# BARF vs. Prey



## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

I am in the beginning stages of researching a raw diet for my 8 month old German Shepherd. There is no doubt that raw is better. I am just trying to work out which KIND of raw diet to give her. 

My understanding is that the BARF diet includes mostly meat and bones, some veggies and fruits, and a ton of supplements. The rationale of the fruits and veggies is that a wild dog would consume whatever was in the stomach of the animal it ate, and that would likely be a plant/fruit eating creature. While the BARF style looks to be very complete, I am concerned that it will be costly as well as time consuming. 

The prey style seems easier, but I'm not sure that it will give her all she needs. Although, I will admit that I haven't done as much research on this style. 

The bottom line is that I want to feed my dog the best that I can, regardless of the amount of work required. I would love some feedback. Thanks!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Ania's Mommy said:


> My understanding is that the BARF diet includes mostly meat and bones, some veggies and fruits, and a ton of supplements. The rationale of the fruits and veggies is that a wild dog would consume whatever was in the stomach of the animal it ate, and that would likely be a plant/fruit eating creature.


The falacy of the BARF argument is that wolves/dogs don't actually eat the stomach contents of their prey. Wolves have been observed opening the stomach and shaking out the contents before eating the stomach. I have seen my dogs do the same when fed whole prey. I didn't teach them to, they just did it. My cats don't even eat the stomach. I find little stomachs laying around my porch and yard often. :smile: My dogs or cats don't eat intestines.

Dogs, being carnivores have no need for plant matter in their diet. Their bodies are just not equipped to handle it. They can't properly chew it, digest it or absorb nutrients from it. My dogs haven't eaten plant material for 7 years. My 4 yo has never eaten any in his life. 

If supplements were necessary, wolves would have gone extinct hundreds of thousands of years ago. Both wolves and dogs get all the nutrients they need from meat, bones, and organs from a variety of animals. There are no nutrients in plant matter that aren't in the meat, bones, and organs of the prey animals that eat them.



> While the BARF style looks to be very complete, I am concerned that it will be costly as well as time consuming.


It's actually no more complete than the prey model diet. Prey model supplies all the needed nutrients assuming you feed a variety of animal parts from a variety of animals.


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## STPFAN (Feb 5, 2009)

Hey RFD...this is a local manufacturer/supplier very close to me....whats do you think of them?

About Dogs


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I am never big on premix foods for our dogs. All the products this company sells except one are ground. It's all overpriced compared to what you could get in the grocery store. I see it as no worse than the other premixes you can buy online probably better than most.


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## Winniesdad (Nov 25, 2008)

The above link in STPFAN's post triggered a virus in my comp. Not at all saying that STPFAN is at fault. Might be their site or even something triggering that was already on my computer. Just be aware.


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## STPFAN (Feb 5, 2009)

RawFedDogs said:


> I am never big on premix foods for our dogs. All the products this company sells except one are ground. It's all overpriced compared to what you could get in the grocery store. I see it as no worse than the other premixes you can buy online probably better than most.


You might be right but for the simple combo of whole ground chicken, and organs from cows and lambs...its a good maintenance feed! And remeber the $2.50 per lb is in Canadian currancy! Plus it all ready frozen and cut up in pieces.


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## STPFAN (Feb 5, 2009)

Winniesdad said:


> The above link in STPFAN's post triggered a virus in my comp. Not at all saying that STPFAN is at fault. Might be their site or even something triggering that was already on my computer. Just be aware.



Not sure what that is, but sorry if anybodys PCs was messed up!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

STPFAN said:


> Not sure what that is, but sorry if anybodys PCs was messed up!


When I went to that site, nothing happened to me. Everything seemed to work normal. I got no warnings from either of my firewalls or my virus software.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

STPFAN said:


> You might be right but for the simple combo of whole ground chicken, and organs from cows and lambs...its a good maintenance feed! And remeber the $2.50 per lb is in Canadian currancy! Plus it all ready frozen and cut up in pieces.


There are just too many draw backs to feeding ground food to a dog.


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## STPFAN (Feb 5, 2009)

RawFedDogs said:


> There are just too many draw backs to feeding ground food to a dog.


Can you elaborate? 

Thanks!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

STPFAN said:


> Can you elaborate?
> 
> Thanks!


Hehe, I can always elaborate on most anything. :smile:

One of the major benefits of eating a raw diet is the dental benefit. Ground foods have no dental benefit. They don't contribute to cleaning of teeth or health of gums.

As a general rule, commercial ground foods contain too much bone. Bone is cheap, therefore plentiful in these foods.

Most commercial premix foods contain too many inappropriate food items such as fruits and veggies.

Generally premix raw foods are way more expensive than what you could buy the ingredients for on your own.

I went to the web page you linked to and could find no nutriitonal information on their product which makes it impossible to know what items are actually in them. They have two products which MIGHT be useful. One is ground organs and the other is the whole meaty bones they sell. I would have to see the bones. I don't see anything on the page which indicates whether the prices are Canadian or US dollars.

With all that said, feeding a premix raw diet is many times superior to feeding kibble. Just not nearly as good as a prey model raw diet.


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## STPFAN (Feb 5, 2009)

RawFedDogs said:


> Hehe, I can always elaborate on most anything. :smile:
> 
> One of the major benefits of eating a raw diet is the dental benefit. Ground foods have no dental benefit. They don't contribute to cleaning of teeth or health of gums.
> 
> ...



I hear you on all points and those points are for most pre-mixed raw!

The company is a small business down the street from me...that how I know its Canadian, as well as the website. (.ca)

Anyway...just to let you know..I called the company and they told me they are 'whole chickens" including organs but minus the feathers and ground!!
The organs are specifically from cow, turkey and lamb and sometimes wild game (moose & deer).

I was only interested in the ground whole chicken and and buy the ground organ separately as I would not feed organs daily but 3x a week. And the "mixed bones" was on the list also!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Well, you asked my opinion and I gave it. :smile: I don't know why you want to feed your dogs ground stuff when they have very good grinders built in.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

RawFedDogs said:


> Well, you asked my opinion and I gave it. :smile: I don't know why you want to feed your dogs ground stuff when they have very good grinders built in.


Haha yeah they do! My dog crunched through pork rib bones like they were nothing this morning. I was quite impressed!


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