Raw Feeding on a Budget

**StryderPup** · 08-27-2011, 08:49 AM

Although this may not be for everyone, I wanted to post the success that we have had with raw feeding our dog on a budget. When we got Stryder, we had him on Purina dog food. Then Taste of the Wild, then Nutro, etc. Well besides eating a TON of food, he developed skin allergies. He was miserable and his skin turned gray and was swelled. After several expensive vet visits, it was suggested to us that we do more expensive allergy testing. We switched him to a raw diet immediately. Raw being raw meat (muscle, organ, and bones). Not all puppers can eat what he can, but he is a big dog (100/lbs). I have developed a relationship with our local butcher and I get chicken backs for 0.59/lb. I also supplement with chicken livers, canned sweet potatos, eggs, and other meat that I can get on sale. I was spending about 80 bucks a month on food to keep him fed. Now, the most I spend is 30 bucks and use that as part of our monthly budget. I know this is not for everyone...but we have had success with raw feeding. (NO, it does not make your dog vicious...e.g. the taste of blood...this is what they would eat in the wild..)

**MTS04** · 09-01-2011, 02:02 AM

raw feeder here too. be sure to supplement with good protein filled meat as chicken backs have a lot of bone meal. Sounds like you are finding a good balance.
We use a raw feeding co-op and have had good success with bottom prices. We can get chicken leg quarters for .49 a lb and chicken feet for naught from the butcher.
Good going for you, keep up the good work.

**OOwl** · 09-01-2011, 08:57 AM

I feed my dogs raw, as well. I have the best success with chicken (whatever is on sale, and .49/lb in my area is common for human-grade food, which is all I will give them), pork necks, beef necks, raw ground beef, all kinds of whole fish (and MANY stores will give this to you if it doesn't sell before they close the case for the day), and a small amount of organ meats. My dogs do not do well on ground raw turkey or pork. I do not feed green tripe, just because it's just so nasty to handle. I feed raw Friday through Sunday, and I feed kibble Monday through Thursday. That helps with not having to play chemist to get the balance of vitamins correct (that's difficult to do as an all-raw feeder). It's also a bit easier on the budget to feed kibble half the week, raw on the rest of the week, obtaining three days' worth of meat right when it goes on sale on Friday. I have fed many dogs with this regimen over the past 20 years. Not one has ever gotten sick on the raw, and, in fact, have lived very long, healthy lives (a large mutt, 17 years; a Malamute 14 years, two German Shepherds 13 years). I've never, not once, ever had to clean ANY of my dogs' teeth. They stay snowy white, even as elderly dogs on the raw diet.
Best wishes to you and I hope it works well for your dog. . .

**BigPolishJimmy** · 09-01-2011, 09:49 AM

When our dog developed skin allergy symptoms our vet suggested feeding them Science Diet dog food as it didn't have all the junk filler you get in regular dog food. You don't have to feed them the same quantity because the quality of the food is much more dense. After looking at the rather simple ingredients on the label we decided to just feed our dogs a mix of rice and chicken. We'd cook up a big batch of rice and chicken on the weekend to last the week. We always put the mix in the fridge and fed it to them cold. It wasn't "raw", but they loved it and lived long and happy lives on it.

**low-1** · 09-01-2011, 10:24 AM

I know lots of mushers up north here will give their dogs mainly netted rough fish (suckers, whitefish, carp, etc) and caribou. I give my dogs fish and grouse from time to time, and they love cleaning up the scraps during hunting season. I give my dogs a blend of raw meat and bagged food, although I'd like to move more towards raw. Butcher scraps are tough to get up here as most meat comes in prepackaged. I guess I could always talk to the commercial fishermen up here to see what they do with the rough fish that end up in the nets.

**kzhen8** · 09-08-2011, 01:57 PM

Raw diet is very good for dogs too, hearing from my holistic pet store owner where he has saved over the lives of 1,000+ pets. It's actually a lot better than dry food as it is not a good alternative for them since they don't find that in the wild. I spend about the same for my puppy's wet food and it's getting way too expensive

. Do you have to do any preparations for the raw food or you just give it to them straight up?

**Tashia** · 10-05-2011, 09:09 AM

I have two dogs and I have never considered raw feeding just because I didn't know it was an option basically. Could anyone send me an informative link on raw feeding. Sounds like it would be a very natural and healthy option for my dogs. Is there anything to stay away from?

**madhen** · 10-05-2011, 06:44 PM

I go back and forth. For a number of years, my boys were both on an all-raw diet, because I was part of a kick-a$$ coop that could get human-grade meat for pennies on the pound. Since moving, back in 2001, I do more of a blend. Not enough freezer space; no good coops; and a lot more travel, which means teaching pet-sitters how to feed raw or just giving the guys kibble/canned when I'm out of town.

**madhen** · 10-05-2011, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Tashia

I have two dogs and I have never considered raw feeding just because I didn't know it was an option basically. Could anyone send me an informative link on raw feeding. Sounds like it would be a very natural and healthy option for my dogs. Is there anything to stay away from?

A good start is Ian Billinghurst's Give Your Dog a Bone. It is a little dated now, but is considered by many as the "go to" book about raw feeding.