BARF vs. COMMERCIAL DOGFOOD

[humper]

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Pet owners nowadays are bugged off by confused advocacies on which diet to feed their pets.Conventional veterinarians recommended a high quality,premium dogfood as it is balanced in nutrients & convenient to store & feed.on the other hand,holistic veterinarians & animal activists recommend an all natural,raw diet for pets claiming that dogfoods are "junkfoods' full of fillers & preservatives.and that a raw diet or barf (short for BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE RAW FOOD),is highly absorbable & beneficial to the carnivorous system of both cats & dogs,as this is the food designed for them & their wild cousins.

Which is Which?!?.....to all pet owners feel free to make your plea as to which diet you use & prefer.

[bullybreedlover]

For me, Humper, I was an advocate of commercial dog food as I never even heard of the BARF diet before coming to Cebu. However, when I arrived here in Cebu, I had limited knowledge of other commercial dog food availability except for Canidae which I bought here after my dogs' food from the States run out. My dogs weren't very thrilled with it but they had no choice but to eat it. I was a believer of giving them Solid Gold Wolf King which was really excellent and had bison as the primary ingredient. When I looked at the alternatives in the pet stores, I saw corn as an ingredient and I knew I would never give my dogs corn. So under the encouragement of my vet, Dr. Gills Zialcita, I switched to the BARF diet. It took me three months before I tested it out. I was a "doubting Tomas" and I was scared that my dogs would eat raw meat and get sick. My dogs love it and never give me hassle that they are bored with their food. My female, Chimal, is a picky eater and with commercial food she would get bored and not eat it. Now she doesn't walk away from her food unless I give her "batikulon" by itself.

My dogs weight has been maintained (average from 55 to 61 lbs.) their coat is good (except my 3 y/o APBT who has fungul allergies), and I have no health problems at all. Their poop is solid and does not smell AND best of all, they poop less which means it is being absorbed as nutrients. Of course, I give supplements with their food: cod liver oil, vitamin c, and dog multi-vitamins daily. With the raw meat, I mix raw vegetables that I buy in carbon for a very reasonable price, and give little white or brown rice. The meat, only chicken necks and backs, I get in Robinson at 55.00 pesos a kilo...the cheapest in town. So...I will not switch back to commercialized food. It may sound expensive but in the long run, Dr. Zialcita said his patients on BARF rarely see him for health issues except for their yearly immunizations.

P. S. In my case, because I want to be 100% safe, Dr. Z. suggested I drop the raw meat in boiling water with calamansi for 3 minutes only. The rice is cooked but the vegetables are all raw and I shred it and mix it all together. If anyone wants to know what veggies I give my dogs, feel free to ask and I can post it in this thread.

[Nutley]

im a fan of BOTH!

commercial dog food = but kana ra pod decent dog food.Nature's Select,Orijen,Go Naturals

BARF = feed my dog twice a week,usually weekends.

[doki]

@nena: im still "in the process" of doing semi barf. hehehe unsa gani imong ingredients? perhaps i can implement them also

[Ironwood_Cebu]

i alternately give super premium dog foods and raw diet...

in raw, i use either beef or pork.. both with a little fats in them... i dont give lean meats na unlike before coz ive read that if you opt for raw diet, it should include a little fats as fats are also needed by the dogs.

i also give out raw pork bones from time to time.. for them to nibble on it during the day...

[Ironwood_Cebu]

in raw diet too... our dogs tend to get the nutritional requirement necessary for their development.

[bullybreedlover]

@nena: im still "in the process" of doing semi barf. hehehe unsa gani imong ingredients? perhaps i can implement them also

I know how you feel about semi barf. I was so scared for three months, until Barqs (my 3 y/o APBT) developed fungal bumps on his skin and so my vet looked at me and finally said...ok...when will you try BARF? So I did. His fungal bumps though come and go and so I decided to increase his dosage of Vitamin C (2000 mg) to fight the fungus. He is 61 lbs now. But the cause of his bumps is not diet but the environment. This is his first humid summer cuz in California where he grew up it was dry summer. Interestingly enough, my other two pit bulls are mixes and their coats with BARF are flawless. Their coats shine and look awesome. As mix breeds the weather has not affected them like it has with Barqs, a pure breed. Mga mix breeds really are more kusog.

PM be for specific ingredients and supplements cuz I don't want to bore those who don't use BARF. Thanks!

[Ironwood_Cebu]

@ bullybreedlover.. i hope you can share to all of us your own BARF ingredients... we would be delighted

[bullybreedlover]

@ironwood_cebu: what part of the pork bones do you give? my dogs love bones but I am not sure what large bones to give them; I am worried that it might break and it will get stuck in their throats; your advise is greatly appreciated.

[Ironwood_Cebu]

@ironwood_cebu: what part of the pork bones do you give? my dogs love bones but I am not sure what large bones to give them; I am worried that it might break and it will get stuck in their throats; your advise is greatly appreciated.

ive read that pork bones esp. raw ones has little dangers on our dogs... whats dangerous are COOKED chicken thighs as bones get brittle during the cooking and may pose danger on the dogs. as long as theyre uncooked, it is still safe.

oh btw, i give the big pork bones.. i get one that can last more than a week of nibbling hehehe.. sometimes i cook them a little, sometimes i give out raw, just wash it.