Vets All Natural Vs Barf Vs Raw?

[aussielover]

Which would you recommend?

I've been doing some reading and vets all naturAl and barf seems to be based on similar principles and are both veterinary developed.

Raw or prey model advocates seem to suggest that veggies and grains are not needed at all in the diet?

Which do you prefer and which is easiest to prepare/get ingredients for?

[Diva]

One thing I don't like about the barf style mixes is the texture, I prefer to feed chunks of meat and meat on the bone than minced up mush. My dogs actually refuse to eat any premade mix I have offered them, at best they will eat it once then refuse next time. Occasionally if I feel inclined i will buy good quality mince and add a small amount of veges myself, but mostly the only veges they get are what they graze on themselves or occasional leftovers. I make sure they get a very wide variety of meat and offal, not just chicken, chicken , chicken, and not just boney carcasses but real meat. If I found a premade mix they would eat I might feed it once a week.

What I do is very easy and straightforward, but not cheap. Fortunately cost is not much of an issue for me, but if it was I would have to put a lot more effort into finding cheap sources to feed what I currently feed and it may not be possible. Also, I am not a pure raw feeder as they have access to kibble if they want it, it probably comprises about 10% of their diet. Just doing what I have found works for us really.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Diva

[Airedaler]

I would not feed the prepared BARF patties personally. I would prefer to make my own mix. I would normally feed chunks or on the bone but will make my own minced based mix to add in things like eggs, cottage cheese, yoghurt, veggies etc. Feeding full on BARF style diet is not cheap in my experience.

VAN as far as I am concerned is much easier to prepare than BARF. Just soak the complete mix overnight and then add meat in whatever form you wish to serve. However, if you have a dog that does not tolerate grains well then I'm not sure it is the way to go.

I use both feeding regimes and alternate randomly between them. What I do prefer about the raw meaty bone style diet is that the dogs get to chew and work on the feed rather than gulping it down.

[JulesP]

I prefer BARF as per the book. Not the patties.

[aussielover]

I bought the VAN mix and am soaking it now. It smells pretty good!

Cost isn't that much of an issue for me but I dont want to spend hours searching for and preparing my dogs meals!

I only use lamb flaps and chicken frames for bones as my dog had had an obstruction from a bone before. Is this ok or does she need more variety?

[gila]

When I switched to raw about five weeks ago I started off with VAN because it was an easy way to feed raw. After doing a lot of reading I've moved on to more of a prey model diet with 80% meat 10%bone 10% offal. But I still add a little bit of VAN to each meal. Ive found that ingredients are easy to get, but it pays to shop around and compare prices. Staples for me are chicken drumsticks and beef mince because its cheap and always available at Aldi. Ox heart, lamb heart, lamb neck & ribs I buy from the butcher. Chicken liver and giblets from Coles. And green tripe from Petbarn.

[Diva]

I bought the VAN mix and am soaking it now. It smells pretty good!

Cost isn't that much of an issue for me but I dont want to spend hours searching for and preparing my dogs meals!

I only use lamb flaps and chicken frames for bones as my dog had had an obstruction from a bone before. Is this ok or does she need more variety?

I dont like to provide advice, too many self appointed gurus as it is. But I doubt she needs more variety in edible bone, esp if she has had problems with others. You can always provide more variety through your bone free meat.

[aussielover]

When I switched to raw about five weeks ago I started off with VAN because it was an easy way to feed raw. After doing a lot of reading I've moved on to more of a prey model diet with 80% meat 10%bone 10% offal. But I still add a little bit of VAN to each meal. Ive found that ingredients are easy to get, but it pays to shop around and compare prices. Staples for me are chicken drumsticks and beef mince because its cheap and always available at Aldi. Ox heart, lamb heart, lamb neck & ribs I buy from the butcher. Chicken liver and giblets from Coles. And green tripe from Petbarn.

Have you noticed any improvement/change in your dogs condition or anything?

[gila]

When I switched to raw about five weeks ago I started off with VAN because it was an easy way to feed raw. After doing a lot of reading I've moved on to more of a prey model diet with 80% meat 10%bone 10% offal. But I still add a little bit of VAN to each meal. Ive found that ingredients are easy to get, but it pays to shop around and compare prices. Staples for me are chicken drumsticks and beef mince because its cheap and always available at Aldi. Ox heart, lamb heart, lamb neck & ribs I buy from the butcher. Chicken liver and giblets from Coles. And green tripe from Petbarn.

Have you noticed any improvement/change in your dogs condition or anything?

Yes. Firstly he drinks a lot less and produces less poo! His coat is shinier and softer. I think the biggest change is his body condition. He's always been lean, but he has much better muscle tone now.

[Guest Clover]

I feed a mix if VAN & raw to my jrt. He gets his van/ roo mix as his main meal and something to chew on to clean teeth at some stage over the day as well. It works well for him and me.

[Staffyluv]

Zig has been on VAN and Blackhawke kibble for a while (bones and kibble in the morning) and VAN at night.

Everyone always comments on how shiny he is.

I think I will change the kibble back to Earthborn Holistic (Primitive and Ocean Catch) because he seems 'softer' in muscle tone since I changed to Blackhawke and it isn't the first time I have heard this.

The bones I use are lamb ribs, chicken frames, turkey necks, chicken necks and wings

I buy the premade VAN but also have the mix here and usually mix it with roo mince.