One of the many responsibilities that come with owning a dog (or being owned by one, depending on your particular outlook) is feeding that dog. There is a relatively new fad diet called the BARF Diet for Dogs. The acronym stands for Bones And Raw Food. Your canine friend eats raw dog food.

The concept is this: before humans got involved with their fancy cans of gourmet dog food and what are essentially bags of meat-flavored dry cereal, dogs happily ate all things raw, and managed to not choke on bones, or get sick on greenery. Developed by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, a veterinarian from Austrailia, the BARF Diet for Dogs claims to improve the overall health of your furry friend by reducing periodontal disease, strengthening the immune system, providing exercise while eating, reducing or eliminating anal sac issues, and improving the psychological health of your dog.

With all these benefits, what could go wrong with the BARF Diet for Dogs? The primary concern is that raw food has a much greater potential for deadly bacteria than cooked food. This bacteria can not only be deadly to the one on the raw dog food diet, but also to the humans living in the same space. Many families with young children might balk at having raw meat and bone remnants hanging around ready to be used as a make-shift teething toy.

Another concern with raw dog food is that raw bones, like cooked ones, can perforate the gastrointestinal tract of even the sturdiest of ogs, forcing emergency surgery onto the unsuspecting dog and his family. The risk of bacterial contamination becomes even more severe.

Yet another concern with an all raw dog food diet, whether it is the BARF Diet for Dogs or another label, is that of parasites. Parasites thrive in raw food, and many dogs are susceptible to them.

There are also other dietary concerns that might not be met through an all raw dog food diet. High phosphorous content in raw meat can and does often impede calcium absorption, which dogs need for their bone strength, just like humans. Many vets also are concerned with skin health, anemia issues as well.

Still another consideration in determining whether the BARF Diet for Dogs, or other raw dog food diets are right for your pet is the question of if it is even wise to feed dogs solely according to what their ancestors needed. Dogs of decades and centuries past, and current cousins of dogs, such as wolves and coyotes, all eat raw dog food, but does that mean that their domesticated counterparts should or need to do so? Dogs living in the wild are used to all the bacteria found in scavenging for food, but most domesticated dogs have never been exposed to more than the smallest morsels of raw meat, and usually that comes from a scrap of fatty tissue cut off a steak before a human cooks it. This table scrap raw dog food is a far cry from traditional canine scavenging.

No matter what you decide for feeding your dog, don't make any decision without consulting with the dog's veterinarian. As with human fad diets, the BARF Diet for Dogs sounds good on paper, but should only be initiated after careful research and consideration for other alternatives.