Raw diet for our dogs (BARF)

Introduction of Raw diet also known as BARF which stands for Bones And Raw Food  on dogs have been a practice of many dog owners for years. The reason behind raw feeding is primarily due to the fact that raw meat/food is a good source of live enzymes that is not present in processed food we buy at our local pet stores. This so called live enzymes greatly aids in the animal's metabolism, restoration and repair in their body. The inclusion of bones in this diet is one way of giving a natural source of calcium, fruits and vegetables are sometimes thrown in the mix as well. Some of the many benefits of raw feeding are...


- Firmer stool and less odor

- Shinier coat

- Healthier/cleaner teeth

- Better appetite

- Natural source of Calcium , Protein...

- Better digestion and absorption of nutrients

- Stronger immune system


Most commonly used on BARF or raw feeding diets are Green tripe / ox tripe, "sawdust", raw meat with bones, chicken neck / head /  back / wings, "Satin balls", eggs, fish, fruits and vegetables. In preparing a BARF diet, it's a good idea to include a variety of nutritional sources like for example including "Oils" as source of omega3, omega6 and essential fatty acids like salmon oil and cod liver oil. Vegetables on the other hand needs to be processed (bu not cooked) by using a food processor to chop the leaves into very small pieces so the nutrients in it are well absorbed by our dog.


If you are wondering about bacteria present in RAW food, don't worry, our dog's immune system is designed to fight off certain bacteria and have more resistance to it such as Salmonela and E-Coli as compared to the human body.


Try to keep it simple at first. This is particularly important for older/middle aged dogs that have been eating cooked diet most of their lives. Keep meals small to begin with and don't overfeed. Once the dog is digesting the raw meaty bones, add some vegtables and some ground meat. Maybe after one or two weeks, you can start adding other ingredients like eggs and supplements. Don't do it all at once. I suggest that with dogs fairly new to BARF diet is you stay away from the harder or fattier bones for awhile. Give them time to re-develop their digestive system first.