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The below post was initially published on PetPav as a guest post by ME.
When I researched raw feeding, I learned that the two main models are BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) and Prey. After more than two years of feeding raw to my dogs, I’ve found that the main difference between BARF and Prey seemed to be the amount of bone and the vegetables.
BARF Model vs. Prey Model Raw Feeding
BARF Model:
- 60-80% raw meaty bones, which are bones with 50% meat still attached (turkey necks, chicken backs, duck wings, etc.)
- 20-40% fruits, veggies, offal (organ meat), muscle meat, eggs, and/or dairy products
Prey Model:
- 80% muscle meat
- 10% offal (half of the offal is liver)
- 10% bone
Introducing the FrankenBARF Model of Raw Feeding
In April 2013, I transitioned our dogs to a raw diet prepared and delivered by Darwin’s Pet, a local company that ships raw meals nationwide for dogs and cats. Their food includes muscle meat, organ meat, bone, vegetables, fruit, and supplements – all ground (or left whole) together in a yummy dose of healthiness.
Premade raw is the way to go if you can afford it. With four big dogs, we couldn’t continue feeding them 100% premade, so I joined a local raw food co-op and made raw dog food at home. Because our dogs did well on the BARF model, I followed the model at home.
I immediately came up with one problem – I couldn’t find all the ingredients I needed. The grocery store doesn’t have a large variety of muscle and organ meat. I don't live near an Asian supermarket (which tends to have more options). And our butcher is expensive.
So I started piecing together a BARF-ish diet for our dogs that I call Franken-BARF.
The FrankenBARF Model of Raw Feeding
FrankenBARF Model:
- 80% muscle meat (alternated weekly)
- 10% raw meaty bones
- 10% offal and liver (50%/50%)
- additional heart (pork or beef) to cover vitamin B
- fermented vegetables
- eggs for a multivitamin
- raw goat milk, kefir, and fermented fish stock for digestive enzymes and probiotics
- whole sardines for Omega-3 fatty acids
- oysters for zinc
Believe it or not, my model is close to balance, because I make a point of learning about the nutrients my dogs need in their diet. I do focus on balancing over time instead of per meal, which is easier for me, and I add supplements based on my dogs' needs.
Sounds complicated? I thought so too, at first.
When I started making raw dog food at home, I quickly became overwhelmed, because everyone has advice on what you should and shouldn’t feed your dogs. There are plenty of books, YouTube videos, and websites that offer guidance as well. Information overload happened quickly and then a friend advised me to feed my dogs what they need.
Feeding Our Dogs What They Need
After typing that last sentence above, I laughed, because two years ago, I would have responded: “what the hell does that MEAN?”
We have four dogs that have different needs, and I started adjusting their diets to accommodate those needs. I also began paying attention to their poop (yep, gross, but educational) to learn more about what our dogs need. This daily examination helped me determine that two of our dogs have protein allergies (confirmed by our vet) and one of our dogs wasn’t getting enough fish oil.
From there, I made adjustments to their individual meals – and it worked!
Where do the Veggies Fall in Raw Feeding?
Although I believe dogs are carnivores, I also think vegetables have a place in their diet and I feed them to my dogs because…
- They provide nutrients and antioxidants, which help fight cancer.
- They are an excellent source of fiber, which supports a healthy digestive system.
- They help a dog feel fuller faster (great for dogs on a diet).
- They’re a healthy snack, and my dogs love them.
I also go the extra mile and ferment the vegetables to provide a natural probiotic and support the gut, which in turn, helps to promote a stronger immune system.
While some raw feeders believe vegetables are unnecessary fillers meant to save money; I disagree. While they don’t replace ingredients in a balanced raw diet, I believe they can boost a diet, making it healthier.
A FrankenBARF Recipe
To get a better idea of what I feed my dogs, you can check out the Recipes tab above or see the most recent “easy raw dog food recipe” posts below:
- A Quail and Green Tripe Raw Food Recipe My Dogs Love
- 6 Ways Pumpkin Guts Can Boost Your Dog's Health
- DIY Fermented Fish Stock for Dogs
- Easy Raw Dog Food Recipe with Ground Quail
- Easy Raw Dog Food Recipe with Ground Rabbit
If you want to learn more about transitioning your dog to raw dog food, you can check out the following posts:
- 5 Steps to Transition a Dog to Raw Dog Food
- A Simple Plan to Transition a Cat to Raw Cat Food
- Transition a Dog from Kibble to Raw Dog Food
Also, there is a fantastic online course for folks new to raw feeding that takes the pressure off as well: Raw Feeding 101.
Hi Megan…thanks for the question. I spend, on average, about $200/month for food, treats, and supplements. The more I’m learning about raw feeding, the less I spend. I plan to do a video sharing more details so thanks again for the question. I plan to publish the video on my YouTube channel and on Facebook this week.
Hey Kimberly,
I know this is hard to answer but I was wondering what it cost you to feed your 4 dogs on a raw diet. That’s my biggest struggle is trying to figure out what it would cost me to do this before I jump into it. I have a 12yr old german shepherd mix, 5 yr old aussie and a 3 1/2 yr old husky. Is there a rough estimate range you would be able to guess to feed a family of 3 dogs? THanks!
Hi, I also can relay to the feeling of being overwhelmed by this raw feed, but determined to do so. Right now I’m getting Springer Farms chickens at the local grocery store and they are grinding the whole chicken for me then I add limited amount sweet potatoes, sardines and blueberries for now. Our 5 months old mini aussie loves it, However knowing I’m not giving her the organs needed. Hard to find in grocery stores now days and local farmers market is so pricey on them. By the way am yet to give her whole bones as I’m scared to. She has filled out and good weight.
Hi Lesley –
I highly recommend looking into the Raw Feeding 101 course: https://www.keepthetailwagging.com/rawfeeding101 (aff). If you sign up for the course today (1/31) you save on the cost when you use code keepthetailwagging at check out. This is the best way to learn the basics of raw feeding and more. Based on what you said, you should feed your puppy 10% of their current weight of 3% of their estimated adult way – this is every day. So if you’re feeding 3x a day, you would break the daily meal amount into three meals.
At 5 months old my Bernese Mountain Puppy weighs 50 pounds.
Hi. I’m in desperate need of advise. I have a 5 month old Bernese Mountain Puppy that I started on a raw diet one month ago. I’m very confused as to what to include in his diet. I hope I’m giving him enough food. He’s growing rapidly and has an insatiable appetite. I’m giving him 3 pounds of chicken thighs and legs (bones included) ground up daily. He gets 3 meals a day. I add a small amount of ground carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, sometimes butternut squash, sometimes spinach. Twice a week I add a little beef liver or kidney. Each day I add cod liver oil, kelp and ground flax seed. We can’t afford to give him much beef but will add a little when on sale. Should he have anything else?
Hi Jadelyn…
I weigh my dogs’ food instead of adding cups of food. There are raw food calculators online that will help you get started with that – I use this one: http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm
I give my dogs a raw meaty bone most days, but not every day.
Thank you for this post! I’m trying to transition our 3 rescues to a real raw diet but have no idea HOW much to feed at each meal and how many meals per day. We have a 73 pound Chesapeake Bay Retriever mix, a 65 pound Bully mix and a 12 pound Chihuahua. How large should the bones be for each dog? How many cups of the actual evening meal? Should they have a raw meaty bone every day? Sorry for all the questions but I want to make sure I get this right! Thank you so much!
Fantastic, Kasey! As I was reading your comment I was wondering “where does she live if she’s giving meat away,” ha ha ha. You would be a raw feeders best friend.
thank you so much! I have a small farm, where we have chickens, rabbits, a dairy cow that calves every year, and goats. we also trade milk and way to a local pig farmer in trade for a 300 pound butcher hog every spring. We butcher a lot of our own meat and Penny, my 65 pound mixed breed mut (she very pretty, and write smart), gets scraps sometimes. But a lot of the time we have more meet then we can use and end up giving a lot of it away to friends family. I’ve been wondering for a while now if we aren’t wasting the opportunity to give our dog a diet that much healthier for her. I’m going to be trying your model with her, and seeing how she adjusts to it. Thank you so much for putting this up.
FrankenBARF might be my new favorite raw feeding term!