Hi I am new to champdogs so hope I am doing this right!  Does anyone feed Barf diet during pregnancy and have any advice.  I feed my dogs Barf diet but put them back on commercial food when in whelp 'cos I'm not sure they are getting everything that they need.  Thanks for help

Also could anyone tell me where I could easily get hold of the Ian Billinghurst books about the Barf diet.  I have read a friend's copy of one of the books but I am struggling to get hold of copies myself.  Thanks

have you tried amazon for the book ?

Yes I had one of the books on order but in they end they cancelled it and said there was no availability.  I could try again.  Some of the used books were very overpriced.

I have private mailed you.

I fed Barf throughout pregnancy because I had been doing that for about a year before hand, I had researched BARF extensilvely before emabarking onto it's regime.
I reverted back to a commercial dried food during lactation as my bitch had little milk, and pups were small, when I did so, the milk came in and all pups grew beautifully well.
This is just my personal experience and if you read the books, the diet should not be blamed, but I have no other explanation and hence would not BARF feed during pregnancy and lactation again.
Although I fully appreciate that there are many litters where mum and babes are reared on BARF , very successfully.
HTH

Thanks for your reply.  I did research the Barf diet and I have a friend who also feeds it.  My bitches look well, are healthy with lovely shiny coats and are a correct weight.  But I just feel a little nervous taking a bitch through pregnancy on this diet

There should be no reason why your bitch should be fe a raw diet throughout pregnancy and when rearing puppies.
Archer

Sorry Archer I wasn't sure from your message whether you were for or against the Barf diet in pregnancy

Sorry...I feed Barf and could see no problem in doing so while a bitch is in whelp.Many breeders now consider a complete diet to be contributing to the decrease in fertility in dogs
Archer

Fed my in whelp girl through out her pregnancy a raw only diet last yr, she`s been almost raw fed all her life. She went on to have 10 healthy beautiful pups & she fed them just fine :) Then went on to wean her pups onto raw diet :) Healthiest litter I`ve ever had :D

Christine, Spain.

Thanks Christine and congrats on litter.  How do you know how much to feed, how much do you increase her daily amount by and from which week of pregnancy?  Thanks for help

I started increasing her food 6th week of her in whelp. Just a little at first then slowly increased it, she started getting bit fussy about 2wks before pups were due then lot more fussy nearer her time. Stopped eating her veggies & refused fish. I increased amounts of her meals of muscle meat by a third approx.
Think it would help if you joined some of the raw feeding groups & got some of the books :)
In a bit of a rush right now but can put some links for you tonight :)

Christine, Spain.

i keep mine on the same and the pups are also started on it but i do change it a little i put my bitch on burns puppy food as well as her meat and veg, i only use the burns for the extra food that she needs i do this as i like to put the pups on meat, chicken wings and burns.

the only reason i do this is a mot of new owners will not want to carry on feeding raw and if the pups are only used to that they may have trouble getin gthem on any thing eles

Hi Staffie lover Do you feed your pups raw mince with bone? 

yes the chicken mince has born in it and when they go on to the wings they go though the borns as well

ive two staffs and have been told they can have chicken wings is this true ?  i was worried the bones might be hard to digest.

Hi staffymad
Yes it is true but they must be raw.  New give cooked bones.  Don't panic if they go down whole either!! :-)

I feed a raw diet on a permanent basis and the bitches get it right though and the pups are weaned straight onto it.  Cut down on liver during pregnancy but otherwise I feed as normal.