Natural Nutrition for Cats and Dogs by Kymythy Schultz (available from Amazon) is an excellent book for anyone starting outing with BARF. It is very easy to read and includes a suggested meal plan for those who don't yet feel confident enough to construct one themself. The one small crticism I have of her approach is that she has advises a fast dat each week. My dogs would be horrified if I tried to fast them once a week so I choose to disregard this particular aspect

I've read a couple of Ian Billinghurst ones too but, TBH, his writing style can be difficult to comprehend. All the info is in there but extracting the important stuff can be difficult, IMO.

Ok thanks everyone! Just trying to digest all the info!

Mys I'll have a look on brit barf and ask a few questions when I have a bit more knowledge, it's hard to ask when you don't know what you want to know if you know what I mean???

Christine I'll order that book sounds like a good place to start!

Shaynlola, when I've read Chritines I'll have a look at your suggestion, think it's a good idea to have a look at several opinions to find one that fits!

I think cos it's for a pup that I'm struggling, really want to get it right!

I have that book as it was the only one cheap enough i felt i would look at...It is ok but there are far to many, what do you call them?...'Forwards' and stories and not enough info. It's ok but if you take away all the quotes and other non factual text there isn't that much left...That's how I felt anyway.

Then again raw feeding isn't rocket science.

(Try to get approx 15% total edible bone in the diet, 10% offal, if you choose to add veg no more than about 10% and the rest in muscle meat which can also include fish, heart and tripe)

Don't fall into the trap of just thinking 'chicken wings' either variety is the best policy.

Once you get started it's easy you'll see

That's where I am at the minute!

Or at least all I've got!

So for a pup what percentage do you feed? I read somewhere 10% of body weight?

Or do you just shot it in front of them and hope for the best?

That was a joke BTW!

So as not to confuse:...when I say 15% total edible bone I don't mean 15% rmb. Say for instance if I am feeding them breast of lamb, I might have a piece that weighs about 1kg, just the right size for one of my dogs total food for the day...The breast of lamb is very meaty, I eyeball the approx amount of bone I think there is to the meat...Generally with the breast of lamb I get from the butchers is about 15% bone total, the rest being meat...This is great to feed as a whole rmb for the day. They get the bone and all the meat they need, then I just add offal to go with for that day. So I would infact be feeding it as a rmb at almost 100% of that days intake.

You get used to realising that the rmb ratio is not set in stone as there are many different types of rmb with different amounts of bone to meat and each day varies depending on what you have to give them.

People say 10% of the pups weight but i get confused by that...Someone maybe able to explain better on that one. I mean you don't want to be feeding a 5 month old 10% of it's weight?...I know there is a method to that one but I forget *grin*

The easiest I would say is about 3% of it's expected adult weight divided by how ever many meals a day it is on.

I know when they are adults it is recommended 2-3% of the body weight per day as a starting point then you adjust according to how they are doing on it.

Yeah I undertsand what you mean! Just!

Very difficult to work out bone % of different cuts of meats ain`t it they can vary from butcher to butcher to each cut of meat to etc etc

I went with with more the whole prey thing after weaning. Started off with say a quail, cut in half, or quarters, depending on size of them & size/age of pups, then maybe a whole sardine, again depending on size of them & pup, cut up or given whole. Maybe a small poussin & did the same thing, jointed it. Rabbit the same. Then a meal of meat chunks (no bone) with an egg, a little pureed veg/fruit. Alternate days of Pitcairns recipes. I only use mince or ch/wings when weaning, not enough meat on wings for me & dogs have great teeth to mince the meat themselves Don`t give carcasses either, again I find theres not enough meat on them for my liking, least not the ones over here, they`re all skin

I too have K Schults book but wasn`t that fussed really, but it is cheap & there are diets already worked out.

I went by what their adult size was likely to be & worked the amount to feed from that & as you already know thats only a guidline anyway. Must admit I was terrified for my first 2 pups but I did calm down when I saw them doing so well. Sure you`ll be the same

That makes me feel better!

I'm getting a better idea now I think, plus might have found a supplier not too far from here.