How the different feeding methods differ

Biologically appropriate raw feeding
Basic principle: Fresh, raw ingredients – animal & plant – individually selected
Goal: Natural, needs-oriented, unprocessed nutrition

✨Composition:
- Fresh, raw meat (muscle, offal)
- Bone or calcium supplements
- Vegetables, fruit (pureed), possibly oils, herbs, additives

✨Advantages:
- Fresh and natural
- Nutrients in their original form (bioavailable)
- Individually adaptable to the dog
- Well tolerated in cases of allergies and intolerances
- Promotes chewing, tooth cleaning and salivation

✨Disadvantages:
- Need for knowledge of nutritional calculation
- More complex to prepare and store

Wet food (can or bowl)
Basic principle: Cooked complete food, in cans or portion bags – often with a high meat content. Goal: Complete food with a moist consistency.

✨Composition:
- 60–80% water content
- Meat, animal by-products
- Vegetables or vegetable side dishes
- Additions of vitamins and minerals

✨Advantages:
- High moisture content → supports kidneys and urinary tract
- Greater acceptance among picky dogs
- Less feed required compared to dry food (in terms of energy)
- Better for dogs with dental problems

✨Disadvantages:
- Reduced shelf life after opening
- Usually more expensive than dry food
- Environmental impact of packaging (cans, trays)
- Often meat mixtures from inferior sources
- Here too: Vitamins are often added synthetically

Dry food (croquettes / pellets)
Basic principle: Highly heated & pressed, often extruded, often contains a lot of grain or potato. Goal: Complete feed with long shelf life.

✨Composition:
- High carbohydrate content (usually 30–60%)
- Meat meal, animal by-products
- Grains or alternative carbohydrate sources (e.g. potatoes, peas)
- Vitamins & minerals added
- Preservatives, antioxidants, sometimes colorings

✨Advantages:
- Long lasting, easy to store
- Often cheaper in price
- Practical for on the go or pet boarding
- Chewing effect with large chunks → can support dental care

✨Disadvantages:
- Very dry (water content usually below 10%) → can put strain on the kidneys
- Often high processing levels → vitamins/enzymes destroyed
- Low biological availability of nutrients
- Allergies due to inferior proteins or additives possible
- Can strain digestion (swelling in the stomach)

Home-cooked food (cooked rations)
Basic principle: Fresh ingredients (similar to BARF), but cooked or cooked. Goal: Healthy fresh feeding with reduced risks from heating.

✨Composition:
- Cooked meat, offal
- Cooked or pureed vegetables
- If necessary, rice, potatoes, millet, oils, herbs
- Supplements (calcium, iodine, vitamins etc.)

✨Advantages:
- Very good tolerance (especially in cases of gastrointestinal problems)
- Lower germ load than with BARF
- Fresh & individually customizable
- Full control over origin and quality

✨Disadvantages:
- Time-consuming
- Nutrient supply must be precisely planned
- Nutrient losses due to heating
- Need for suitable supplements