Feeding raw AND kibble?

Feeding Kibble and Raw at the Same Time: Raw passes through the dogs system in about 4-6 hours while kibble takes about 24 hours. The reason why raw food does not cause a problem with bacteria such as salmonella or e-coli is because it passes through the system so quickly. If kibble is mixed with raw meat it slows down the digestion and problems may occur.

Can I feed kibble AND BARF?

Yes you can, but seriously, why? OK, I know change can be difficult, so please allow me to explain. Kibble and raw food are digested differently, and should NEVER be fed together, in the same meal. If you feed dry kibble at the same meal as the raw meat, you are increasing the amount of time the food is in the body, and increasing the possibility of illness from microbes. So, if you want to feed half & half, feed kibble one meal, raw the next. Your dog will probably be the one who will let you know, before you do, that BARF is IN and kibble is OUT!

Never feed raw meaty bones and kibble together. The kibble, as it is goes through the stomach, will puff up and form a protective barrier around the bones and may prevent the acid in the stomach from reaching the bone and properly breaking it down. Upon elimination, pieces of bone may be evident. During the transition the dinners or the ground meaty bones can be fed with the kibble as the bones are finely ground. Ideally they would not be fed at the same meal as they do digest at different rates.

And a little bit about carbs and digestion: We humans have an enzyme in our saliva which starts digesting carbohydrates as soon as we start chewing (and we love our carbs!). Dogs, however, do not have this enzyme, and don't start to digest carbohydrates until they reach the stomach, with most of the digestive functions taking place in the small intestine after passing through the stomach. The high percentage of carbohydrate in most dry dog food kibble leads to situations where the food stays in the system longer (8-12 hours) - and I've been witness to a Great Dane barfing up her kibble 12 hours after eating it - mostly whole and undigested! This tells me the kibble sits in there way too long, which is one of the reasons you should not feed raw meat mixed into kibble. Some are finding they can do a kibble meal in the morning and a raw meal in the evening, but if the kibble is still in the stomach when the raw meal is devoured, you may end up with an ill canine, or a large splat on your carpet! (and by the way, some advice from a friend of mine - a green tripe stain is VERY difficult to remove!)