What’s the difference between PREY MODEL and BARF diets?
October 21st, 2009 | by Diet Advisor |
. asked:
I’ve read on here that BARF incorporates too much veggies, and Prey Model is more of what a dog would eat in the wild.
I’ve read on here that BARF incorporates too much veggies, and Prey Model is more of what a dog would eat in the wild.
Which is better? Why?
Caffeinated Content for WordPress
5 Responses to “What’s the difference between PREY MODEL and BARF diets?”
By Prince Aussie Shepherd on Oct 23, 2009 | Reply
Caffeinated Content
I prefer BARF as dogs DO need vegetables in their diets since they aren’t strictly carnivores
By Tulip on Oct 26, 2009 | Reply
Caffeinated Content for WordPress
Feeding Basics
The Dangers of a Raw Meat Diet
Myths about proper diets for our dogs and cats seem always to be with us. Some of these myths may have a grain of truth, but this truth is often greatly exaggerated or misapplied. Other myths are nurtured by misinformation and mistrust.
One myth that could be threatening to our pets’ health involves raw meat diets for dogs. The proponents of this belief question the wholesomeness and nutritional value of commercial pet foods. But in fact there is no scientific substantiation for raw meat diets. Indeed, there are several known drawbacks:
Although meat is a source of protein, it has very low levels of calcium, a mineral our pets require for proper bone and tooth development. Calcium also plays an important role in blood clotting, muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses. But simply supplementing with calcium won’t work. Mineral nutrients are interrelated. Calcium and phosphorus have a scientifically established relationship in the formation of bones and teeth, provided a proper balance is maintained. This balance is usually not present in meat. If large quantities of raw meat are fed over time, skeletal problems may develop.
Liver is often thought of as a healthy meat because it has a high level of Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored by the body. And for humans who eat other things as well, it can be healthy. But when liver is fed to pets in excessive quantities over a period of time, Vitamin A toxicity can result. This can lead to improper bone development, lameness and bone decalcification.
Raw meat carries the threat of bacteria and parasites, including salmonella. The risk of salmonellosis is always present when pets are fed raw meat diets. Certain species of tapeworm can be found in raw meat and passed on to a pet who ingests the meat.
Raw meat diets do not replicate the diets of dogs in the wild. While it’s true that dogs consume muscle meat when they eat wild animals for survival, they also consume the bones, intestinal contents and internal organs, which come closer to providing a complete and balanced diet. Wild dogs are also known to eat grasses and other vegetable matter.
The truth is that good quality pet foods are backed by years of canine nutrition studies. They are the result of scientific studies by researchers in veterinary colleges and animal nutritionists in Animal Science programs and at reputable pet food manufacturers. They are also carefully processed to protect against salmonella or internal parasite infection.
When people eat, they combine meat with vegetables, fruits, breads and other foods to give them the balanced nutrition they need. If we were to eat one particular food consistently, chances are we would become malnourished or develop health problems. No single food or food group can provide all the nutrients we need in proper proportions.
Manufacturers of good quality pet foods follow the same philosophy, incorporating all the nutrients a dog needs during a particular lifestage into nutritionally complete and balanced diets
Natural does NOT mean safe!
By Joh on Oct 27, 2009 | Reply
Caffeinated Content for WordPress
The term BARF was originally used to describe Bones And Raw Food but was taken over by the ‘dogs are omnivores’ movement lead by Ian Billinghurst. Most raw feeders now use the the raw feeding or Raw Meaty Bones to describe how they feed their dogs and to differentiate themselves from BARFers.
The Prey, or more correctly Frankenprey, Model is used to describe providing as close to whole carcasses as possible. This means raw meat, meaty bones and offal from a wide variety of sources. If you have access to whole animals such as rabbits or game birds then fantastic but most of us in suburbia don’t have this option.
**The post above demonstrates the scare tactics and misinformation used by pet food manufacturers. It is bad enough that that damned company puts unwanted ads over my screen without promoting mistruths as well!!!
A raw feeder does NOT feed just meat - they feed meat, bones and offal. To claim otherwise is both ignorant and malicious. The natural calcium from edible bones is much more accesible than other sources and it is the added or supplemented calcium that results in growth disorders NOT that from bones.
Liver is just one organ that is fed and it is common knowledge amongst rawfeeders that it should not make up more than 5% of the total diet. The reason for this is that vitamin A is fat soluble and therefore stored in the body.
37% of ALL dogs regardless of diet pass salmonella in their faeces. This DOES NOT mean they are ill but that their gut is doing what it is designed to do. Salmonella does not cause any problems for a healthy dog as it ‘passes through’ untouched. If you are worried about this do not eat or play with your dog’s ****.
Manufactured food, both for human and animal consumption, is often recalled due to bacterial contamination so this argument doesn’t cut it.
What ‘people eat’ has nothing to do with what a dog needs!! Two entirely different species and physiological design. Dogs are not people!!
Nothing eats a balanced diet for every meal!! The idea is to achieve balance over the course of a week or so.
By chenneoue on Oct 30, 2009 | Reply
Caffeinated Content
From my understanding on things…
BARF= too much bone, which requires veggies to compensate (they become constipated otherwise because of the excessive bone). As well as the believe that dogs need veggies… I don’t think a few are bad here and there mind you, but I don’t think they need to be fed them either (at least that much).
RAW/Prey Model = Diet made to resemble that of a wild animal’s diet. Granted (we) tend to feed things that they may never have eaten in the wild, but we try to get the % in the right amount. As in 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ (where as BARFers would probably have a higher percentage in the bone area).
Personally, I don’t think either as perfect as it is impossible to give a perfect balanced diet. But you can try! I would be for BARF, but I think the amounts are wrong, though the idea is right… for the health of the animal! I just prefer Prey Model, it makes sense to me.
I would prefer to follow the example of Nature, it has been around a lot longer. : Thus again why I feed prey model.
EDIT: LOL just had to add a comment on the Nature does not mean safe thing… The same goes for man made.
By ξ Bindi § on Oct 31, 2009 | Reply
Caffeinated Content
Dogs HAVE been classed as carnivores. So I’d go with a raw diet, no or extremely little veggies.
The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term encompasses both feral and pet varieties and is also sometimes used to describe wild canids of other subspecies or species. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history, as well as being a food source in some cultures. There are estimated to be 400 million dogs in the world.[1]
The dog has developed into hundreds of varied breeds. Height measured to the withers ranges from a few inches in the Chihuahua to a few feet in the Irish Wolfhound; color varies from white through grays (usually called blue) to black, and browns from light (tan) to dark (red or chocolate) in a wide variation of patterns; and, coats can be very short to many centimeters long, from coarse hair to something akin to wool, straight or curly, or smooth.[2]
The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: /kɑrˈnɪvərə/ or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/; from Latin carō (stem carn-) flesh, + vorāre to devour) includes over 260 species of placental mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word carnivore (often popularly applied to members of this group) can refer to any meat-eating animal. Carnivorans are the most diverse in size of any mammalian order, ranging from the Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis), at as little as 25 grams and 11 cm (4.3 in), to the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) which can weigh up to 1000 kg (2200 lb) and the Brown Bear at up to 1140 kg (2500 lb), to the Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina) whose adult males weigh up to 5000 kg (11,000 lb) and measure up to 6.9 m (22.5 ft) in length.
The first carnivoran was a carnivore, and nearly all carnivorans today primarily eat meat. Some, such as cats, pinnipeds, and weasels, are almost completely carnivorous. Others, such as bears, are more omnivorous, although the Polar Bear is predominantly carnivorous, with 90% of its diet consisting of seals.[1][2] The Giant Panda is almost exclusively an herbivore but occasionally eats fish, eggs and insects.
Carnivorans have teeth and claws adapted for catching and eating other animals. Their eyes point forward. Many carnivorans hunt in packs and are social animals.
Carnivorans apparently evolved in North America out of members of the family Miacidae (miacids) c 42 million years ago. They soon split into cat-like and dog-like forms (feliformia and caniformia).
Carnivorans are primarily terrestrial and usually have strong sharp claws, with never less than four toes to each foot, and well-developed prominent canine teeth and cheek teeth (premolars and molars) that generally have cutting edges. The last premolar of the upper jaw and first molar of the lower are termed the carnassials or sectorial teeth. These are blade-like teeth that occlude (close) with a scissor-like action for shearing and shredding meat. Carnassials are most highly developed in the Felidae and the least developed in the Ursidae. Carnivorans have six incisors and two conical canines in each jaw. The only two exceptions to this are the Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris), which has four incisors in the lower jaw, and the Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus), which has four incisors in the upper jaw. The number of molars and premolars is variable between carnivoran species, but all teeth are deeply rooted and are diphyodont. Incisors are retained by carnivorans and the third incisor is commonly large and sharp (canine-like). Carnivorans have either four or five digits on each foot, with the first digit on the forepaws, also known as the dew claw, being vestigial in most species and absent in some.
The Canoidea superfamily – Canidae (dogs), Mephitidae (skunks and stink badgers) Mustelidae (weasels), Procyonidae (raccoons), Ursidae (bears), Otariidae (eared seals), Odobenidae (Walrus), and Phocidae (earless seals) (the last three families formally classified in the suborder Pinnipedia) and the extinct family Amphicyonidae (bear-dogs) - are characterized by having a non-chambered or partially chambered auditory bullae, non-retractable claws, and well-developed baculum. Most species are rather simply colored, lacking the flashy spotted or rosetted coats of like many species of felids and viverrids have. This is because Canoidea tend to range in the temperate and subarctic biomes, although Mustelidae and Procyonidae have a few tropical species. Most are terrestrial, although a few species, like procyonids, are arboreal. All families except the Canidae and a few species of Mustelidae are plantigrade. Diet is varied and most tend to be omnivorous to some degree and thus the carnassial teeth are less specialized. Canoidea have more premolars and molars in an elongated skull.
The Feloidea superfamily – Felidae (cats), Herpestidae (mongooses), Hyaenidae (hyenas), Viverridae (civets), and Eupleridae (Malagasy carnivores), as well as the extinct family Nimravidae (paleofelids) – often have spotted, rosetted or striped coats, and tend to be more brilliantly colored than their Canoidean counterparts. This is due to the fact that these species tend to range in tropical habitats, although a few species do inhabit temperate and subarctic habitats. Many are arboreal or semi-arboreal, and the majority are digitigrade. Diet tends to be more strictly carnivorous, especially in the Felidae family. They have fewer teeth and shorter skulls, with much more specialized carnassials meant for shearing meat. Felidae claws are retractile. The terminal phalange with the claw attached folds back in the fore-foot into a sheath by the outer side of the middle phalange of the digit, and is retained in this position when at rest by a strong elastic ligament. In the hind-foot the terminal joint or phalange is retracted on to the top, and not the side of the middle phalange. Deep flexor muscles straighten the terminal phalanges so that the claws protrude from their sheath, and the soft velvety paw becomes suddenly converted into a formidable weapon of offence. The habitual retraction of the claws preserves their points from wear.
The Pinnipedia superfamily (walruses, seals, and sea lions) are medium to large (to 6.5 m) aquatic mammals. Pinnipeds are marine Carnivora and therefore need to have a relatively large body to retain heat. They need a low surface area to body mass ratio to minimize heat loss due to conduction because water conducts heat well. The body is usually insulated with a thick layer of fat called blubber and usually covered with hair. The digits are not separate, but connected by a thick web that forms flippers for swimming; thus the forelimbs and hindlimbs are transformed into paddles. This enables them to dive at extreme depths (600 meters for the Weddell Seal) and they can remain underwater for long periods of time, sometimes over an hour or more, but most dives are usually short. The ****** region of skull is relatively small, with pinnae very small or lacking and the vibrissae is well developed. The molariform teeth are mostly homodont and the canines are well developed. The tail is very short or absent, the ears are small or absent as well, and the external ********* are hidden in slits or depressions in the body.
[edit] Skull structure
Members of Carnivora have a characteristic skull shape with relatively large brains encased in a heavy skull. The skull has a highly developed zygomatic arch just behind the maxilla (common to all mammals and their cynodont forebears), and they have ossified external auditory bullae. Feloidea have a two-chambered auditory bullae. In addition to allowing extra room for the passage of muscles to work the lower jaw, the zygomatic arch also allows for differentiation of separate muscle groups to be involved in biting and chewing. Masseters attach from the dentary (specifically, the masseteric fossa) to the zygomatic arch and onto the maxilla in front of the arch, providing crushing force. The temporalis attaches from the dentary (specifically, the coronoid process) to the side of the braincase, providing torque about the axis of jaw articulation. In comparing the skulls of carnivores and herbivores, it can be seen that the shearing force of the temporalis is somewhat more important to carnivores, which have more room on the braincase (this is not unrelated to carnivoran intelligence) and commonly develop a sagittal crest (running from posterior to anterior on the skull) providing yet additional room for temporalis attachment. Carnivoran jaws can only move on a vertical axis, in an up-and-down motion, and cannot move from side-to-side. The jaw joint in carnivores tends to lie within the plane of tooth occlusion; an arrangement that further emphasizes shearing (as in a pair of scissors). In herbivores, the crushing force of the masseters is relatively more important than is shearing. The jaw joint is generally well above the plane of tooth occlusion, allowing extra room for masseteric attachment on the dentary and causing the rotation of the lower jaw to be translated into straight-ahead crushing force between the teeth of the upper and lower jaws.
[edit] Physiology
Carnivora have a simple stomach designed to digest primarily meat, as compared to the elaborate digestive systems of herbivorous animals which are necessary to break down tough, complex plant fibers. The caecum is either absent or short and simple, and the colon is not sacculated or much wider than the small intestine. Most species of Carnivora are, to some degree, omnivorous, except the Felidae, which are obligate carnivores. Most have highly-developed senses, especially vision and hearing, and often a highly acute sense of smell in many species, such as in the Canoidea. They are excel