Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, or ‘BARF’ for short, is a complete and balanced raw diet for cats and dogs which consists of raw meat, offal, raw bones and vegetables - and contains the full complement of essential healthy vitamins, minerals and natural oils they need. What they would eat in the wild - meat, bones, bits of vegetation - is what they are built to consume and digest. Fresh raw food is as close to this natural diet as possible and is therefore easy on their digestive system.
Some of the most obvious benefits to raw feeding include improved digestion, better weight management, healthier skin and coat, better teeth and gums, calmer happier dogs and smaller, less odorous poos that biodegrades quickly.
Is the 80:10:10 model a BARF diet?
The 80:10:10 model refers to the ratio in which meat, organs and bones should be present in the diet so this typically means 80% meat, 10% organ meat and 10% bones.
The 80:10:10 model can be a good place to start when you are thinking about feeding raw for the first time. However, it is felt by many experts to be overly simplistic and there are many other things to consider when it comes to finding the healthiest diet for your dog so they thrive, stay healthy and happy. Some relatively ‘newer’ breeds such as the French Bulldog and Cavapoos are so evolved away from their wolf ancestors, that they may struggle with higher quantities of bones too
Do Poppy’s Picnic’s recipes follow the 80:10:10 model?
When we tried to balance 80:10:10 recipes for our food, we couldn’t get the right vitamins and mineral content so we’ve moved away from this. We've found that the 80:10:10 ratio does not include all the nutrients and vitamins a modern day dog needs, such as Omega 3s, Zinc, Magnesium, Manganese, Iodine, Vitamin E and Vitamin D.
We want to help you feed your four-legged friends quality raw dog food that they have evolved to eat, and help them live happier, healthier lives. Our recipes have been developed by vet and nutritionist, Dr Charlotte Gray MA VetMB (cantab) MRCVS to make sure they are complete and balanced according to the highest FEDIAF nutritional guidelines for pet food standards so you can feed with reassurance. These standards are far more comprehensive and accurate in terms of nutrition than ratio diets. Our food is designed to fit you and your dog’s lifestyle and both our award-winning Mince and Meatballs are suitable for dogs over 8 weeks of age.
We appreciate that the reality of day to day life means that not all of us can or have the time to feed 100% raw. Any fresh raw food is better than none, so even adding a little to a dry or wet food diet will improve your dog’s health and wellbeing.
We all want our dogs to live a long, healthy and happy life. By giving them the best natural food nature can provide, you will be doing your very best to ensure this.
How much should I feed my dog?
How much raw food to feed your dog will depend on their age, weight and activity levels. As a rule, adult dogs being fed a raw-only diet need 2-3% of their body weight every day in food. For example, a dog weighing 10 kg should be fed between 200-300g per day.
Click here to fill out some details about your dogs and have the paw-rithmetic done for you, or alternatively contact our friendly VIP (Very Important Paws) Team who will happily help at 01380716599 or woof@poppyspicnic.co.uk.
You can read more about the 80:10:10 model in this article.
All Poppy's Picnic raw dog and cat food recipes are complete and balanced to FEDIAF guideline. We use fresh, high quality ingredients that are suitable for human consumption and can be stored in your fridge for 4 days.
