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Why BARF? Because your pets deserve real food, real health, and real vitality.
At BARF Singapore, we believe that your pet’s wellness begins with what’s in their bowl.
Backed by the solid principles of Evolutionary Nutrition and decades of feeding experience,
Dr. B’s BARF diet is a biologically appropriate raw food approach that mimics what animals would naturally eat in the wild; not heavily processed foods like kibbles or with chemical additives and preservatives.
This section is dedicated to helping you understand the why, what, and how of the BARF philosophy.
From expert insights to real-world benefits, we break down the principles behind this evolutionary approach to pet nutrition.
This section is dedicated to helping you understand the why, what, and how of the BARF philosophy.
From expert insights to real-world benefits, we break down the principles behind this evolutionary approach to pet nutrition.
Why BARF? Because your pets deserve real food, real health,
and real vitality.
At BARF Singapore, we believe that your pet’s wellness begins with what’s in their bowl.
Backed by the solid principles of Evolutionary Nutrition and decades of feeding experience,
Dr. B’s BARF diet is a biologically appropriate raw food approach that mimics what animals would naturally eat in the wild; not heavily processed foods like kibbles or with chemical additives and preservatives.
This section is dedicated to helping you understand the why, what, and how of the BARF philosophy.
From expert insights to real-world benefits, we break down the principles behind this evolutionary approach to pet nutrition.
Why BARF? Because your pets deserve real food, real health,
and real vitality.
At BARF Singapore, we believe that your pet’s wellness begins with what’s in their bowl.
Backed by the solid principles of Evolutionary Nutrition and decades of feeding experience,
Dr. B’s BARF diet is a biologically appropriate raw food approach that mimics what animals would naturally eat in the wild; not heavily processed foods like kibbles or with chemical additives and preservatives.
This section is dedicated to helping you understand the why, what, and how of the BARF philosophy.
From expert insights to real-world benefits, we break down the principles behind this evolutionary approach to pet nutrition.
About Dr. B
Dr Ian Billinghurst (affectionately known as Dr B) graduated with an Honours Degree in Veterinary Science from Sydney University in 1976, after obtaining a degree in Agricultural science in 1966 and a Diploma in Education in 1969.
He developed an interest in nutrition as a major factor contributing to health or illness following his studies in acupuncture and other complementary modalities in the early 1980’s. These studies brought the realisation that all medicine and surgery, including conventional drug-based medicine and the holistic modalities, rely implicitly on correct nutrition for best success and that correct nutrition must be based on the evolutionary eating habits of the species in question.
In 1993, he published his 1st book, Give Your Dog A Bone. Dr B then toured the U.K. and U.S.A. to talk about his book and evolutionary nutrition. Besides these countries, he also delivered numerous lectures on evolutionary nutrition to breed societies, dog training clubs, veterinary and technical college students and veterinarians throughout Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and Singapore.
It kick-started the worldwide BARF diet revolution and even today, has continued to influence how health-conscious pet owners view nutrition to achieve supreme wellness.
Quote
“The reason I wrote my books was because there was no voice giving people a healthy alternative to processed pet food. There was nobody speaking out against the dangers of processed pet food and at the same time giving a truly workable and tried alternative. The diet I wrote about in Give Your Dog a Bone is based on actual feeding norms - in this case - as practiced in Australia [during the 60's and 70's] by approximately sixty to seventy percent of the population at the time.
My work is based on my experience [over 30 years] as a vet observing the differences between animals fed their evolutionary diet [and ONE aspect of the evolutionary diet is that it is raw] vs those animals fed modern processed pet foods. It is my continuing observation as a vet in small animal practice [and as an author in receipt of thousands of testimonials] that whole but cooked foods - properly balanced - will produce better health than artificial cooked and processed pet foods and the evolutionary diet - which is composed of properly balanced raw whole foods - will - in general - produce the most superior health.”
Dr Ian Billinghurst
Why Feed Your Pets a Raw Meat Diet?
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Many of us share our lives with dogs and cats who are beloved friends and companions. We want to give them the best possible care so that they live long, happy, healthy lives. Unfortunately, we are losing them in ever increasing numbers to cancer, heart, kidney, and liver failure, dental problems, allergic reactions, failing immune systems, and urinary tract disorders, to mention a but a few of the miseries that plague our pets.
Many of these problems have their roots in nutrition, or rather, the lack of it. By disregarding the basic nature of dogs and cats and feeding them food that they were never intended to eat, pet food conglomerates have set the stage for many health problems. The fact that many animals can live long, healthy lives eating these foods, has less to do with the quality of the food, than the animals’ ability to survive on less than good nutrition.
Dogs and cats have ancestors that date back 70million years. Dogs have been domesticated for 10,000 years, cats for less than 3,000. Up until the mid 1920’s, dogs and cats ate as nature intended. Cats hunted mice and birds, but dogs, being more opportunistic feeders ate whatever presented itself and actively foraged to fill in the empty spots.
Nature designed dogs and cats as carnivores, eaters of raw meat. Their systems were designed to extract the maximum benefits from meat in its raw state. Once meat is processed under very hot temperatures during canning or palletizing, amino acids and enzymes are de-activated. Amino acids are crucial in a diet because they are the organic molecules that compose the building blocks of proteins that make up most of the cells of the body. Active enzymes are also absolutely necessary because they are protein substances produced in living cells that help break down food so that it can be digested and absorbed by the body. Without amino acids and active enzymes, food cannot be digested properly and then, no matter what claims the nutritional statements make, the nutritional values are NOT being adequately delivered to the animals’ body.
Cats are known as Obligate Carnivores, this means that they MUST eat raw meat. Cats are more efficient at extracting protein from raw meat and have a very limited ability to utilize carbohydrates (grains). Cats have a very short intestinal tract, making it more difficult to break down many of the complex carbohydrates and starches contained in grains. Furthermore, they lack sufficient enzymes that are absolutely necessary for these processes to occur.
Dogs are carnivores as well, but have some flexibility in what they are able to consume and digest. In a natural setting they will fill out their diet with the seasonal consumption of wild food stuffs, everything from vegetables to nuts, berries, and even the occasional cricket. These naturally foraged items all have a place in their natural nutrition, but no one has ever spotted a dog or cat dragging down an ear of corn or a head of wheat in the field and eating it. Why then are we feeding our dogs and cats wheat, corn, and cereal products, from which most, if not all nutritional benefit has been removed?
Over the years we have come to accept the word of the giant pet food companies that only they know what is best for our pets to eat, but this is far from the truth. Statistics can be manipulated, half-truths told, substandard materials cloaked with wonderfully evocative names and delightful advertisements made, which to persuade us to buy a specific brand of food. Even cardboard can be coated with enough vitamins, minerals, etc., to meet the daily requirements of dogs and cats. . . but it will still be cardboard. The basic problem still remains, commercial food is dead food with little to offer but convenience.
My mother always said, “You are what you eat.” That always puzzled me as a child, but as I get older it makes a lot more sense.
Our overall health and well being is a direct result of what we eat. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the health of our pets.
People can choose to eat wisely, but dogs and cats have no alternative, but to eat what they are given (shoes and other stolen goodies don’t count), so if we truly care about them, we should feed them what they really need.
Evolutionary Nutrition & BARF
What do we mean by "Evolutionary Nutrition for pet dogs and cats?
Basically, this means feeding our pets the kinds of food that they’ve evolved over thousands of years to require. While we can’t replicate the exact evolutionary diet, we can mimic it closely to reach a complete and balanced ideal.
What do we hope to achieve when feeding our pets?
We feed for good health and supreme wellness, leading to longer lives and fewer vet visits.
The BARF diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) is called an evolutionary diet because....
• It’s based on principles of Evolutionary Nutrition •
• It dictates feeding food that’s nutritionally sound and nutritionally adequate, based on animals’ long process of evolution •
BARF is nutritionally sound because any given species of animal requires foods that are whole and raw, not cooked or processed by heat. Animals require food that is biologically available and appropriate to them i.e. can be fully digested to provide proper nutrition.
Why BARF is better:
• Raw, whole foods are more biologically appropriate •
• Processed pet foods often contain unsuitable ingredients of dubious quality & origin, are heavily cooked and chemically altered •
• High pressures and temperatures in their cooking process damages nutrients and renders them unavailable for assimilation and digestion. It also creates foreign substances that harm pets (allergies and ill health) •
• Nutritional adequacy is achieved over a series of meals, not necessarily in each meal •
Common myths challenged:
• No one knows the exact nutritional needs of animals •
• Each animal has different individual nutritional requirements •
• “Complete and balanced” in every meal is unnecessary; even misleading •
• Evolution shows that dogs and cats actually thrive with natural variation in diet •
Conclusion:
Processed pet foods are nutritionally unsound and lack evolutionary grounding.
A properly built BARF Diet like Dr B’s BARF recipes is:
• Nutritionally Sound •
• Nutritionally Adequate •
• Backed by Evolutionary Principles •
BARF involves feeding a wide range of food items, which are whole and raw. Such foods contain organic nutrients, are in biologically available forms and are very difficult to unbalance. It is a diet that has been shaped by evolutionary forces that operated over the millennia that it took our pets to evolve.
On the other hand, processed pet foods contain nutrients that have been made unavailable/indigestible by cooking. They also contain highly rendered fat (mutagenic and carcinogenic), cooked starch (exacerbates cancer and diabetes) and added artificial sources of minerals (which are assimilated differently by pets’ bodies and can cause bone problems). Pet animals eating them have been demonstrated rising levels of degenerative diseases at increasingly earlier stages of life! Yet, pet food companies insist on telling us that these products are ‘Complete and Balanced’.
Bottom line is that processed pet foods are nutritionally unsound and nutritionally inadequate and have no evolutionary basis. A BARF diet will definitely be closer to being ‘Complete and Balanced’ in a biological sense. A properly constructed BARF feeding program like Dr B’s BARF
patties WILL BE by definition - nutritionally sound and nutritionally adequate.
BARF vs Processed Food
Why Choose BARF Over Processed Pet Food?
Whole, Natural Ingredients
BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diets use raw, unprocessed ingredients that are species-appropriate. These include fresh meats, bones, organ meat, vegetables and fruits without grains, artificial additives or fillers.
Better Digestibility
Processed pet foods are cooked at high temperatures which damage nutrients and destroy enzymes essential for your pet’s digestion. BARF diets by nature of their raw ingredients retain these enzymes and are highly digestible, allowing full absorption of nutrients.
Improved Health Outcomes
Pets on raw diets often show noticeable improvements in health of coats, fresh breath, stool quality, and energy levels. Genuine allergies to raw meats, inflammation and joint issues are not common
No Hidden Nasties
Unlike many commercial kibbles and canned foods that include preservatives, by-products, and ingredients of dubious origins, BARF meals are clean and transparent in ingredient sourcing. Our meats are sourced from fit-for-human consumption facilities and all ingredients are of Australian origin.
Mimics Natural Diet
BARF mirrors the ancestral diet of dogs and cats. It's designed to support their biology, not just fill their stomachs. Processed food, though convenient, is often grain-based, high in carbs and low in quality of proteins and fats.
Stronger Immune System
With higher-quality nutrition, raw-fed pets tend to develop stronger immune systems, helping them resist infections and diseases better over time.
Long-Term Wellness
While processed foods like kibble may be cheaper short-term, poor nutrition will lead to costly vet bills later. BARF supports long-term wellness by focusing on prevention through proper nutrition.
Benefits of BARF
Feeding your dog or cat a BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet offers a wide range of physical and behavioral benefits.
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Here's how a raw, species-appropriate diet can positively impact your pet's health...
Shinier Coat and Healthier Skin
The high-quality proteins and natural fats in raw diets contribute to a glossy coat,
reduced dandruff, and healthier skin.
Cleaner Teeth and Fresher Breath
Chewing on raw bones and fresh meat helps clean teeth naturally, reducing plaque buildup
and improving oral hygiene.
Smaller, Firmer Stools
A raw diet is more digestible than kibble, resulting in smaller, less smelly,
and firmer stools due to better nutrient absorption.
Increased Energy and Vitality
BARF provides biologically appropriate fuel, leading to improved stamina,
alertness, and better performance, especially in active or working pets.
Better Behavior and Mood
With stable blood sugar levels and fewer additives, pets on raw food
often exhibit calmer behavior and reduced hyperactivity or anxiety.
Strengthened Immune System
The nutrient density of a raw diet supports immune function,
helping pets resist illness and recover faster.
Healthy Weight and Muscle Mass
Raw diets help maintain lean muscle and healthy weight
due to balanced macronutrients, without excess carbs or fillers.
Long-Term Wellness
A lifetime on a raw diet may reduce the risk of chronic diseases,
improve mobility, and enhance overall quality of life.
Making the Switch
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About Making the Switch to a Healthier Form of Nutrition
You must first decide if you're ready for this change.
Many owners would love to make the switch to BARF but are unsure of how to go about doing it. This is where our Dr B's BARF Recipes shorten the learning curve drastically and yet achieves the same positive(great) nutritional results.
On top of that, they take out all the guesswork of "designing" the diet and provides a level of convenience that is as simple as Thaw & Feed! There are probably as many ways to make this switch to BARF, as there are people and their pets. The following are guidelines and should give you a clearer idea as to how this switch can be accomplished with your beloved pet.
The switch can be (and mostly is) rapid, straightforward and trouble free. This is indeed the experience with most healthy dogs. An important factor to consider is the diet you are switching your pet from. Where a pet has some experience of eating a variety of home-produced foods, both cooked and raw, there is usually more acceptance and less likelihood of gastrointestinal upset on the part of the pet.
With kibble fed pets, the change is much more dramatic for the pet's system. However, every pet and owner is different. You know your pet(s) and situation best . The choice of how you make the switch is purely yours.
There are two general methods of making the switch to BARF i.e. "Rapid " and "Slow"
Rapid Switch
This is the simplest way to make the switch.
You simply go ahead and do it! Yesterday you fed your pet kibble and/or canned pet food, HCF ... today you begin to feed Dr B's BARF Recipe patties. Before using the rapid switch, you need to consider whether your pet is suited to a quick transfer of diet. The general experience and consensus is, that the rapid switch is the preferred, simplest, most trouble free and most successful method for dogs particularly young and healthy dogs with a relatively normal gastrointestinal system.
On the other hand, the rapid switch only works on a limited number of cats.
With pets that are older or have digestive problems or impaired immune systems, the rapid switch may sometimes not be appropriate. However, these are not rules and just guidelines as your pet may teach you differently. Many older pets that have been kibble-fed all their lives (and some younger ones for that matter) cannot tolerate both raw food and kibble together in their digestive tract.
That combination can result in diarrhoea, vomiting or both.
In this case we have no choice, it has to be the rapid switch.
It can be helpful to allow your pet a one or even a two-day fast prior to making the transfer.
This allows for a small amount of detoxification and also brings to your assistance a mighty ally, Hunger! When starting with Dr B's BARF Recipe patties, remember not to over-feed and do divide the daily amount into two or three small meals.
After more than 17 years of distributing BARF Recipe patties in Singapore, we can safely report that the feedback from most of our customers is that the Rapid Switch method works well.
Slow Switch
This method of switching your pet can take from one to four weeks, or up to six months, depending on the circumstances.
Unfortunately, some pets never make the switch completely, as their owners leave them suspended between 2 paradigms i.e. raw and processed food. Do realise that such half-hearted efforts can only bring half-hearted results.
There are four basic ways to approach the slow switch :
1st method
Offer one meal of the Dr B's BARF Recipe patties followed by one meal of the old food, and gradually feed fewer meals of the old type. If your pet accepts this method with no problems, it is a fair indication that it has a very robust digestive system and would have handled the rapid switch extremely well.
2nd method
Offer both types of food at the same time and gradually offer less and less of the old food and more of the new food. E.g. some kibble and Dr B's BARF Recipe patties in the same bowl. 25% of the new food for a few days, 50% for a few days, 75% for a few days and finally, 100%. However, some pets may develop gastrointestinal upset as they cannot tolerate these two vastly different types of food in their digestive system at the same time.
3rd method
Physically break the old food down and combine the two foods into a single homogeneous mass. This way you can start out with small amounts of the new and gradually decrease the old over time. This works well with a pet that is reluctant to try the new fare and many cats will fit into this category.
4th method
This involves introducing the new food in a cooked state eg. by steaming and gradually reducing the amount of steaming. Those pet owners who have always fed a HCF diet may decide to use this switch method and introduce the new food in a partially cooked/cooked state. Gradually reduce the amount of cooking as time goes by, till the new food is completely raw.