BARF and food supplements

 BARF is easy and economical

Feeding your dog a healthy diet without breaking the bank

One of the obsessions when talking about feeding your dog a BARF or homemade diet is the fear of an unbalanced diet, unlike kibble, which, thanks to more than fifty years of relentless marketing, is touted as perfectly adjusted to the nanogram.

This is highly debatable, especially since no living being on earth (not even humans!) consumes the perfect dose of micro and macro nutrients at every meal.

Modern research is increasingly demonstrating the importance of live enzymes, particularly for boosting the immune system and preventing autoimmune and cancerous diseases. If these topics interest you, also read our pages Food And Health

That said, even though by giving a very simple base of carcasses, meat and table scraps one can do just as well (or better) and cheaper than with industrial food, one can still do even better with some fairly economical and effective food supplements.

At a time when we hear so much about animal welfare, the question of psychological well-being induced by a good meal is often forgotten!

A quick reminder of the basics.

The essential element: a base of fleshy bones.

The BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet, as described in particular by the Dr. Ian Billinghurst)  aims to respect the dog's natural needs: raw meat, bones, offal... and a little common sense!

Regarding quantities:

– Adult dogs: allow approximately 2 to 3 % of body weight per day.

-Puppies: up to 10 % of their weight at 2 months, gradually decreasing as they grow. You can also read our article How to adjust a dog's food ration?

Typical composition of the bowls:

Meat and bones (60-80% of the total bowl weight):

• 4 to 5 days per week: chicken carcasses (approximately 25 % of bones and 75 % of meat/skin).
• 1 to 2 days per week: chicken thighs or drumsticks, which are richer in meat (80 % muscle, 20 % bone).
• 1 day per week: a meal based on red meat + offal (liver, heart, kidneys…).

And we don't hesitate to recycle table scraps (20-40% from the bowl):

• Cooked or raw vegetables, rice, pasta, stale bread, fruit… and even a little kibble if needed. There's no need to be anti-grain; it's a marketing ploy. Unless there's an allergy, grains aren't a problem in themselves if the total amount in the food bowl is below 40%.

Essential dietary supplements

A few simple additions are enough to balance the diet and boost the dog's vitality:

• Brewer's yeast (2 to 4 g / 30 kg): B vitamins, skin, hair, immunity.
• Kelp powder (0.5 to 1 g / 30 kg): iodine and trace elements.
• Salmon or sardine oil (1 tsp/day): anti-inflammatory omega-3

 Little extras to add from time to time

Not necessarily essential every day, but useful from time to time or if you want to do even better:

• Plain yogurt or cottage cheese (a large tablespoon from time to time): intestinal flora.
• Organic cider vinegar (1 tsp in the bowl 1 to 2 times a week): digestion, acidity, minerals.
• Quality vegetable oil (sunflower, flax, camelina…) (1 tsp in the bowl 1 to 2 times a week): omega-6 or 3 as appropriate.
• Raw egg yolk (1 to 2 times/week): biotin, vitamins A/D/E
• Shrimp carcasses: Chitin and glucosamine: promote joint health (like green-lipped mussels), useful in active or older dogs, marine minerals: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iodine.
• Crushed eggshell: calcium, magnesium, zinc, boron, copper, iron, manganese, strontium — in very small quantities, but useful.
• Green-lipped mussel (1.5 to 3 g / 30 kg): joints, flexibility, comfort possible every day
• Turmeric + black pepper: mild anti-inflammatory (0.5 to 1 g turmeric/day) for inflammation, joint pain, intensive training.
• Ground pumpkin seeds (1.5 to 2 g / 30 kg): zinc, can be consumed daily
• Oily fish (sardines, tuna, salmon…): rich in omega-3, vitamin D and highly digestible proteins — 1 to 2 times a week, 30-50g for a 30kg dog.
• Cod liver oil: source of vitamins A and D + EPA/DHA — 1 ml/10 kg of body weight, 1 time/week maximum (avoid vitamin A overdose).
• Green tea leaves: rich in cell-protective antioxidants (catechins) — 0.5 g/30 kg, 1 time/week maximum, well dried.
• Herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano, etc.): digestive, antioxidant and mild antiseptic — 1 to 2 pinches/day for a 30 kg dog, to be sprinkled on the ration.

 In conclusion: a simple, healthy and economical diet

Feeding your dog raw or fresh food isn't that complicated.

No need to buy organic bison or acai berries: chicken carcasses, some offal and leftovers, simple supplements and a little common sense are enough.

Let's remember that dogs have survived alongside humans for over 30,000 years by eating their leftovers, and it's probably even because of these very leftovers that they gave up their freedom as wolves… but that's another story…