| >> Pet owners lining up to get in on a raw deal |
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CASPER - Dogs don't have the ability to share their dreams. Sometimes they lie there, yipping softly with feet churning. We assume they are dreaming of the hunt. "Look
Daddy," children have been heard to say, "Rover's chasing
rabbits." The truth is Rover may be deep in a hunting fantasy,
but he's not chasing rabbits for you. This old dog is probably
running with the pack - and eating BARF. Raw-food diets are a growing trend among pet owners, and BARF is one of the more popular versions. Rob Mueller, who markets commercial raw foods as co-owner of BARFWorld.com, said the theory behind the diet stems from observations by Australian veterinarian Dr. Ian Billinghurst. As a practicing vet, Billinghurst observed that dogs fed processed foods had more visits to his office than those with raw diets. He theorized because dogs are hunters, and evolved on a diet that includes raw meat, offal and bones, modern foods were failing to provide proper nutrition. Billinghurst eventually authored three books on the subject. "The more he experimented with it, the more he realized processed foods were causing most of the degenerative conditions that were existing in the animals he was treating," Mueller said. There are many facets to the BARF philosophy, but two stand out. First, the main ingredient in many dried foods is grain, particularly corn, which is mostly empty calories for dogs. And dried food components are cooked, which destroys enzymes and other "life-enhancing factors" that promote health. Veterinarian Dr. T.J. Dunn said he made the same observations in his northern Wisconsin practice, which is why he feeds raw foods to his dogs, and recommends the diet to clients. "The fatty acids and fat in a lot of these commercial dog foods have been degraded by cooking," Dunn said. "In raw foods, the dogs are getting good quality protein, and fat with it. The fat is a big deal, too." Mueller said sporting dogs in particular benefit from a raw diet. Retrievers, pointers and other field dogs are a hardworking bunch, and Mueller says they have more endurance on a BARF diet. Local pet owner Jack Nokes said he was introduced to BARF several months ago by a college friend who raises show dogs. Nokes now feeds each of his three dogs raw chicken each day, with ribs and other meats mixed in for variety. Nokes and his wife, Margo, have noticed marked improvements in their dog's health. "Simba's lost a bunch of weight and he's more active than he's been for 5 or 6 years," he said. "Margo thinks their coats are a lot better. . . . And the dogs love the diet. Raw meat is right up their alley. They think they're in heaven."
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