Barf Diets

[SmoothieGirl]

Just looking for some insight on BARF type diets and raw diets in general. I have a couple of particular questions, but would love to read any opinions.

Firstly, is anyone using Dr B's prepared BARF food and would you say its as good as your own prepared BARF diet? I like the idea of BARF, but there is no way I have time to consistently prepare speciality foods.

Secondly, does anyone have any opinions on Dr B's BARF food compared to the Vets All Natural meat?

Thanks

[tyra20007]

I am a purist BARF feeder and have not used the premade patties because they seem very expensive and I find that with a little bit of prep - maybe half an hour a month I can have frozen weighed out servings available at a very low cost.

Depending on the type of dog you have - I am feeding 2 Dobermanns so I make up about 40Kg of meat a month.

I soak Vets All Natural - ration of 1 cup VAN (DRY) to each 1Kg of meat - for each cup of VAN dry I add 1 cup water and leave to soak for 24hrs.

I mix the VAN with:

40% Minced Beef - I get my butcher to mince this on a course grind

40% Minced Chicken Frames ($1.50Kg at Lenards Chicken)

20% Minced Offal - (Lamb Liver / Brain / Kidney )

All the foods are from My Butcher and are Human grade - not Pet grade.

I mix that up - weigh out a daily serve for each dog and put in freezer bags in the freezer.

To each days mix I add some - Omega 3 oil blend and some greenpet essentials (available from Greenpet) and I add Pet Pep Up daily.

That makes up their dinners and for brekky it is just chicken frames / lamb necks / beef brisket and other bones

I don't think it takes a lot of effort to make them up so that they are convenient daily. I mean to buy the premade ones you'll have to spend time going to the shops etc and the price is way more than making it up yourself - my dogs dinner works out at $4 per night for 2 Dobermanns including the supplements.

If you have any questions feel free to message me as I have helped many people start feeding BARF and I am happy to help anyone who wants info.

[sandra64]

mine get fed pretty much to what tyra20007 dogs do with VAN ... I put flaxeed oil and protexin in mine. I dont find it much hassle to do the meals and freeze them...All human grade meat here as well...

[SmoothieGirl]

Thanks, that's great information.

Sounds like one thing I would have to consider is getting a second freezer. I would prefer to feed human grade too, all her meaty bones etc are at the moment.

[Tilly]

I brought the BARF patties initially when I got my pup a couple of months ago. I brought the patties because he was a pup and I didn't want to risk getting it wrong during his growing stages - and it seems everyone has different ratios and views on what to add.

I found the patties became a pain (size wise) when I switched my older boy over to raw as well ... so I started buying Canine Country as they come in lots of 1kg.

Both dogs have done extremely well on this and the older boy has never looked better.

[Trishm]

Tyra, do you not add any veggies, or is that covered by the VAN ?

Trish

[Purpley]

I make my own Barf patties and supply to those that can't find the time to do it themselves. I add vegetables to mine, not the VAN. I use all human grade ingredients. I am not a fan of the stuff they market as 'pet mince'.

[tyra20007]

Tyra, do you not add any veggies, or is that covered by the VAN ?

Trish

Yes I forgot to mention that I do add some veggies to their evening meal

(unless I am in a hurry or just lazy LOL- then it is just the dog log and supplements)

Normally I will add grated carrot, grated zucchini, baby spinach leaves or grated apple to the meal

as well as the supplements.

My dogs eat all fruit and veges so I am no longer able to eat an apple or an orange (mango/banana/berries)

without two faces looking starved to death blowing bubbles wanting some too,

so it is a sharing caring kind o house LOL

[sandra64]

Tyra, do you not add any veggies, or is that covered by the VAN ?

Trish

Yes I forgot to mention that I do add some veggies to their evening meal

(unless I am in a hurry or just lazy LOL- then it is just the dog log and supplements)

Normally I will add grated carrot, grated zucchini, baby spinach leaves or grated apple to the meal

as well as the supplements.

My dogs eat all fruit and veges so I am no longer able to eat an apple or an orange (mango/banana/berries)

without two faces looking starved to death blowing bubbles wanting some too,

so it is a sharing caring kind o house LOL

geez you too. I thought i was the only one that got crash tackled for fruit. Cold watermelon send my girl into a frenzy....she stares at you till you give in...and cold celery...My boy pretends to like it cause she does but not as keen on fruit as her...and yes fresh veges go in mine as well.

[SBT101]

I feed pretty much the same as everyone else. I switched them over a few months ago. They were getting dry as well. Now they get:

40% muscle meat (donkey, goat, hearts and little roo and camel)

40% minced chicken frames, or equivelent rmb)chicken necks, lamb shanks, etc)

10% offal mix(liver, kidney, etc)

10% vegie mix (carrot, zucchini, apple, broccoli, squash, pumpkin)with added sunflower oil, whole eggs, this is all blended up into a slop then frozen.

They also get a couple of meals a week of fish: sardines, tuna, salmon. Usually whatever is on special...

And they get a dollop of natural yoghurt also.

sometimes they will get rmb in the morning and other meat meal at night. But most days they get 2 split meals

The vegie slops usually changes to what ever I have in the fridge and the freezer.

[moosepup]

I feed the Dr B's BARF patties to my two. I mix in a little bit of Vets All Natural Health Booster too. They love it.

I don't find the cost prohibitive but then I'm only feeding a Chihuahua and a Chi X. 2 patties last me about 3 nights. The 3rd night is usually quite skint so they get sardines and a bit of yogurt too. They also get chicken necks a few times a week. The BARF diet works for me too because their poos are a lot smaller, firmer and less smelly!

I would say I spend about $60 a month so about $2 a day ($1 per dog). :D