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Is a home-prepared diet healthy
for my pet?
Is it really safe to feed raw food to my pet?
How do I make a 'home-prepared BARF diet for
my pet?
How will I know my pet's diet will be complete
and balanced at every meal?
I've heard that feeding bones is dangerous...
What is offal?
What is tripe?
Do I need to use supplements?
What are probiotics?
What is the best way to start my pet on a BARF
diet?
My dog doesn't like vegetables... are they
necessary in the diet?
What are the best oils to use in my home-prepared
diet?
Is
a home-prepared diet healthy for my dog?
Most pet owners are taught to believe that feeding their pets
is such a difficult task it is best left to the processed
pet food industry. In fact feeding pets can be explained in
two or three lines. Dogs should eat a diet consisting of about
sixty percent raw meaty bones, twenty percent healthy vegetable
material, ten percent healthy offal plus supplements. If you
follow that advice your pets will be healthy, long-lived and
happy.
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Is
it really safe to feed raw food to my dog?
Your dog or cats wild counterparts live exclusively on raw
foods. Their whole metabolism is geared to the consumption
of raw foods. Domestic pets are no different. They too require
raw foods for maximal health. Numerous BARF fed dogs and cats
are showing that when fed raw foods they are generally healthier
than those fed cooked and especially, processed foods.
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How
do I make a 'home-prepared BARF diet for my dog?
To help you get started, be sure to order a copy of The
BARF DIET. This outlines everything you need
to know about making a complete and biologically balanced
raw food diet for your four pawed friend.
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How
will I know my dog's diet will be complete and balanced at
every meal?
It's the 'whole' feeding program that provides balance. It
is not necessary for each meal to be complete and balanced.
If you follow the guidelines from the 'BARF DIET', your dog
or cat will be receiving everything he needs for total health.
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I've
heard that feeding bones is dangerous...
A controversial aspect of the BARF diet is the use of whole
raw meaty bones as the food base for our pets. For most dogs
and cats, whole raw meaty bones do not constitute a physical
danger. However, if in doubt we highly recommend ...
Minced Meaty Bones!
If you prefer not to feed whole raw meaty bones, have a dog
that is missing teeth who does not eat carefully, or has
difficulty digesting whole bones
then you may wish to feed your dog our meat and bone mince products. Do make
sure to feed your dog a wide variety of raw meaty bones or minces to avoid
health problems that may develop from not offering enough variety and a too
limited range of foods to your pets.
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What
is offal?
Offal is the term often used to refer to organ meats. The
most frequently used offal are kidney, liver, heart and tripe.
Dr. Billinghurst's Offal Blend contains all of these important
organ foods.
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What
is tripe?
Green tripe is the edible lining and accompanying content
of a cow or other ruminant's first or second division of the
stomach. Paunch tripe comes from the large first stomach division
and honeycomb tripe comes from the second division. Both wild
canids and domestic dogs benefit from eating tripe as it contains
a very diverse profile of living nutrients including enzymes,
omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, probiotics, and phytonutrients.
It has long been quoted as being "the finest of natural
foods".
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Do
I need to use supplements?
The 'whole' philosophy of the BARF diet demands that we look
in the first instance to food sources only for nutrients.
However, to maximize your dog's health you will most definitely
need to supply extra supplements. Kelp provides a source of
minerals along with concentrated greens such as alfalfa leaf.
Dr. Billinghurst's
BARFPlus is a concentrated blend of antioxidants, phyto-nutrients,
vitamins, probiotics and enzymes. This is a convenient addition
to a home made BARF diet.
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What
are probiotics?
These supply the friendly bacteria essential for bowel health
and for general health. A readily available source of healthy
bacteria is good quality, low fat yogurt. Alternatively, purchase
nondairy probiotics from the health food store or use BARFPlus
which contains probiotics.
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What
is the best way to start my dog on a BARF diet?
It's best to keep the diet simple at first. This is particularly
important for older dogs that have been eating a processed
diet for most of their life. Start with 'Dr. Billinghurst's
Meat & Bone Mince' only, for the first couple of days.
You might wish to add some yogurt or a probiotic supplement.
Keep meals small to begin with and don't overfeed. Once the
dog is digesting the mince, start adding a small amount of
the 'Veggies & Fruit '. Continue to increase daily, until
you are feeding the suggested amounts. Providing digestion
is normal, you can start adding the 'Offal Blend' and then
the other suggested foods. Supplements come last.
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My
dog doesn't like vegetables... are they necessary in the diet?
Your dog has evolved through countless generations to require
vegetation as part of it's diet, particularly the green leafy
type and always raw. Once the 'Veggies & Fruit' are well
mixed with the other components of the BARF diet, they will
become more palatable to your dog. Dogs can live and survive
without vegetables, but they will never be totally healthy!
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What
are the best oils to use in my home-prepared diet?
What you need are cold pressed and fresh oils that have been
kept away from light and oxygen. Salmon oil, cod liver oil
and evening primrose oil are some of the oils you can utilize.
These health promoting oils - in a fresh state - are vital
for your dog's health. Do not use old oils, as they are rancid
and dangerous. Never use ordinary oils from the supermarket,
as they have been heat treated.
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Congratulations on making
the decision to feed your dog a biologically appropriate
raw food diet!
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