A raw food diet comes with loads of benefits.
A raw diet supports coat and skin wellness while delighting your dog’s instincts.
But is BARF a healthy raw diet for Frenchies? Read on.
What is a Raw Diet?
Raw dog food, also known as BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), is intended to replicate the diet of prehistoric dogs. It’s made up of uncooked ingredients. Before domestication, dogs relied on a raw diet.
BARF Diet Meaning
BARF is a common raw recipe for Frenchies. It is a general term that stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. It can also stand for Bones And Raw Food.
What foods does the BARF diet have?
Weight, age, and activity levels determine the BARF percentages in dogs. Here’s a guide to the BARF ingredient percentages for adult Frenchies:
| Ingredients | Percentage |
| Muscle meat | 70% |
| Raw, edible bones | 10% |
| Veggies | 7% |
| Organ meat | 5% |
| Liver | 5% |
| Fruits | 3% |
Benefits and Research of a Raw Food Diet
A raw, or BARF, diet has nutritional and health benefits for your Frenchie
- Improved skin wellness
- Better digestion
- Improved immunity
- Reduced chances of allergies
- Weight management
- Faster nutrient absorption
Other researched-backed benefits include a longer lifespan. Studies supporting this propose that a raw diet can increase a dog’s lifespan by 3 years. A raw diet is also touted as being balanced without any supplements. Moreover, a raw diet offers noticeable benefits, including a bright coat. A shiny coat is mainly due to the high fat content in raw recipes.
Downsides of a Raw Food Diet
Although a BARF diet is beneficial, it has its drawbacks:
- Switching to a BARF diet can cause stomach upsets, including diarrhea.
- A BARF diet may be deficient in some nutrients, leading to nutritional deficiency. This endangers your Frenchie and exposes it to frequent health problems.
- A BARF diet using coked meat bones can cause intestinal and mouth injuries, choking, and blockages.
- A raw diet has lots of bacteria, which increases the risk of food poisoning. Salmonella and E. coli in raw food can be life-threatening to pets and humans.
- It may not be right for Frenchies with weak immunity, as they have a higher risk of bacterial infections.
How to Reduce Raw Dog Food Risks
Contamination, choking, nutritional imbalances, and allergies are some of the risks of a raw food diet. However, taking certain steps reduces these risks.
- Cleaning: Thoroughly cleaning all organs, meats, and any raw ingredients lowers the chances of contamination.
- Reputable sources: Purchase raw ingredients from a reputable source.
- Feed raw bones: This lowers the chances of injuries, choking, and blockages. Cooked bones can easily break, causing problems.
Pro tip: All meats should be frozen for at least two to three weeks to eliminate parasites. According to research, Salmonella is extremely susceptible to freezing and has a survival rate of 1% or lower after 48 hours. E. coli was less sensitive, with a 10% to 30% survival rate.
Tips on How to Feed Your Frenchie a Raw Diet
Understanding how to feed your Frenchie a raw diet ensures it gets the maximum benefits from it.
Transitioning from Dry Food to Raw
- Start slowly. A period of approximately 3-14 days is required. Start with 25% raw food, then 50%. If your Frenchie reacts well, add the percentage to 75 and 100%.
- Watch out for any signs of stomach issues. Slow down if you notice any changes.
- Senior Frenchies can benefit from added digestive enzymes and probiotics. But you should talk to the vet first.
French Bulldogs Raw Diet Cost
Traditional kibble typically costs $1.97 per pound, whereas high-end kibble costs $3.466 per pound. In comparison, the most popular, high-end raw commercial meals on the market cost, on average, $6.4 per pound, while the less expensive raw options do so for $3.8 per pound.
Best Raw Dog Food Brands
Most reputable dog food companies have raw recipes. Their recipes are designed to improve your dog’s overall wellness.
- Stella and Chewy’s: Their raw recipe, Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Surf n Turf Dinner Patties, uses raw nutrition, which imitates your Frenchie’s natural diet. Its protein content of 45% ensures your Frenchie stays muscular.
- Instinct Dog Food: Their recipe, Instinct Grain-Free Frozen Raw Bites Cage-Free Chicken Food, is minimally processed and never cooked to offer maximum nutrition for your French Bulldog. It is protein-dense, as real cage-free chicken is the leading ingredient.
Homemade BARF Recipe
You can easily make homemade raw food for your Frenchie. Here’s a recipe to try at home:
Organ patties
Ingredients
- 4 ounces of beef hearts
- 4 ounces of kidneys
- 4 ounces of liver,
- 4 ounces of gizzards
- 2 tablespoons of cooked veggies
- 1 raw egg
Procedure
- Chop the organs and put them in a processor
- Add in the veggies and mince well
- Add the raw egg with a shell
- Refrigerate or serve immediately
How much do I have to feed my Frenchie?
The amount to feed your Frenchie varies with their weight, health status, and activity levels. Here’s a guide:
| Life stage and activity level | % of your Frenchie’s weight |
| Puppies up to 4 months | 10 |
| Puppies from 4 -11 months | 8 |
| Puppies from 12 months | 3 |
| Highly active adults | 4 |
| Normal activity adults | 3 |
| Senior or sedentary Frenchies | 2 |
Best Raw Cooking Practices
Below are some of the tips on raw cooking:
- Sanitation and proper handling are key.
- Buy ingredients from reputable sources.
- Avoid grain in Frenchies with allergies.
- Remove fragile bones
- Use human-grade meat or other raw ingredients
- Avoid additives, toxins, and hormones
- Serve lean products
- Understand which foods are toxic for dogs
- The liver can be slimy. It is, therefore, essential to cut the liver into small pieces. This lowers the chances of choking.
- Ground meat has no bones. When feeding it to your Frenchie, add raw bones.
- Avoid big bones, as they can injure or choke your Frenchie
French Bulldogs Raw Diet vs. Kibble
Comparing raw dog food and kibble helps you select the right diet for your Frenchie.
| Kibble | Raw food |
| Has low standards on the ingredients to use | Quality standards in safety, manufacturing, and hygiene |
| Longer shelf life | Spoil fast |
| Easy to carry and store during travels | Requires a freezer. You can only carry freeze-dried raw foods when traveling |
| No chemicals or additives | No chemicals or additives |
| Cheaper | A bit expensive |
Is Raw or Cooked Dog Food Better for Frenchies?
Final Thoughts
A BARF diet for Frenchies is gaining popularity.
And this is because it is loaded with nutritional and health benefits.
But proper handling is key, as raw food can easily spoil. Poor handling or selection comes with risks, including contamination, choking, and infections.
Always consult the vet before introducing a raw diet.