Health Benefits of Barf Diet for Dogs

The "Barf diet" is 'Biologically Appropriate Raw Food' for the pets like Dogs and Cats. Owners of the Dogs are always looking for the more nutritious and economic diet for their pets. The Barf diet is developed by the Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst and it is the good food option for Dogs. It provides required nutrition to the Dogs to stay healthy and energize. This diet is also referred as the "Bones and Raw Food," "Billinghurst Australian Real Food" and "Born Again Raw Feeders."

The Barf food is proposed to feed the dogs with the food for which they are evolutionary habitual to eat. Dogs are fed with the blend of raw meat, whole or ground meaty bones, few vegetables, animal offal as well as regular kibble in addition to the raw eggs, yogurt, fruit, nutritional supplements and cottage cheese. The Barf diet contains high amount of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids which are derived from the human edible constituents. It is free from additives, preservatives and grain products. Raw foods in the Barf diet include unprocessed amino acids, anti-oxidants and phyto-chemicals. Barf diet is placed on the principle to keep essential living enzymes for the animals which are lacking in the cooked and processed meats.

Benefits of the Barf Diet for Dogs

1. Keeps the teeth healthy:

Plaque is mainly associated with the presence of carbohydrates in the food. The Barf diet does not contain carbohydrates and that is why less dental tarter build up on the teeth. It cleanses teeth naturally by eating raw meaty bones without brushing or visiting to the pet dentist. Barf diet prevents the periodontal diseases because of absence of the grain base. The periodontal disease is linked with the inflammation and loss of the deep supporting structures of teeth.

2. Improves the breath:

The neck, jaw and shoulder muscles of the dog are grown due to ripping and chewing of meaty bones. Hence, it gives improved breath to the dogs. There is no doggie odor on switching the Barf diet.

3. Optimize Immune system:

The Barf diet is rich in many vital nutrients, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and vitamins which strengthen the immune system in dogs. It also decreases the inflammatory conditions and maintains proper functioning of immune system. Significantly, it diminishes the chances of ear infection that is more common in the dogs.

4. Makes the skin healthy:

On starting the feeding of dogs with Barf diet, the disappearance of the skin problems such as hot spots, itching and scratching are observed immediately. It lessens the skin irritation due to food allergy and develops the thick plus shiny coat. Dog owners do not require the using of medicated washes, antibiotics, cortisone shots or cortisone tablets.

5. Give relief from degenerative diseases:

Degenerative conditions in the dogs are minimized with the use of the Barf food. This diet is known to repeal variety of aggravating degenerative diseases. It improves the arthritic situations with the better mobility in the dogs.

6. Enhances digestion and absorption of nutrients:

Living enzymes which are retained in the Barf diet promote the breakdown and absorption of food within digestive track through enhancing the function of the digestive system.

7. Reduces stool/faeces volume and odor:

The fillers are not included in the Barf food and so it is absorbed much faster than the grain fed foods. Due to better digestion, small amount of the waste is eliminated from the body and decrease the volume as well as odor of the stool.

Provides healthy and lean body mass:

The Barf foods lessen the unwanted fats and obesity in the dogs. So, dogs gain adequate muscle mass in addition to increased metabolic rate. These effects can appear readily if the barf diet combines with the normal exercise. Barf diet enhances the activity and life span of dogs.