BARF Diet for Dogs: What Is It and What Should You Consider?
Written by Anne | Content Specialist |
The term BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food. It refers to a feeding method in which dogs are given raw meat, bones and other natural ingredients instead of traditional kibble or wet food. The popularity of BARF has increased significantly in recent years. Many dog owners choose raw feeding because they want to feed their dog as naturally as possible. But what exactly does BARF involve, where does it come from, and what are the potential advantages and disadvantages?
The origin of BARF
The idea of feeding dogs raw food is not new. As early as the 1930s, the holistic veterinarian Juliette de Baïracli Levy recommended feeding dogs raw meat and bones. She described this, among other things, in her book The Complete Herbal Book for the Dog (1950).
The modern BARF movement became widely known through the Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst. In his book Give Your Dog a Bone (1993), he argued that a dog’s diet should more closely resemble that of its wild ancestors, such as wolves.
Since then, several variations of raw feeding have developed.
What does BARF feeding involve?
The principle behind BARF is that dogs are naturally carnivorous and that their teeth and digestive system are suited to eating raw meat and bones.
There are roughly two ways of feeding BARF.
1. Commercial raw food
These are commercially produced frozen diets, often referred to as complete raw meals. These products are usually formulated as complete diets and contain all necessary nutrients.
2. Home-prepared BARF diets
Some dog owners prefer to prepare their own raw diet for their dog.
