BARF diet transition guide
Feed him naturally, his health starts now
What is the BARF diet?
"The BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet consists of feeding your dog or cat raw and natural food, biologically adapted to their nature. The goal is to mimic what they would eat in the wild: meat, bones, organs, and vegetables."
A strong digestive system for enviable health.
The BARF diet promotes an acidic gastric pH, essential for the health of dogs and cats.
This optimal pH activates digestive enzymes, improves nutrient absorption, strengthens the immune system, and protects against bacteria and other pathogens.
At Nutricione, we accompany your furry friends in this transition to help them regain their natural internal balance.
Benefits of a healthy gastric pH:
✅ Activates digestive enzymes
✅ Improves nutrient absorption
✅ Promotes intestinal transit
✅ Strengthens the immune system
✅ Protects against pathogenic bacteria
Steps for a smooth transition
🌓 A short fast to rebalance the body
Fasting involves leaving your furry friend without food for 12 to 24 hours, allowing their digestive system to completely empty of regular food and be ready to start the BARF diet.
This step promotes the detoxification process and adaptation to the new type of diet.
Important: Not recommended for puppies, sick, or elderly animals.
🥣 "Gentle Transition" for furbabies with sensitive stomachs
Gentle Transition is perfect for dogs that have eaten dry food for many years, for older dogs, or for those with a delicate digestive system. It is a gentle transition method that helps the body gradually adapt to a natural diet.
For 7 days:
🍽️ Recommended proportions:
- Lean boneless cooked meat (chicken, turkey, pork)
- Easily digestible cooked vegetables (pumpkin, carrot, etc.)
👨🍳 Preparation:
- Steam the ingredients without salt or spices.
- Tear the meat into strips and mash the vegetables.
- Mix everything well and offer it to your furry friend.
📅 Starting on day 6:
Start gradually introducing the BARF diet:
1. Organs (from the same type of meat)
2. Meaty bones, if the dog tolerates them correctly
🌗 Smooth transition: combined habits, a step towards natural food
Ideal for dogs or cats who have been eating dry food for a long time, have delicate digestions, or are older.
Start by mixing 10% natural food with 90% dry food and gradually increase the proportion until a complete transition to BARF.
⚠️ Do not combine both types of food in the same meal, as their digestion times are different.
🍽️ Transition plan:
- 90% dry food + 10% BARF (⚠️ served separately, never mixed)
- 75% dry food + 25% BARF
- 50% dry food + 50% BARF
- 100% BARF, if digestion proceeds well and no adverse symptoms appear
💡 Tip: Always observe the animal's disposition and behavior during this period. The key is to adapt gradually, without rushing, but with consistency.
✅ Ideal for: older animals, those with gastrointestinal problems, immunosuppressed animals, or those with a prolonged history of industrial food.
🧠 Tips before transitioning to a BARF diet
💛 Give your pet kefir or unsweetened natural yogurt in the 7 days leading up to the transition to strengthen their intestinal flora.
💛 Prior fasting (only for healthy adults) helps to "reset" the body.
💛 Monitor their stools in the first few days: if they are softer or contain mucus, it might be part of the detoxification process.
💛 Do not mix dry food with BARF in the same bowl, as their digestion processes are different.
💛 The key is to observe, adapt, and not force it. Every dog or cat has its own rhythm.
✨ Give it time, give it health.
Are you ready to start eating naturally?
Change starts with a single step. Discover our complete BARF menus, tailored to every need.
Start today to feed them healthy, tasty, and real food.