FAQ

BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, as well as for its simple practical definition: Bones and Raw Feeding.

Your dog is a descendent of the wolf. Despite being domesticated more than 18,000 years ago, dogs are carnivores with digestive systems ill-equipped for processed foods.

If you’re reading this, your dog may well have been raised on cereal-based kibble. Commercial dog food contains generous lashings of salt and preservatives, plus additives to help make it look like meat, or worse, like Fruit-Loops,

BARF brings sanity to preparing and serving raw food. Transitioning to this ideal diet is not at all daunting, especially when it’s so readily available online from Happy Paws Pet Food!

As a guide, the recommended amount of raw food is equal to between 2–3% of your dog’s ideal adult body weight. Overweight dogs could benefit from reduced intake. Some dogs, such as those  with high energy levels, quicker metabolisms, etc, may need larger servings.

Regular bones from the butcher and ‘recreational bones’ are generally larger, weight-bearing bones — beef marrow bones, femurs, knuckle bones, and the like. Dogs will chew on them but will be unable to eat the whole bones.

While they’re great for keeping a dog occupied, over time these bones could also damage teeth.

Raw Meaty Bones, on the other hand, are chewable. Dogs can easily eat these bones from chicken carcasses/backs/necks/wings, lamb necks, turkey necks, lamb brisket, beef brisket, etc.

Raw food contains plenty of water, so there’s no need for concern. When it comes to digesting raw food, all the moisture needed is in the food!

Dogs have very different digestion systems from us. Food moves through a dog's system much more quickly and they can tolerate a level of bacterial contamination that we could not. When handling Raw Pet Food, you need to follow sensible hygiene precautions for your own sake.

Yes. It’s completely normal for a dog on the BARF diet to poop less and for their poop to be white. Your dog is eating and digesting food that is being properly utilised by its body. This results in less waste. Straining a little to poop helps express the dog’s anal glands, which would otherwise need to be done at the vet’s. The poop’s pale colour can be attributed to the raw meaty bones.

Yes. Your dog's body will adjust to its new food and you’ll then find trips to the vet will be less frequent. Here’s why… your dog’s immune system, no longer burdened by toxins from processed food, will be greatly improved. Many common ailments that would otherwise need a vet, will be gone — dry itchy skin, allergies, skeletal problems, teeth cleaning, flea remedies, and more.

At its ideal weight, your dog will appear well-proportioned. You’ll see its waist-line clearly defined above its hind quarters. You can easily feel your dog’s ribs, spine and hips with your hands, even though those bones are not visually conspicuous.

It’s likely your dog is overweight if its body appears oval-shaped.You may not see a waist at all. Its ribs will be hidden beneath fat. Neither the ribs, spine or hips are easily visible or felt.

Your dog is underweight if its ribs, spine, hips and waist are conspicuously visible.

This body assessment is not the only clue. When a dog is overweight, everyday activities are also impacted. For example, an overweight dog will often struggle to stand after sitting or lying. It might wheeze while breathing, or constantly pant.

Overweight dogs can have their lifespan shortened by 10 months compared to ideal-weight dogs, according to a study by the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition.

RSPCA research reveals that 33.5% of dogs are overweight, with vets reporting that 8% of pet dogs are obese.

Research also reveals that overweight dogs are far more likely to suffer chronic diseases, such as osteoarthritis.