omidog

Sounds like the opposite of what you’d want to be eating with an acronym like BARF, doesn’t it? But believe it or not, there is an approach to nutrition out there for cats and dogs known as the BARF diet, and what it actually stands for is Bones and Raw Food. Some other sources also refer to it as Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. Whichever way you prefer to refer to it, it’s raw. Before you go screaming to the hills imagining the masses of bacteria that will spread through your home and incapacitate everyone in your family at the hospital with e coli and salmonella, take some time to learn a bit more about it and you may find that it’s the perfect approach for your pet.

I’ve written a Squidoo lens on the BARF diet to help you get started, and it’s gotten some traffic so I figure it’s helping people so far! There are some links to other websites about the BARF diet on there, and you can also find some books to help you along if you prefer. There’s also a little section I put in there about raw diets for people (don’t worry, you won’t have to buy chicken gizzards and wash ‘em down as-is!)

As with any controversial topic, there are avid fans and very vocal opposers to the BARF diet, which you can find on any of the major pet forums out there. I prefer not to step in and start any arguments either way, and particularly since I don’t currently own a dog or cat, I haven’t had the chance to try it out for myself. What I do know is that one of my friends who adopted a dog a couple of years ago is infatuated with this approach to feeding, and wouldn’t have it any other way. Over the course of the past few years, she’s really taken it upon herself to become an expert on this diet, and her dog has gone from having numerous very hard to pinpoint or cure health problems to being happy and very healthy. Patchy, itchy skin - gone. Coat - shiny. Breath - doesn’t smell bad (whoa!).

Whether you decide to take the plunge is up to you, but be sure that you talk to at least one veterinarian before you make any drastic changes in your animal’s diet. Second opinions are never a bad idea! As with people, animals need a gradual change so their bodies don’t say “what’s happening to me?!”, so you want to make sure that you do it responsibly if you’re going to try it out, and find some specialists to support you along the way. There are tons of resources online for you if you’d like to read more on your own and prepare to make the transition with a current pet or start off raw with a new puppy or kitten.

Good luck and if you’re currently feeding your pet raw, it’d be great if you could leave a comment so others can learn from you!

Tags: BARF diet, biologically appropriate raw food, bones and raw food, feeding your pet raw food, pet diet, raw food, raw food diet, raw food for cats, raw food for dogs