torn between processed and BARF for dog and cat

helzbelz_57

i have been feeding my dog and cat on a basic BARF diet for a few months now. really because i feel i should give them the best food for their bodies to be as healthy as possible, the same as i do with my family. however, OH and i had a big row at the weekend in the supermarket over how much more expensive it is to feed BARF than to feed the canned or dried stuff. so today i was comparing prices and yes the processed stuff is working out alot cheaper, especially if i get the own brand no frills stuff. my question is, if its soo cheap, is it actually good for them or is it just filling their bellies and not giving them any nutrients. does anyone else feed BARF and have you found a way of doing it as cheaply as the processed food costs? i didnt buy anything today.

UKTigerlily

helzbelz_57 wrote: »

i have been feeding my dog and cat on a basic BARF diet for a few months now. really because i feel i should give them the best food for their bodies to be as healthy as possible, the same as i do with my family. however, OH and i had a big row at the weekend in the supermarket over how much more expensive it is to feed BARF than to feed the canned or dried stuff. so today i was comparing prices and yes the processed stuff is working out alot cheaper, especially if i get the own brand no frills stuff. my question is, if its soo cheap, is it actually good for them or is it just filling their bellies and not giving them any nutrients. does anyone else feed BARF and have you found a way of doing it as cheaply as the processed food costs? i didnt buy anything today.

I'm no expert or even novice on BARF but I think it's the best for Dogs, however Cats shouldn't have Veg (If you're including veg?) & MUST have taurine in their diet, i'm not sure which foods taurine is found in though. Some people here feed BARF so will no doubt see this & advise but i'm led to believe it's cheaper & better for the Dog at least than commercial food if done correctly & if you have a good buitcher.

Most Cat foods & probably Dog foods in supermarkets aren't good for pets, things like Felix, Whiskas, Pedigree & Bakers should really be avoided & most only contain about 4% meat. However, many many Cats & Dogs have been fed on all sorts of food & lived to be teens & even into their twenties with no food related health issues. Buy the best you can afford & obviously brands that you can obtain easily as if you run out & have to order more & can't get it locally a change in diet can upset their bellies.

My Cat has a Pets at Home own brand food called Purely . . . which is available in their stores or on their website @ £3.91 a box for 12x85g pouches & is 50% meat (Obviously if getting from somewhere like [EMAIL="P@H"]P@H[/EMAIL] you need one nearby) & also natures:menu @ £5.47 for 12x100g box & 70% meat (She can't have dried).

Normally you can get HiLife in supermarkets & Asda do a Dog food that looks good & is wet but I can't remember the name of it now. You'll get tons of advice here but please do be sure that cat gets taurine & don't give him or her Veg x

helzbelz_57

he wouldnt eat it even if i did offer it so he has never had veg, dog does.

MaximumImpact

Pedigree is chock full of E numbers which is why animals love it!!

Personally, I feed my large lads and Lasses on Vitalin and Wagg. Muesli and meaty biscuits with water. They thrive and it's good for them. BARF is more natural for dogs but I dont have the storage facilities for it otherwise I would use it.

It's personal choice as to what you feed your animals but BARF is better than processed.

(awaits the Anti BARF brigade.......)

suki1964

Barf really doesnt need to be expensive. Find a butcher - a real butcher who has dead animals on the premises to butcher. He will have a lot of waste which he has to pay to be removed which is fine for dogs - rib bones, carcasses etc. Then look in pet shops for frozen animal grade mince,tripe etc- very cheap and only a small amount is needed per feed - a spaniel will be fine with a couple of chicken wings as a meal for example. Cheap tins of sardines, eggs past their sell by, yoghurts the same, Packs of chicken wings and drumsticks, liver and kidneys are often reduced in the supermarkets. Veggies bought cheap at the end of the day from the market, processed down and froen in ice cube trays for use later in the week.

Barf can be expensive if you dont plan ahead and buy as and when you see good value ( freezer space is so important and knowing people who shoot is really handy as well) but can work out as little as 30/40p a day same as kibble

LittleTinker

I was told ages and ages ago by my sister I think it was that she saw a TV thing about dog food from a supermarket (basically anything in a tin or pouch) being bad for a dog .....leading to behaviour problems, diabetes etc etc. and that your dog is just as happy to have exactly what you (the human) has.

I must admit, we did try that for a while and my dog did seem a lot more satisfied....he didnt seem to beg as much. All we did was make shepperds pie for 8 instead of 7......or make 8 roast dinners instead of 7.

Is this similar to what BARF principles are? Or is BARF only raw?

suki1964

BARF is Bones And Raw Food.

Feeding cooked human food isnt ideal as we humans tend to use too much salt, sugars and flavourings then is healthy, so imagine the outcome on a dog.

Whilst I agree that there are some pet foods out there that I would prefer not to feed, we have to remember that there are many thousands of dogs fed them and doing very well on them

f1re_cr4cker

dry kibble can be very good and not too expensive. my pug has the healthy paws complete which is £7.50 for a 2kg bag. that lasts him a month roughly and I think the ingredients are good.

foreign_correspondent

Don't worry too much about what you feed him - most dogs (unless they need a specialist diet) will thrive on pretty much anything - remember, they have evolved for thousands of years scavenging whatever humans leave! My gran had a little jack russell that lived to 18 (when he died of old age) on leftovers, biscuits (human not dog!) and occasional meals of cooked liver!

Many food choices for our pets are really influenced by marketing, but I agree that BARF is probably as good as anything, and I do understand it can be cheap - I dont feed it myself, my dog lives on cheapo £10 sacks of Wagg with the occasional (free) meaty bone from the butcher, sardines and pilchards (30p a tin), meat and veg leftovers (free!) and natural yogurt - she is in good condition and healthy on it (and enjoys it!) and it costs next to nothing. My last dog lived to about 16 on the same diet.

If you are relying on the supermarket to buy BARF I would imagine it will cost you an arm and a leg!

I would chat to a local butcher about suitable meat and scraps, and see if they could supply you - though you probably need to watch ut that you are not feeding too much fat, as a lot of what is cut off will be fat (risk of pancreatitis!)

There are online suppliers of pet grade meat for BARF, and, depending on where you live, you may be able to find someone locally who shoots who would donate some rabbits (or even squirrels! - I assume they are ok for dog consumption, I have a friend who culls them as part of his work, and has eaten them and says the meat is quite nice!)

But, most dogs will do absolutely fine on a cheap diet of Wagg, Chappie or whatever, just avoid the highly coloured stuff like Bakers! Oh, there is a food called CSJ which looks good - and economical too - designed for working collies - and there are lots of varieties to suit your individual dog - everyone I know who has tried it has been impressed (as have their dogs!) and its a great price - of you google it they have a website, and I have heard they will send a free sample if you email them!

ali-t

f1re_cr4cker wrote: »

dry kibble can be very good and not too expensive. my pug has the healthy paws complete which is £7.50 for a 2kg bag. that lasts him a month roughly and I think the ingredients are good.

OMG, a 15 kg bag of food has lasted my rottie pup a month.:eek:

scheming_gypsy

i get my BARF for the cot of petrol from Preston to Middleton, would be cheaper if i had a bigger freezer.