hello everyone have mentioned before that i am starting my dogs on the barf diet however one proplem my yorkie lily refuses to touch bones tried beef lamb and chicken wings she just turns her nose up . she does enjoy dried pigs ears and has in the past eaten roasted marrow bones will these be enough to keep her teeth clean or does anyone have any ideas as to how to get her more interested in the raw bones. thanks

Hi tradel

I think the point (or one of them) to the raw bones in the BARF diet is the calcium , other minerals and marrow that they contain. I am sure one of the many people who feed BARF will be along soon and let you know more :)

Melody

hi

i'm no expert on BARF - but i have read on a website that you can grind the bones for pups and small breed dogs, and mix the mixture all together - ie the meat, veg pulp and ground bone, therefore providing the calcium you need. whether you have a grinder to hand is another matter!!!! hope it helps! i used to feed BARF but changed to Burns, I couldn't get it right myself! My cocker wouldn't eat bones either, especially chicken thighs, he looked at me as if I were insane, expecting him to eat it! I used to have to take off all the meat and cut it up real small and then chop the bones small too!! my other two just used to scoff them right down, my GSD pup was really little then too and he had no problem!! I found it too difficult to get right personally, so changed to burns. I was always worried I had all the nutritional balance wrong.

Chicken wings must are quiet big for a yorkie, try and get chicken necks which are smaller and softer. you could also try bashing the wings to break the bone but leave the skin intact. Its definately worth persevering, mine thought I'd gone stark raving mad when I gave them there 1st wing (and there greedy gundogs!). They've been on BARF for about 18 mnths now and after the 1st couple of weeks haven't looked back (except when it comes to veggies).

thanks everyone for all your replies i will keep trying as it is early days yet after everything that i have read aBOUT BARF I AM SURE THIS IS THE WAY TO GO HAVE TRIED VARIOUS COMPLETE FOODS IN THE PAST INCLUDING JWB FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS BUT CERTAIN HEALTH PROBLEMS KEEP CROPPING UP I"LL KEEP YOU ALL POSTED AS TO HOW WE GET ON

Hi Tradel,

I have 2 westies 15 months old bitch and 9 month old dog both fed on raw/barf whatever we all want to call it.

I say food.

Anyway I had my wee bitch for about 3 months before I change her to raw at around 5-6 months old, she had been getting not commercial food but certainly cooked food for a while. I found her harder to change over than my pup who went straight onto raw food at 8 weeks with no problems whatsoever.

I would say she was a bit picky for a good 6 weeks I used to worry she was not getting enough food as she used to take it and bury it in the garden.

She now loves it and wolves it down like the other one. I am 100% happy with the diet.

I am not a fanatic and do it religiously straight from the book but I have my own style which works for me. ( I am not saying it is wrong to do it straight from the book I wished I had the time but it can be over whelming) Mines mostly consists of raw green tripe, chicken wings and carcasses, minced beef very occasionally, liver occasionally, veg 2 times a week, garlic, spinach, evening primrose oil. Both of mine love a carrot or a potato in the garden

Sorry to be long winded but I know most people I have spoken to who have been keen to start worry if they can do it so put it off and it can be easy.

very good luck.

Pam