A Guide to BARF Feeding
Creating Balanced Raw Meals: A Guide to BARF Feeding
Feeding your pet a nutritionally complete raw diet is essential for their health and well-being. For the sake of convenience, many owners prefer to buy pre-made mixes that already contain all the ingredients of a balanced meal. Others, however, choose to create their own BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) meals. Below is a guide on how to formulate balanced raw meals according to the BARF method.
Understanding BARF Ratios
A well-balanced BARF meal includes the following ingredients in the right proportions:
For Dogs:
- Muscle Meat: 70-80%
- Meaty Bones: 10-15%
- Liver: 5%
- Other Organs: 5%
- Vegetables & Fruits (Optional): 5-10%
For Cats:
- Muscle Meat: 84%
- Meaty Bones: 6%
- Liver: 5%
- Other Organs: 5%
Cats, as obligate carnivores, do not require vegetables or fruits in their diet.
Muscle Meat
Muscle meat provides protein, essential amino acids, and energy your pet needs. Variety is key – it is ideal to feed your dog at least 5 different animal sources of per a 3-month period, alternating between such sources as:
- Beef
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Other (pork, wild game, poultry, horse, etc.)
Raw Meaty Bones
Raw meaty bones are a source of calcium, phosphorus and other nutrients, as well as serving as a natural toothbrush. Not all bones, however, are safe for pet consumption, and it is important to know which bones are appropriate for which size of dog.
Cats and small breed dogs require less dense bones which allow them to properly crush and digest the item without causing damage:
- Chicken wing and neck
- Duck feet
- Whole quail
- Rabbit
Medium breed dogs can be fed the same kinds of bones appropriate for small breeds plus some others:
- Chicken wing, neck, feet, and back
- Duck wing, neck and feet
- Pork tail
- Whole quail
- Rabbit
Large breed dogs require larger cuts to prevent choking. Smaller bones can be fed to dogs who do not have tendencies to gulp.
- Chicken back
- Turkey neck
- Duck carcass
- Pork trotter
- Lamb ribs
Organ Meats
Liver and other organs are densely packed with just about every nutrient your dog needs. They are particularly rich in vitamins A, D, B, copper, and essential fatty acids.
- Liver (beef, chicken, or lamb) – should be about 5% of the total diet
- Kidney
- Spleen
- Pancreas
- Hearts (technically a muscle but nutritionally rich like organs)
Check out our selection of BARF ingredients for dogs and cats.
Vegetables and Fruits: Fiber and Phytonutrients
Although dogs do not require vegetables and fruits for essential nutrients, adding them to raw diets provides extra vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber that help fill any nutritional holes in the diet. Since dogs lack the jaw structure to grind plant matter and the salivary enzymes to begin carbohydrate digestion in the mouth, all vegetables must be pureed, fermented, steamed or boiled for optimal digestion and nutrient absorption. Good plant options:
- Leafy greens (kale, spinach)
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Squash
- Berries (blueberries, cranberries)
- Apples (no seeds)
Check out our selection of specially-prepared vegetable and fruit products.
Nutritional Supplements
While adding supplements to complete and balanced raw meals is not essential, they can enhance your pet’s diet and are often found in pre-made mixes. Some of the most beneficial supplements include:
- Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3 & Omega-6): Found in fish oil these support skin health, coat quality, joint function, and cognitive well-being.
- Probiotics: Help promote a healthy gut microbiome, aid digestion, and support immune function.
- Brewer’s Yeast: A natural source of B vitamins and antioxidants, beneficial for skin, coat, and overall vitality.
Check out our selection of nutritional supplements.