Mary Allen
Raw feeding based on natural nutrition offers many advantages. Here you can find out what BARF is all about.
A balanced, rich, and healthy diet affects the quality of life of our best friend – the dog. With the right energy suppliers, he can actively enjoy life to the fullest. A healthy and species-appropriate diet not only strengthens body awareness but also health and enables a long, fit life. In addition, it saves him and us a lot of animal visits and the resulting costs.
Barf – what is it actually?
Many advantages are often attributed to feeding dogs with BARF. But before you decide to buy BARF, you need to take a deeper look at this form. The following questions arise here:
- What does BARF mean?
- Is it significantly more expensive than industrially produced dog food?
- What are the advantages?
- And what needs to be considered in this regard?
The meaning of “BARF”
The word “BARF” is an acronym originally derived from the English phrase “Born Again Raw Feeders”. In German, it is now translated as “biological species-appropriate raw feed”.
With this feeding method, the feed consists exclusively of raw, fresh meat and raw fruit, berries, and vegetables as well as roots, bones, and oils. The idea behind this is to feed the dog in such a way that it resembles its ancestor, the wolf, as much as possible.
The costs
There is a widespread rumor associated with BARF that it is considerably more expensive than conventional dog food. In fact, this is not the case and can be classified as pure prejudice that does not come true.
In addition, it is known exactly what is actually contained in BARF, although this can be taken from the packaging of wet or dry food, it is still more difficult to determine exactly which ingredients were used.
The advantages
It is not uncommon for dog owners to resort to the BARF diet if their darling has certain allergies or suffers from various intolerances. Because all the ingredients are chosen and prepared by oneself, all content that would harm the four-legged friend can be avoided.
In addition, BARF is a nutrient-rich food because it does not heat up. The nutrients could be negatively affected by the heat. The closeness to nature is reflected in the distance to artificial ingredients, which in turn benefits the dog’s health and represents a significant advantage of BARF.
Proponents of BARF also emphasize the positive effect on the dog’s teeth. Since bones are also part of this diet, tartar can be reduced by gnawing. (More tips on the subject can be found here: What helps against tartar in dogs?)
It is not uncommon for dogs fed industrial wet or dry food to require surgery for tartar problems. In addition to the positive effects on the teeth, the dog’s coat improves. Body and bad breath in dogs is also reduced. Raw meat also provides the dog with important nutrients that strengthen its muscles.
A major risk factor that occurs after eating and can be life-threatening for dogs is gastric torsion. In this regard, the assumption is often made that a torsion in the stomach is favored by the swelling caused by the high grain content in industrial dog food. BARF also offers a real advantage in this regard.
This must be taken into account in relation to BARF
A major danger of BARF feeding is lack of balance. Chronic under- or oversupply can damage the health of the dog. However, malnutrition can be avoided by consulting a specialist. In this regard, selected suppliers are also represented who take on this problem, are aware of their responsibility and meet the nutritional needs of four-legged friends with their products.
This is essential because serious health problems can be caused by an undersupply due to insufficient zinc, vitamin A or copper. In addition, symptoms that indicate an under- or oversupply only appear one and a half to two years after the start of BARF. Switching to BARF without the support of experts, who determine the composition accordingly, is therefore not recommended.
Conclusion
In any case, BARF represents an inexpensive alternative to industrially produced food and brings with it a number of advantages that promote the health of dogs by providing them with a high level of the necessary nutrients their body needs. Nevertheless, the feed change should be well considered and a specialist should be found who has both a high level of expertise and the essential specialist knowledge. Individual advice is also necessary in order to obtain the best composition that is tailored to the dog’s requirements.