? Am willing to invest in a good juicer, so was wondering if anyone had any good recommendations? Have found a few listed on eBay and am thinking that may be a cheaper way to go, but I need to know a good brand/type first.

Thanks for any help you can offer

[Cavandra]

Dont worry too much about the fruit & veg......When I started feeding BARF I used to follow Billinghurst to the letter, but soon realised dogs do not need vegetation, they are Carnivores, not omnivores.........In the wild they usually leave the intestines of teh kill, so his thought about them eating stomach contents has been proven to be a myth.....they CAN eat it, but they dont often eat it, and they do not need vegetaion to survive, only meat & bones being carnivores.

The short answer is YES you can use your blender no worries at all, that is what I use on the rare ocassion I feed fruit & veg.

[cassie]

Thanks for that, my blender is a pretty good one so I think it would do an alright job...I hope...! Just told my OH I was considering buying a juicer and he convinced me the blender will crush veggies adequately

It's hard to know what to believe sometimes, everyone has their own ideas and opinions! Thanks for your input Cavandra. While I am just starting out I think I will pretty much stick to the book

Which brings me to my next question, do BARFers generally supplement their dogs' food with anything? The book recommends cod liver oil.

[puggy_puggy]

I use a Braun food processor thingy. Most normal people would probably use it to make soup or baby food but I use it to make the dogs BARF slops. It doesn't fit much in it so I empty each processed container into a big bucket and then mix everything together.

I add Kelp and Flaxseed Oil.

[4 Paws]

I no longer feed BARF as have switched to Orijen but I used to add brewers yeast,vit c,oil of some description,kelp and garlic powder

I used to buy the supplements from here http://www.callicoma.com.au/supplem1.htm .They also do a multi vitamin mineral mix as well

[Cavandra]

Which brings me to my next question, do BARFers generally supplement their dogs' food with anything? The book recommends cod liver oil.

Cod liver oil is fine in winter, but you can overdose on Vit A through Summer! Also if you are mating any bitches if it is fed during the first trimester it will cause birth defects.

I supplement when they need something for specific reasons, my main ones are Kelp, Apple Cider Vinegar,Ester C, Fish oil, Salmon Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Vit E,Evening Primrose.......the list goes on, but I do not use anything routinely apart from my oldies getting fish oil, Ester C & Glucosomine daily.

[Jed]

I have a Kambrook processor/blender. I use the processor part - seems to me the idea is to chop the fruit/veges up finely, and like everyone else, I started off by the book and .....well, adapted!! I found with the blender, it was either too mushy, or too dry, and if I added oil, it was hard to clean. But the blender is fine. It is simply that when I killed mine, I went for the processor/blender. Anything which zaps the veges is ok.

I believe if you are going to feed BARF, you must read the book/s first, not rely on what someone else says.

Mine get fruit/veges for the vitamins and minerals they contain. The idea is to vary the diet to meet all their nutritional needs, so they get about 20% fruit/veges. Whatever is cheap at the time. I also make sure they have some green veges too - chokos, broccoli, beans etc. I also feed cooked brown rice occasionally, vitamin/mineral supplements from time to time, Vit C, ACV, kelp, sunflower oil, flax seed oil, sardines, evening primrose oil, fish oil organ meat such as liver. Not all at once, of course.

They also eat leftovers such as - bread, and soggy things in the fridge, leftover cakes and biscuits (never much of that) which all goes through the processor and is thrown in with the mince. They do get bones, of course.

Sometimes, if I am late home, or tired and emotional, they have dry food. Not often - maybe a couple of times a month.

[Tiggy]

I know most people use Juicers but I prefer using a Food Processor. I got a pretty good one for just over $100. I put liver and heart through it to.

[J...]

I started off with the food processor on a fine grate, I couldn't go any finer as it wasn't coping with the pumpkin very well.

I bought a 1200W Breville juicer on special for about $140 and made sure it was capable of juicing unpeeled uncooked pumpkin before I purchased it. Found its much quicker and just as easy to clean. I only put fruit and veg through mine, any supplements I add when I make her dinner (ACV, fish oil capsules and Vets All Natural Health Booster).

[Golden Rules]

I have a "Compact" juicer/mincer - expensive jobbie, but I bought it because it crushes the fruit and veges rather than cutting them - and apparently the cell structure of the fruits and veges isn't destroyed, thereby retaining more antioxidants..........of course I bought this for myself not the dogs! LOL!! But is still does a good job

[Mooper]

I bought a secondhand Breville juicer (not sure of the wattage) years ago and it's still going, although the motor is starting to groan a little

I add brewers' yeast, omega 3/6/9 oil, vit C, Joint Guard, apple cider vinegar and sometimes a free-range egg plus crushed shell or some yoghurt. These are all added after I thaw the frozen mush.

The rest of the time, Jack eats chicken carcasses, wings or necks, and he still has some Science Diet kibble in his Buster Cube of a morning. This last bag seems to take forever to finish The plan is to feed all-raw once that's empty.