# Talk to me about a BARF diet....



## Tweedle Dee (Jan 6, 2008)

Im thinking about putting my dogs onto a BARF diet and wondered if many dog owners on here feed a natural diet?

My partner is a keen rough shooter/part time gamekeeper and we (us humans ) eat a lot of the game that he shoots. He has an abundant supply of Rabbit, deer etc that could be fed to the dogs..basically anything that we dont eat.

What can we feed to the dogs? Can we feed whole skinned rabbits etc? 

Can anyone recommend some good books/websites etc so i can do some research as to what is good to feed them? 

I have 8 dogs to feed (Labs, ESS , Lurcher and a JRT).

Also been looking on the Landywood website which seems fab but they dont cover scotland , does anyone know a company that covers N/E scotland (Aberdeenshire).

Any info really appreciated!

Thanks Ang x


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## tan (Jan 11, 2008)

Tweedle Dee said:


> Im thinking about putting my dogs onto a BARF diet and wondered if many dog owners on here feed a natural diet?
> 
> My partner is a keen rough shooter/part time gamekeeper and we (us humans ) eat a lot of the game that he shoots. He has an abundant supply of Rabbit, deer etc that could be fed to the dogs..basically anything that we dont eat.
> 
> ...


Hi there,I feed all my dogs on the BARF diet.It's the best thing I ever did for them.Try these books:Barf diet by Ian Billinghurst and give your dog a bone by the same author.Here's a link for you too: BARF Diet - Healthy & Natural Raw Food For Dogs & Cats, Pet Health Care Food & Nutrition Products Supply Online
Good luck!


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## terriermaid (Nov 5, 2007)

you could try "the hunting life" forum ,theres plenty of like minded people on there who have been feeding fresh long before barf lol


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## nici (Nov 10, 2007)

i feed the barf diet as is already said it is the best thing i have given my dogs, my inuit used to be a skinny looking thing with a bit of a bad tummy but now it is all cleared up and she is a healthy 47 kilo dog now even my little toy dogs have it, i think it is the best  and yes you can feed a whole rabbit you dont have to gut or skin them, the books that tan mentioned are very good it is a diet that sounds very complecated but once used to it it is very simple, the internet has a few things about it to so is easy enough to find out about, i find it alot cheaper to. my butcher supplies me with all the carcases i need and the offal i get from the super market as they dont have it every day, and for most of the other stuff such as garlic powder kelp powder and cod liver oil ect i get from the horse shops as it is cheaper to buy bulk from there. hope this is a help to you. can i also just say never try to mix both diets stick to one or the other


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## Tweedle Dee (Jan 6, 2008)

nici said:


> i feed the barf diet as is already said it is the best thing i have given my dogs, my inuit used to be a skinny looking thing with a bit of a bad tummy but now it is all cleared up and she is a healthy 47 kilo dog now even my little toy dogs have it, i think it is the best  and yes you can feed a whole rabbit you dont have to gut or skin them, the books that tan mentioned are very good it is a diet that sounds very complecated but once used to it it is very simple, the internet has a few things about it to so is easy enough to find out about, i find it alot cheaper to. my butcher supplies me with all the carcases i need and the offal i get from the super market as they dont have it every day, and for most of the other stuff such as garlic powder kelp powder and cod liver oil ect i get from the horse shops as it is cheaper to buy bulk from there. hope this is a help to you. can i also just say never try to mix both diets stick to one or the other


Thanks for that. Can i just ask, what exactly do you get from the butchers? And what kind of price would you expect to pay?. As for offal, whats that? do you mean entrails and organs? 

Im trying to see if it will not only be healthier for my dogs but also cheaper as i have 8 mouths to feed at the moment.

Oh and thank you for the book recommendations ive been on amazon and purchased them.

Ang


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## nici (Nov 10, 2007)

hi, offal is liver hearts kindney ect, and i get chicken carcases ( not sure how to spell it lol ) from my butcher and i think it is more healthy for pets as it is not just for dogs it can be for cats to, i find it cheaper i get about 13 kilos for 7 pound my butcher orders it for me but he also save all his chicken that he has boned so i get that to most butchers will do it and as i said the other stuff you get from horse shop and it cheaper to.

my big dogs will eat about 4 chick carcas a day and the little ones would only have about 4 wings a day.

i think it is well worth it any more questions just ask i will help if can


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## Guest (Mar 14, 2008)

After scouring the internet for information and reading a few books on the subject I've decided to go with a all natural raw diet for my dog. I'm completely satisfied that it's the best thing I can for him so as from Monday he's going all natural, any last words of wisdom before we get started would be graefully appreciated!?!


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## tashi (Dec 5, 2007)

ajshep1984 said:


> After scouring the internet for information and reading a few books on the subject I've decided to go with a all natural raw diet for my dog. I'm completely satisfied that it's the best thing I can for him so as from Monday he's going all natural, any last words of wisdom before we get started would be graefully appreciated!?!


good luck and make sure you only get your chicken from reliable sources I had a friend who bought from shall we say a 'cheap' source and lost about 4 dogs to food poisoning camphylabacter I think !!!!

I also have a friend that feeds nothing else and her dogs always look really well on it, we would but have too many dogs and storage issues!!!!!!


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## nici (Nov 10, 2007)

all you have to remember is with any change of food the first time may be a bit messy but after a few days you see it was well worth it, i wouldnt change back now it is so much better all round especially the poo


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## Guest (Mar 14, 2008)

tashi said:


> good luck and make sure you only get your chicken from reliable sources I had a friend who bought from shall we say a 'cheap' source and lost about 4 dogs to food poisoning camphylabacter I think !!!!
> 
> I also have a friend that feeds nothing else and her dogs always look really well on it, we would but have too many dogs and storage issues!!!!!!


Yeah I was a bit concerned about the chicken side of things so we've got everything from a very reputable butcher and it still cost a lot less than I expected!

How many dogs do you have Tashi?



nici said:


> all you have to remember is with any change of food the first time may be a bit messy but after a few days you see it was well worth it, i wouldnt change back now it is so much better all round especially the poo


Yeah, i'm hoping to avoid the messy bit as he's been having a bit of raw mince and chicken now and again, also we've never had any problems with other food changes. Even if it is messy I'm sure its going to be worth it in the long term.

Anyone fancy telling me what they feed on a weekly schedule as I've read its best to vary the meats fed daily?


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## nici (Nov 10, 2007)

ajshep1984 said:


> Yeah I was a bit concerned about the chicken side of things so we've got everything from a very reputable butcher and it still cost a lot less than I expected!
> 
> How many dogs do you have Tashi?
> 
> ...


i give mine chicken everyday and offal 3 times a week cottage cheese and yoghurt 3 times a week a little mince sprinkled on top just when i have it veg, garlic, oil, kelp and vitimins everyday raw egg 3 times a week. they also get other bones to chew on to, dont give oil tho on days you give liver. think thats it all, you will soon find your own way of sorting it all out


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## tashi (Dec 5, 2007)

ajshep1984 said:


> How many dogs do you have Tashi?


we have 12 here at the moment


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## Guest (Mar 14, 2008)

tashi said:


> we have 12 here at the moment


 12???? You are brave! Do you show them all?


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## Guest (Mar 14, 2008)

nici said:


> i give mine chicken everyday and offal 3 times a week cottage cheese and yoghurt 3 times a week a little mince sprinkled on top just when i have it veg, garlic, oil, kelp and vitimins everyday raw egg 3 times a week. they also get other bones to chew on to, dont give oil tho on days you give liver. think thats it all, you will soon find your own way of sorting it all out


Thanks for that!  What part of chicken do you give?


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## nici (Nov 10, 2007)

ajshep1984 said:


> Thanks for that!  What part of chicken do you give?


i get the carcases of my local butcher he orders them in big 30 pound boxes about 6-7 pound in money and he saves all his chicken bones that he has fillited,its all very meaty


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## jazzanova (Apr 22, 2008)

We feed all our rotties on raw diet inc fruit & veg they thrive on it as do their puppies, a website to check out if you want to buy meat for your dog Landywood Pet Foods : Home they deliver throughout the uk


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## kelbonnynightglow191 (Dec 18, 2009)

I currently feed my english cocker spaniel on the raw diet and I've never looked back. He used to be fed on Eukanuba which I though was pretty good until a friend recomended the raw diet and couldn't believe the difference! I don't know if what I feed can be classed as the BARF diet though, because we also feed raw veg and par cooked brown rice. 

I have a couple of questions though - raw lab ribs, are they okay to feed? I got them cheap from the supermarket but thought I better check first. and also, what about fish? what parts of the fish can/can't be fed raw (I'm a bit worried about fish bones as they're much smaller than chicken bones) are raw fish bones okay for dogs or are they just as dangerous to dogs as they are to us?

Thanks!


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## DebsPink (May 21, 2009)

kelbonnynightglow191 said:


> I have a couple of questions though - raw lab ribs, are they okay to feed? I got them cheap from the supermarket but thought I better check first. and also, what about fish? what parts of the fish can/can't be fed raw (I'm a bit worried about fish bones as they're much smaller than chicken bones) are raw fish bones okay for dogs or are they just as dangerous to dogs as they are to us?
> 
> Thanks!


Ginny has lamb rib bones ( I presume that's what you meant), but I froze them first. Not sure if necessary, but easier to store. She loves them - eats the lot. Haven't tried fish yet, but intend to soon. I would guess it's the same with fish bones as with chicken, ie raw is ok, but cooked is not, but I would check.


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