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Frequently Asked Questions About the B.A.R.F. Diet
Won't my dog get salmonella or e.coli from eating raw chicken?
No! The pH of your canine's stomach acid is 1 or lower as compared to a human stomach pH of 4 or 5. This means that they are well equipped to deal with many forms of bacteria that they may ingest, including the dreaded salmonella and e.coli.
What can I use to disinfect eating dishes and work surfaces?
There are some excellent all-natural products that can be used to disinfect any items that may have come in contact with raw food. White vinegar is cheap, readily available and is 99% effective at cleaning all surfaces. Also, use common sense when handling raw meat such as washing your hands thoroughly or using gloves and always rinse out your pet's bowl immediately after eating.
How much do I feed my dog?
This really depends on the individual animal and several key factors. The main questions are how old the animal is, how much exercise the animal gets on a daily basis, do they have any health problems (which can mean anything from a dry coat to arthritis), what breed they are and what their current weight is. There are also different feeding guidelines for puppies and dogs. It is important to stress that each animal is different and therefore needs a feeding plan tailored to their specific needs. For more information please feel free to book a nutritional counselling session with our instructor.
My dog doesn't like vegetables. Do they really need to eat them?
YES! If your child said they didn't want to eat their vegetables every day would you not make them eat vegetables? While vegatables and fruits aren't the mainstay of the diet they are very important in making the raw diet complete. An all meat diet can make your pet sick and can increase the risk of your pet developing diseases of the pancreas, kidney and liver. Vegetables and fruit provide essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin A, folic acid, iron, potassium, fiber, etc. Also, remember that the vegetables and fruit are supposed to replicate the contents of a prey animal's stomach, the first part of the animal your canine friend would eat in the wild! It is best to puree the vegetables as they are easily digested by your pet in this form.
Why Chicken? Can't I just give my puppy/dog beef, pork or fish instead?
Other meats aren't bad, but nutritionally they can't measure up to chicken. Chicken, particularly chicken necks, provide almost every single vitamin and mineral necessary for your dog. It also has excellent meat to bone ratio and is the most easily digested meat of all. Other meats can be fed for variety in the diet. Avoid beef and pink fish like salmon, which can carry the trichinosis virus. Remember - Vegetables and fruits fill in what's missing!
Isn't it dangerous to give your dog chicken bones?
That depends on whether or not the bones are cooked. If they are cooked then yes, it is extremely dangerous to give them bones. If they are raw then there should be no problems since the bone is not brittle or hard and can't splinter. Again, exercise common sense and always supervise your pet when they are eating or chewing on bones.
Can I cook/thaw the food in the microwave?
If you want your dog to receive the equivalent of mushy kibble then yes, by all means do so. It is called "raw food" because it is meant to be fed raw, and that means NO COOKING! By cooking the food all the valuable enzymes and nutrients are being destroyed and canines are getting nothing more than the equivalent of kibble. As far as thawing food in the microwave goes, it is simply more work that you're creating for yourself and why make feeding your pet more difficult than it has to be?
How much will it cost compared to commercial foods?
This is a long term investment in your dog! Feeding the raw diet does tend to cost slightly more than feeding a "top-quality" commercial food. However, for people who spend hundreds of dollars a month on antibiotics, creams, sprays and a host of other drugs for their canine pet, the savings on vet bills are what makes the raw food worth feeding. Per month one may find that they spend a bit more on pet food, but it pays off when trips to the vet become less frequent (if at all)!
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Veggie-Mix Part 1 
