| In short : The choice of your dog’s diet is crucial for his health and longevity. Between industrial food (kibble) and natural raw food (BARF), philosophies are opposed. Here is a summary of key points: – The BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food): A food based on raw meat, fleshy backs, flaps and vegetables. It favors high digestibility and respect for the carnivorous nature of the dog. – The kibbles: A dry, ultra-practical, stable and formulated industrial diet to cover all of the dog’s nutritional needs without the risk of immediate deficiency. – The practicality and cost match: The kibble wins hands down in terms of budget and preparation time. The BARF requires a rigorous organization (storage in the freezer, daily preparation). – The Health Match: The BARF offers a brighter coat, reduced stool and better oral hygiene, but presents risks of nutritional imbalance or bacterial infections if the method is poorly controlled. |
Feeding your dog has become a subject almost as passionate as politics or human nutrition. In recent years, the supremacy of industrial kibble has been jostled by the return to a diet deemed more natural: the barf.
On the one hand, kibble defenders highlight scientific safety and simplicity. On the other, BARF followers advocate a return to Ancestral wolf regime. How to navigate in the midst of these often radical speeches? To help you make the best choice for your four-legged friend, here is an objective, scientific and transparent analysis of the two feeding modes.
What is BARF and kibble food?
The BARF: the raw alternative
the BARF cronym means Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (biologically appropriate raw food). Invented by the Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst, this diet seeks to reproduce the diet of a wild canine. A typical BARF bowl consists of about 70% to 80% raw meat and fleshy backs, 10% to 15% dams, and the rest of quality mixed vegetables, offal and oils.
The kibble: the industrial option
The kibble is the result of an industrial process called extrusion. Ingredients (meats, cereals or legumes, fats, minerals) are mixed, cooked at high pressure, then formed in small dry pieces. It is a so-called “complete” diet, formulated to meet the strict nutritional standards of veterinary organizations.
Comparative table Objective: BARF vs croquettes
| Evaluation criteria | BARF food | kibble food |
| Composition and transparency | Excellent. You choose each piece of meat, back and vegetable yourself. No preservatives or chemical additives. | variable. Depends heavily on the range. The labels are sometimes complex to decrypt (animal by-products, hidden carbohydrate levels). |
| Daily practicality | compelling. takes time to weigh the ingredients, a large freezing space and travel logistics. | maximum. Keeps at room temperature in your bag, is served in a few seconds and is easily transported everywhere. |
| Financial cost | high to very high. Especially for large dogs. Quality fresh meat and offal represent a substantial monthly budget. | economical to moderate. Even premium kibbles (Premium) often remain more affordable on a daily basis than BARF. |
| Health risks | Present. risk of deficiencies or excess if the rations are poorly calculated. Bacterial risk (salmonella, E. coli) linked to raw meat. | Weak. Balanced and sterile diet. The main risk lies in the choice of poor quality kibble (excess carbohydrates). |
| Visible health impact | very positive. Firm and very small stools, fresh breath, limited tartar thanks to the chewing of the bones, shiny coat. | correct. Good general vitality, but increased risk of tartar and sometimes larger stools due to fiber and starch. |
BARF advantages and limitations: for whom is this done?
The highlights of the vintage
BARF has undeniable physiological benefits. As food is raw and unprocessed, nutrients and amino acids are preserved. The high digestibility of fresh meat proteins greatly reduces the volume of stools and their smell. In addition, grinding fleshy bones mechanically removes dental plaque, acting as a natural toothbrush.
The limits not to be overlooked
The BARF does not simplify. The most common mistake is to feed your dog only with muscle (ground steak, chicken fillets), which leads to serious deficiencies in calcium and minerals. In addition, handling raw meat requires impeccable hygiene to avoid the proliferation of bacteria, which can be excreted in the dog’s stool and pose a risk to the fragile members of the household (children, immunocompromised people).
Advantages and limits of kibble: the choice of safety?
The highlights of the kibble
The first asset of the kibble is the zero mental load. By buying a bag of Good quality kibble, you are guaranteed that your dog receives the right dose of vitamins, minerals, proteins and lipids at each meal. It is also the ideal feeding mode for small budgets or in a hurry.
The limits of all-sec
To form a kibble, the industry absolutely needs starch (carbohydrates), whether it comes from cereals (wheat, corn) or tubers (potatoes, peas). Too high a carbohydrate level can promote weight gain and diabetes in sedentary dogs. In addition, cooking at high temperature destroys some of the natural vitamins, which must be reincorporated synthetically at the end of the process.
How to choose? The verdict.
The choice between BARF and kibble depends above all on Your lifestyle and of your budget.
- Choose it barf If you have time to devote to meal preparation, the necessary storage space, and if you want to offer an ultra-natural and tailor-made diet to your dog, ideally under the supervision of a nutritionist veterinarian to validate your ration calculations.
- Choose them croquettes If you are looking for simplicity, nutritional security and control over your budget. In this case, orient yourself towards so-called “premium” kibbles, rich in quality animal proteins and low in carbohydrates (ideally less than $30\%$).
Important note: Bi-nutrition (mixing kibble and fresh food) is possible, but it requires spacer meals. The dog’s stomach does not digest dry foods and raw foods at the same speed, which can cause digestive disorders if they are given at the same time.
FAQ: Your Frequently Asked Questions
Is BARF dangerous because of the bones?
The cooked bones are very dangerous because they break into sharp shards that can puncture the dog’s stomach or esophagus. On the other hand, in the BARF diet, the bones are given Strictly raw and necessarily surrounded by meat (We talk about fleshy backs, like a chicken neck or a turkey leg). Thus, they are easily crushed by the dog’s acidic stomach safely.
How do I know if my kibbles are of good quality?
Look carefully at the first ingredient in the list: it must be named meat (ex: “dehydrated chicken” or “fresh duck”) and not “animal by-products” or cereals. Then calculate the carbohydrate level empirically with the following formula:
Carbohydrates = 100 – (proteins + fat + ash + fiber + humidity)
Ideally, this number should be as low as possible.
Can we go from kibble to BARF overnight?
No, the dog’s digestive system must adapt. The pH of the stomach of a dog fed on kibble is less acidic than that of a dog at BARF. To make the transition, a 24-hour fast is generally practiced to empty the digestive tract, followed by the introduction of a single, easy-to-digest white meat (like chicken) for a few days, before gradually adding offal and bones.