FRESH EATS

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The B.A.R.F diet stands for two common phrases: ‘Biologically Appropriate Raw Food’ and ‘Bones and Raw Food’. Founded by veterinarian and nutritionist Dr. Ian Billinghurst, the principle is to feed dogs the diet they evolved to eat—a raw diet composed of meats and greens that are fresh, uncooked and wild.

From Boston Terriers to St. Bernards, dogs are essentially the same as their ancestors, gray wolves.

The raw diet is high in protein, moderate in fat, has minimal amounts of carbohydrates and consists of:

• Muscle meat
• Raw meaty bones
• Organ meat
• Vegetables and fruits
• Supplements

There are numerous health benefits to feeding your dog a raw food diet. These include:

• Leaner, more muscular build; nearly 60% of dogs are overweight or obese based on body condition scoring, which leads to a number of related conditions
• Skin and coat improvements
• Cleaner teeth and fresher breath
• Less odor
• Vibrant, calm energy

And don't forget about the environmental benefits: feeding raw lowers our ecological footprint. A raw diet is more fully utilized by dogs’ bodies, which equates to smaller stools.

The B.A.R.F. diet also uses animal parts like organ meats that, while safe for us to eat, are usually avoided by humans. Using these parts of the meat reduces waste.

In short: what’s good for our pets is also good for our environment. It’s truly a win-win. 

Despite the many health benefits, one drawback associated with a raw diet is the risk of giving your dog an unbalanced diet. To do it yourself requires properly balancing all of the micronutrients dogs need to prevent deficiencies and future health problems.

Now that you’re well-informed about the advantages of feeding raw, it’s time to get started! 

Here are some steps to transition your dog to the B.A.R.F. diet:

1. If your dog is new to raw food, transition slowly. The complete transition can often be accomplished within a week; however, the key is to go slowly, as you would with any dietary change. Puppies can generally transition over the course of a few days, as they typically have healthier digestive systems than older dogs. The older the dog, the longer you should take to transition to the new raw diet.

2. To start, we recommend fasting your dog for a half day to a full day prior to the first meal to ensure a good appetite, and then feed a little bit to see how he or she handles the fresh food. If all is well, continue replacing a little bit of the original diet with the new raw diet.

3. Monitor your pet. If your pet experiences loose stools, wait until the stool is firm to continue the transition.