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02-14-2009, 02:01 PM
BARF stands for "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food" or "Bones and Raw Food."
I've been trying to find a good food to keep my dogs on for a while and have been trying out several different brands. Some I've tried are Science Diet, Maxximum Nutrition, Royal Canin, Iams, and am currently using Purina Pro Plan.
The adult Pug doesn't seem to care what kind of food he has, but the puppy has liked the Royal Canin the most.
Anyways, in my search, a lot of people online were saying that the BARF diet was the best way to go because it contains only what dogs are naturally supposed to eat. No fillers like grains that don't sit well with dogs stomachs.
Has anyone here tried the BARF diet or making your own food? This is something I'm considering because no matter how high the grade of dry food I buy, my dogs would still rather have wet food. On top of that, the recent pet food recalls are a little scary.
I've been trying to find a good food to keep my dogs on for a while and have been trying out several different brands. Some I've tried are Science Diet, Maxximum Nutrition, Royal Canin, Iams, and am currently using Purina Pro Plan.
The adult Pug doesn't seem to care what kind of food he has, but the puppy has liked the Royal Canin the most.
Anyways, in my search, a lot of people online were saying that the BARF diet was the best way to go because it contains only what dogs are naturally supposed to eat. No fillers like grains that don't sit well with dogs stomachs.
Has anyone here tried the BARF diet or making your own food? This is something I'm considering because no matter how high the grade of dry food I buy, my dogs would still rather have wet food. On top of that, the recent pet food recalls are a little scary.
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02-14-2009, 02:42 PM
I feed my dog scraps and keep his bowl full of generic(either Everpet or American Value) dog food. I compared the generic ingredients with the brand name dog foods(pedigree, kibbles) and they were the same. He eats a 25lb bag a week on top of scraps.
My dog is an outside dog though and weighs probably 100lbs. The vet game us some science diet freesample once, and he growled and barked at me when I put in his bowl. He ate it when he got hungry but he didn't care for it.
He has always been very healthy and active. He also eats butterflies, birds, creek rats, squirrels, rabbits, or just about anything else he can catch. He eats bones and all, so I guess he is getting the nutrition he needs, that he doesn't get from dog food and scraps, through bones and raw meat.
My dog is an outside dog though and weighs probably 100lbs. The vet game us some science diet freesample once, and he growled and barked at me when I put in his bowl. He ate it when he got hungry but he didn't care for it.
He has always been very healthy and active. He also eats butterflies, birds, creek rats, squirrels, rabbits, or just about anything else he can catch. He eats bones and all, so I guess he is getting the nutrition he needs, that he doesn't get from dog food and scraps, through bones and raw meat.
02-14-2009, 03:13 PM
Uncooked bones are good for dogs, however you're NEVER supposed to feed your dog any cooked bones.
You are right, there is very little difference between a generic pet food (Wal-Mart Ol' Roy or something) and the dry foods like Pedigree or IAMS. However, there are good quality dry foods like Blue Buffalo, Royal Canin, Bil-Jac.
The key to dry dog food is to look at the ingredients list. If chicken, beef, lamb, chicken meal, etc. (meats) aren't the first 2 or 3 ingredients then it's not an above average dog food.
On most Science Diet foods, meat isn't the first ingredient, and IMO, the only reason Science Diet has such hype (and a higher price in tow) in because it's "vet recommended." What they don't tell you is that the reason it's #1 vet recommended is because they give the vets so many free samples, free food, etc. My dog's have never liked Science Diet, but the cats seem to like the Science Diet cat food.
I don't know if I have the nerve to start feeding my dogs raw food because they're inside dogs and it would be quite a mess if their stomachs get upset, but I am now mixing their dry food with some wet/moist food.
Right now here is my recipe:
2 cups Pro Plan puppy food
1 can of shredded chicken - do not drain, the water will help with the moisture
about 1/6 of a pack of sliced turkey
about 1/2 cup of mild cheddar cheese
(optional ingredients added when available)
1 cup cooked rice
and/or
1 cooked potato
and/or
small diced carrot
and/or
1/4 cup of peas
Take the ingredients and mix them in a food processor. It will smell like crap, but my dogs go absolutely insane for it and lick the bowl for 5 minutes just to make sure it's all gone.
This will make enough to feed my two Pugs for 2-3 days if refrigerated. If the rice is added, then it will feed them close to a week.
You are right, there is very little difference between a generic pet food (Wal-Mart Ol' Roy or something) and the dry foods like Pedigree or IAMS. However, there are good quality dry foods like Blue Buffalo, Royal Canin, Bil-Jac.
The key to dry dog food is to look at the ingredients list. If chicken, beef, lamb, chicken meal, etc. (meats) aren't the first 2 or 3 ingredients then it's not an above average dog food.
On most Science Diet foods, meat isn't the first ingredient, and IMO, the only reason Science Diet has such hype (and a higher price in tow) in because it's "vet recommended." What they don't tell you is that the reason it's #1 vet recommended is because they give the vets so many free samples, free food, etc. My dog's have never liked Science Diet, but the cats seem to like the Science Diet cat food.
I don't know if I have the nerve to start feeding my dogs raw food because they're inside dogs and it would be quite a mess if their stomachs get upset, but I am now mixing their dry food with some wet/moist food.
Right now here is my recipe:
2 cups Pro Plan puppy food
1 can of shredded chicken - do not drain, the water will help with the moisture
about 1/6 of a pack of sliced turkey
about 1/2 cup of mild cheddar cheese
(optional ingredients added when available)
1 cup cooked rice
and/or
1 cooked potato
and/or
small diced carrot
and/or
1/4 cup of peas
Take the ingredients and mix them in a food processor. It will smell like crap, but my dogs go absolutely insane for it and lick the bowl for 5 minutes just to make sure it's all gone.
This will make enough to feed my two Pugs for 2-3 days if refrigerated. If the rice is added, then it will feed them close to a week.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
02-14-2009, 03:30 PM
I have one little girl that is extremely picky. She will only eat Science Diet adult small bites. Plus she will also only eat the Marrow bone dog treats when they come back in.
I have tried every treat I can find and nothing. Marrow bones or she will leave it in the floor and walk away. Won't even chew a pigs ear.
I guess the little girl does science diet by default although she is a bit more adventurous and will eat popcorn and the occasional chip. She is not a chewer either. Marrow bone treats or nothing.
With mine being as picky as they are I would be afraid to change their diet, plus like ComforEagle mine are both house pets so upsetting their stomachs is something I would rather not tempt.
I have tried every treat I can find and nothing. Marrow bones or she will leave it in the floor and walk away. Won't even chew a pigs ear.
I guess the little girl does science diet by default although she is a bit more adventurous and will eat popcorn and the occasional chip. She is not a chewer either. Marrow bone treats or nothing.
With mine being as picky as they are I would be afraid to change their diet, plus like ComforEagle mine are both house pets so upsetting their stomachs is something I would rather not tempt.
02-14-2009, 03:36 PM
Midee1 Wrote:I have one little girl that is extremely picky. She will only eat Science Diet adult small bites. Plus she will also only eat the Marrow bone dog treats when they come back in.
I have tried every treat I can find and nothing. Marrow bones or she will leave it in the floor and walk away. Won't even chew a pigs ear.
I guess the little girl does science diet by default although she is a bit more adventurous and will eat popcorn and the occasional chip. She is not a chewer either. Marrow bone treats or nothing.
With mine being as picky as they are I would be afraid to change their diet, plus like ComforEagle mine are both house pets so upsetting their stomachs is something I would rather not tempt.
Have you tried Greenies treats?
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02-14-2009, 04:11 PM
I have an outside dog and i feed him table scraps and regular dog food.
02-14-2009, 07:43 PM
Midee1 Wrote:What are they? I have never heard of them.
They're treats that are very good for dogs teeth; removes plaque and tartar, fights gingivitis and periodontal disease, also freshens breath. They're really popular at PetSmart. I got the free sample from their website and my dogs liked them...they almost got in a fight over them.
Here is a link where you can get a free sample.
http://www.greenies.com/en_US/FreeSample/
I only get them occasionally because they're pricier than most generic treats that I get.
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02-15-2009, 02:38 AM
^ My dog needs some Greenies treats for the horrid breath!
02-18-2009, 05:40 AM
At work we have a full grown Saint Bernard(hes a house) and we feed him everythign the residents dont eat. Theres a bucket sit up where they dump the left over food and two or three of em walk out and feed him after every meal 3 times a day. So he eats nething from school pizza to corndogs to country fried steak and we have never had no health problems.
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