BARFing significantly changes the bowel movements of dogs compared to other forms of nutrition. Especially if you have not previously fed your dog BARF, you will notice a significant change after a few weeks: the amount of stool will generally be significantly reduced compared to the previous volume. We will explain why this is the case in this article.
BARF reduces bowel movements
A well-known saying can be applied very well to the topic of BARF and bowel movements: "We are what we eat". This applies to the supply of the important nutrients that a dog needs, as well as to what is left over at the end. And with BARF, there is often considerably less of it than with other forms of feeding. The reason for this is simple: BARF food contains none or considerably fewer of the elements that are often added to dry or wet food as "fillers" and that artificially increase the volume or weight without contributing to the nutrient content. First and foremost is grain , which is considerably cheaper to obtain and process than high-quality meat or vegetables.
BARF dog food, on the other hand, never or only very rarely contains grain, and for good reason: grain is difficult for dogs to digest and the carbohydrates it contains are not needed by the dog. At most, grain would be appropriate as a short energy boost for very active animals - otherwise, in the worst case, grain is more of a fattening agent than a healthy supplement for the dog. The fillers contained in dry or wet food are pushed through the digestive tract largely undigested and end up in the feces, which increases the total amount of stool. With BARF, on the other hand, a larger part of the food is digested, and stool production decreases accordingly.
Bowel movements as a sign of transition
If your dog is currently switching to BARF, you can see very clearly from its stool how it is accepting the new diet. If the dog was previously used to dry or wet food, it can take some time for the body to adjust to the change and get the most out of the food. It may even lead to diarrhea , but this is completely normal during the diet change phase. You should only visit your trusted veterinarian if the diarrhea persists for several days.
In general, it can take up to four weeks for your dog's gastrointestinal tract to fully accept the change to BARF meat , vegetables, etc. During this period, you can lightly steam or fry the food if necessary - with the exception of items with bones, as bones become brittle and therefore dangerous when heated - to help with this process. You can also try out different types of meat to find your animal friend's favorites.
In the BARF shop at haustierkost.de you will find a large selection of all the items you need for BARF. In the BARF calculator you can also see the right quantities for your dog.
