Your dog has many health problems. What if it was the kibble? Do you really know their composition? Discover the BARF, this practice which consists in preparing yourself the bowl of your animal while respecting its nutritional needs and the quality of the selected ingredients.
The danger of dog food
Industrial kibble is convenient, but in the long run, it can be a disaster for your furry friend's health. Many are allergic to them and develop dermatitis because of itching due to the presence of cereals in their kibble. Others develop stones, cancers, early arthritis, gum problems, digestive problems because their diet is of poor quality and unsuitable.
Just like in humans, the animal's diet is extremely important to maintain its vitality and health.
A diet that meets your dog's needs.
For your dog to have a shiny coat, a stable body weight, good vitality, good health and resistance to diseases as well as parasites, his bowl should :
- contain animal proteins and little carbohydrates,
- be adapted to its physiological state (pregnant or nursing female, puppy, "senior", diabetic, arthritic, sportsman, sedentary...)
- be sufficient but reasonable.
The BARF, a "homemade" diet
BARF is the acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food which means "biologically appropriate raw food" .According to R.Wolter, former professor of animal nutrition at the National Veterinary School of Alfort and author of numerous books on the subject, for a healthy, non-sedentary adult dog, the proportions would be these:
- 40% meat, meaty bones, offal, poultry, fish
- 30% share of cereals
- 25% vegetable shares: carrot, green bean, cooked salad, endive, red beet, squash, spinach.
- 5% of dietary supplements: salmon oil, turmeric powder, organic silicon, algae, brewer's yeast, etc...
Cook the vegetables and grains, then add the raw meat and the food supplement as needed
Some authors recommend avoiding grains and replacing them with potatoes or sweet potatoes and not cooking vegetables.
The best thing being to observe your dog's condition. Some people develop allergies to cereals, causing them to itch, while others tolerate them very well.
How many meals per day?
For small and medium-sized dogs, one meal per day is sufficient, while for large dogs (over 30kg), they will be given two meals.
For the pregnant female, it is preferable to offer her several small meals during the day in order not to overload her stomach. The same goes for chiots who are real foodies and have high nutritional needs!
From kibble to BARF, a smooth transition.
Your pet's digestion is fragile. It can easily be disrupted at the slightest change in dietary regime. In order to avoid diarrhea or simply refusal , it is best to proceed gently and over several days. Start by adding a small amount of homemade food with his usual kibble and gradually increase the dose while decreasing the amount of kibble.
Mistakes to avoid.
When adopting BARF, it is important to make sure that you do not make the following 3 mistakes:
- prepare a meal entirely and only composed of meat or on the contrary totally vegetarian (let us not forget that it is a carnivore with a tendency to omnivore)
- your pet is not a table scraper! The leftovers from your meal may not be suitable for him...
- prepare too large rations, give in to his requests and give him treats (sweet or salty)
"Yes, but I don't have the time or the means! "
Indeed, it requires time to prepare. But with good organization, it is possible to prepare the rations in advance and keep them in the refrigerator. As for the cost, the ingredients are not more expensive or even cheaper than good quality kibbles. And when you think of the veterinary expenses that this practice saves you, the calculation is quickly done!