Have you ever heard of the BARF diet for dogs ? Do you know what it is and whether it is good or bad for your French bulldog? BARF ( Biologically Appropriate Raw Food ) is the practice of feeding dogs, cats and other domestic animals a diet consisting primarily of raw foods . In Spanish, the term ACBA is used, which means “ Biologically Appropriate Raw Food ” or “Biologically Adequate Raw Food”. Instead of giving your dog food , make your own food with the daily nutrients it needs.
That is to say, it is about feeding your dog raw foods that are allowed for them, that is, that are not toxic, since as you know, dogs should not eat just anything and it is important that you know what foods your dog should not eat . In the case of the French bulldog, this is even more important since on the one hand they have somewhat delicate stomachs , and on the other hand, many have many allergies .
What is the BARF or ACVA diet for dogs?
According to Ian Billinghurst , an Australian veterinarian and its creator , “The BARF diet is all about feeding dogs the proper way. Its goal is to maximize the health , longevity, and reproductive capacity of dogs, and in doing so, minimize the need for veterinary intervention. How do you feed a dog the proper way? By giving them the diet they evolved and were designed to eat. Artificial grain-based diets cause countless health problems.
They are not what your dog was programmed to eat during his long evolutionary process. A biologically appropriate diet for a dog is one that consists of whole raw foods similar to what dogs’ wild ancestors ate. The food fed should contain the same balance and type of ingredients that were consumed by those wild ancestors. This food should include things such as muscle meat, bones, fat, organ meats, and plant materials, and any other foods that are similar to what their wild ancestors ate.
Why give your dog the BARF diet?
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Many people think that feed is not a good food for our French bulldogs, but in our opinion if we give them a quality feed it will contain all the ingredients and nutrients for a balanced and healthy diet . However, the BARF diet can be a good alternative for dogs with allergies when one is already desperate with what to feed them and that does not suit them. If it is true that natural foods will always be healthier as it happens in any human diet, the less preservatives the food will be healthier.
There is also the belief that with the BARF diet you save some money, but it does not have to be like that if you buy quality foods, the expense is practically the same but it will take you more time since you have to prepare the food yourself at home.
What foods does the BARF diet contain?
The classic BARF diet contains in percentages:
60% meat and fish : chicken, beef, turkey, rabbit, lamb, salmon, sardines, mackerel, etc. Approximately 10% will be pure meaty bones that we will grind when preparing their food.
15% vegetables and greens (raw or steamed crushed) such as celery, carrot, pumpkin, spinach, cucumber, green beans, etc.
10%-15% viscera and organs such as livers, kidneys, hearts, etc.
5% fruits : apple, pear, watermelon, peach, strawberries, etc.
You can also include in the diet some supplements such as lentils, chickpeas, rice, pasta, raw and cooked eggs, fresh cheese, natural sugar-free yogurt , etc. And to give them flavor and smell you can also include some aromatic herbs such as parsley, mint or basil. Remember that there are forbidden foods that you should not give as in the long run they can cause serious health problems.
How to prepare the BARF diet for your dog
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All food is prepared raw except for vegetables , which we will cook beforehand if possible. You can also boil the meat a little if you want. People who usually choose the BARF diet for their dog do a large purchase and prepare food for at least a couple of weeks to freeze and defrost day by day for their dog’s daily intake, since cooking every day with the time we have is complicated.
What we do is mix in the approximate percentages that we have indicated above, what we want to prepare once the vegetables and eggs have been cooked or boiled, and blend everything together with a chopper, blender or thermomix, to mix everything well. We will store it in bags or tuppers to freeze and take out its portion daily.
Food variety is very important . It is about applying to your diet almost everything we already know about a healthy diet for humans, knowing what each food contributes to your health.
How much daily amount should you give to your dog?
For a French bulldog weighing between 9 and 16 kilos approximately, we should give him about 250-300 grams of this mixture daily . The quantities vary depending on the weight of each dog and also on his state of health. It is advisable to speak with our veterinarian about the change in diet that we want to make so that he can give us his opinion on the foods and quantities for our dog.
Benefits of the natural BARF diet
Of course, the BARF diet has numerous benefits for the health and well-being of our French bulldog . Food is essential and the more natural it is, the better.
#1 Improves digestion and reduces gastric problems
With natural food, your dog’s stomach will be much healthier, especially in cases where they have frequent gastric problems. BARF food helps their digestion by allowing them to absorb the nutrients from the food much better.
#2 It helps them have shiny hair and healthy teeth
You will notice that your dog’s coat will shine much more and that he will even lose less hair . In addition, natural food will help improve your dog’s mouth by greatly reducing bacterial plaque and bad breath.
#3 You will maintain a perfect weight
With the BARF diet , dogs are much stronger and more muscular as they lose a lot of fat thanks to natural foods. It is a great diet for French bulldogs who have problems with being overweight as it will help them reach an ideal weight while being perfectly fed.
#4 It will give you energy, vitality and immunity
The quality of your diet is linked to your energy and vitality, because health is life . Your immune system will improve in quality. A healthy diet will also improve your mood.
#5 A varied diet that doesn’t bore him
With a varied diet, your dog will find their food much more attractive, as they sometimes get tired of their feed due to the monotony.
Quick guide to getting started with the BARF diet
There are currently some companies that sell this food in different formats, but as with the human diet, the more natural it is, the healthier it will be . With this article we do not want to say that the feed is bad, it is true that it has some additives to make it last longer and stay fresh that natural food does not have.
It is also said that feed causes our dogs to be overweight, but in our opinion and based on our experience, with quality feed, giving him the right amount and daily exercise, our French bulldog can be just as healthy. We have been giving him Orysel Super Premium Special French Bulldog for two years and we are very happy.
Try the BARF diet
As you can see, BARF food for dogs is very complete as long as you know how to combine the right foods in the right quantities so that your French bulldog’s diet doesn’t lack any nutrients . We think it’s great, but it’s very laborious and we prefer to always give them food that’s as natural as possible. For dogs with allergies it’s certainly a very good option, and for those that don’t have them because it’s all natural.
What food do you give your French bulldog? Have you tried or would you like to try the BARF diet for a while? We would love to hear about your experience with this type of healthy and natural food for our dogs . If you found this article interesting and useful, don’t hesitate to leave us a comment and share it on your favorite social networks.
