Changing to BARF - We're up and running!

Animal-Outings

At the weekend I am changing Majic over to BARF and I have ordered a book that Kay (KayC) recommended and done some reasearch on the web but unfortunately my book has been delayed and will not be here until the middle of next week so I am looking for starting points please.

Majic is 25.3 kg and is 11 months old, she has an intollerance to chicken and quite a fast metabolism.

Now where do I start regarding food, where to buy, how much to buy?, what to feed per weight portion ration and a mixture of what? I know 60-70% should be RMB'S daily but what else can I give? A weeks typical menu?

Does her portion size go on her current weight or her expected fully grown weight?

I probably know the answers to most of these but it is just that little bit of reassurance I think before I take the leap into BARF feeding, I'm getting to the point where I am reading and re reading and it dosen't seem to be sinking in. Sad

Any help would be lovely. Very Happy

kayc · Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 8:05 pm Post subject:

Quantities - as a guideline feed 2 - 3% of your present dog's bodyweight per day. Calculate this by multiplying 2/3 by your dog's weight and dividing it by 100.

Eg 2 x 30/100 = 600g, 3 x 30/100 = 900g.

However be guided by your hand and eye; if the dog is looking a little too ribby up the amount and reduce if the dog is looking a little too well padded! Dogs will vary depending on age, sex, activity level, temperament and time of year.

For a puppy either 2/3% of the projected adult weight or 10% of its current weight.

A three joint chicken wing weighs approximately 100g (as opposed to some of the two joint chicken wings you get in supermarkets) so work out the quantities from this. ( I know you wont be feeding chicken) but just as a guidline to others Smile

Meats - lamb, beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit, pork, venison, duck, ALL on the bone ie: lamb rib, beef rib, whole rabbit etc

Hearts, lungs, kidneys, tripe the list is endless.

Fish - oily fish is good, pilchards, mackerel, sardines, trout fresh or tinned.

If you can invest in a freezer specifically for the dog, then bulk buying can save quite a bit of money.... look in your free ads for freezer... or even a kitchen specialist... I got 2 of my freezers free, kitchen renovations included new freezers etc... so I asked for the freezers before they ended up in the dump Very Happy

(dont be shy) Very Happy

A good butchery (not usually a high st butcher) supermarket reduced price meat, offers etc... poultry processing plants, are good if you can bulk buy...Farm shops are good for trays of eggs, and cheaper than the local supermarket And my favourite.... the local gamekeeper Smile

Veggies - All except onions; they can cause haemolytic anaemia in dogs because they contain chemicals that oxidise the animal's red blood cells.

Oxalic acid can interfere with calcium absorption; so don't feed too much of Spinach, Chard or Beetroot Leaves.

Care should be taken not to overfeed cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale, swedes, turnips, cassava, and broccoli to dogs as this may inhibit thyroid function.

Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and aubergines all belong to the nightshade family of plants. Dogs who have arthritis may be sensitive to these foods;

Fruit - all except Grapes and raisins which can cause kidney failure.

Dairy - IMHO nothing except live yoghurt. (I do feed milk to my lot, they can tolerate it, but dogs on the whole are lactose intollerant) This is purely down to your preference

Eggs - raw with shell

Grains/cereals - none; dogs are not built to digest them (says me who feeds Ambrosia rice pudding ) Wink

well... they are entitled to little treats Very Happy

Vitamins/Supplements - Again that is down to the individual; my dogs get:

a fresh minced clove of garlic every day,
1000mg FBO (Fish Body Oil),
400 iu Natural Vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol),
1000mg of Ester C with bio-flavonoids
and Keepers Mix (alfalfa/kelp)

Books - The simplest one is Switching to Raw by Sue Johnson but that is not easily available in the UK. The next best one IMHO is Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats by Kymythy Schulze, very accessible, easy to read, has diet plans. Some extraneous stuff you don't need ie reader testimonials and I personally don't agree with fasting.

Ian Billingshurst has written several books; The Barf Diet is probably the easiest, Give your Dog a Bone is very comprehensive but very badly written, Grow your pups with bones is more for the stud dog/brood bitch puppy owner. Tom Lonsdale's Raw Meaty Bones is less useful for the beginner IMHO.

Frequency of feeding - twice a day, remember though, puppies still need fed 4 times per day until 12 weeks and then 3 times until around 6months or whenever they themselves decide to miss out lunch Smile

Suggested menu -guide only

Monday am: RMBs eg chicken wings, drumsticks, thighs, carcases etc, ribs, trotters, rabbit, oxtail
Monday pm: Tripe

Tuesday am: RMBs
Tuesday pm: liver and veggies

Wednesday am: RMBs
Wednesday pm: Meat, raw egg, veggies

Thursday am: RMBs
Thursday pm: Kidneys and veggies

Friday am: RMBs
Friday pm: Hearts and veggies

Saturday am: RMBs
Saturday pm: Tinned or fresh fish

Sunday am: RMBs
Sunday pm: Live yoghurt, raw egg, banana etc. ( mixed together in a blender, makes a wonderful smoothie) Very Happy

Animal-Outings · Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 8:07 pm Post subject:

Thanks Kay you are a life saver Very Happy

Feel a lot better now. Very Happy

Animal-Outings · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 12:32 pm Post subject:

Well another stumbling block I don't think this is meant to be, Majic has nearly come to the end of her Burns and thinking that I would be able to order stuff from Landywoods and have it delivered in a couple of days was a huge mistake the order will take 4 weeks Shocked

to deliver as they have just been up this way and not back again for another 4 weeks Crying or Very sad

My butchers keep looking at me as though I have gone mad and ooo don't know whether we can supply that madam. Sad

I am hitting my head against the PC Shocked

Animal-Outings · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:13 pm Post subject:

I have found a proper butcher in my home town who knew what we were going on about.

*dancing around the room*

_Mary_ · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:17 pm Post subject:

Well done Carroll!!, wish I could find one of those as well! Shocked

Animal-Outings · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:25 pm Post subject:

Have you tried Landywoods Mary?

www.landywoods.co.uk/

If i hadn't found a butcher I was going to order from here but there delivery schedule is a little wayward. Very Happy

kayc · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:25 pm Post subject:

Animal-Outings · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:26 pm Post subject:

Thanks Kay for all your help, this mad woman hunting you down every 5 mins to ask your opinion. Embarassed

kayc · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:44 pm Post subject:

lol.... answering all those e-mails and PM's keeps me out of mischief Carroll... glad to have been a help Wink