TELL somebody you’re going on a BARF diet and they might think you’re barking mad, but that’s exactly what Cowdenbeath company West Fife Raw Feeds are promoting with their new range of starter boxes aimed at hungry canines.

While BARF might appear to be an extreme method of dieting, it actually stands for ‘biologically appropriate raw food’ and is intended to mimic what nature designed animals to eat in the wild.

A Cowdenbeath firm has come up with the concept – strictly for pets – which reckons a mixture of raw meat, fruits, vegetable and bone is a good alternative to heavily processed foods.

West Fife Raw Feeds, based in Thistle Industrial Estate, are Scotland’s only dedicated supplier of raw pet food products, and have launched a range of starter boxes to help introduce it to owners who might not have considered the option before.

Louise Chapman, the company’s director of product management, is confident the new range will be popular with dog owners - and their four-legged friends - across the UK.

She said, “As more pet owners are moving away from overly processed foods and finding out about grain free alternatives a great deal stumble across raw feeding but really don’t know where to start or how to feed the diet safely.

“That is why we developed our own boxes.

“Some people just aren’t sure of the best way to start feeding raw and can find the information out there to be conflicting and confusing.” The starter box includes a carefully developed transition menu which introduces new foods slowly over five weeks, providing enough food in the box to cover this period. Louise had written an e-book, intended as a quick-start guide, which is emailed along with a menu plan and monitoring sheet for the pets’ new food.

Some critics of the BARF diet claim that home-made pet foods aren’t as nutritionally balanced as complete foods available in pet shops, but Louise says that a diverse range of food is key. “It is true that by not feeding a balanced diet that nutritional deficiencies can happen, which can cause long term health issues,” she admits. “However, ensuring that a wide range of food is given, a good mix of different meats along with offal and bones provides more than enough protein, fat, vitamins and minerals to keep your dog healthy.

“Our BARF starter boxes are the perfect combination of food and knowledge to get even the most nervous of dog owners feeding a wholesome, fresh and natural diet.”