Transitioning to BARF Diet
Transitioning to BARF diet should not worry you because it is a natural food with an optimal composition and extremely enticing aroma and taste for dogs.
A special formula has been designed for dogs transitioning to BARF diet – VON BARF STARTER. Its purpose is to feed dogs of all ages and breeds in the first two to three weeks of transitioning to BARF diet.
VON BARF STARTER differs from VON BARF CLASSIC in a minor change in composition. The amount of ground bone has been reduced to prevent too firm stools. This formula does not contain garlic, as it can cause nausea and vomiting in dogs with internal parasites. Therefore, it is recommended to clean the dog with some parasite control before transitioning to VON BARF CLASSIC, which contains garlic.
During the transition, we do not recommend mixing the food the dog has been eating with raw food. Carnivores have a highly acidic gastric pH, which ensures good digestion of raw meat, bones, and cartilage.
During the adaptation phase, the gastric pH becomes more acidic (dogs eating dehydrated food have a higher-alkaline gastric pH).
The adaptation phase in most dogs lasts only a few days; in rare cases, it may take two to three weeks for the digestive system to fully adapt to raw food.
What if my dog doesn't want to eat raw food?
In very rare cases, dogs may refuse to eat raw food, but it is usually a problem that lasts only a short time – usually until the dog gets hungry.
One day of fasting will certainly stimulate appetite. Fasting is a good way for carnivores to detoxify the body and transition to BARF diet. Fasting is not suitable for old and sick animals, puppies, and pregnant and lactating bitches.
What if my dog vomits after eating?
Vomiting may occur with the transition to a new type of diet, but there is no reason to worry if the dog does not show any other signs of general disturbance. Vomiting for carnivores may not indicate illness. Sometimes, a dog vomits food because the pieces of food it ate were too large, due to excessive food intake, or greedy eating.
To prevent the rapid ingestion of large amounts of food, it is desirable to squeeze smaller amounts of food from the bag so that the dog eats bite by bite (first few days of transitioning to BARF diet).
