In the raw feeding canine world, the BARF style of raw feeding is 1 of 2 popular ratio diets followed by many pet parents.
BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods and typically includes plant matter & fruits within the diet. Feeding fruits and vegetables to dogs can be a hot topic for some because many believe it is best to try to mimic what wolves feast on in the wild- whole prey or as close to whole prey as you can get (aka the Franken Prey model, but we'll touch on that in my PMR diet post), which means no vegetables and no fruits.
To that I say, good thing I'm not meal prepping for a wolf.
No, but seriously, while it is okay to hold that view and opt to feed what is essentially an "all meat diet" (meat, bones, organs, fur..) void of leafy greens and supple berries, choosing to include nuts, seeds, fruits and/or vegetables within your canine's raw diet is not a "bad thing."
Thanks to the National Research Council (NRC), we know the nutritional requirements of domestic dogs (and cats), thus we are able to provide our fur babies with sufficient amounts of all necessary nutrients within a raw diet. Some nuts and seeds contain high amounts of essential fatty acids or minerals, some vegetables can be a great source of magnesium and added fiber, and safe-to-feed fruits can offer various nutrients as well! Knowing this, why would it ever be considered a "bad thing" to provide your pooch with safe, unprocessed foods that provide bioavailable nutrients which can help meet recommended allowances, set forth by the NRC!?!
What...is it supposed to be a bad thing just because wolves don't go foraging for blueberries and spinach?
Well wolves don't wash their ass with all-natural non-toxic pet-safe shampoo either, but my dog sure does. Should I just stop grooming him altogether too? Because wolves don't go to the groomers every month.
Yes our domestic pooches are closely related to wolves, but wild candids (wolves, coyotes) don't have human handlers to go in and provide them with foods that fill nutrient gaps, instead, they live with nutrient deficiencies because that is their only option. Domestic dogs have us and we are able to supply them with the foods necessary to meet their nutritional requirements (as defined by the NRC).
It is also important to remember, nutrition IS NOT an exact science. It has never been. Not for humans and certainly not for animals. We have RAs from the NRC and nutrient analyses from the USDA (and other countries) that provide us with averages that we can then use as guides when formulating recipes for our pets. Because of this, there will always be multiple roads one can take to arrive at the same final destination- balance.
Because we have access to this information (nutrient analyses of various foods), we are able to see where ratio diets fall short in terms of the NRC's nutrient requirements & recommended allowances. This has led to the understanding that following a strict ratio diet (like the BARF model), leaves several nutrient gaps within your pet's diet! But, no need to panic, there is an easy fix. I have already shared how to fill these nutrient gaps in a previous post, so check that out if you're unsure of what may be missing from your BARF diet: Nutrients Commonly Lacking in Ratio Diets.
Below I have shared a simplified version of the breakdown of the BARF raw feeding diet for adult dogs and puppies! And just to reiterate, feeding these ratios alone, without the addition of whole foods or supplements that help fill nutrient gaps (listed in the link above) means you are not providing balance within a raw diet for your pet.
ADULT DOGS
70% MUSCLE MEAT - Ground Meats, Chuck, Loins, Shoulders, Cheek (typical cuts of meat), Gizzards, Lungs, Tongue, Hearts, Lips, Tendons, Green Tripe, Raw Fat all count.
10% BONE - Bones in Raw Meaty Bones (like Wings, Necks, Heads, Feet, Frames, Tail, Ribs etc), Bone Meal or Calcium Carbonate could be supplemented when RMBs cannot be fed.
When following a ratio diet, you want to factor the meat on your RMBs into your 70% muscle meat portion of the meal! Not sure what percentage of meat there is to bone on your RMBs? Check out my Raw Meaty Bone Percentage Spreadsheet!
7% VEGETABLES - Leafy Greens must be steamed, boiled, puréed raw, fermented raw or simply minced raw before feeding for optimal digestion & nutrient absorption. Starchy Vegetables (like Sweet Potato, Squash, Beets etc) should always be cooked before feeding (boil, bake, or steam, doesn't matter).
5% LIVER - Liver from ruminant animals is highly recommended because they are more nutrient dense & can help meet Vitamin A & Copper recommended allowances!
I'd always opt for beef liver over chicken liver any day!
5% OTHER SECRETING ORGAN - Brains, Testicles, Ovaries, Kidneys, Spleen, Pancreas, Thymus all count.
2% NUTS OR SEEDS - Flax Seeds, Chia Seeds & Hemp Hearts DO NOT need to be soaked prior to feeding; they can be ground down a bit, but because very little is needed to meet any fatty acid recommended allowance, the minimal amount of phytic acid is no cause for concern! When feeding things like Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds etc, be sure to soak them in clean filtered water overnight (or for 24hrs if possible), strain & rinse (to further remove the phytic acid that has been released), then mince or grind before feeding!
Want to know what nutrients some of these seeds & nuts contain to help fill nutrient gaps in a ratio diet? Check out my post- Nutrients Commonly Lacking in Ratio Diets; I also go over the NRC's recommended allowances for those specific nutrients!
**TIP**
When following a ratio diet, for meals heavy in white meats (like chicken) or raw pork fat, feeding chia or flax seeds would be best. This is because Chia & Flax Seeds are high in Alpha-Linolenic Acid, while poultry & pork fat often contain higher amounts of Linoleic Acid.
Meals higher in red meats (like beef or lamb) & minimal poultry or pork fat may tend to be lower in Linoleic Acid, thus benefiting from the addition of Hemp Hearts. This is because Hemp Hearts/Hemp Seeds are high in Linoleic Acid!
This is something I picked up from Ronny (cert. CN), but it didn't make much sense to me the first time around because I don't follow ratio diets when feeding Nolo. Now having spent more and more time trying to educate myself & gain a better understanding of ratio diets, while also now understanding how to balance meals on my own, I see the math for myself, I understand the logic behind her recommendation & so it all makes much more sense now!
1% FRUIT - safe to feed fruits typically don't need any special preparation...
PUPPIES
Descriptions are same as above, the percentages are the only difference!
58% MUSCLE MEAT - Ground Meats, Chuck, Loins, Shoulders, Cheek (typical cuts of meat), Gizzards, Lungs, Tongue, Hearts, Lips, Tendons, Green Tripe, Raw Fat all count.
17% BONE - Bones in Raw Meaty Bones (like Wings, Necks, Heads, Feet, Frames, Tail, Ribs etc), Bone Meal or Calcium Carbonate could be supplemented when RMBs cannot be fed.
7% VEGETABLES - Leafy Greens must be steamed, boiled, puréed raw, fermented raw or simply minced raw before feeding for optimal digestion & nutrient absorption. Starchy Vegetables (like Sweet Potato, Squash, Beets etc) should always be cooked before feeding (boil, bake, or steam, doesn't matter).
7% LIVER - Liver from ruminant animals is highly recommended because they are more nutrient dense & can help meet Vitamin A & Copper recommended allowances!
7% OTHER SECRETING ORGAN - Brains, Testicles, Ovaries, Kidneys, Spleen, Pancreas, Thymus all count.
3% NUTS OR SEEDS - Flax Seeds, Chia Seeds & Hemp Hearts DO NOT need to be soaked prior to feeding; they can be ground down a bit, but because very little is needed to meet any fatty acid recommended allowance, the minimal amount of phytic acid is no cause for concern! When feeding things like Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds etc, be sure to soak them in clean filtered water overnight (or for 24hrs if possible), strain & rinse (to further remove the phytic acid that has been released), then mince or grind before feeding!
1% FRUIT - safe to feed fruits typically don't need any special preparation...
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IMPORTANT NOTES
1. Puppies NEED balance within their meals, DAILY!
Do not try to balance their meals over an extended period of time, like you would for an adult dog.
And do not do a slow transition into raw feeding with puppies! Opinions may vary on this, but I am strongly against slow transitioning for developing puppies because they absolutely NEED all necessary nutrients FROM THE START in order to properly grow & develop!
If you are worried about an allergic reaction to a certain "protein", then opt for meats that are not commonly known to be troublesome for many dogs- if you have access to it, starting with novelty/"exotic" proteins like camel & kangaroo could be a safe starting point as well!
Where you source your meats from & how the animals were raised can also play a HUGE role in how your pet's immune system responds to said meats (we'll chat more about this another time)...
2. When following ratio diets, even when adding whole foods & supplements to fill nutrient gaps, it is imperative you rotate your "proteins" as often as you can. This is to ensure you are offering a wide enough range to supply an adequate amount of necessary nutrients.
Meaning- if possible, it would be fine to switch up the cuts of meat, organs, vegetables, raw meaty bones etc...daily, weekly or bi-weekly.
So if you have access to a ton of variety, say I feed lamb ribs, venison, rabbit chunks, venison liver, beef kidney, chicken breasts (and so on...) today, tomorrow maybe I'll feed some duck necks, pork tenderloin, bison chunks, lamb liver, rabbit kidney (and so on..).
If you are more limited, switch up whatever you are able to, as often as you can.
Example: Today I'm feeding chicken frames, lean ground beef, beef chuck, beef liver, beef kidney, spinach, sweet potatoes (and so on...). The following day (or a few days later or a week later...) I could feed pork ribs, lean ground turkey, pork tenderloin, beef chuck, beef liver, beef kidney, fermented cabbage, squash (and so on...)!
These were just examples to help further illustrate my point and do not represent complete meals.
3. It is best to ensure at least 50% of the meat being fed is "red meat." Red meat is much more nutrient dense than white meat!
4. Things you CANNOT balance over time: water-soluble vitamins!
Excess will always be excreted & not stored within the body.
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We will go over PMR diets in a separate post, so stay tuned for that!
Want to know more about the nutrient breakdown of some commonly fed cuts of meat or organs?
Check out these posts:
In the meantime, you can follow me on instagram @nolorlin for more raw-feeding content & recipes- I post every single week!
xoxo
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