How to Feed Pets Raw Foods

The biologically-appropriate raw foods diet for dogs and cats has a really unappealing acronym--it is widely known as the "BARF" diet. Although the name might make you a little ill, and some of the foodstuffs themselves do not look like anything you'd want to consume, your dog or cat will certainly feel otherwise. This is one diet that your pet will scarf down without hesitation, but you can feel good about knowing that it is entirely free of the chemicals and other harmful byproducts that can be found in any type of commercially processed pet food, even the high-end prescription brands.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Raw meats
• Raw vegetables
• Organ meat (optional)
• Egg (optional)
• Honey
• Apple cider vinegar
• Nutritional supplements

1. Soak chicken or turkey wings, necks or backs, lamb or beef ribs, or ground beef in a bowl of hot water. Although these meats are to be fed raw, they do need to thaw out and warm up a bit before your pet can eat them. For a 50 to 60 pound dog you will use about one chicken back, eight wings, 12 necks or two ribs.

2. Select a handful of vegetables from the refrigerator. You can use carrots, green beans, brussels sprouts, turnips, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips, squash, zucchini, celery--pretty much anything you have on hand except for pale lettuce (like iceberg) which does not have much nutritional value, and those vegetables/fruits that are harmful to pets (see warning).

3. Blend the vegetables in a food processor until they are the consistency of chunky applesauce. You can also add in a little raw organ meat like liver, heart or tripe and an egg. You want to use about 3/4 cup of this mixture for each serving for a 50 to 60 pound dog.

4. Mix about 1 tbs. honey and 1 tbs. apple cider vinegar into the veggie mix . If you prefer, you can just drizzle these over the top of the serving bowls with the other supplements.

5. Combine 1 tsp. cold pressed flaxseed, safflower, vegetable or olive oil with 1 tsp. nutritional yeast , 1/4 tsp. kelp, 1/4 tsp. alfalfa powder, about 2000 mg powdered Vitamin C and 200mg Vitamin E (squeezed out of the capsule).

Tips & Warnings

• Proportions are based on a serving for a 50 to 60 lb. dog. Reduce as necessary for a smaller dog or cat, and expand for a larger dog or multiple pets.
• Do not fed your pets avocados, onions, garlic, grapes, raisins or macadamia nuts as all of these can be harmful to their health.
• Go easy with the Vitamin C--only add a little bit at a time until you build up to the full amount, as otherwise it could upset your pet's stomach.
• Vegetables and most supplements are not a requirement. If you are new to raw feeding, join a raw feeding group or buy a raw feeding book to help you get started.

Resources

• Raw Feeding List