BARF- The bones and raw food Diet, an Introduction
What is the Diet About?
Feeding dogs the diet they evolved to eat over millions of years of genetic adaptation. Other terms for the diet include evolutionary diet, natural diet and species appropriate diet.
Philosophy
If our bulldogs are to reach their genetic potential in terms of health, longevity, physical activity and reproduction, their modern day diet must mimic as closely as possible their evolutionary diet.
The further an animal’s diet departs from its evolutionary diet, the more health problems that animal is likely to develop. That is why modern grain based pet foods, no matter how well researched, cause many health problems. It is impossible for them to match the health enhancing attributes of the evolutionary diet.
“The bones and raw food diet”
The diet includes meat, bones, vegetables and organ meats etc- those that mimic the diet of wild or feral animals. Many of these products may be found in your local supermarket. To enhance this diet supplements may be added and include, vitamins, essential fatty acids, probiotics, kelp, alfalfa powder, various herbs etc.
History of the BARFdiet
BARF diet received instant acceptance from breeders and pet owners and has now spread deep into the heartland of kibbledom. It is here that health conscious pet owners, alarmed at the high levels of degenerative diseases seen in modern pets are successfully adopting the BARF program in ever-increasing numbers.
Our pets bodies malfunction without the food of their wild ancestors
When our dogs were forced to abandon their evolutionary diet and we switched to processed pet food, instead of undergoing instant adaptation, they suffered biological damage and bodily breakdown on an enormous scale. This continues today. Our pets basic physiology cannot be changed by a few decades eating processed food. Such a rapid change is a biological impossibility.The good news is that by eating BARF our pets can be returned to brilliant health, and the need for constant veterinary intervention in their lives will decline accordingly.
Reference:
Billinghurst I. (2001) The Barf Diet. SOS Printing, Australia.