Customer Reviews

The Barf Diet (Raw Feeding for Dogs and Cats Using Evolutionary Principles)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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I adopted my dog after she had major hip surgery removing 2 inches of her leg bone. I wanted to put her on the healthiest diet possible and was turned on to the BARF diet. It works!!! Some vets are very shy about this diet but this is a dog's natural diet - how can it be wrong! (Except possible for tiny over-bred dogs). My dogs leg healed in no time at all, her muscle tone is great and you would never know she had 2 inches of her leg missing. Her coat is silky soft and she has had no health issues. I am tired of my dogs dying from cancer, or suffering hip dysplasia and arthristis. I've turned my whole block onto this diet and my butcher has a whole new group of customers.

this is not the end all, be all of BARF books, but it's an essential addition to your library if you have any interest in dog/cat nutrition. We have been feeding our dogs and cat a raw diet for the last 4-5 months and I couldn't be happier. Recently we lost our oldest dog (11yo/90lbs), and I am convinced this diet gave her 4 more months of happy, comfortable life. In march she began having issues with her kidneys. the vet's were at a loss, and we tried several different varietes of commercial food trying to control it. nothing worked...except BARF. Within a month of being on it everything went back to normal. My vet is not a fan of this diet (many aren't), but when he saw the lab results he couldn't agrue it wasn't working. Really up until the day she passed she was a happy, active dog, and I am so thankful we had the extra time with her. I'm not going to lie though; this diet is not cheap unless you have very good sources of "raw meaty bones". when we first started we were totally dependent on our grocery store for them, and it was costing us at least $12-15 a week, but now that we have found a BARF co-op in our area we save a lot of money (we spend about $30 a month), so it's just as cost effective as feeding Canidae or Innova (what we were feeding before the switch).

Serving BARF diet to your dog is NOT for everyone. It requires a fair amount of research and a mentor to guide you through the trial/error phase of feeding your dog this way. This book is the primer to making or considering a switch to this type of diet. However, I would recommend that anyone interested in this type of feeding regimine thoroughly investigate the many books Amazon.com has available on this type of diet.

A MUST HAVE for all raw feeders or those thinking of switching from the poisoning kibble.. Everyone should read this and IF you care for your pets you will never feed kibble again..
Go Ian Billinghurst!!

I can recall a handful of books in my life that were so impactful that they not only altered major life decisions but actually changed my views and outlooks to the point of altering my entire life's path. One of those life changing books, for me, was "The BARF Diet" by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, a veterinary surgeon. The bad news is that I read this book after I had to put one of my dogs down with a severe bout of cancer. The good news is I read this book just in time to save one of my current dogs from a debilitating knee surgery. Focusing on the good here, I am increasingly amazed at the benefits of the BARF diet and the illness and problems it continues to prevent and reverse.

Service on getting this book was great.

The content of the book was exactly what I expected. Gives you all the informaiton you need to keep your dog on a healthy diet.

I'm not a big fan on how this book was written, but it is LOADED with information on how to give your dogs/cats a more "natural" diet. For those who still don't question the food your vet gives you, take a look at those kibble ingredients and read Ann Martin's Food Pets Die For, then maybe you too will consider switching to a raw diet.

"Animal by-products which may include materials from animals which died by means other than
slaughter are explicitly defined as adulterated unless the materials are rendered in compliance
with animal health and protein product regulations to destroy any potential microorganisms which
may be in the products. The processes used are deemed to be adequate to control risk of
disease." [...]

Sick animals, shelter animals, roadkill...do you want THAT in your pet's food??
Yes the bacteria may be destroyed, but the chemical used to euthanize is not.

This is the bible of raw dog feeding and most experts would say its a great 1st book for those interested in raw feeding. My dog has never been healthier since I switched him onto the diet plan shown in this book. Every dog is different but with a little tweaking this diet is alot easier than you would think and the money saved from Vet bills alone should help with the cost. My first recommendation for those doing this is to look for sales!! Look for sales on meat especially and buy big quantities when its on sale! A big food processor is also a help! Good luck!

Okay, first I have to say there are a few reviews here you can completely disregard as nonsense. First, dogs of all ages can be on a raw diet. Age has nothing to do with it, but health concerns might. So always talk with your vet before switching, but be aware that not all vets are up-to-date on the benefits of a raw diet. Some still have an unwarranted aversion to raw chicken bones (it's COOKED bones that will splinter and choke a dog), and many vets sell dog food in their clinics, so have a conflict of interest.

Second, not ALL kibble (dry dog food) is bad for your dog. Yes, most of it is garbage, the equivalent of feeding your dog fast food every day, BUT . . . there are some wonderful dry dog food brands out there (Acana, Orijen, Taste of the Wild, just to name three). So just know that you have options if you or your dog simply don't go for raw.

Now, having said all that, raw is the best way to feed your dog if you have the time, inclination, and most important, a dog who enjoys it. Believe it or not, not all dogs like raw. Most do, but you might have that rare one who doesn't, and that's okay. Again, there are some really good premium dog foods out there, so know you have options.

And finally, my actual review of this book - it's GREAT! It's a wonderful primer on the basics of feeding a raw diet. It's not the only book on this subject in my library, but it is one of the most valuable and you absolutely cannot go wrong if you are new to BARF by buying this book. It will get you off to a great start and give you valuable information on feeding your dog the BARF way.

My purchase arrived in perfect condition as stated in ad and shipped promptly. Thank you very much!