BARF is an acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food

A Biologically Appropriate diet for a dog is one consisting of raw whole foods similar to those eaten by the dogs' wild ancestors. The food must contain such things as muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meats, vegetable and fruit materials combined in precisely the correct balance just as Mother Nature intended.

Some people choose to feed their dogs the BARF (bones and raw food) diet. This diet consists of raw meat, raw bones, and finely ground raw vegetables and fruit. Proponents say the diet retains a high level of nutrients and enzymes, and it keeps dogs healthier. The diet is free of preservatives, and chewing on raw bones gives dogs a vigorous and engaging activity as well as a thorough dental cleaning. (Never feed your dog cooked bones, especially poultry bones, which can splinter and cause internal injury if swallowed.) Some vets believe the BARF diet is a superior diet to commercially prepared dog food; others are not sure the BARF diet is a good idea for pet dogs.

Raw meat is nutritionally superior to cooked meat because it contains a full array of special proteins, live bacteria, and enzymes that are destroyed by heat. These proteins and probiotics are necessary for proper digestion and assimilation of nutrients.

Pros of BARF Diet

• Very Palatable
• Raw bones keep dog's teeth clean
• Free of preservatives and chemical additives
• Rewarding for owner if the dog thrives on the diet

Cons of BARF Diet

• Time consuming to prepare
• Inconvenient
• Dogs can react adversely to bacteria and/or parasites that could be present in raw meat; for this reason, many vets advise against this diet.
• Preparation can be repugnant for some owners, and people must be careful when handling raw meat to avoid harmful bacteria (frozen and dehydrated options are easier and more pleasant to handle)
• Vegetable and fruits must be finely ground to be digestible.
• Frozen and dehydrated options, while easier, can be more expensive and take up more storage space.

If you do decide this is the diet for your dog, here are some tips: Don't give raw Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Beans, Turnip and Cabbage to the dog food diet, they cause intestinal gas, which you should avoid. Sambal, Onions, Peppers, Tomato, Spinach, and Cucumbers are also to be avoided in the dog food; they don't digest very well.

There are eight components or elements that make up a sound nutritional feeding program for your Great Dane. If any one of these elements is neglected or ignored, your dog's diet cannot be described as either sound or balanced. These elements are: protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, owner knowledge, and owner consistency.

• Protein

  Protein provides your Great Dane with the key amino acids that are so necessary for your dogs progression through the formative stages of its life; the continued sustaining of healthy bone and muscle; the body's own repair functions of bone and muscle; the production of infection-fighting antibodies; and the production of needed hormones and enzymes that aid in natural chemical processes within the dogs body.

• Carbohydrates

  Carbohydrates supply fuel for your Great Dane's physical motor. Thoroughly cooked grain and vegetable products, in company with processed starches, provide most of the carbohydrates in premium-quality pet food. Along with fats, carbohydrates are the elements in your Dane's diet that furnish usable energy. Carbohydrates are measured in calories.

• Fats

  The fats in your pet's diet are a more concentrated energy source than carbohydrates, In fact, an amount of fat will provide twice as much usable energy as an equal amount of carbohydrates. The key vitamins A, D, E, and K are delivered by the fats in your Great Dane's meals, and these fat soluble vitamins help develop and maintain healthy skin and coat.

• Vitamins

  While vitamins are certainly needed by your Great Dane for the general functioning of its body, they are one of those good things that easily can be overdone. All the vitamins a dog normally needs are supplied in a regular diet of premium-quality dog food. Unless your veterinarian indicates otherwise, do not add to the vitamin levels of a good food. Not only do additional vitamins generally do no good, but they can actually do harm.

• Minerals

  Minerals are important to the normal functioning of your dog. Calcium and phosphorus are needed to develop and sustain healthy bones, teeth, and muscles. Sodium and potassium help maintain normal levels of canine body fluids and a healthy nervous system. Like vitamins, minerals are not needed in huge amounts in your dog's regular diet; they usually are adequately provided by consistent feeding of a good-quality dog food.

• Water

  This should be a no brainer, but you would be surprised the amount of dogs that suffer from dehydration. Clean, fresh water is vitally important to the health of your Great Dane. Your dog needs lots of good water available at all times. Poor-quality, bacteria or algae-filled water is not going to be drunk in the needed amounts by your pet. Make water a crucial part of your pet's diet as any other. Keep water bowls full, disinfected, and readily available.

• Owner Knowledge

  Feeding a giant dog entails giant responsibilities. Not only do rapidly growing young Danes need different rations from average-sized breeds, but your Great Danes health throughout its life may also largely depend on your knowledge of the food you feed it. Your Dane is totally dependent on you for everything it regularly eats. Your awareness of its nutritional requirements and the food that best meet those needs is a major part, perhaps the key part, of your obligation to your pet.

• Owner Consistency

  Unfortunately, the diet of many dogs in this country is determined by whatever is on sale at the nearest convenience store. Most dogs can survive on such constant variety, but they will not thrive on such a practice. This is especially true of the Great Dane. Find a food that meets the needs of your dog reasonably well, or cook your own food for them, and stick with it.