Hi everyone! I've recently started a pet blog and I decided to feature the BARF diet and this Squidoo lens on it. Feel free to have a peek and share your experiences over on the blog!

Omidog - a blog for pet owners and animal lovers everywhere.

The BARF diet entry can be found here: Eww...what is the BARF diet?!

Kind of a gross acronym for food, right? But it gets our attention pretty quickly. The B.A.R.F. diet stands for "biologically appropriate raw food", though some people may refer to it as "bones and raw food". What this means is people are feeding their pets raw meats, raw bones, and other raw items, and are saying goodbye to processed kibbles and canned dog foods forever. In this picture, we can see a group of Rottweiler puppies from the Carsal Rottweiler site.

There are thousands of websites that have been created to support this diet, and truly the only 'right' thing to do is what feels right to you. As with any diet change in people, significant diet changes in animals should merit a trip to the vet to discuss your options. If you find that your vet is more traditional and veers away from the BARF diet but you still want to try it, do your research online and get in touch with other people that have made the transition so that you can be informed and sanitary, and so that your pup can be happy and healthy!

This and many other questions are answered on messageboards and helpful BARF websites across the Web, but I thought it'd be helpful to at least include some information on this topic, because I think this is one of the first things that comes into people's minds when they hear about the BARF diet. As people, we're taught not to eat undercooked chicken or rare hamburger, and some people are still skeptical about eating raw fish in sushi (it's delicious, I promise!), so it only makes sense that we'd be concerned at the e. coli and salmonella clearly present in the raw food we'd be feeding our pets.

In actuality, cats and dogs' digestive systems are quite able to handle it. Their bodies are pre-programmed to be able to neutralize any seemingly hazardous bacteria that are found in raw meats. That said, it's still very important for you to wash your hands thoroughly after handling any raw meats, and to clean up any areas in your kitchen where the meat may have touched any surfaces you use like counters, sinks, or tables.

While dogs and cats are able to handle many of the bacteria involved in raw meats, there is still a possibility of harmful parasites or infectious bacteria, so always make sure that the meat you buy is very fresh and not of poor quality. If you have further concerns about these health issues, your vet will be happy to talk to you, or you can search through many forums and articles to help you decide what you'd like to do.

As with any issue about health or nutrition, there are opposing sides. Some people swear by the BARF diet and claim it has made their pets infinitely healthier and happier, with gleaming coats, perfect teeth and a longer, more vivacious lifespan (and no more bad breath!!). Others are skeptical of the merits of the diet and are concerned about malnourishment, spread of disease and bacteria, and other factors.

I've put this lens together to help you be informed and make your own choices, and have tried not to take sides. Rather, you can have a look at the resources here and decide what's right for you! I think anything that you do that takes your pet's health into consideration before anything else is a great outlook to have. Just be sure that you approach it in a way with your pet's best interests in mind, and what's comfortable for you.

Exploring alternatives to commercial pet food is certainly becoming more and more popular since the infamous pet food recalls from a couple of years ago. This means that there is a lot more information being shared about methods to do this, and a lot of it is coming from people trying it out that aren't certified or medically trained. So please do be careful and make sure that you talk to a few different veterinarians, even if you decide to try something different from their suggestions, just to make sure that you get a well-rounded idea of your options.

Good luck and happy (and healthy) eating!

Perhaps you've been reading up on the benefits of raw feeding and are thinking you might like to try it. Or maybe you've heard of people talking about a raw diet for human consumption. WAIT!!

...ok whew! I had to catch you before you went off trying to eat raw chicken legs and gizzards (did you really want to eat those, anyway?) The good news? Yes, there is a raw diet for people, but it's different than the raw diet for animals (as I'm sure you could imagine, but you never know with some people...haha)

As with the BARF diet for pets, there is controversy behind the raw diet for people, but you just have to make sure you've taken all of the aspects into consideration, armed yourself with some great cookbooks (or not cook I suppose, since it's raw!), and be aware of your personal dietary needs in terms of protein, fiber, vitamins and other nutrients that are present in the foods you're currently eating.

I've included some helpful books for you to read more about going raw with your pet in a safe way. I'm actually a long-term tummy sufferer, and have yet to pinpoint what exactly triggers my stomach problems. I'm now seeing a doctor who is going to work with me to isolate some foods and see what works and what doesn't, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if we attempted a raw diet at some point. You can't really go wrong with fresh-from-the-ground veggies, but you do have to make sure you compensate for proteins and other nutrients that you often get from cooked meats or dairy products. If you're a raw diet eater, leave a note and let me know how it's been going for you! I'm interested to learn more about it.