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Switching to BARF:

New Year, new you?  As you may be reevaluating your own health regime and nutrition, it may be time to reevalute your pet’s as well.  For instance, if you would like this year to be a healthy year for dog or cat, switching to The BARF Diet is the first step in switching to better nutrition - raw diet. 

In order to make the transition to BARF, some may argue, “Just do it!”  It doesn’t have to be gradual.  Rather, the switch to BARF can be rapid and straightforward (not to mention, hassle-free!).  While your pet may be eating a lot of processed foods at the moment, full of chemicals and additives, switching to a BARF diet full of wholesome organic ingredients will immediately take effect. If you fed your pet kibble or canned pet food this morning, well, if your dog is young and healthy a rapid switch to BARF will limit strain on the gastrointestinal system. 

If, however, your pet is older or has a digestive problem or impaired immune system, a rapid switch to the BARF Diet is not completely recommended.  For instance, if your older pet has been eating kibble all of his or her life, digesting raw food and kibble together in its digestive tract may result in immediate diarrhea or vomiting or both. 

One recommendation for making the switch is having your pet fast for one or two days prior to making the switch.  This will detoxify your pet and will ensure your pet is indeed hungry when its time to dig into the BARF diet!

If you’re among the school of thought to go with a slow switch, one suggestion is offering one meal of the BARF Diet followed by one meal of the old food diet. The concept is to generally wean your pet away from the old type and move towards the new type. If your pet accepts this method and has a strong digestive system, you’re on your way to a smooth transition. 

Another option is to offer both types of food simultaneously; gradually offer less of the old food and offer more of the new food.  Please note, however, some pets may develop a gastrointestinal upset in case they can’t tolerate these two vastly different types of food in their digestive system at the same time.  The third switch is to physically break the old and new food down by combining them together. 

As you decide which method and pace works best for your pet, the ultimate goal is the same in transitioning to the BARF Diet: you’re on your way to providing your dog with the best, most nutritional diet for essential health and well being.  Feel free to shop online - we ship everywhere in the United States!  For more information about the BARF Diet (click here for frequently asked questions) call us at 713-529-0334 or toll-free at 1-877-4RAW-DOG.