The BARF Diet: Raw Feeding for Dogs and Cats Using Evolutionary Principles Paperback – January 1, 2001

Excellent to understand how to feed your dog. I still use high grade dog food but feed this 1 times a day. I also cook the meat to extra rear to insure no bacteria, but an amazing concept. Was a little hesitant but now an avid fan as i used to cook all the food for y dog. Have not had a puppy in 10 years and dog food has come a long way, but not to this quality, so I cooked all their food and their are healthy with super shiny coats.I use Blue Buffalo or Royal Canin and fish oil (salmon) and flax seed oil, the good stuff which is pricey but never had issues with health with any of my dogs. Kind of did this anyway, but used to boil then back bones, not any more, feed it raw.

This book has transformed my dog. He went from having horrible skin issues to healthy and itch free. People often compliment how shiny and soft his coat is now too. His anxiety greatly diminished and he’s stopped eating grass entirely. One time I showed someone a pic of my dog and he said “Wow he’s ripped” because he’s so lean and strong. The diet Dr Ian promotes here should be the standard for all. I highly recommend this quick and easy read!

Before starting a raw diet with your dogs it is important to read as many books and articles as possible. There is no "one way" to feed a raw diet, but there are wrong ways. It is important you understand what you are doing, why you are doing it and be comfortable explaining it because most vets will not approve (unless they are holistic or actually decided to enlighten themselves on evolutionary diets. They are NOT taught nutrition in school, and what little they get is funded by major pet food corps. like Hills and Purina, both garbage foods). It is up to US as the owner to educate and advocate for whats best for our dogs.This book is a great starter read, but not written in stone. Personally, I do not feed complete barf as I don't believe dogs NEED veggies. Can they benefit, yes....but it is not necessary as Dr. Billinghurst believes. I am between prey model and BARF as I do supplement and I also add yogurt and cottage cheese on occasion.I suggest reading this book, as well as many others. There are several good websites as well (just double and triple check what you read online). Also, look for yahoo groups....if you are lucky you will find a co-op in your area to buy from a raw food supplier, makes it easier.Be it prey model, whole prey, or barf....going raw is the best thing you will do for your dogs. I am on month 6 of raw feeding and my dogs coats have never been shinier or silkier. They also shed less, their teeth are fantastically white and they eagerly await mealtime. Their poo is half the size (I have XL breed dogs)and has minimal odor. It also crumbles into white powder after a day or two. I am lucky in that there are many raw feeders in my area (whom I found via yahoo), a lot are well respected individuals in the animal rescue community be it behaviorists, or business owners.

I have been feeding my dogs a raw diet for about 2 years now., and hey have been doing wonderfully on it, the picture of health. I have been feeding mostly prey-model, but recently I have become aware of the fact that prey-model might not fulfill all of the micro-nutrients they need due to the fact that factory-farmed meats are low in minerals, vitamin D, fatty acids, and other key essential nutrients.Logically, dogs fed a balanced diet don't need fruit and veg, however, due to the fact that farmed meats available to your average person are low in some of these key nutrients, fruit and veg are the easiest way to ensure that your pet is receiving all their essential nutrients. I have purchased several books, including this one, to continue to educate myself on the importance of these other nutrients in a dog's diet.It's a very well organized, helpful book for anyone considering a raw diet for their pet.

I adopted my dog after she had major hip surgery removing 2 inches of her leg bone. I wanted to put her on the healthiest diet possible and was turned on to the BARF diet. It works!!! Some vets are very shy about this diet but this is a dog's natural diet - how can it be wrong! (Except possible for tiny over-bred dogs). My dogs leg healed in no time at all, her muscle tone is great and you would never know she had 2 inches of her leg missing. Her coat is silky soft and she has had no health issues. I am tired of my dogs dying from cancer, or suffering hip dysplasia and arthristis. I've turned my whole block onto this diet and my butcher has a whole new group of customers.

Awesome book for the health and longevity

IF YOU FEEDING OR DECIDE TO FEED YOUR DOG RAW FOOD YOU NEED THIS BOOKVERY GOOD INFORMATION AND EVERYTHING ABOUT YOYR DOG. .

I think this book gives a good overview of this diet and why, but I found that it does not contain enough information for me to switch my dog to this diet. I am not sure that I have all of the right information and will probably continue to do more research on this topic. It goes into a lot more of the why than the how. He also repeats himself many times. The book is not very long and is a pretty quick read. I don't feel that I know what kinds of bones to feed in what amount and how much meat they typically have on them. What vegetables are good and why...