Ian Billinghurst - Give Your Dog a Bone

Give Your Dog a Bone (GYDAB) was introduced to the world in late 1993. It was written, in this, its original format to show how cheap it is, how simple it is, how common sense it is and how healthy it is, to feed dogs, not with processed pet foods, but rather, with readily obtainable human foods. [It implied, but gave no details, that the same or similar rules apply to cats.]

GYDABs principle aim was to return power to, and place that power [built on simple knowledge], firmly in the hands of pet owners. Its aim was to give pet owners the tools and the confidence to be able to perform an exceedingly basic task: feed the family dog (or dogs), a task that pet owners had come to believe, they were powerless to perform - properly!

GYDAB provides owners with all they need to know, to build a genuinely health and longevity promoting diet for dogs, and do so, despite the admonition ofauthorities[such as the major pet food companies], that only they ['the authorities] have the required knowledge to do so with any sort of legitimacy.

The basic nutritional information this book conveys is that anyone can feed a dog successfully, even with no formal training in nutrition. That original claim and aim is as relevant today as it has ever been. Universal truths do not change.

GYDAB had as its secondary aim, the possibility, that it might push the major pet food companies along a different path; a path that would take them away from producing health damaging processed foods and propel them towards the production of raw, whole and biologically appropriate foods. Unfortunately, not too many of them have changed paths. While many of GYDABs nutritional ideas have been adopted by these companies [as they continue toimprove products previously touted as the ultimate in nutrition!], they still have a long way to go. Their failings continue to make this little book entirely relevant as its influence continues the push for them to make genuine improvements to their products.

By the mid to late nineties, Give Your Dog a Bonehad introduced a new concept to the world; a concept embodied in the expression known today as BARF. What is BARF? It is an acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food- or, as its first incarnation - Bones and Raw Food.

BARF was a completely new concept, a nutritional paradigm based on evolutionary nutrition rather than a committees version of an animals nutritional requirements.

Today, BARF [although not yet mainstream], is an acknowledged [if not universally accepted], method of feeding companion animals. And the good news is that BARF, as a concept, has taken on a life of its own. It has become a generic term, embodying the concept of Raw, Evolutionary Nutrition [for companion animals] and in the process, has allowed Give Your Dog a Bone to fulfil another, but somewhat hidden, agenda, involving the fact that the term BARF is not only applicable to companion animals; BARF is a universal approach to nutrition; it applies to all living creatures. As individual pet owners (& even veterinarians) have witnessed the transforming power of BARF in the lives of the dogs (& the cats!) in their care, they have come to appreciate a basic truth; the nutritional principles embodied in the word BARF, apply equally - to themselves.

Although the concept of feeding our companion animals a balanced RAW food diet based on principles of Evolutionary Biology has been widely recognised as a working hypothesis, nevertheless, after almost twenty years, many veterinarians struggle with the concept. It is a radical departure from their basic training in nutrition, which is very simply to accept only the high-end, processed pet foods as genuinely sound nutrition - products that they recommend & more often than not, sell to their clients.

The problem is that not much has changed in the world of companion animal Nutrition since Give Your Dog a Bone was first published in late 1993. The science of companion animal nutrition remains very much in limbo, and is destined to remain as such, while ever mainstream veterinary science, refuses to accept Evolutionary Nutrition as sound science. A belief in the legitimacy of processed pet food and an illogical fear of Evolutionary nutrition prevails in the profession, despite a veterinarians rigorous training, in all facets of biology including evolutionary & molecular biology, the very foundations on which Evolutionary nutrition is built.

Serious research will not be undertaken on Evolutionary Nutrition [BARF), until it is recognised as an entirely legitimate concept. Until that time, current mainstream beliefs involving nutrition [which are in fact a radical departure from the nutritional requirements our companion animals have been designed by evolution to require] will continue to wreak their havoc on canine [& feline] health.

It is against that background of nutritional conservatism, fostered by the major pet food companies, with their vested interests in promoting highly profitable processed pet foods that this book continues to shine and continues to have absolute relevance.

If you are new to the idea or if you simply require to re-kindle your desire to begin recommending or feeding truly healthy foods to the dogs that fill and give added meaning to your life, Give Your dog a Bone, remains as relevant today as when it was first published. GYDAB is the basic primer in the simple art (& science) of feeding whole raw foods to companion animals. Be prepared for no-nonsense common-sense writing that explains in non technical language, the practicalities of feeding dogs their evolutionary programme of nutrition, the only genuine recipe for a long & healthy, canine life.

Ian Billinghurst

January 2012

IAN BILLINGHURST - Nutritionist, Agricultural Scientist, Veterinary Surgeon, Author, Lecturer, Nutritional Consultant and Producer of Raw Pet Foods

Dr. Billinghurst graduated B.Sc.Agr. in 1966 from Sydney University as an Agronomist and Nutritionist; his studies being divided equally between Agronomy and Nutrition (basic and applied), in cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry.

Dr. Billinghurst spent 1966 as a research Scientist at the Orange Agricultural Research Station in the Central West of NSW. The next four years were spent teaching secondary level Science and Agriculture. During this period Dr. Billinghurst obtained his Diploma in Education from The University of New England Armidale. These studies included an in depth investigation of the philosophy of Science.

In 1971, Dr. Billinghurst commenced his Veterinary Science degree, graduating with honours (B.V.Sc.Hons) from Sydney University in 1976 and has remained in Companion animal practice since that time.

Between 1984 and 1987, Dr. Billinghurst studied for and passed his examinations in Traditional Chinese Medicine (for humans).

By the end of the 1980s, the combination of his formal and private studies, together with his research into the relationship between what his dog and cat patients ate and their state of health, had convinced Dr. Billinghurst that Evolutionary Nutrition was the only nutritional program able to promote and sustain genuine health. He realized that this principle applied equally to all animal species - including humans. It was this revelation that lead to the first of Dr. Billinghursts three books on Companion Animal Nutrition.

His first book, Give Your Dog a Bone", published in late 1993 sets out the basic principles of canine nutrition, using raw, whole and commonly available foods, including raw bones, meat, offal, vegetables, eggs yoghurt etc.. This book proved an instant hit and remains his most sought after and influential publication. Since that time GYDAB has sold in excess of 100 000 copies world-wide and is perhaps the most influential book on canine nutrition ever written. Its basic principles now influence the nutritional decision making of even the largest multinational pet food companies.