Barf/raw feeding

Chasser

Well-Known Member
Looking at getting my dog onto the BARF diet, a few things I'd like help with.

Where do you get your supplies?

What does your monthly shopping list consist of?

I see a few companies online offer complete blocks of minced meat/organs/bones.. thinking about trying these until I know what is best and how much of everything else I will need.

Thanks
 
I've been feeding raw for a couple of years. I feed a raw meal in the morning and a small amount of good quality kibble in the evening (just for convenience). I don't plan my raw meals as such, and go for an approach of balancing the diet over the course of a week or so rather than balancing each meal (I.e if I feed a meal with lots of bone on Monday, I won't feed much bone on Tuesday. If I feed liver or heart one day, I'll feed something less rich the next). I try to feed the widest variety I can get, including oily fish, tripe, liver, heart, duck necks, lamb ribs, etc, etc. I buy branded Nature's Menu minces, along with offal and scraps begged or bought from the butcher, supermarket sell by date bargains, offcuts from any deer or game I have in the house... You get the idea.

It might seem a bit slapdash compared to those who plan careful meals of different percentage bone, offal, muscle, etc. But it works for my dogs who are both fit, shiny-coated, lean and full of energy when they need it. If wither dog starts looking skinny or fat they get a bit more or a bit less for a few days. Before a days beating I'd feed a little extra the night before and in the morning.
 
I see, that's clears a lot up! With a bone rich meal, what would that consist of? Will it be a chicken carcass with some mince or just the carcass? Thanks
 
I see, that's clears a lot up! With a bone rich meal, what would that consist of? Will it be a chicken carcass with some mince or just the carcass? Thanks

I personally don't feed chicken carcasses, but not for any reason. I do feed ribs and duck necks usually with a bit of tripe or liver. I tend not to feed the mince with a bone because the Nature's Menu ones have a small amount of ground bone in the mince as well.

I also get bits from Paleo Ridge, although I don't like their mince because it comes compressed into a block which is too big for me to defrost and use in one go. Their whole fish are a big hit with my pair, and their duck necks are cheaper than Nature's Menu. The Nature's Menu mince I get the "freeflow" ones, but sometimes get the blocks which can be cut relatively easily when still frozen with a strong knife.
 
I feed raw minced offcuts from the butcher. It's actually very well balanced. Plus bones from the butcher and all kinds of bits and bobs we don't use in the house (all raw). Not counting the left over human food, I pay £1 a kilo. With 5 very active dogs, two of them very big, cost is a consideration.

The raw feeding Facebook page has a sticky which is a good place to start on what they need.

We switched (from high quality kibble) several years ago. The difference in the health and appearance of the dogs is extraordinary.

When we moved house we found a new butcher easily enough. It works for them too.
 
Ideal, I have mine on a 'premium' kibble and will be interesting to see the difference, I will find the Facebook group now.

Thanks
 
We've been raw feeding our dogs for their entire lives - 5 and 4 respectively. We feed chicken carcasses, wings, necks, feet, drumsticks, thighs - pretty much anything chicken wise, along with turkey necks, lamb necks, duck feet, green tripe, lots of offal, beef chunks, heart, along with various mince with bone which we get from various suppliers. They also get the pluck and forequarters of any deer i shoot - obviously dependent on meat damage, etc - if in any doubt, i don't give it to my dogs.

We don't plan the meals as religiously as some proponents of BARF - we just give one meal a day with bone (this can be a couple of chicken carcasses, wings, feet, necks - whatever, so long as it contains some element of bone) and another meal later with meat, offal, tripe, etc - minced stuff with bone in we do but not in significant quantities if they have had bone in their earlier meal. They have never had kibble or dry dog food of any kind and we never leave food down - it gets scoffed at mealtime and that's it.

We use Nature Raw, Landiwoods and a couple of others from time to time - i forget the names at the moment but will look them up and post again.

i would highly recommend trying it - the dogs seem to benefit from it and ours are in great condition, with all the benefits you will have read about when researching raw feeding. We would certainly never consider feeding our dogs - or any future dogs any other way.

atb,
nonethewiser

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Had one of my very active springers on raw now for 5 months and as someone else said the transformation is amazing.
I feed natures menu ..free flow and supplement with chicken wings ,ox heart, carcass scraps, tripe, whole sardines and pheasant necks.
 
My local butcher sells a 15kg tray of frozen chicken carcases for £11. Easiest way is to use a saw and cut it into large cubes that each represent 1 meal. This then forms the basis and is added to with the meaty bones from any deer.
 
Whole rabbits are good - skin on, guts in, the lot. It's a complete diet.
I feed my sheepdogs on rabbits whenever I can.
(I do usually take off the back legs and keep them for ourselves)
One rabbit per dog per day is about right.
 
Thanks all, found a really helpful supplier in Dorset only half hour from me. Poole raw pet food.
 
One of the biggest advantages you will notice is once they switch over , the amount of [emoji90] will bow about a 1/3 approx of what used to come out of them 👍
That benefit is for us ......their teeth will be really clean too
 
I have been feeding my bitch raw food from very early on, she had skin and urinary problems. Switching to raw food stopped that in its tracks and now she only needs to go to the vets for the occasional booster. She is approaching six years old now. I get her food locally from a game supplier who do minced venison, I usually chuck in a chicken leg or piece in as well after removing the skin as well as some offal from any gralloch there is going and the occasional neck or deer leg to keep her teeth clean.
I also often bang in a handful of salad leaves or other veggies too.
In fact the vet thought it worked so well he has started his own raw pet food business and is trying to convert all his customers!
 
OK, having read all the above on the benefits of raw over kibble, what amount would be needed to feed one lab (large type) per day.
Our local dealer sells the stuff in 500gram trays and delivers frozen stuff once fortnight.
 
Looking at getting my dog onto the BARF diet, a few things I'd like help with.

Where do you get your supplies?

What does your monthly shopping list consist of?

I see a few companies online offer complete blocks of minced meat/organs/bones.. thinking about trying these until I know what is best and how much of everything else I will need.

Thanks

Mine eats deer carcass, although currently have a pig carcass he's working his way through. He tends to have dried food in the morning and then his meat/bones in the evening. I just hack it up into portions and freeze it. Does very well on it.
 
One of the biggest advantages you will notice is once they switch over , the amount of [emoji90] will bow about a 1/3 approx of what used to come out of them 👍
That benefit is for us ......their teeth will be really clean too

Id echo this. Clean teeth and smaller poos that dry out really fast. I now hate it when my mates bring dogs over who do disgusting turds that you have to clear up.
 
I feed my dog just short of a kilo a day, half in the morning and half in the evening, she is a lump tho, Bull mastiffs tend to be on the heavy side! Yep turds are much cleaner with raw food. Be aware, ive been told not to mix raw meat with kibble as a bad idea, also it may take a short while for your dog to get used to raw meat so may have the runs to start with.
Good luck with it and I am sure you will be doing the best for your dog and your wallet as I'm positive you will save on vet bills. Oh and my budget for raw is no dearer than it would have been for a kibble diet.
 
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