Barf

[michellekearley]

Thanks Sharon once again, I did not realise that the carcass is supposed to come with organs intact! Ours are just the shell really (no legs, wings etc). This is why I like to include wings or kangaroo etc!

I am desperately trying to obtain a copy of Dr B's "Give Your Dog a Bone" but I am unable to!! I can't believe it! I have tried most of the major bookshops in Melbourne (city) only to be told that it is out of stock or not being published anymore! I might have to get it straight from Dr B's surgery.

Sharon I know how you may feel like a bad Boxer Mummy (so do I) but as long as our Boxers are a nice weight (not too skinny or fat) then we are being responsible.

I can't believe how great you all are and I thank you for all your help.

P.S. Does the feeding plan I outlined for my babies sound acceptable to you both????

Thanks

:p :p

 

[michellekearley]

I notice that a lot of people are reading this thread but are not replying. Is this because you do not feed a BARF diet?? I would really love to hear everybody's BARF menu.

Michelle

Baxter: 4 year old, flashy fawn, natural ears, docked tail

Jake: 9.5 week old, flashy fawn, natural ears, docked tail

 

[Spotty's people]

Why not reply?

Sorry, don't want to enter a debate on BARF diet, as I do not feed barf, nor am I one who will do so. I have a HUGE problem with Salmonella & eColi risks. I also (personal opinion here only, don't intend to begin another debate!!!!) believe our dog is a domesticated animal. Not a wolf like the gal next door. THAT one finishes the bones ours can't!! haha.

If it works for you, go for it. Whatever makes you feel that you are doing the best for your dog, & as long as you feel comfortable.

I am on a dry kibble that is superior to the premium, & that is as far as it will go for me!

Please, no debate! (It's always sooo hard to refrain!!!)

Ta!
Susan

 

[michellekearley]

Thanks Susan

You will not get an arguement from me, each to their own. I can fully appreciate your views.

Michelle

 

[Krikkit]

Michelle

Michelle, one of the clubs we belong too purchased 10 of the book direct from Dr B recently and they were here within a couple of days - great service

What you are feeding seems just fine but I think you will feel much better once you have read the book. This page might help you http://www.agilityboxer.com/ozbarfmeals.htm it was an exercise on the Oz Barf list last year - everyone sent in what they had fed that day and the results were put into a table. As you can see there is a wide variety of meals

Sharon

 

[JulieM]

Didn't mean to make anyone feel like a bad Boxer mom I don't weigh meals anymore, since I know the approximate weights of the RMBs, but I do measure the veggies. I'm horrible at estimating amounts/weights/numbers/etc., so I'm just more comfortable measuring. (Plus, my husband won't feed the dogs if I don't tell him how much of what to feed!)

Susan, since you asked, I will not debate the BARF issue with you, but it is driving me crazy not to! FWIW, I do agree that our dogs are domestic animals, and most raw feeders that I know do also - they just feel that domestication has not changed the internal workings of the dog. (Sorry, that just slipped out!)

I'm a little on edge about this right now, as I just had to endure a lecture from the ER vet *receptionist* about my girl that we took in for a bee sting, because she vomited and there were a few pieces of breakfast still in her system. (Well, of course she did, the first thing a body does in injury or trauma is shut down digestion....) She also said "dogs can't handle digesting raw bones," then she finishes with "so feed her kibble, whatever you find in the grocery store is fine." AAARRRGHHH!!! As if foods that are primarily filler and contain carcinogens are just as good as foods made from human-grade ingredients. I, of course, just rolled my eyes at her and didn't say anything, since this is not my regular vet so who cares what they think. What kills me is that this girl has probably had little to no training in actual veterinary procedures, she just works the counter and thinks she knows it all......

Sorry for the vent, but I needed that!

 

[michellekearley]

Julie you go girl! Vent away!!!!

I totally agree 100% with your views. I believe that whatever is in these dog foods is eventually killing our dogs! It is not natural for our canine friends to consume all the crap (additives, preservatives etc) in these meals. BARF is allowing our dogs to eat healthy, natural food without all the *extras*!!

The way I look at the BARF diet is that I know EXACTLY what I am feeding my dogs! I know that they are eating natural, healthy foods that can only be good for them . I think you will find, after enough research has been done, that BARF will be the way of the future. People may not agree with it now but I guarantee if one of your beautiful Boxers gets sick (which I do not wish on anyone) it may make you change your mind on this issue. I personally have not had to go through this to see the benefits of this method of feeding. Go back to basics! For all the non - believers out there, feeding BARF is soooooooooooo much cheaper than the commercial brands of food that are ultimately doing your dogs more harm than good.

We will keep fighting on Julie!!

 

[Spotty's people]

NOT ALL of the foods are that way still. And I think that a receptionist at the vet would be A LOT more informed than that! Shame on her! Esp. with so many vets selling food in their offices!

I am trying to resist jumping in on this. Really hard! REALLY! AUGH!!!!!! [splash heard here...]

I just do not believe that all the data is in on this one (i.e. the BARF diet... there are far too many differing opinions from scientists doing research... and not all of them are funded by the dog food producers BTW). I do not follow movements or get on bandwagons easily... I am a very skeptical person (& my mate is even more so... I guess I am heavily influenced after 16 years!). But I DO (and wholeheartedly) agree that the "common" food out there is not the best for our dogs. Even though we first started off with "premium" food, it is not good enough for my Spotty after the research that I have been doing on nutrition.

Having a scientist as a husband, he is extremely aware of toxins, harmful bacteria & such. I have a hard enough time handling raw poultry in the home for our own consumption a few days a week, let alone every day for a dog!!!! :D [Also, we will NOT poo poo the potentially deadly effects of salmonella, ecoli, & other harmful bacteria. 7 people dead in a very small town in Ontario this last year because their water became contaminated with ecoli. And many more are still ill, awaiting liver transplants because of what happened. Remember all the Jack-In-The-Box Salmonella stories out of Seattle? But that is a whole other ballgame....]

Also, I have a hard enough time providing the two of us humans with a well-balanced menu, let alone thinking about the dog! I am trying to find the best "convenience" kibble that I can, (even if it will cost more) & will stick with that decision. Needless to say, Spotty gets lots of veggy "bonuses" after we eat. (He doesn't care for raw, though... and I won't bring out the blender just for him!!! awwww , poor dog, eh?) I am likely to bet that the little bits that he gets are just filler for him. But he likes it, & I think he thinks he's special getting it! haha

Like I said, I don't like bandwagons, (parties/parades yes, bandwagons, no!) I get a wee bit tense when someone tries to push stuff on me, be it an idea, product, what have you. I like to find as much information from differing sources... not just the promoters of an idea, and form my own judgements. I think that we all have to do that.

Thanks for respecting my position. I really DO NOT WANT TO ENTER A DEBATE........ OH. We did? Dang! :cool:

Susan
speaking of the dog. He's out there staring at me, so I'd better go.

 

[susan fulcher]

Well when you have a boxer thats been sickly since a puppy and for 4 yrs.you've spent Thousands of dollars going in and out of vets and specialist offices,and used every premium kibble on the market (I should know which ones the best since I have a pet store and used to sell it.The things you learn about products in this business.Scary) The next step for me was to cook her food,I was afraid of raw.But when i started listening to the great number of holistic vets that say raw is better I took the plunge.I also observed my customers and friends doing raw and was impressed.When I found a vet that finally told me my dog had a autoimmune disorder DUH! She should be on a raw food diet.Once I found a homeoptic vet and switched to raw My boxer got better and the immune disorder is under control.My holistic vet said diet plays a major role in boosting the immune system. She is not on steroids, which is standard treatment for what she has and doesn't need the antibiotcs she had been on for 4 yrs of her life. If she gets a sore it heals amazingly at a fast rate and I just put some calendula on the sores she gets once and a while. Our store has removed all kibble from the shelves because in or hearts we could not sell another bag. My vet believes kibble is the cause of most of the allergies, immune disorder and other health problems with dogs and cats.We have 7 cats right now in our store all adopted because they were sick with respiratory problems,genetic defects,herpes and other virses and the first thing we do is put them on raw and within 1-2 weeks their health has improved 90%.Same with the stray dogs we take in. We do find homes for some of these guys but only to homes that will feed raw. in my business I see everyday the benefits of a natural diet. If people would rather cook I say go ahead its better then dry pellets. Oh I heard a friend tell someone one time ,dogs and cats can not turn on a stove and use a skillet to make dinner.
My raw diet has less bones.I feed bones 4 times a week once a day, usually chopped from chickens or duck(because my boxers are piggys) I supplement other forms of calcium on the other days,Sea kelp calcium,calcium lactate and egg shells. My vet and I discussed how much and what kind of calcium and she thinks a variety is better. And because my boxers immune disorder is like a terrible allergy she wants me to give a variety of proteins,she can not stay on the same protein for more then 3 days so she gets venison,beef,duck,chicken,rabbit, lamb, fish, eggs,tofu. 5 days out of the week protein with veggies and 1-2 days non meat unless I fast. My vets is impressed with the excellent health of our animals, 7 cats inte shop,2 at home and 5 dogs, we found a home for the pit bull we found and because of his skin condition he went to a home that will feed raw. Well happy chopping all.

 

[michellekearley]

Congratulations Susan!!!

It is so nice to hear how a BARF diet is working for you and your dogs. I wish everyone could see how beneficial it is to our dogs health.

I am very new to BARFing however, my dogs love it and because I love them so much I want the best possible ingredients for them.

People make excuses such as it is too expensive (which it is not) or too time consuming (does not have to be) etc etc but if these same people really love their dogs they should not be making any of these excuses and give their dogs the best food available. I don't know about everyone else here but you should look after your dogs the way you would look after your own skin children!!!!

All I can say is good on you Susan! I hope your babies stay healthy.

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