Ratio's

[SteveBa]

Hello all

After much research thru this wonderful site I have now moved into feeding my kids a variation of the barf diet to ensure my babies good health

I wanted to ask, is the ratio of 40% meat and 60% fruit and vegetables correct?

Thanks!

Charlie and Jillas dad, Steve

[puggy_puggy]

Um you are way off.

Should be more likely 80% raw meaty bones and 20% fruit, veggies, offal, dairy.

Please please read and research more as feeding a bad raw diet is worse then feeding processed food.

http://www.barfaustralia.com/

http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm

[moosepup]

Hey SteveBa,

You should get Dr Billinghurst's book "Give A Dog A Bone" from the library/bookshop/website (www.barfaustralia.com) and have a read. I found that he is a little fanatical about things but it's a very interesting read, especially if you are going to start your dog on a BARF diet.

Personally I only just started my dog on the BARF diet and have been giving her a mix of Dr B's BARF patties and raw meaty bones (chicken wings, chicken necks, lamb forequarters, etc). I worry that I'm not doing it right as well so you aren't alone!! Good luck.

Edited February 7, 2009 by moosepup

[Staffyluv]

I agree with the others - your dog needs much more protein than only 40%. I would be doubling that figure

[Cavandra]

No!

Your dog is a Carnivore, and scavenger, it needs only meat, organs & bones for nourishment, it can eat other things lieik veg & fruit, but not necessary to its well being........

All carbs should be avoided & fed as a treat only, things like rice, grains, pasta, all big "no no's"

80 - 100% meat, offal, bones

useful additives are raw eggs with shell , oily fish like sardines & mackeral, herbs like garlic & parsley, sprouts..........for tummy upsets or to bulk up a meal for a diet , mashed cooked pumpkin.........occassional raw blended fruits & vegs.........any constipation coconut or flax seed oil............Growth , injury, old age Ester C...........

[tyra20007]

There is so much debate between Raw Feeders & BARF Feeders (some of it quite nasty!) at least both camps are trying to give their dogs the best diet possible and both agree that any processed dog foods are bad in the long run.

A good quality balanced raw food diet is the best for any dog if you want to be rewarded with a healthy long lived dog.

If you feed a dog meat - never cook it as it isn't neccessary as it can kill the good vitamins and minerals in the meat

Always make sure the meats are human grade that way there is no chance of it having worms or other parasites in it..

I feed a raw natural diet based on the BARF diet.

Breakfast is normally Lamb Bones, Chicken Frames, Sardines

A dinner mix is made up of:

mix up (all foods are human grade)

this mix can be made in bulk and frozen into

weighed out individual meal freezer bags.

35% ground beef mince

35% minced chicken frames

20% chopped liver & other offal (hearts, kidneys, tongue, brains etc)

I also add (1 cup dry + 1 cup water per kilo) of Vets All Natural Complete Mix - which contains grains, kelp & garlic for roughage which has been soaked for 24hrs so that it ferments.

With the above mix I usually mix this up in 50kg lots and then individually weigh up serving size bags and freeze them - which then makes it as convenient as processed can or dry food and will last me 40 days for my 2 Dobermanns.

To each defrosted serving I then add:

10% grated veges (carrots, zucchini, apples, celery, spinach etc)

Once defrosted I then add some really good supplements that contain glucosamine, shark cartilage, kelp, spirolina +++

(don't freeze the food with the supplements - keep them in the fridge and add them daily)

+ Every few days add an egg to the mix

the supplements I add can be found at:

Vets all Natural Complete Mix - soaked for 24hrs and mixed in:

http://www.vetsallnatural.com.au/PDFS/CM...

Probitic powder - 1tspn added to meat mi:

http://www.petpepup.com.au/

Omega blend Oil Mixed with meats: (1 Tblspn added to meat mix)

http://www.greenpet.com.au/pet-shop/cart...

target=product&product_id=582&category...

Green Supplement mixed with meats: (1 Tblsp added to defrosted meat mix)

http://www.greenpet.com.au/pet-shop/cart...

I also feed my Dobes fruit (orange, apples, berries, banana, melons +++) I now cannot eat fruit without the 2 sitting drooling for some too :p LOL

I know it seems like a lot of work but you are rewarded with good health, no smelly breath, healthy poos and less visits to the vet. I have helped 3 friends who’s dogs coats were affected by mange and within weeks it was all gone and the coats were glossy and healthy. I still make up mixes and weigh up appropriate portions for family and friends and I am happy to make it up for anyone who wants to try and feed their dog like this.

I look at the health of my 2 dogs and know that I am doing the best for them, neither have ever eaten processed dog food and never will.

[WildatHeart]

how much food (rmb or barf) per weight?

[MiniMum]

I now cannot eat fruit without the 2 sitting drooling for some too LOL

Had to share my apple this morning

how much food (rmb or barf) per weight?

I've only had my guy 6 months and am still learning. From what I've read, when feeding raw it should be 2% to 3% of body weight for an adult dog, with 80% of that being RMBs. But like people, this is usually a guide - an active/working dog may need more. Some may need less.

[labsrule]

These are the ratios from Dr Billinghurst's book"The Barf Diet"

The overall BARF diet should contain:

60% raw meaty bones - these bones can be Beef, Lamb, Chicken, Pork, Kangaroo, Rabbit etc

15-20% fruit and vegetables

10-15% offal

5-10% human food scraps and/or other supplements

ETA

How Much to Feed:

Adult - Take 8% of bodyweight as a starting point for really tiny but active dogs and work towards about 3% of bodyweight for large and active dogs. On that basis, the Total amount to feed daily would be as follows:

1-5kg - feed 90 - 350gm

5-10 kg - feed 350 - 600gm

10-25kg - feed 600 - 1100gm

25-50kg - feed 1100 - 2000gm

Above is a rough guide or starting point only. Every dog is different, feed what you need to maintain your dog at a healthy weight. Older inactive dogs may require less and younger more active dogs may require more.

Average weight of a chicken wing is 85gm & Average weight of chicken necks is 42.6 gms

Edited February 8, 2009 by labsrule