There are many reasons why a dog would need a special diet. Diseases tend to make it necessary to change the feeding on a long term basis. Just like their owners, our four-legged friends can also be affected by allergies or develop intolerances to certain ingredients.
Fussy and sensitive dogs can influence what is being fed, but as the owner, you decide what your pet ultimately eats. It's not just a matter of deciding between different types of dry and wet food – Raw/BARF has also become very popular in recent years. You can find out what this is all about here in the Naturavetal® guide to BARF.
BARF – more than just a trend
The word BARF is an abbreviation of the phrase “Born-again raw feeders”, it can also be known as “Bone and raw food” or “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food“. BARF means feeding the animal with raw meat and fresh vegetables (uncooked). This species-appropriate form of nutrition reflects on the roots of the dog, as it evolved from the wolf. In addition to eating the meat, fur and offal of its prey, it also eats its stomach contents as well as roots and fruits from the forest, BARF is even more as it includes fruits, vegetables and herbs as an integral part of the diet. If you want to BARF feed your dog, you have to acquire extensive knowledge so that there is the correct supply of vitamins and nutrients, as an excess of protein can also harm the animal. In the Naturavetal® guide to special diets and dog nutrition, we describe all the basics, benefits, but also the risks in detail.
Our articles on the topic of BARF
More information and frequently asked questions (FAQ) about BARF
When it comes to BARF, the right composition of the meal is important. For a normal healthy dog, this should consist of 70% meat and 30% vegetable supplements. Depending on the dog’s needs, you can then add supplementary foods such as calcium. You can find out more about this in our BARF guide "First steps to feeding BARF to dogs".
The correct amount of food to feed is determined by the age, current body weight, activity level and, of course, individual history, Background information and tips on the topic of BARF can be found here.
With BARF you have the opportunity to decide exactly what to feed your dog. You can tailor each meal to their individual needs. BARF is also the type of feeding that comes closest to the origin of the dog, i.e. the wolf. However, it is important to find out exactly how BARF works for the dog or cat so that there are no deficiency symptoms and the animal is well cared for. That's why many dog owners first opt for the partial BARF concept. Here, the dog is fed 50% with a ready-made dog food, and the remaining 50% then consists of home-prepared BARF. In our BARF guide "Partial BARF - The Right Balance" you can learn more about the partial BARF concept.
How much BARF food to feed a dog, will depend on its activity level, age, current body weight and also its history.
Feel free to contact our team of experts should you have any questions.
For young dogs, the right amount of BARF to feed depends on their age, activity level, current body weight and also their medical history.
Prehistory - if your young dog was imprinted on dry food as a puppy, we advise that you slowly switch to BARF so that they can get used to raw feeding as gently as possible. In our puppy guide you will learn everything about the species-appropriate feeding of puppies and young dogs.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone. We are here to help you with comprehensive advice. You can reach us Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by phone at 0208 - 531 7804 or mail info@naturavetal.co.uk.
