Its Me Again - Advice with BARF needed

[SRipplinger]

My new pup is going to arrive this week. I have received both of the BARF books - Give your Dog a Bone and the puppy one too. Im over half way through the Give your Dog a Bone now but wanted to get some advice from everyone.

I would really like to try to do half/half for right now - BARF plus Candidae. But its kind of scary to me... If I give my puppy a raw meaty bone for the morning meal and then feed Candidae for the evening ---would this be the right way to go about this

We also have a 4 month old pointing lab pup (going to be a bird hunter:D ) and I have just about convinced my husband this BARF is the way to go too :)

We are so afraid we might end up giving the puppies TOO MUCH protein, etc. I know I have seen alot of people who seem to do the mixture - half BARF and half bag dog food.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Im just afraid I might cause more harm because I dont feel comfortable that I KNOW what Im doing yet Thanks!!!

[SRipplinger]

:D

Regarding our lab puppy (future bird hunting dog) - my husband was wondering if feeding her BARF like chicken would have any effect on her when bird hunting (like making her want to EAT the bird)???

I told him I would ask - that I was sure someone on the forum would be able to help us with that answer too.

Thanks!!!:)

[Teena]

I would like to help you, but i switched from kibble to 100% barf. So, i don't know how it works feeding both.
Also, I don't own a bird dog...so i'm not being much help sorry.
Some of you that feed both barf & kibble care to help out on this one?
;)

[brunie's mom]

If you are uncomfortable about feeding %100 barf do what you feel is best... you can always go all the way later:D
Since you are getting a pup... it should be fed 3-4 times a day, and you 4 month old should still be eating 3 times a day awhile longer.

Good-luck!
Gina
Adopt-A-Rott Ontario

[SRipplinger]

Thanks for the replies - my pup arrived late Wednesday night and she is just beautiful!!!

Im trying this and still reading and reading :)

Yesterday I fed her the following - and please if anyone has any advice or suggestions against or for the food given please dont hesitate to tell me because i still feel very unsure about all of this.

Breakfast - I gave her a cup of Canidae
Lunch - 3-4 tablespoons of Cottage cheese with banana mixed in
Supper - a small portion of chopped turkey liver and heart and also a portion of a turkey neck

She was hungry late in the evening so I have her an egg mixed with banana

Thanks!!
Shannon

[Judy Chrusch]

Shannon, Congrats on your new addition, how old she? I oculd be wrong but that doesn't sound like near enough of food for a pup. Depending on her age she should be eating 4 times a day. The lunch meal is hardly enough to get her started;) You metioned a small portion for supper, how much is that? They should eat as much as they want for 15 or 20 minutes, what ever is left after that should be disgarded. The fact that she was hungry in the evening is an indication she didn't have enough. Do you mix warm water with the kibble? I feed my 13 month old 100% Barf and I feed him as much as he wants in the 15 minutes or so plus each day I look at his body then judge if he should get more or less, it's all sorta a guessing game till you get to know their eating habits. But a puppy requires alot of food often. It's so hard to tell people how much to feed when the activity level on each dog is different.If I told people what I feed they wouldn't believe it bc overall it seems like alot but he gets exercised regularly 2x a day so he requires more food bc he burns it up fast so it's best just to experiment and get to know your dog and go from their :D. I hope this helps alittle. Let us know how she's doing.

Judy

[SRipplinger]

Hi - Thanks Judy - this is exactly the kind of feedback Im needing

She will be 8 wks tomorrow - On Tuesday of this week, she weighed 11 lbs.

Ive got to pick up a set of scales this weekend too --can you believe I dont even have a set in my house

Thanks so much for your help - I will try the 15 min feeding :)

Thanks
Shannon

[Teena]

After hours of reading Dr Billinghurst's answers to questions from dog owners, i ran across this for you:


The whole story as written in GYDAB and GYPWB is that they eat a whole lot
more bone than their parents during this vital growing period. They eat
masses of bone compared to other nutrients and they grow SLOWLY.

The thing is, you either have to follow the kibble paradigm OR rhe
evolutionary paradigm.

Don't try and mix 'em.



Best wishes


Ian Billinghurst




I have been reading in the group called "Dog Read", yahoo discussion groups.
Lots of information to found here.
Dr. B was a guest there from Dec 1 2000 to just before x-mas.
I still have tons more pages to read. However, my eyes are about to fall out of my head tonight. heh
Teena