[mrslloyd09]

So I think my brain is on overload. I’ve been researching a raw diet for the girls for a while because I knew we eventually wanted to put them on it. Well yesterday after buying a big bag of food for Mandie, I had to cringe. The girls are on two different formulas and while I love Wellness, the price is killing me. I’ve thought about switching them to a different brand of kibble, but I guess I just don’t feel like anything else compares.

Anywho, we were at our Super Wal-mart last night and I was in the meat section looking for something I can eat (I’m on a pretty specific diet) and realized that I had been living in the dark thinking that I couldn’t get a variety of things and/or that they were expensive. All the things that the raw feeders on here and other places I’ve visited mention they feed, I found in great quantities and prices. I checked at our other big grocery store too and again found more great things. So I presented my financial findings to my husband, who told me to go for it. We’re even going to look for a little freezer to put in our spare room.

I’m so lost, though. I went thru every post, link, book suggested in the stickies and I think doing that all at once was not a good idea. I’ve taken food handler courses, so raw meat doesn’t make me squeamish. I’m most interested in the prey model but from there I feel like things get complicated (I think it’s me over thinking things). I feel like the questions I have should be obvious, like what qualifies as meat, bone and organ? Like if I give a chicken wing, I calculate the bone and meat separately right? Anyone have any good shopping lists they can recommend? I would like to switch the girls cold turkey, because as long as Mandie is getting any kind of kibble, she’ll refuse the raw. According to the calculators, Mandie should get ½ lb a day and Melodie should get .40 lbs a day.

I’d really like to switch them soon. Mandie is almost thru with her little bag and if I switch her before I open the big bag I can return it (is that bad that I want to do that? It was $30 for a 26 lb bag and I could apply that money toward their new diet). I feel like maybe I should just go for it and then see if anyone would be willing to kind of be my mentor while I’m working out the bugs.

[Nallah06]

Sent you a PM

[misty073]

I have only been doing the raw myself for 4.5 months (we used a premix before that) so I am not really one to give advice as I am still learning myself.


But for me there is no way we could afford to feed a real good quality kibble all the time, I find raw to be cheaper (and better for them ) I didnt really have choice though we moved to a new city and the cheapest I could find a premix for was $3.99lb and up...not feasable for us. So I did some more research and asked alot of questions on here and just went for it. I use a suppliment though for my dogs just incase, because I dont feed whole animals I feed what I can afford and what I can get.

I just start with a breeders block of chicken and bone and add other meat and organs to it. I have also used the poop alot to help me. My dog was having dry crumbly poops or runny poops (she was already on raw so it wasnt caused by switching) because she was small the bone to meat ratio was too hard for me to get (others with small dogs have no problems with it)

I am finding the picture thread on here to be a big help too, it makes a difference actually seeing what others feed as compared to reading about it.

[Nallah06]

Glad to see the picture thread has helped!!! YAY!

[phoebespeople]

Switching to RAW cold turkey is definitely the way to go. I would suggest whole chickens or chicken parts, cut into big chunks, would be a good place to start. Feed only chicken for a week or two and watch for signs of detoxification. These may include runny poops, mucousy poops (yucky), and little spots on the tummy. These will go away in a week or two, be patient.
You can use alfalfa/kelp powder and salmon oil as suppliments one meal a day.
After a couple weeks, add a meal of turkey necks. Then add chicken liver once in a while, then add beef heart, pork shoulder, beef kidney, duck, lamb... whatever you can find, adding something new every week or two. Raw egg with the shell, sardines in water (with as little salt as possible), and green tripe are impotant to have once or twice a week, once thay have made the transition.
We started Phoebe on RAW as soon as we got her at 7 weeks old. It is great for her and has been cheap and easy for us. Keep asking questions, and keep reporting on your progress.

[katiemay]

If you guys don't mind me asking, how much cheaper is it? I've also been thinking about switching to raw for a few months now ( maybe it will help Rocky's sensitive tummy? ) but we don't have a butcher here in town where I hear you can get it really cheap.

I pay $22 for the kibble he's on and it lasts him a little over a month (he weighs 11 lbs).
If I switch him to raw, I would also want to switch my cat to raw so it would be for 2 animals.

I just don't really know where to go to price things out - we don't have a butcher and the only supermarket in town charges out the butt for meat.

[BrittanyG]

I always found it to be more expensive, but it's totally possible that I was doing it wrong. I'd also like to know how much people have saved.

[dieterherzog]

Definitely more expensive for me - we live in Seattle and even the butcher's here is ultra expensive. I also have severe OCD over ethically sourced meat, so I do tend to spend a little more than is necessary.

I like to think of the prey model in this way - which makes it very simple. Let's say you get a whole chicken that weighs about 4lbs and your dog needs about 1/2 lb a day. Cut the chicken up into 8 parts. It doesn't matter if there's bones, meat or organs in there. As long as your dog gets those 8 parts that equals 4 lbs over 8 days, the meat, bone and organ content should average out.

For meats other than poultry where the bones are harder to consume, just add ground eggshells (1/2 teaspoon for 1lb of meat) or chicken or turkey necks.

If you're doing prey model solely, make sure you feed tripe, chicken heads and feet, intestines, brains and every single by-product imaginable since all these parts have their own nutritional benefits. People often forget that the prey model means "WHOLE PREY". Tossing your dog a chicken back every day is NOT the way to go.

If you have no access to the "WHOLE PREY" then a good multivitamin is highly recommended, Trippett sells canned green tripe, and you can add a very small amount of pulverized carrots and leftover veges to your dog's meal to make up for any vitamin deficiency.

Try it out for a month or two and then bring your dog in to get a check up and blood test. Many people think they can see how well their dog is doing just by looking at the fur or how "bright their eyes are" - but a blood test is the only way you can make sure you're doing it right. Raw is easy to screw up, but if you get it right, the benefits outweigh any kibble you can find (or afford).

Invest in one or two really good books about raw feeding - the latest edition of Dr. Pitcairn's book is really good and I consider it my go-to for keeping my dog in top shape. He writes from a very scientific point of view and offers very logical and concise explanations. While he recommends feeding grains, a lot of his recipes will teach you about the right ratios for vitamins, minerals and you can work your way around to see what works best for your dogs.

[misty073]

I do have a hard time working out the cost

But I bought a box of ground chicken and bone in Oct that has 4 packs weighing 4.8lbs a piece that lasted me until two weeks ago, and cost 23.00 including tax. I bought two bags of hearts at the same time that cost me 12.00, I dont know exactly how much they weighed but I still have 1 left. I would guess my liver and kidney and gizzard costs per month are maybe $5-10. and I buy beef as I see it on sale or marked down (usually half price packs) and my missing link supliment is 23.00 but I also bought that in oct and still have alot left.

I am thinking I spend about $20-25 to feed a 13lb dog for a month, but I also feed her more than what is recommended for a dog her size (I feed 8oz a day)

[GreyWolf11]

Real raw diets are expensive. It should be a complete and balanced raw food to meet the needs of your canine.Feeding your dog raw meats only is not a staple diet. Some people think a diet of boiled chicken and brown rice is sufficient but it is certainly not. Though your dog might seem healthy, he is not getting all the suplemented vitamins and minerals that are provided in a kibbled diet. He will be lacking essential vitamins. Raw diets are expensive because they are formulated for dogs and those vitamins and minerals i spoke of ARE added to these foods for a proper staple diet. I recomend Stella & Chewy's as far as raw diets go. They are much more natural than any raw diet competitor. They use no added hormones, salts, or sugars. This product is about as natural s you can get. Also, be weary of raw diets for puppies as they are much more susceptible to worms.