Finally making the BARF switch

[SRipplinger]

Hi everyone

Well we are finally going to make the switch. I have been feeding my two rotties Canidea since the day I got them, one 12 months and one 6 months now. I have been pleased with this kibble, however - they both shed every month of the year regardless...and a number of other things. We now have someone in our area selling the Dr. Billinghurst BARF Diet so I can get the mix in the patties with everything already in there. So this is the way I am going to start - and then gradually work into making the mix myself once I feel comfortable with it.

I am sure I will be posting alot of questions here soon for some HELP :)

[babydungeon]

is it cheaper to feed using someone's "diet"? most of the people that feed BARF i think do it starting from scratch. it's probably cheaper and healthier that way. don't forget though, no matter what you feed them your dogs are going to shed regardless. i, too, would like to add some whole foods to dungeon's diet but am unsure how. i'm sure i'll find out through your questions. hope your dogs like their new diet. -kevin

[SRipplinger]

Well, less expensive I am sure but quality-wise this is probably the best since it is Dr. Billinghurst's own product he is putting out there on the market. I just want to get started this way, so I know they are getting everything they need, then I will move to using his recipes to mix my own to save money, etc.

I have been told my rotties should not be shedding the way they are all year and that this will correct that problem. So I am hoping they are right.

[joquendo]

.....feeding RAW prepared yourself is soooo much cheaper than the pre made stuff, but I agree the pre made stuff is much easier until you make the transition to preparing it yourself... I had originally started buying the pre made RAW by Aunt Jens, it almost broke the bank trying to feed my 4 dogs RAW (ready made), so I now go to my local butcher each month and buy my monthly supply (along with a brand new freezer - yep just for their meat and veggies ;) - it costs me a little more than buying the equivalent of 2 bags of good kibble... and at least I know what is going in it. Its thoroughly enjoyable preparing it myself.

With regards to shedding.... THAT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE that they will shed that much anyway....... my dogs use to shed terribly when on the kibble... really really bad - and that was an understatement ... I fed the Canidae to them for ever...they have all been on RAW now for almost a year, and although do lose some hair - its very very lightl- hardly noticable at all ... on average it has resolved my dogs shedding problem and that is a fact...

Good luck with feeding your kids raw, I am glad you have decided to make the switch - you will DEFINATELY see a HUGE HUGE difference in their over all appearance, their coat will be softer, shinier, smoother, their energy level increased not to mention their over all health improvement.

You know you can find out anything you need regarding RAW on this site ;)

Good luck go for it ;)

[babydungeon]

no matter what you feed them your dogs are going to shed regardless.

i hope you were not referring to what i said.

[Grendl]

Okay, I need enlightenment: What is BARF and what is RAW? I figured out RMB from an earlier post today. Thanks.

[joquendo]

RAW (RAW diet) - BARF - same thing just stands for the "scientific" acronym B.A.R.F - Biologically Appropriated RAW Food = RAW ;)

[SRipplinger]

Thanks Joquendo

I am buying just one case of this premixed to get me going and hopefully then I can get my ducks in a row and mix it myself!

Regarding the shedding, thats exactly what I have been told by others who feed BARF. I cant wait to have "non-black" carpet again!!!

[babydungeon]

that's new, i've always heard it called Bones And Raw Food. i guess it's all the same. -kevin

[POPPYHONEY]

I've been informed a links for BARF feeding, I gain much information from this site....

http://www.barfers.com/

[rottnkidd]

Another great site is www.njboxers.com They have a list of the most FAQ's regarding raw feeding and lots of great info for anyone considering feeding a natural diet.
kathy

[Carina43]

Ah - I was just about to post the njboxers site & then I saw that Kathy had done so already! Here's another good one:
http://www.bullovedbulldogs.com/barf.htm

I'll just say that I have some serious issues with Dr "sell-out" Billinghurst and his overpriced product...anyhow, unless you plan on making up ground patties for your dogs for the rest of your life, I wouldn't bother. It really is easy to start feeding raw:

1: Buy several pounds of chicken wings or backs.
2: Feed them to your dogs.

That's pretty much it! Well OK, not quite. But certainly no need to get all nervous & make it way more complicated than it really is. Honest.

[rottnkidd]

[i]Originally posted by Carina43

I'll just say that I have some serious issues with Dr "sell-out" Billinghurst and his overpriced product.... [/b]

Carina - I couldn't agree with you more! I am in no way degrading the product itself; I'm only feeling the same
sentiments as you regarding Dr B. .. that making money
is the name of his game, and he's lost that 'personal'
touch that was so pronounced in his early work.
kathy

[DixieGrl113]

The hardest part about feeding raw is the very first time you feed them their RMB meal. I held my breath the entire time. I thought the whole time they were chewing, "this is it! I've done it, somebody's about to choke and die" After they finished their meal, very much still alive and kickin, i was convinced they were all going to be overcome by a bacterial infection or their intestines were going to be shredded to bits. Every RMB meal after that for a week i was convinced at any moment, someone was going to keel over. Needless to say i got over it. One good thing about raw, if you want to call it "good", is that you become an overnight poopologist. I can tell exactly what's goin on, what's being digested well or not or if they're getting too much/little of something by how everything looks coming out the other end. Seriously. My S.O. laughed his ass off the first time he saw me stooping over to examine a pile of poop. He quit laughing when he realized that when you hit one of those piles with the lawn mower, they disintegrate into dust instead of making a nice fragrant smear on the lawn like kibble poop. :D

I've never read either of Dr B's books or tried his products but I would like to know how you/dogs like them. Just for the sake of knowing ya know ;)

Since feeding raw I have had a lot less hair to contend with than before. The only tumbleweeds i get now are cat hairs. Even those are minimal. People that come over always comment on how little my dogs shed. The cat hair really blows their mind. They expect to be covered, but, you can pet Cheyenne and come away virtually hair free. Impressive even for a shorthair. When I visit with other folks and pet their cats it grosses me out at how much hairs covers me in such a short period of time. Same with their dogs. Most of them have that doggy smell too! I give my dogs and cat a quick brushing everyday and a more thorough one on Sundays when we do nails. This, in addition to their Raw diet, helps keep their coats, skin AND my carpets in good shape :)

[Carina43]

Jo, your first paragraph is hilarious - could have been me when I first started too!

Oh, and don't even GET me started on poop! I have photos of barf poop. :D I'm going to take some more this weekend with rulers next to them for the book...tiny little nuggets! I'm astonished at how humungous and stinky some kibble poops are (the cheaper the kibble, the bigger & smellier they are.)

I used to poke through them with a stick checking for Scary Things. I must have looked ridiculous doing that at the local park!