Many owners face the same choice: a raw diet you put together yourself, or a ready-made wet food you simply spoon into the bowl. Both paths can lead to a healthy dog, but they differ in how much time, knowledge and care they take every day.
What is a BARF diet
BARF, short for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, is a way of feeding based on raw ingredients: meat, offal, meaty bones and some vegetables. The idea is that a dog’s diet should be as little processed as possible. The key is the right proportion of meat, bone and offal, because it is the owner, not the manufacturer, who is responsible for balancing every meal. There are also ready-made, complete BARF mixes on the market that take some of the calculating off the owner, but they need the same hygiene when storing and serving.
What is complete wet food
Complete wet food is a ready-made, balanced meal with a high water content. You do not need to add anything or work out proportions, because the whole recipe is designed to cover your dog’s needs on its own.
BARF or wet food: five criteria compared
| Criterion | BARF | Complete wet food |
|---|---|---|
| Degree of processing | raw, minimally processed | gently cooked |
| Balancing the meal | up to the owner, with calculated proportions of meat, bone and offal | ready-made, with no extra calculations |
| Safety | bacterial risk and injuries to the digestive tract from bones | the can is sterilised and boneless, keep it in the fridge once opened |
| Convenience | freezer space, time for defrosting and preparation, discipline | simple to serve, unopened cans are easy to store |
| Cost | depends on the raw ingredients and any supplements | a steady, predictable cost per portion |
Both forms are less processed than dry food made by extrusion. We break down extrusion itself and the other types of dog food in our guide to choosing dog food.
Who BARF suits and who wet food suits
BARF works for owners who want to put together their dog’s diet themselves and are ready to do it with the help of a pet nutritionist, to avoid deficiencies. Complete wet food, on the other hand, is a convenient and safe choice for most dogs and homes, without the risk of an unbalanced meal.
If you are still deciding between dry and wet food before you even consider BARF, take a look at our guide wet or dry dog food.
Where Veli fits in
Veli is a complete wet food, gently cooked and sealed in a can, with no extrusion. It has a clean, fully declared composition with a percentage for every ingredient, and our proprietary bio-protein EntoPro™, which together with the TruPet™ postbiotic supports the gut. We describe their role on our How it works page.
Whichever way of feeding you choose, it is worth being able to judge a label yourself. We show how step by step in our guide to reading dog food labels.
Prefer a ready, balanced bowl with no proportions to calculate? Build your bundle and we will match the portion and the set of flavours to your dog’s needs.
Is BARF healthier than wet food?
There is no single answer. A well-balanced BARF diet and a good complete wet food can be equally valuable. They differ mainly in convenience, safety and who is responsible for balancing the meal.
Can I combine BARF with wet food?
You can, but do it with care and ideally after talking to a pet nutritionist, so that the whole of your dog's diet stays balanced.
Is a BARF diet safe?
It can be, if it is properly balanced and prepared hygienically. Keep in mind the bacterial risk of raw meat, which also affects the people in your home, especially young children, older people and anyone with weakened immunity.
