What is BARF?
BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (or Bones and Raw Food). It is a feeding approach based on raw ingredients: muscle meat, raw meaty bones, organs, vegetables and fruit. The premise is that dogs, as descendants of wolves, are evolutionarily adapted to a raw diet.
Arguments in favour
- Improved digestibility of raw versus cooked proteins for some dogs.
- No artificial preservatives, colours or low-quality by-products found in some cheaper commercial foods.
- Anecdotally reported benefits: shinier coat, fewer digestive issues, better dental health from chewing raw bones.
- Full ingredient transparency and control.
Arguments against — documented risks
- Bacterial risk: raw meat can contain Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, Campylobacter. The dog may carry these without symptoms and transmit them to humans — a particular concern in households with young children, pregnant women, or immunocompromised people.
- Parasite risk: Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis, Trichinella, Neospora can be present in raw meat without visible signs. Freezing (-18°C for at least 3 days) reduces but does not eliminate all risks.
- Nutritional imbalances: most home-prepared BARF diets are deficient in calcium/phosphorus balance, vitamin D, iodine and B vitamins unless professionally formulated. Chronic nutritional deficiencies are not immediately visible.
- Bones: raw bones are safer than cooked (cooked bones splinter), but still carry risks of choking and gastrointestinal injury.
- Cost and logistics: more expensive and time-intensive than quality commercial food.
What the evidence says
Evidence in favour of raw feeding is primarily anecdotal. Available studies are few, methodologically weak, or conducted on small samples. The WSAVA, AVMA and BVA do not recommend raw diets — primarily due to the documented zoonotic risks. This does not mean BARF is necessarily harmful for an individual, well-supplemented dog — it means the risks outweigh the proven benefits at the population level.
If you decide to feed BARF: how to reduce the risks
- Work with a veterinary nutritionist to formulate a properly balanced diet.
- Freeze meat before feeding (-18°C for at least 3 days) to reduce parasite risk.
- Strict hygiene during preparation — dedicated boards and utensils, thorough handwashing after handling.
- Do not feed BARF to growing puppies without professional guidance — the margin for nutritional error is far smaller.
- Regular blood panels to check for deficiencies or excesses.