Introducing the BARF Diet For Dogs

Introducing a raw food diet such as the BARF diet may seem overwhelming for many dog owners. However. those who are truly dedicated to providing their dogs with the best nutrition possible are willing to do the research necessary to introduce the BARF diet successfully. This is important because not doing this necessary research can not only minimize the benefits of the BARF diet but can also cause adverse effects as well.

Before attempting to introduce a BARF diet, dog owners should do adequate research to ensure they are proceeding properly. There are many books available on the subject including, Give Your Dog a Bone, by Dr. Billinghurst. This is the book which introduced the subject of feeding raw meaty bones to your dog in 1993 but since then there have been many other books and online resources which have become available to dog owners dedicated to feeding their dogs a raw diet that closely mimics their evolutionary needs.

Once the dog owner has done this research it is time to begin the process of introducing the BARF diet to the dog. The key to a successful introduction of the BARF diet for dogs is to introduce the diet gradually. Start with only a small amount of raw meaty bones and focus on pieces which are less rich.

This is important because a typical diet of commercially prepared dog food for adult dogs is usually rather bland. The introduction of large amounts of rich foods at once can upset the digestive process and result in side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. However, most healthy dogs can handle a slow introduction of these rich foods without side effects.