BARF Diet.

Have ordered a number of books to look into starting this with my gang!
I have a Pug that I cannot get the weight off (despite having 1/2 an ounce twice a day, when the recommended is 4 ounces a day!). This is diet food and he has a clean bill of health (no blood tests though) and is exercised at least 1 hour a day. He is 10.8 kg and the vets will be happy if he gets to 9 1/2. (He is not pinching or getting treats at all). I just cannot budge the weight off him!!! Am worried he will suffer malnutrition if I feed him any less!!
Also I am hoping it will help with the teeth and coat of my 2 Reds, especially the old girl!!
Where did others start?

Are you changing to BARF simply to remove weight ?

Many people who have tried dieting their dogs, find it doesn't work, the same as some people. When you reduce the food, the metabolism simply slows down and the body stores ALL food instead, beacuse it realises it is not getting enough, therefore not actually losing anything. For this reason some have starved for a day, then fed the follwing day etc, and so on for about a week, which is usually enough for this much weight.

Often it's kinder to the dog, as a constantly hungry tummy from being fed little is torturous, as opposed to starving for a day, which tells the stomache it's not getting anything at all, if that makes sense ?

BARF is much better for teeth providing you feed recreational bones as well as feeding bones to scrape off the plaque.

Has your vet checked for an underactive thyroid or any other underlying medical cause.
I would be a little concerned feeding a dog so little with no weight loss which is also recieving quite a lot of exercise for those small legs.
It just doesn't seem food related to me and I think I would want blood tests to check all possible causes out.

I raw feed my two and would recommend Tom Lonsdale's "Work Wonders; feed your dog raw meaty bones".
http://www.rawmeatybones.com/

I feed the prey model diet and personally don't like the BARF diet or what Billinghurst (it's creator) says. But each to his own.

Here's some websites that helped me get started:
http://www.rawfeddogs.net/FAQlist
http://www.rawfed.com/myths/
There is also a Yahoo group called "rawfeeding" which has many knowledgable people some raw feeding 20yrs plus.

HTH

A good place to start to learn more about Barf is join the Brit Barf group http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/BritBarf/

It is full of raw feeders who will be able to answer any questions you have , and are really nice and helpful. Mine aren't fed completely on BARF. Mine are fed on Tripe/ Chicken Mince/veggies/Fruit/Arden Grange,and Turkey legs, and Oily fish.Eggs, yoghurt occassionally, Honey, Porridge Oats. Recreational bones aswell.

Join the above group there many people on there who have been doing it for along time.

I will PM you the link as it hasn't been allowed. I hope that is okay.

Another one to try is this.

www.rawlearning.com

I feed my dogs a raw diet and it is defiantly the best decision I ever made for them, the transformation in their health when we switched was absolutely astounding.

I simply follow the type of raw diet that suits my dogs best, the great thing is that you can taylor the diet to each individual dog as over time you will learn what foods they do best on and in what quantities etc.

I'm not a great fan of Ian Billinghurst or alot of what he says, Tom Lonsdales book 'Works Wonders' is the favourite of the few that I have read. Although I always think its a good idea to read a few different opinions, that way you have a range of ideas and can decide what is best for you and your dogs.

http://www.rawdogranch.com/
http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm
http://rawfeddogs.net/
http://www.naturalpetcare.co.uk/nutrition/dogdiet.htm
http://www.holisticvet.co.uk/nutrition.htm
http://www.ukbarfclub.co.uk/
http://www.rawlearning.com/
http://www.rawmeatybones.com/
http://www.ukrmb.co.uk/showcontent.toy?contentnid=7232
http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm

You certainly won't look back by changing them to BARF. My lot are looking great on it but you still have to watch what you give them. They can still gain weight even with raw feeding.

There's another forum you can visit that is really good. If you PM me, I'll send you the link

only question I have is that dalmatians cannot have high quantities of protein in their diets, has anyone else fed raw and had to avoid too much protein? I'm nervous about getting this wrong and Icon having stones develop?