bk_blue Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 This has probably been discussed before, and I suppose it depends on the individual dog... but with the large range of food that you can feed your dog under the BARF diet, has anyone who feeds their dogs this got a specific diet they feed their dogs? I'm bewildered by the huge array of food on offer. I am not planning to switch the evil fence-destroying hund over to anything different for at least a few months, not until he gets used to the new house, but thought a little planning wouldn't go astray. :) Does anyone have any food plans they would like to share? I'll probably get a book on BARF and talk to other BARF people I know, but if anyone has anything they would like to share I would appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepseasnake Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 newfie, what about ground or broken up raw bones would that still be bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepseasnake Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 just curious, why arent you big on calcium? do you supplement in pill form then? or do you not feel the need? oh by the way Ive always wondered, can I supplement useing human supplements? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 sorry this is off topic but i've been wanting to ask bk a question...your dog is a heeler mix right ? (i'm going to start calling mine a hell mix)....has he improved with age at all ? is he crazy and stubborn ? is there anything you've done that made him able to learn better ? just curious. sorry to get off base but i've been wondering for a while and just not had time to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepseasnake Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Newfie, re reading my posts I hope I dont sound snotty I am really curious about a few specifics and have put off asking you for quite some time, I hope you dont mind :D. So when your talking too much protein and calcuim is that just through puppyhood during their accelerated growth periods or all through life? Is there any arguement against using people supplements for dogs? and last question :lol: Say I had an AB, thats not really a Giant breed, and they are really muscular, so would I give him a 2:1 calcium protein diet so that the muscle doesnt out grow the bone, or would I wait until he was like 3 years old till I started him into alot of calcium and protein? Before now I planned on feeding him alot of both :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepseasnake Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 so at what point is a dog a giant, or is it more by breed? my goal is a big AB thats pushing 120# would that be giant? [quote] in some cases, the canine ones are not "strong" enough.[/quote] I'm good friends with a bunch of proffesional body builders and power lifters and they have this problem with "human" supplements too :lol: so what they do is go to the vet and pick up the multi vitamin "cartrages" for horses they are like a paper towl tube sized syringe minus the needle. Anyway they freeze the liquid and suck on 'em all day during workouts, YUCK! anyway, would it be okay to feed my dog on wellness and then throw them a steak, chicken or pork whenever I eat em? can I pass out all a pill everytime I take my daily vitamins and have my dog taking the exact same stuff in the same amount at the same time as me? and for the pill to be effective I should probably crush it because of track length huh? my goal here is to do everything with my dog, ride, run, hike, swim....etc and then basically eat drink and supplement exactly the same, kinda like holding eachother accountable to be healthy :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon_C Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Same here Newfiemom, i never give my dogs bones because of the risks...instead they have Denta Rasks as a treat. I also feed mine on Hero Complete Dry Biscuit with mixed fruit and occassionally vegetables. Thats there Barf diet...its easy and simple! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest roo Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Deep, Sorry if i sound really boring here :o If you are feeding a balanced complete dry or wet dog food, to a breed, any breed here. Anything you add is unbalancing the food :roll: I worked for a major dog food company for 6 years All the vets and nutritionists there said the same thing. IF YOU ARE GOING TO ADD TO A COMPLETE FOOD NEVER EVER ADD MORE THAN 10% I know there are many many people out there feeding Barf, there are also many many people feeding crap(not literally) If you dog does well on its food and is growing ok and seems well and fit, why change.???????? I know about giant breeds, i know about toys breeds, every breed seems to think that there breed is different. :roll: I personally would never ever consider trying to pump a dog full of pills and suplements to try to make it grow huge. Roo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon_C Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Pork is not good for dogs it tends to upset there stomach causing diarrhoea, im not sure if turkey is ok but....anthing else like chicken, lamb, beef, liver and kidney is alright to give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon_C Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Me neither Roo, i would never think about filling my dogs up with vitamin pills, although i know of some that do.....mine just have a chopped up apple or a pear everyday with there food, then occasionally a few vegetables.....there skin and coats are very shiny and healthy :) I used to give them garlic occasionally but the Bullmastiff started to have an allergy to them, getting spots come under his chin...it is a condition the breed is prone to but i think the garlic wasn't helping either.... anyhow his chin seems to have healed up nicely, so im pleased about that..... not because they would open and bleed but they looked very sore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepseasnake Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 well I dont understand, becasue we have 1000 differant diets for like 5 kinds of people of varying activity levels why wouldnt dogs be the same? If I fed a Neo a commercial food and all he does is sit around the house every day except a short 45min walk in the evening, how could that same food Adequately and optimaly feed an AB that puts in a good 4 hour run every day and only holds still to eat and poop? And besides if you start with balance and then tweeck to achieve specifics, like muscle mass or stronger bones or energy levels wouldnt that just be like me on my Atkins diet every 6 months? Or what if the dog is ill or showing signs of illness wouldnt it be appropriate to up his vitamin C E and Garlic intake? Or a much bigger thought, If I go for a "just shy of" summit run up mount Rainier I take Ginko and St Johns wort for AMS I would expect to give my dog the same, I wouldnt want him to get sick either. I dont understand, could you explain it to me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepseasnake Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 what do you think of beef if the dog is not allergic? the reason I ask, I'm not big on chicken unless its teriyaki so let me make sure I got this straight, a canine multi vitamin and then Human C and E vits what about other human supplements like alfalfa and glucosimine? and then I need to find a source for homeopathic remedies as needed or is there a good book? last but not least I need to pick up 'coaching the canine athlete' for a workout program. ummmmmm I dont think I can think of anything else right now.....but I know there was more :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk_blue Posted November 1, 2002 Author Share Posted November 1, 2002 Thanks everyone for your advice! :) Roo, the main reason I want to change Blitz's diet over is because although the commercial dog food (Pal Pedigree) has been working for him (I guess, he is pretty healthy), the more I read about what goes into this food the more it makes my stomach turn. If he ended up dying from something a BARF diet would be able to prevent then I would be silly not to at least try him out on it and see how he goes, that's my thinking anyway. I know it's a lot of messing around but I would feel better knowing that I had prepared his dinner and knew EXACTLY what went into it instead of from a can. Marble- Blitz hasn't settled down at all, he is mad. :D You are correct, he is a Heller- oops I mean Heeler X (prob with border collie?). He's got almost the same energy level as he did when he was 6 mths old... though if I went back to that day when I got him, knowing what I know now, I still would have bought him because as much as he is hyperactive and sneaky he is loyal and affectionate, and that has brought us much joy over the years. He is very stubborn and wilful and intelligent which is both good and bad! Obedience has helped that a little bit, I wish I had started it years ago. Sometimes I feel bad that he's not out on a farm where he can work, but he's too wimpy to be a good working dog anyway. :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aroura Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 I usually feed roo mince and chicken necks. Roo mince is great, high in protien and iron, low in fat, and cheap. Chicken necks provide the calcium and chewing action... but I also buy big bones for them to chew on. Bk, if you think he's going well on commercial food, try him on BARF for a month, and you'll never look back. Nothing measures up to it, plus you get the added bonus of knowing exactly what goes into thier stomachs.... feeding them commercial food every day is like you eating Macca's every day!!! (Don't know if your a macca's fan, but I know I couldn't do it!) I'll email you a diet when I have some time, right now I have to get ready to go out for dinner!!!! :eating: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk_blue Posted November 1, 2002 Author Share Posted November 1, 2002 Thanks Aroura, would appreciate it :wink: Hope you have fun at your dinner... will email you soon (still reading it LOL) :angel: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aroura Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 I'll email it to you (and reply to that essay you wrote me!) when I have a bit of spare time. Hey, it wasn't *that* type of dinner :wink: Just some dinner and a few drinks, then went to a party, then the pub.... did see Steve out though :wink: [size=2](hey, where's the kiss emoticon???)[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aroura Posted November 10, 2002 Share Posted November 10, 2002 Sorry I havn't emailed you yet!!!! I'm not often at home, and when I am there's always someone on the computer, so I never get a chance to use it!!! Maybe I'll email you from Aladdins comp, seeing as he's got the net and I can actually use his computer!!!! (I'll tell you all about him later, we're just friends but everyone wants to set up because I'm Jeanne, he's Aladdin... hehe, that would just be too wierd!!!) Anyway, I've found a site, go to: [url]http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/6944/diet.html[/url] It sounds like a good diet, only I would cut out the oats/grains and feed two meals a day. Oh, and sorry I havn't called you yet!!!! I went out and spent all my credit in one night (but you get that) and so can't afford any more (not this fortnight, its mine and Katies 20th this week, plus I have my friends yr12 formal to go to and my sisters coming up from Coffs!!!). I'll call you when I get some money!!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk_blue Posted November 10, 2002 Author Share Posted November 10, 2002 Ooeer you've got some goss for me have you! (I have some too ;)) Thanks for that link, was really useful, not too sure about sardines- they STINK!!! (bk wouldn't care, but I do). :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aroura Posted November 10, 2002 Share Posted November 10, 2002 Boy do I have some goss for you!!! (I should have even more by the end of the week, but my week is going to be so busy I don't know when I'll find time to email you!) Anywhoo, umm, not sure about sardines, but whatever you do steer clear from pork! We gave Tessa pork for Christmas breakfast once. She got a car harness for her xmas pressie so that night we decided to take her for a drive around to look at the xmas lights.... BIG MISTAKE!!! We spend the whole trip with the windows down and our head out the window about to puke while Tessa just sat there grinning :D Never again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 10, 2002 Share Posted November 10, 2002 [quote name='bk_blue']This has probably been discussed before, and I suppose it depends on the individual dog... but with the large range of food that you can feed your dog under the BARF diet, has anyone who feeds their dogs this got a specific diet they feed their dogs? I'm bewildered by the huge array of food on offer. I am not planning to switch the evil fence-destroying hund over to anything different for at least a few months, not until he gets used to the new house, but thought a little planning wouldn't go astray. :) Does anyone have any food plans they would like to share? I'll probably get a book on BARF and talk to other BARF people I know, but if anyone has anything they would like to share I would appreciate it![/quote] I'm a relative newcomer to BARF so, I hesitate to offer any advise on a particular feeding plan. All BARF diets are composed of RMB's (raw meaty bones), muscle meat and offal (liver, kidneys). Some folks choose to grind their RMB. BARF diets may also include veggies, milk products and grains....depends on your individual dog's needs and who's "diet" you're basing the meals on. I feed a diet with veggies but, with no grains or milk products. (One of my dogs doesn't tollerate either well.) I feed RMB's in the morning. I use chicken backs as a staple, buy a 60 pound case at a time so I always have them in the freezer. I also give pork necks, chicken necks and turkey neck, whatever I happen to see in the grocery store, once or twice a week to vary their diet. The evening muscle meat meal is usually a "BARF meatball". I make up about an 18 day supply of those every so often and freeze them too. If you're interested in seeing what's in the "meatball", the details are on the "BARF & Travel" page on the kid's website. There are tons of good websites out there with lots of information about BARF. There are also a bunch of good books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk_blue Posted November 11, 2002 Author Share Posted November 11, 2002 Thanks Nancy :) With the other debate going on in another thread about BARF I'm now wary of beginning anything new (Blitz is doing fine on commerical food)... hmmm we'll see, after my exams finish I'll have more time to get sorted and see if I can trial him on BARF for a month. 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 11, 2002 Share Posted November 11, 2002 [quote name='bk_blue']Thanks Nancy :) With the other debate going on in another thread about BARF I'm now wary of beginning anything new (Blitz is doing fine on commerical food)... hmmm we'll see, after my exams finish I'll have more time to get sorted and see if I can trial him on BARF for a month. 8)[/quote] I just took a look at the other thread. Yes, there certainly are risks associated with feeding BARF. There are also risks associated with feeding kibble. I wouldn't "push" BARF at anyone, I was dragged into it kicking and screaming due to Mason's allergies. I think that anyone considering switching to a BARF diet should spend a great deal of time reading everything they can about it. I read about BARF for almost a year before I switched them. Something that you might consider as an alternative to BARF is to check the Whole Dog Journal's top 10 commercial dog foods. I did feed Innova and California Natural for quite a while. If Mason had not had the allergies I would probably still be feeding them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 11, 2002 Share Posted November 11, 2002 [quote name='newfiemom']Nancy, that is the allergies are the only reason why I have opted to BARF. One of my newfs does find but I do feed the other three Wellness. I would never push anyone to BARF either but when you are running into a wall for solutions to help your dog, there sometimes is only one option.[/quote] Yep, you've got that right! I tried a lot of different kibbles that were supposed to be good for dogs with allergies. Mason continued licking the fur off his paws. Just a few days after I started BARFing in desperation I noticed that the licking had stopped. I suppose if I had four dogs I would have put only the dog with allergies on BARF. I've only got two. Feeding two different diets to two dogs was just too much! Although it's for Mason, both of them are on BARF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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