|
How does the BARF DIET™ compare to the evolutionary diet?
The BARF DIET™ mimics the natural or evolutionary diet by using
available appropriate uncooked foods. The natural environment is
disastrous. It includes lack of shelter, starvation, attack by other
predators and the complete lack of medical and surgical
intervention. This is not what we want for our pets. We want an
environment that optimizes health which includes a Biologically
Appropriate Raw Food Diet.
SEE RAW FOOD CATALOG
Should I cook the patties?
Cooking would render the food biologically inappropriate in a
fundamental way. Cooked food loses much nutritional value, including
enzymes and biologically active essential fatty acids. The latter,
being damaged by heat and oxygen, become slow poisons, doing
irreparable damage. Cooking causes complexes to form between
proteins and starches, between vitamins and trace minerals, and
between minerals. Cooking produces carcinogens and anti-immunogens.
Many minerals, essential amino acids and vitamins also become
indigestible.
How much should I feed my adult dog?
Adult dogs can be fed between 2-3% of the their body weight. We
recommend starting with 1/2 pound of food per 25 lbs of body weight
daily and make adjustments according to your dog's age and activity.
We also suggest that the daily ration be split to feed morning and
night. Remember that a healthy dog is not overweight.
How much do I feed my puppy?
BARF World recommends feeding puppies up to 10 % of their body
weight. Therefore, if your pup weighs 10 lbs you should feed 1 lb of
food divided between 3 or 4 feedings per day. Growing puppies,
especially the large breeds, should be kept lean so adjustments to
feeding amounts will have to be monitored closely.
Do I need to supplement your BARF DIET™?
The BARF DIET™ looks to whole raw foods to supply nutrients. It is
our aim - as much as is humanly possible - to source and use
evolutionary foods. That is why we insist that a wide variety of
nutritional foodstuffs make up the components of this diet. We do
add some 'land and sea' green food concentrates such as alfalfa leaf
and kelp to the diet. Some pets have specific conditions and
situations which may require more or less of ingredients in the BARF
DIET™. While we recommend that you consult your veterinarian, we do
offer BARF supplements and free consultations with our pet nutrition
expert.
Can I feed processed foods with the BARF
DIET™?
We do NOT recommend combining a raw food diet in the same meal as
processed foods. The digestive rate for dry processed food is much
longer than for raw foods which can cause digestive disturbances.
While acknowledging wholesome foods as basic to their own health,
many people still believe their pets will be healthiest when fed
processed junk food. Not surprisingly, this simply isn't so. While
not optimal, you can feed kibble and raw to pets as long as they are
fed in separate meals ie kibble in the morning and raw at night.
Some customers also ad our BARF supplements to kibble.
What about bacteria in raw foods?
The presence of bacteria in raw
food often worries pet owners and vets. They assume these
bacteria will make pets sick. However, dogs, being scavengers, have
evolved to eat and thrive on bacteria laden food, requiring them for
immune system maturity. Wild dogs eat the gut contents of their
prey, and the feces of many different animals. They eat soil,
contaminated meat, buried bones, infected meat and so on. These are
all a source of microbes and any toxins they might produce. That is
why the bacteria in raw meat are of little to no consequence to
ninety-nine plus percent of dogs. This does not mean we recommend
bacteria laden food for our pets. What it does mean is that pets
that have eaten commercial pet food for most of their life are safe
eating raw food from clean sources.
Are there safe handling
procedures for the BARF DIET™?
Commonsense must prevail when handling raw meat. You do this all the
time when you prepare a meal for the family. After handling raw meat
for your pets, do wash your hands before eating your own food.
Sterilize any knives, surfaces or utensils used in the preparation
or handling of your pets'
food. We recommend using a stainless steel dish, which is washed
thoroughly with soap and hot water after every meal. Discard any
uneaten food and store raw pet food in such a way it does not
contaminate human food. After thawing the food, we recommend it is
only kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. After thawing the food,
we recommend it be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. It's
that simple!
How are BARF DIETS™ packaged?
In patties of course! Each patty weighs 8 oz and each bag contains
12 patties. We use sturdy, freezer-friendly poly packaging that
reduces environmental waste. Packages are date coded to comply with
our extensive trace back system, which allows complete tracking of
all raw materials from sourcing to finished product.
There are bones in the BARF DIET™!
It is natural for both dogs and cats to eat bones. Both a dog's body
and a cat's body are designed to use bones as its main source of
minerals - including calcium and phosphorus. Our pets' bodies have
been doing this for millions of years. Your pet will not suffer
mineral deficiencies, imbalances or excesses, when raw meaty bones
make up the bulk of its diet. This applies to all ages, and all
breeds, including puppies and kittens. This is because bones are the
storehouse of all the minerals your pet requires in perfect balance,
and in the perfect form for optimal absorption. The bones in BARF
World's products are very finely minced making them very safe to
feed to your pets.
Why so many green leafy vegetables?
Domestic pets should be getting their carbohydrate in a similar
manner and balance to their wild ancestors. That means feeding
fresh, raw (non starchy-low glycemic) vegetables (and some fruit).
The green vegetables contain only small amounts of starch and some
simple sugars. More importantly they are chock full of enzymes,
nutraceuticals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and
essential fatty acids.
With no grains or starchy vegetables, where
does my dog get it's energy requirements from?
When our pets eat dry pet food, most of their energy comes from
carbohydrates. That is, from starch, and also, from added sugar.
Both sugar and starch are damaging forms of carbohydrate that are
biologically inappropriate for pet animals. Together, these two
carbohydrates make an enormous contribution to the degenerative
diseases in our pets. When pet animals eat their evolutionary diet
(the BARF
diet) their energy comes principally from protein and fat and
very little from carbohydrate. Deriving their energy principally
from fats and proteins is health promoting for our pets. Grains can
cause sugar levels to rise and then quickly fall causing highs and
lows in insulin levels. Grains contain very few vitamins, minerals
and phytochemicals in comparison to vegetables.
Will BARF DIET™ keep
my dog's teeth clean?
The results are in and it's obvious that dog's fed a raw diet have
much cleaner teeth. The processed or cooked foods eaten by dogs
today are high in two substances; soluble carbohydrates and soluble
calcium. These two nutrients attack a dog's mouth at every meal. In
addition, processed foods do not contain the naturally occurring
enzymes found in raw foods so
necessary for clean teeth. Through the use of raw bones and a
healthy BARF
diet, your dog can have a sparkling smile!
Can I expect a change in stool volume?
Depending on what your dog has presently been eating, stool size ins
generally much more compact and odorless than when a dog has been
fed processed pet foods. This is because our BARF
diet contains no extra or unnecessary fillers or grains. Fillers
and grains are much harder to digest and thus are eliminated from
the body without being utilized- thus causing a more voluminous
stool. The stool color may vary somewhat depending on which protein
source is being fed.
|
