Question by Minnie: Dog Raw Food Diet/Training Question?
I want to start my beagle on a raw food diet. But, since raw meat is expensive, is it possible to put fruit and maybe some cut up sweet potatoes in with his dry food? He has food allergies and right now he is on EVO salmon & herring dry dog food. He eats it fine. He is a 35lb 9-10 year old beagle. I’m just curious as to what types of produces I can add to his dry food? He also has food and toy aggression towards other dogs and most people he has food aggression with. He only allows me to pet him and take his food while he’s eating. Advice on this would be great because I am hoping to get another dog in the near future, a puppy to be exact. Also, if anyone has an email I can contact them for future questions, that would be great.
Best answer:
Answer by Lizzie
if you get the original book, The B.A.R.F. Diet (B.A.R.F. stands for either “bones and raw food” or “biologically accurate raw food”) book, you will see that you are SUPPOSED to add fruits and vegetables, and the book will tell you how much and which kinds.
Veterinarians are now speaking against raw diets. There is a lot of danger involved in this diet. I have known a dog that died after eating raw chicken (with bones) that a store worker had failed to put a “previously frozen” sticker on. Bones that have been frozen will splinter in the digestive tract. Splintered bones can kill dogs. There is also a huge risk of salmonella poisoning to YOU from handling the raw meat and even just being around a dog fed a raw diet (no more kisses!). Salmonella can kill you and your whole family.
You would be wise to consider ALL of the facts before you go ahead with a raw food diet.
You can probably find the book, The B.A.R.F. Diet, at Dogwise, www.dogwise.com. You might also find it as a used book at Better World Books or E-Bay (both are online). Alibris.com is another place to look.
There is a wonderful book about Asset Guarding behavior, which food related aggression and possession aggressionare parts of, called MINE! It is written by Jean Donaldson. She tells you what to do about it, too.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!