An Introduction to the BARF Diet

First in a four-part series

Rich: Mealtime around The WoofGang household is always exciting. There is dancing, prancing, twirling, and drooling preceding every feeding. And then there are the dogs!

Breakfast, especially, brings an overwhelming outpouring of enthusiasm. Daisy literally pirouettes on her hind feet as I carry her dish from the kitchen to the feeding area. Boomer is more stoic, but his eyes never veer from the hands preparing his meal. No food can long survive these two discriminating omnivores.

They're happy to be fed, no doubt about it. What Lab isn't ready to eat at any time of day? But, even more, they're thrilled with the special cuisine.

Three months ago when we brought Daisy home as a new puppy to join The WoofGang, she was a roly-poly 8-week-old eating, sleeping, peeing, and pooping artisan. At 21 pounds, she'd already received her M.A. in consumption, digestion, and elimination. She'd been weaned, of course, and was eating puppy food. Per the breeders' instructions, we kept her on a particular brand of puppy chow for the next couple of months till she'd finished her second 30-pound bag.

Then we switched to her current diet of a BARF feeding in the morning and kibble in the afternoon. She follows the trail blazed by a healthy, strong, handsome Boomer, a seasoned veteran of BARF.

If you're not familiar with the BARF diet, please don't speculate on what it might entail. Its name is a tad misleading. The BARF acronym, popularized by Australian veterinarian Dr. Ian Billinghurst, refers to the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food diet. Also known as the Bones and Raw Food diet, it was introduced to America through Billinghurst's writings that include book titles such as Give Your Dog a Bone. We bought our copy here.

Over the next few posts, I'll go into detail on why we decided to feed Boomer and now Daisy this diet, its benefits, and tips on how to get started. If our experience is any guide, your dog will noticeably love the food, and you'll enjoy feeding this diet more than any other you've ever tried.

Before you ask, this discussion of the BARF diet is based on my research and authentic WoofGang experience. It is not intended to replace the recommendations of your veterinarian.