# Sticky  Breakdown of Cost



## DaneMama

If getting started on RAW, breaking down your cost of meat and freezer space is VERY important especially if you have big dogs or multiple dogs. 

Here is our breakdown for our dogs (we don't include the cost of the cat...she gets the scraps LOL)

Finding a freezer is easier than you think, free ones are posted on craigslist all the time so I would say that cost is neglegible.

Here is a guide for determining how much freezer space you will need:

28 cu. ft. of freezer space for ~500 lbs. of meat
14 cu. ft. of freezer space for ~250 lbs. of meat
7 c u. ft. of freezer space for ~125 lbs. of meat

We have an upright freezer that is about 24 cu. ft. and we routinely buy ~300# of meat at a time. We could fit much more considering we package our meat into containers that hold 2-3 days worth of meat.

300# of meat usually will last about a month and a half or two.

We have 4 dogs that weigh:

Shiloh: 65
Emmy: 65
Akasha (currently growing): 65
Bailey: 115

We buy meat that is on average (adding up all the costs of the different meats we buy and dividing by the # of meats) 60-75 cents per pound

Shiloh, Emmy and Akasha all cost us ~ $1 per day to feed

Bailey costs us ~$2 per day to feed

The meats we buy on a regular basis:

chicken backs, turkey necks, beef heart, pork ribs, pork roasts, whole tilapia, pollock fillets, lamb ribs, beef liver, chicken liver, beef kidneys, etc.

This breakdown does not include all the free meat that we have found to come in contact with (trust me its out there, ya just gotta know where and how to look for it 

So, looking at the breakdown, is RAW worth it???


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## Lynn In Tenn

That is some _fine_ information Natalie. Thanks alot.:biggrin:


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## DaneMama

Thanks. I was just thinking about how many people ask me how much it costs us to feed our troops raw. They are taken aback when we tell them that we feed them all for so cheap.

And that breakdown is is based on the high end of our cost :biggrin:


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## spookychick13

More than worth it!

Saved money on vet bills!


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## GoldenGirl

danemama08 said:


> If getting started on RAW, breaking down your cost of meat and freezer space is VERY important especially if you have big dogs or multiple dogs.
> 
> Here is our breakdown for our dogs (we don't include the cost of the cat...she gets the scraps LOL)
> 
> Finding a freezer is easier than you think, free ones are posted on craigslist all the time so I would say that cost is neglegible.
> 
> Here is a guide for determining how much freezer space you will need:
> 
> 28 cu. ft. of freezer space for ~500 lbs. of meat
> 14 cu. ft. of freezer space for ~250 lbs. of meat
> 7 c u. ft. of freezer space for ~125 lbs. of meat
> 
> We have an upright freezer that is about 24 cu. ft. and we routinely buy ~300# of meat at a time. We could fit much more considering we package our meat into containers that hold 2-3 days worth of meat.
> 
> 300# of meat usually will last about a month and a half or two.
> 
> We have 4 dogs that weigh:
> 
> Shiloh: 65
> Emmy: 65
> Akasha (currently growing): 65
> Bailey: 115
> 
> We buy meat that is on average (adding up all the costs of the different meats we buy and dividing by the # of meats) 60-75 cents per pound
> 
> Shiloh, Emmy and Akasha all cost us ~ $1 per day to feed
> 
> Bailey costs us ~$2 per day to feed
> 
> The meats we buy on a regular basis:
> 
> chicken backs, turkey necks, beef heart, pork ribs, pork roasts, whole tilapia, pollock fillets, lamb ribs, beef liver, chicken liver, beef kidneys, etc.
> 
> This breakdown does not include all the free meat that we have found to come in contact with (trust me its out there, ya just gotta know where and how to look for it
> 
> So, looking at the breakdown, is RAW worth it???


WOW - what a great post. It's an eye opener and a definite reason to switch. Where do you typically buy all the meat?

Thanks for the great info.

- Jean


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## jdatwood

GoldenGirl said:


> WOW - what a great post. It's an eye opener and a definite reason to switch. Where do you typically buy all the meat?
> 
> Thanks for the great info.
> 
> - Jean


We buy from a company called Harvest Meat Company here in Denver
Welcome to Harvest Meat Company!

They have locations across the US

San Diego
Sacramento
Phoenix
Denver
Dallas/Fort Worth
Kansas City
Sioux City
Orlando
Portland
Los Angeles

You can try looking for a similar distributor or find a co-op in your area


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## harrkim120

jdatwood said:


> We buy from a company called Harvest Meat Company here in Denver
> Welcome to Harvest Meat Company!
> 
> They have locations across the US
> 
> San Diego
> Sacramento
> Phoenix
> Denver
> Dallas/Fort Worth
> Kansas City
> Sioux City
> Orlando
> Portland
> Los Angeles
> 
> You can try looking for a similar distributor or find a co-op in your area


I'm picking up my order from them tomorrow. :biggrin: So excited!!! lol


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## danesandhorses

Wow, thanks! I am looking in to switching to raw for at least one of my Danes. After I saw your cost I might switch them all! I spend way more per day per dog. They are currently eating Solid Gold kibble and Merrick and Evangers canned. 

Diesel is having some skin issues, they lady I purchase my food from recommended the honest kitchen, Its really a great food but he doesnt like it. I have been adding raw chicken and giving him a turkey neck which he loves but still wont eat the other food! I am going to try raw and see how he does on that. He is a 10 month old Dane. He is just over 34", I havent weighed him for awhile. He has lost a bit of weight since he doesnt like his food. Any recomendations?


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## DaneMama

Nice to see you post up!!! Hope all the Danes and horses are all doing well!

I highly, highly recommend following this guide to get him started. You will really need to use the tough love approach to get him used to raw foods.

How to get started feeding a Prey Model Raw Diet | Prey Model Raw


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5

danemama08 said:


> We have 4 dogs that weigh:
> 
> Shiloh: 65
> Emmy: 65
> Akasha (currently growing): 65
> Bailey: 115


are those numbers in kilograms or are your dogs puppies?

ETA-10/2009


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## DaneMama

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> are those numbers in kilograms or are your dogs puppies?
> 
> ETA-10/2009


Their weight is in pounds....


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5

danemama08 said:


> Their weight is in pounds....


i didnt se the post date. that was prob when they were puppies. i thought it wasa recent post and im like 65 pounds???


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## DaneMama

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> i didnt se the post date. that was prob when they were puppies. i thought it wasa recent post and im like 65 pounds???


Two of our dogs only weigh 65 pounds because one is a foxhound mix and the other is a wolf hybrid/husky mix. We only have two great Danes, Bailey and Akasha, 120 and 85 respectively.


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## danesandhorses

Thanks again! All my Danes and horses are great. I havent been on this site for awhile but am needing it desperatly right now! All my other dogs have done well on the food I have been feeding them. My husband's has decided to keep his Boston on Honest Kitchen. He takes her to work with him and feeds just before he goes. I am deffinitely switching Diesel to just raw. I bought more turkey necks and chicken parts today! Lol. He gobbled up dinner!

By the way Diesel is my newest baby, a beautiful Harlequin male we imported from Russia. I will have to post some pictures of him. I am in the process of getting him AKC registered and then we plan on showing him. Once I get his skin cleared up! Poor boy! He is very fair skinned.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5

how's the wolf hybrids temperment/ do you know the percentage of wolf? does he have different eating preferences?


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## DaneMama

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> how's the wolf hybrids temperment/ do you know the percentage of wolf? does he have different eating preferences?


Shiloh (wolf) has a wonderful disposition. A lot of other hybrid owners say that we are very lucky with her. She is ~50% wolf hybrid with husky. She is the most open and friendliest dog of ours. She goes up and says hello to all dogs and people. We can even take her to off leash parks and weekend long camping trips in the middle of no where and have 99% trust in her that she will stick around.

She eats just the same way as our other dogs, although she is more protective of her food.


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## Jordan S.

Yay, now that I've gotten Chocolate readily accepting chicken via the
tough-love method LOL and we are no longer limited to expensive beef necks and pork ribs. My cost estimate has really gone down. It may cost us $0.42 a day to feed raw *does the happy dance*. Since a pack of 8 VERY meaty chicken legs is now 2.82-3.00 at the grocery store.


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## 3RingCircus

Thanks for the info danesmama08.

I did a breakdown of what EVO has been costing us per month. Frankly, I am shocked. I also broke that down to per dog costs but it isn't quite accurate because Barnum eats more than Bailey right now. He's still growing but the growth has slowed down.

Per day on EVO: $3.84 per dog! Yikes!

We are making the switch starting in June 2010.

Bailey last weighed 130 lbs
Barnum weighs 105.2 lbs as of 5/25/10.


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## DaneMama

3RingCircus said:


> Thanks for the info danesmama08.
> 
> I did a breakdown of what EVO has been costing us per month. Frankly, I am shocked. I also broke that down to per dog costs but it isn't quite accurate because Barnum eats more than Bailey right now. He's still growing but the growth has slowed down.
> 
> Per day on EVO: $3.84 per dog! Yikes!
> 
> We are making the switch starting in June 2010.
> 
> Bailey last weighed 130 lbs
> Barnum weighs 105.2 lbs as of 5/25/10.


Glad to hear that you're making the switch...you wont regret it and we will all be here to help and guide you along the way. I would start getting your ducks in a row now and finding connections for meat (wholesale distributors, ethnic markets, butchers, etc), look for a freezer if you don't already have one and do as much reading into getting started on the switch as possible. I have written a "getting started" article (link below) that goes mcuh in depth about what to do and what not to do. Read through it, I wrote it because I have yet to find something similar on the web that goes through things quite so extensively. There is also a "quick start" guide for easy reference on the same site, as well as the "why's" to feeding raw and other's success stories to help give you confidence. 

How to get started | Prey Model Raw

Getting Started (quick start) | Prey Model Raw


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## danesandhorses

Diesel has been on Raw for over a month now and is doing great. I just switched my husbands Boston yesterday. Her name is Pie. She loved her meal. Grant is not thrilled and is worried she is going to choke on a bone. I told him just to shut up and deal with it! He thinks I am crazy now! maybe I am!!! Pie has had issues with ear infections and itchy skin. I will keep everyone posted on her progress. I plan on also switching over Magnum who is almost 6, I am waiting until after June 5th. I am walking Magnum and Diesel in a local Doggie Dash for SPCA and don't want to deal with diarhhea just in case he has a reaction. When I add up how much it is costing me to feed him on kibbe and canned it just makes sense. Magnum eats an average of 10 cups dry and 2 cans daily. Just his canned food is costing me almost 5 dollars a day!


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## magicre

danesandhorses said:


> Diesel has been on Raw for over a month now and is doing great. I just switched my husbands Boston yesterday. Her name is Pie. She loved her meal. Grant is not thrilled and is worried she is going to choke on a bone. I told him just to shut up and deal with it! He thinks I am crazy now! maybe I am!!! Pie has had issues with ear infections and itchy skin. I will keep everyone posted on her progress. I plan on also switching over Magnum who is almost 6, I am waiting until after June 5th. I am walking Magnum and Diesel in a local Doggie Dash for SPCA and don't want to deal with diarhhea just in case he has a reaction. When I add up how much it is costing me to feed him on kibbe and canned it just makes sense. Magnum eats an average of 10 cups dry and 2 cans daily. Just his canned food is costing me almost 5 dollars a day!


grant will be thrilled when pie's ears clear up, as bubba's did....that brown gunk was awful....the vet thinks i'm using one of my home remedies....LOL...he can't quite bring himself to admit that sugar is the culprit....

as to cost....i'm really not sure yet...i don't know that we're really saving money because we feed them so many different foods. i think the cost savings will be per year....and we're not there yet.


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## RawFedDogs

magicre said:


> as to cost....i'm really not sure yet...i don't know that we're really saving money because we feed them so many different foods. i think the cost savings will be per year....and we're not there yet.


Don't worry too much about cost right now. It will take you a while to learn how to shop for your dogs and to line up sources. In 6 months you will have a much better idea on costs.

The last time I figured it up a few months ago, I am paying an average of about $.75/lb for my dogs food.


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## magicre

RawFedDogs said:


> Don't worry too much about cost right now. It will take you a while to learn how to shop for your dogs and to line up sources. In 6 months you will have a much better idea on costs.
> 
> The last time I figured it up a few months ago, I am paying an average of about $.75/lb for my dogs food.


that's kind of what i figured...right now, cost is less of an issue, although it's always an issue LOL...than getting them comfortable on raw...

but, i do know we aren't spending more than what we used to spend on kibble and we're spending less than home cooked.


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## Jodysmom

I did a DFC search for Kansas, where I live, and I found Harvest Meat fairly close by. I went to the website and couldn't find prices. Do I need to call that information?


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## DaneMama

We order from the Denver branch all the time. The prices vary...but seem to be relatively constant. For example, turkey necks are about .68-.92 per pound on average.

I would give them a call and ask for them to email you or fax you their weekly "menu" with current prices.

We just picked up an order of almost 700 pounds of turkey necks, organs and beef hearts and ribs for .70 per pound on average. This order should put us through the next couple of months LOL


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## magicre

danemama08 said:


> We order from the Denver branch all the time. The prices vary...but seem to be relatively constant. For example, turkey necks are about .68-.92 per pound on average.
> 
> I would give them a call and ask for them to email you or fax you their weekly "menu" with current prices.
> 
> We just picked up an order of almost 700 pounds of turkey necks, organs and beef hearts and ribs for .70 per pound on average. This order should put us through the next couple of months LOL


are you getting these prices, natalie, because of the sheer tonnage you're ordering? or are these prices DFC's pricing?


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## jdatwood

magicre said:


> are you getting these prices, natalie, because of the sheer tonnage you're ordering? or are these prices DFC's pricing?


That's their normal pricing... nothing special for us :wink: They sell to stores and restaurants so even though what we're ordering may seem big to us, it's a VERY small order compared to the places that pick their stuff up in Semis


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## DaneMama

Our Harvest distributor has a "Colorado Raw Meat and Bone Feeders" club that you order through...not sure if the prices are special for that or what? I doubt it though....


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## magicre

jdatwood said:


> That's their normal pricing... nothing special for us :wink: They sell to stores and restaurants so even though what we're ordering may seem big to us, it's a VERY small order compared to the places that pick their stuff up in Semis


one of our distributors:

here:

turkey necks 80 c
beef hearts 1.62
liver whole 1.26 - 1.31
kidney beef 84 c
beef spare rib ungraded 1.50


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## Jodysmom

magicre said:


> one of our distributors:
> 
> here:
> 
> turkey necks 80 c
> beef hearts 1.62
> liver whole 1.26 - 1.31
> kidney beef 84 c
> beef spare rib ungraded 1.50


Re,
Is this what Harvest Meats charges you when you order? 

Tami


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## magicre

we have a harvest meats in portland, OR

but we don't have one here....

this is plymouth poultry and it's in seattle....

we do have willamette valley in portland.....some of their prices are cheaper...but it's a four hour drive....

even our co op doesn't get pricing like this, although i did get chicken frames for 43 cents/lb -- not quite sure what they look like, tho. my dogs are small, so chicken frames for bone is easier for them...turkey necks are a little too heavy for what they need...although i always have some around.

although, right now we have chunked bone in grass fed/grass finished beef real cheap


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## SerenityFL

I have discovered that Harvest Meat will deliver in my area which is good. I can't find pricing and am also wondering if there is a minimum amount one must order for them to deliver?

I will be getting a small freezer, (if I'm allowed to have it outside), that will be about 5 cu ft which should hold quite a bit of meat in addition to the freezer in the fridge in the house. Will they deliver to someone only ordering about 100 pounds of meat, (if that much), at a time?


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## magicre

Harvest Meat Company - Sales Contacts

this is the contact page.....

with email addys and phone numbers....apparently, harvest meats and western boxed meats are married...

so there is one in portland and one in puyallup, wa....for those of us in the nw.


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## DaneMama

The harvest here doesn't require a minimum order at all...they might if they deliver. I would call and ask


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## SamWu1

I don't shop around as much as others because I only have one 30lbs. dog to feed that eats around .75lbs. a day. I'm guessimating I spend around $40 a bucks now because I mainly feed beef now. When I was feeding primarily poultry, I was spending less than $28 a month.


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## magicre

SamWu1 said:


> I don't shop around as much as others because I only have one 30lbs. dog to feed that eats around .75lbs. a day. I'm guessimating I spend around $40 a bucks now because I mainly feed beef now. When I was feeding primarily poultry, I was spending less than $28 a month.


we have two dogs....one 36 lb corgi mix and one 18 lb pug.

i belong to this co op.....and it's all their fault that i have all these options. LOL

if i didn't, i probably would not be exposed to all of these foods, other than grocery stores and ethnic markets.

not complaining.


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## sheila-and billy

The kibble we fed before breaks down to $2.50/lb. Right now, in our learning phase of RAW, we are probably feeding at about $1.50. But have started hunting as recommended on here (thanks) and have found some amazing deals on chicken quarters, necks and backs, that will take us almost under $1.00 including beef livers and chicken livers. Hell even if the price stayed the same at $2.50/lb, we can feed sirloin instead of kibble.


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## Syd

New Member here...

I fed our last Bullmastiff raw for the 1st few years of his life. We found a meat packing company that would sell us 'bricks' of ground beef with some bone, fat, and carrots mixed in...
$50 for $50.

Anyways, I've been reading here and learned that there may be a better way to do things.
We now have a new Bullmastiff puppy (7 months and 85 pounds).
He has not been fed raw yet (except for some bones with scraps from the local butcher).

We have tried a bunch of 'premium' kibble and the dehydrated 'raw'. Not working for him. He gets terrible allergies, and is itching himself raw.

My puppy is allergic to chicken (and I suspect all poultry)...
I called Harvest Meats today, and inquired about ordering through them.

I didn't know what to order. I asked about the mutton (He does good with lamb), and beef (sales guy recommended shanks)...

The shank (cut) is 1.55lb for a 65-70lb box
The mutton (cut) is 2.55 lb for a 45 lb box

Is shank and mutton good meat to start him on?

Can I just buy 1 of the 2 or do I have to give him both to mix it up?

I have a small fridge/freezer that I can dedicate for his food. Will that be large enough to hold the 45 pounds of mutton and/or 65 pounds of mutton?

Thanks for your help.

By the way, I agree 100% that feeding raw is way better for our dogs. But buying through a pet store can get really, expensive.


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## DaneMama

Hello and welcome! Glad to hear you're choosing to feed raw to your pup. Since he hasnt had any raw just yet you need to be careful and switch him over gradually. I suggest you read through the "getting started" guide provided by the link below in my signature. It'll answer all the questions you have asked thus far and will set you on the right track. 

Dogs who show symptoms of chicken allergies on kibble do not show allergy symptoms on raw chicken. It has to do with proteins not changing shape due to cooking and not causing an allergic response when in their natural form.


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## Syd

Thanks.
I did read that a couple of days ago. I will re-read it, and see if it clears up how I should order his food.


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## DaneMama

Basically the guideline for switching a dog successfully to raw is to start out on nothing but bone in chicken for two weeks. Then add in turkey alternating with chicken for another two weeks. Then add in fish alternating with chicken and turkey for another two weeks. And so on so forth until you have all your protein sources added in. Save boneless red meats til the end and organ meat (liver and kidney) for very last. 

So, as far as ordering goes I suggest you start off with chicken leg quarters only for two weeks. Make sure to trim off any extra skin, fat and organ meat for the first few days and then gradually trim less and less once he does well on it for several days.


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## Syd

I probably glanced over the chicken part really quickly as I thought he would have an allergic reaction to it...

When I spoke with the sales rep (who probably doesn't know much about raw feeding), he told me to stick to chicken necks only. I would imagine that is incorrect.

_So when I place an order for the chicken, turkey and fish, what do I ask for? How much of it? I have a small dedicated fridge for him at this time._


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## DaneMama

Chicken necks are too small for your dog. I would order 40 pounds of chicken leg quarters and 40 pounds of turkey necks to get you started. Don't worry about fish at this point.


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## magicre

personally, i wouldn't order in bulk just yet. it might be a little more expensive.....i gave away an entire case of turkey necks because it just didn't fit in with my dogs' diet plan....

the first six months, i think is a learning experience...so i would see if you can get chicken backs from your butcher....or buy whole chickens and cut them up yourself....just to see if your dog shows signs of allergies.

if not...then you can order chicken backs or whatever chicken is recommended.....by the case....and start with that, since chicken is the easiest to digest.....

you can judge by the stool as to how much bone is needed.....too much bone, stool gets crumbly, too little bone, stool gets loose....

good luck to you....


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## Syd

I went and picked up some raw Bravo chicken and will give him some of that daily for the few days...Usually he reacts really strongly, and quickly, to foods he is allergic to. I will know by tomorrow night if he will be allergic to the chicken.
I bought him some Great Life yesterday, and he was up all night itching himself raw. I fed him the raw chicken today at noon, and he hasn't had a reaction yet.

I would imagine sampling the Bravo raw would let me know how he will do on the food???


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## DaneMama

What is bravo chicken?


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## Syd

Sorry, it is simply the name of a brand of raw dog food...

This is the list of ingredients: Antibiotic-free chicken necks & bones, antibiotic-free chicken, antibiotic-free chicken organs (hearts, gizzards, liver), green beans, acorn squash, broccoli. I believe it is either 85 or 95% chicken. I couldn't find any without any veggies.


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## luvMyBRT

If he has an allergic reaction to this food there are so many ingredients you won't know exactly what he is reacting to. The easiest way to do it is to go to your grocery store and buy some whole chickens and butcher them up or just buy a bag of chicken quarters. Probably cheaper too...... :biggrin1:


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## magicre

luvMyBRT said:


> If he has an allergic reaction to this food there are so many ingredients you won't know exactly what he is reacting to. The easiest way to do it is to go to your grocery store and buy some whole chickens and butcher them up or just buy a bag of chicken quarters. Probably cheaper too...... :biggrin1:


exactly. if he's allergic to chicken, just feed him chicken.....


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## Syd

If he has a reaction I will buy a bag of chicken quarters. But, it's been almost 4 hrs and he hasn't itched at all yet. 
I only had a bit of time at lunch and the pet food place was fastest for me to get to, and I have a credit at the store I have to use up (I returned bag of Orijen that was causing problems).


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## Syd

So far so good...
Before driving to LA to pick up his food order, I'm trying to get him a variety of meats. I don't want to buy food that he can't use. We've fed him raw chicken, lamb and some beef ribs. He's not itching, and his stools are not loose...

I was re-reading the 'preparing for a raw diet' blog entry...I have a big dog (a 7 month old, 85 pound bullmastiff puppy)...What do you recommend I not feed him regarding the size of the bones?
Thank for your help thus far.


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## DaneMama

I suggest you don't get ahead of yourself and add in too many proteins at once. I highly recommend taking things slow, even if he is already doing well. It may catch up to you both, which isn't the end of the world but certainly a set back isn't ideal. 

Stick to JUST chicken leg quarters for two weeks and nothing else, no treats if possible. If you have an allergy dog you want to cut pretty much everything out of his diet if at all possible except just ONE food source. Chicken is the best place to start. I'm 99.9% positive your dog will do just fine on whole, raw chicken. I've seen confirmed chicken allergies disappear on an all RAW chicken diet. I believe it has to do with chicken being cooked in kibbles. 

The bones to stay far away from:

Weight bearing bones for large ungulates like cows or buffalo (knuckle, femur bones)

Oddly shaped CUT bones like a T-bone or country style pork ribs (actually sliced pieces of pork shoulder blade)

Anything the dog can swallow whole without crunching a few times, although, if it fits down the hatch there isn't much to worry about after that. A lot of people worry about dogs choking or getting blocked but this is a rare occurance.


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## Syd

Alright...I went to the supermarket and picked up some chicken quarters...I'll stick to those for now. I fed him raw meaty beef bones for a couple of months ( but not for the last 6-8 weeks though ) so my thinking was that he'd be fine.
But you're right; we're better off doing one at a time so I not what, if anything, he can't handle.


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## Syd

Well, I started with the chicken quarters on Thur night, and have fed him those without any problems at all through this am.

He's a 7 mo old bullmastiff puppy. Is 3 chicken quarters over 3 separate meals adequate feeding for him? I fed him 2 the first day. He looked like that was not enough, so I went to 3. He looks like he may have lost a couple of pounds (not skinny though) but I prefer him leaner as opposed to heavier anyways...

Am I in the ballpark with 3 chicken quarters? He's had no treats of any kind.

Rather than placing a big order yet, I went to Fresh and Easy where they were selling Quarters for $0.89/lb.


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## DaneMama

If he's doing alright on 3 per day so far you can try adding in another quarter per day to see if that is more adequate. It'd always better to start out with less and increase.


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## Lorenn

Nice post!

I was paying $10 per chicken (About 1 week of food), and then started feeding TWICE as much, so $20 a week. It was pretty annoying (more expensive than kibble), but I found a small (well large) Chinese food store where they sell the chicken leftovers. I bought a HUGE box for only $7 and now Loki's got over a MONTHs worth of chicken! Lol. I was wondering how everyone got these good deals, but you just need to search - And you'll find. So happy I switched to raw, and SO happy I found this deal!


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## NicoleSmith

I spend a lot for my dog's diet but I don't complain because I'm assured that my dog is healthy. It will save my dog from future diseases which are more costly.


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## Elliehanna

this is my 1st post here, I am from the PBC forum and was told to come over here since I was asking so many questions on raw and cost.

I am thinking really hard about swapping my 3 year old adult boy to raw (he is around 62lbs, lazy but has a high metabolize somehow, he is currently in a transition from one kibble to another due to cost and a baby on the way, I am due in 9 days or so! well we are estimating he will be on 3.5-4 cups of Diamond Natural a day when all is said and done, he was on 3 cups of orijen when he was on a really good kibble just for reference sake) 

Well I am trying to figure out if it would be cost officant to swap him to raw, when I give him occasional raw he does great on it but I need to know if its worth the cost. 

Out here I do not have much as far as butchers, the closest one is about 20-30 minutes away, but I can get free raw beef and pork bones and free beef hearts (maybe free pork hearts) from them, they do not butcher poultry though, and the price of the actual meat there is not what I would consider a bargin, though liver is only like 2 bucks a pound as far as one of the organs I know they carry.

I do have a freezer, I am guessing its 7 Cu, its not really big, but I don't store much in it for the family, any meat that is freezer burned goes in there for Goren.

I was wondering if you could help me out in finding more free sources or how to best use the sources I have, which isn't much lol

we have a wal-mart in the next town over, an IGA there and in my town, a buy low, and a Rulers as far as any grocery stores.

Also would lake fish be ok if I cut and freeze them for 2 days before feeding? I don't fish much but you know how every little bit helps, plus now I am a stay at home mom so I can fish more this coming summer than normal

oh yea here is the site for my butcher, they have weekly deals but don't have there regular prices, but at least you can see what they sell
Dewig Meats, Haubstadt, Indiana - Quality Meats since 1916

thank you for the help!


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## Payton Leeroy

I have a dog who's perfect weight is about 10 pounds, maybe up to twelve. With the switch to raw I've been feeding him about a quarter of a pound a day [which is darned hard to break up into two meals, especially for bone meals!]

Now, I can find meat for 99 cents fairly regularly. Which means that my dog costs a quarter a day. Sometimes meat is more expensive, sometimes it's free, like when I just cut a portion off of the meat I'm going to cook for myself or Dad runs over a rabbit and teaches me how to skin and gut it for my dog. Overall my average is about a quarter a day though, so we'll stick with that for our math.

Now, a quarter a day is about $8 a month [rounding up]. 

So, lets say I get a 5 pound bag of TOTW for about $8. Yes, the bigger bags are cheaper, but I have a tiny dog and a tiny apartment, and I'd rather not be storing a whole ton of kibble all of the time. We're supposed to feed right about a cup a day according to their guide, and with about 4 cups per pound lets say that's 20 cups. Lets be generous and say that it lasts a whole month, so $8 a month.

So really, they're about the same when you look at JUST the food value and not the health benefits and such.


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## Mondo

Payton Leeroy said:


> I have a dog who's perfect weight is about 10 pounds, maybe up to twelve. With the switch to raw I've been feeding him about a quarter of a pound a day [which is darned hard to break up into two meals, especially for bone meals!]
> 
> Now, I can find meat for 99 cents fairly regularly. Which means that my dog costs a quarter a day. Sometimes meat is more expensive, sometimes it's free, like when I just cut a portion off of the meat I'm going to cook for myself or Dad runs over a rabbit and teaches me how to skin and gut it for my dog. Overall my average is about a quarter a day though, so we'll stick with that for our math.
> 
> Now, a quarter a day is about $8 a month [rounding up].
> 
> So, lets say I get a 5 pound bag of TOTW for about $18. Yes, the bigger bags are cheaper, but I have a tiny dog and a tiny apartment, and I'd rather not be storing a whole ton of kibble all of the time. We're supposed to feed right about a cup a day according to their guide, and with about 4 cups per pound lets say that's 60 cups. That's about two months of food, which means that I'm spending about $9 a month.
> 
> So really, the two are about the same cost when you look at JUST the food value and not the health benefits and such.


The thing is, we humans can eat at McDonald's pretty cheaply. Would parents feed their children at McDonald's daily, just because i was cheaper? 

I'm fortunate in that our dogs are smaller, so if raw costs more, it isn't much more. We spent over $1000 in November to have 3 teeth extracted from Tuffy. Periodontal disease was indicated, not surprise being 11+ years old and kibble fed most of his life. I didn't know about the benefits of raw. I was told to give my boys chicken necks 2 or 3 times a week. I started with that for about a week, did some reading, tossed the kibble and it's all raw now.


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## Payton Leeroy

Mondo said:


> The thing is, we humans can eat at McDonald's pretty cheaply. Would parents feed their children at McDonald's daily, just because i was cheaper?
> 
> I'm fortunate in that our dogs are smaller, so if raw costs more, it isn't much more. We spent over $1000 in November to have 3 teeth extracted from Tuffy. Periodontal disease was indicated, not surprise being 11+ years old and kibble fed most of his life. I didn't know about the benefits of raw. I was told to give my boys chicken necks 2 or 3 times a week. I started with that for about a week, did some reading, tossed the kibble and it's all raw now.


Oh, I know. I was just doing a purely cost comparison for anyone who was curious for his size of dog. Honestly, it was my biggest concern with the whole raw feeding. If I'd only seen someone else do the actual numbers instead of just saying "It can be cheaper" or "it's more expensive" I probably would have switched him over LONG ago.

Bah. I always tell people who come to me for financial advice to stop eating fast food and actually cook meals at home. Yes, you CAN eat it cheaply, until you decide to do the whole meal, then supersize... Then the cost it takes to feed one person would feed a full family with a properly prepared meal... If only I had a bigger freezer/apartment! Then the dog and I would eat for next to free on all the bargains/bulk shopping my mother taught me to find!


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## DaneMama

Elliehanna said:


> this is my 1st post here, I am from the PBC forum and was told to come over here since I was asking so many questions on raw and cost.
> 
> I am thinking really hard about swapping my 3 year old adult boy to raw (he is around 62lbs, lazy but has a high metabolize somehow, he is currently in a transition from one kibble to another due to cost and a baby on the way, I am due in 9 days or so! well we are estimating he will be on 3.5-4 cups of Diamond Natural a day when all is said and done, he was on 3 cups of orijen when he was on a really good kibble just for reference sake)
> 
> Well I am trying to figure out if it would be cost officant to swap him to raw, when I give him occasional raw he does great on it but I need to know if its worth the cost.
> 
> Out here I do not have much as far as butchers, the closest one is about 20-30 minutes away, but I can get free raw beef and pork bones and free beef hearts (maybe free pork hearts) from them, they do not butcher poultry though, and the price of the actual meat there is not what I would consider a bargin, though liver is only like 2 bucks a pound as far as one of the organs I know they carry.
> 
> I do have a freezer, I am guessing its 7 Cu, its not really big, but I don't store much in it for the family, any meat that is freezer burned goes in there for Goren.
> 
> I was wondering if you could help me out in finding more free sources or how to best use the sources I have, which isn't much lol
> 
> we have a wal-mart in the next town over, an IGA there and in my town, a buy low, and a Rulers as far as any grocery stores.
> 
> Also would lake fish be ok if I cut and freeze them for 2 days before feeding? I don't fish much but you know how every little bit helps, plus now I am a stay at home mom so I can fish more this coming summer than normal
> 
> oh yea here is the site for my butcher, they have weekly deals but don't have there regular prices, but at least you can see what they sell
> Dewig Meats, Haubstadt, Indiana - Quality Meats since 1916
> 
> thank you for the help!


You can get chicken quarters and whole turkeys from costco for cheap to keep costs down and all your other cuts through the butcher you have a connection with. If you can seriously get beef hearts for free that is awesome! 

Even though chicken and turkey from walmart is considered the "cheap" way to feed raw, its still better than kibble. We feed these things on occasion to keep costs down, but our dogs get most red meat. 

Feel free to post up anymore questions you might have in regards to raw feeding!! We are always happy to help!


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## Itty bitty Kitty

Thank you for this post mama! I was actually just about to make a thread asking about budget concerns on raw-feeding. However based on your break down, it looks like it will be way cheaper than I was anticipating! I was actually going to start with Chicken Soup For The Dog Lover's Soul since it was the only good kibble I could budget for ( 35lbs for $36 - $38). However based on your breakdown, I can be spending the same or less for far better food! That's amazing! How often do you have to shop for meat?

I'm in the process of looking for butchers and other providers in my area to get price estimations. What meat type would you suggest are best for starters on a budget? I assume chicken is the cheapest of meats. How does turkey, pork and beef fair?

I know my husband wanted us to ease into it instead of cold turkey, so we're probably going to start with kibble. Originally I was intending to serve kibble as the first meal and raw for dinner. However after reading the site, I discovered this could cause digestive problems. Would it be acceptable to offer raw as a weekly snack/treat? I've seen and spoken to multiple dog owners that combine kibble and raw, and seem to do fine, including my breeder and other forum members. Can I atleast give that approach a shot? Is there a way to 'test' out raw feeding in case we discover we can't commit to it?


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## geneseeker66

We are starting raw tomorrow. I bought 10 lbs. of chicken backs and whole legs for 11.00. Even better the eggs and poultry from this particular stand at the farmers market are hormone and antibiotic free.


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## pogo

I'll add mine more for the UK people!

I have two dogs a 22kg staff and 50kg ambull, i feed them both raw including mostly red meat and alot of fish.

I order in bulk and it roughly works out about £10-15 a month for the pair of them.


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## Malika04

May is almost over. We spent $139.87 on raw meats etc, mostly chicken leg quarters. The bad news is my DH overpaid for some beef ribs. That was $15.00.

So, since that won't happen again, I put the total cost at $124.87. 

We also spent 7 dollars for pork neck bones which are too sharp, so that won't happen again, total cost going forward is now $117.87.

We also bought some pork liver and have yet to use it.

The good news is I still have 30lbs of chicken leg quarters! 

We were spending $148.00 a month on kibble.

My 2 dogs are 70 lbs and 55lbs. 

We also have a 75 lb 15 year old Brindle Pit Bull who is finishing up the rest of the kibble, and we might switch her to raw after that.


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## kathylcsw

Since December I have spent $94 on meat for my 2 small dogs. My freezer is full to the brim and I could easily feed them for 3-6 months on what I have in there. Craigs List is your friend! I have gotten so much free meat from there that it is crazy! I also live next door to Virginia Tech which is a big agricultural college. I can get beef and pork heart and kidney for $1.25/lb and liver for $1.95/lb. It is all about slowly developing sources and finding free sources.


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## magicre

Malika04 said:


> May is almost over. We spent $139.87 on raw meats etc, mostly chicken leg quarters. The bad news is my DH overpaid for some beef ribs. That was $15.00.
> 
> So, since that won't happen again, I put the total cost at $124.87.
> 
> We also spent 7 dollars for pork neck bones which are too sharp, so that won't happen again, total cost going forward is now $117.87.
> 
> We also bought some pork liver and have yet to use it.
> 
> The good news is I still have 30lbs of chicken leg quarters!
> 
> We were spending $148.00 a month on kibble.
> 
> My 2 dogs are 70 lbs and 55lbs.
> 
> We also have a 75 lb 15 year old Brindle Pit Bull who is finishing up the rest of the kibble, and we might switch her to raw after that.


even though my dogs are smaller, it seems to me we spent more in the beginning because we didn't know what we didn't know...than we do now.

i think as time goes by, we learn more and then shop smarter....


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## Malika04

magicre said:


> even though my dogs are smaller, it seems to me we spent more in the beginning because we didn't know what we didn't know...than we do now.
> 
> i think as time goes by, we learn more and then shop smarter....


Yep.

We still have 10 lbs of chicken leg quarters, 3 whole chickens and 8 dozen raw eggs.
I have spent $51.05 so far for June. 
I might buy 6 or 8 more whole chickens tomorrow for .77c/lb. 

Joined a co-op so in 6 weeks we will have our 1st order!

Need a new protein, might see about turkey.

I will post the cost effects of joining a co-op.


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## magicre

Malika04 said:


> Yep.
> 
> We still have 10 lbs of chicken leg quarters, 3 whole chickens and 8 dozen raw eggs.
> I have spent $51.05 so far for June.
> I might buy 6 or 8 more whole chickens tomorrow for .77c/lb.
> 
> Joined a co-op so in 6 weeks we will have our 1st order!
> 
> Need a new protein, might see about turkey.
> 
> I will post the cost effects of joining a co-op.



good luck with that.

i may buy smarter now, but i am now addicted.


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## jlsolis

I would love to find out where you get your meat from and suggestions! Ive just started and have two 60 pound chows and a 25 pound dog. looking for any suggestions I can get since Im new at this.


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## Malika04

jlsolis said:


> I would love to find out where you get your meat from and suggestions! Ive just started and have two 60 pound chows and a 25 pound dog. looking for any suggestions I can get since Im new at this.


Check the co op thread here for co ops near you. Do you have any Hispanic or small mom and pop grocery stores?

If you get store ad flyers in the mail,check them out.

Here is where I have found deals at stores:

Smart and Final
Foodland
Vons, surprised me, but I got whole chickens for .77c/lb. The limit was 3 so I shopped several of their chains.

Seafood City, I just discovered they sell chicken feet for cheaper than My Pet Carnivore does. They also have Horse Mackerel, which are pretty big at 99c/lb. I did not buy any yet. They have all the livers, hearts and even sell beef blood!

Also look for butchers in your area. 

I think co-op's are most cost effective, especially with 145 lbs of dogs!

I have about 210 lbs of dogs here. Bella is still finishing the kibble.


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## Stinky

> Seafood City, I just discovered they sell chicken feet for cheaper than My Pet Carnivore does.


But are there chickens grassfed like MPCs? That's what makes me want to buy from MPC over anyone else. If their meat wasn't grassfed, antibiotic-free, etc, I wouldn't be interested.


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## GimMom

I'm trying to track down a decent priced butcher in Toronto, but I think my best option would be Chinese grocery stores/butchers in Chinatown. Still trying to find co-ops, too. Any other Canadians here?


Seeing as Gimli is eating about less than 3/4 lbs of food a day right now, he will not be expensive to feed even once I start increasing his food. This makes my wallet very happy. I do NOT miss the Doom Nuggets. Or hauling a 15lbs bag home on the city bus, for that matter.


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## danielba73

I always try to advise my clients to feed raw food to their dogs. One of the main objections I get is that it is time consuming and pretty expensive. These are the basic suggestions I give them which I have taken out from one of the articles I wrote on BARF:
Here is some advice for making it easier and cheaper to prepare BARF diet food:

- Try and buy meat in large quantities from your local butcher, cooperatives, distributors of meat, etc.. A freezer used exclusively to store meat for your dog is not necessary, but it is an investment that certainly helps to cut costs, especially if you have more than one dog.
- Keep your eyes open for any deals or discounted prices you may find on meat.

- By meat that is about to expire and should be sold at a lower price. Your dog will not notice any flavour change and it and it will be digested more easily. If the meat expires the day after you buy it (it should be marked with the words “Reduced for Quick Sale”), it will still be good over the next few days or good to freeze.

- Try butchers, small animal breeders and farms in your area that can sell whole chickens, goats (whole or in pieces), lambs (whole or in pieces), pieces of beef, etc.

- Buy a large supply of freezer bags and pack each meal in a separate bag. This takes a great deal of work once a month, but after this job is done, for the rest of the month, all you will have to do is pull out the portion from the freezer and give it to the dog (you may want to defrost the pack by pulling it out of the freezer the night before). The nice thing about a raw diet is that you can adjust it to the needs of your dog and also to yours.

Hope this helps!
Daniel


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## Badger

I thought I would post what my normal sources and prices are to hopefully give people some ideas. I've a lazy 80 lb St. Bernard mix and an energetic 35 lb heeler mix I feed, so they get an average of 3 lbs a day.

Once a month mypetcarnivore delivers to town and they're great people so I always try to order something. The ground beef trachea and gullet at $3.98 for 2 lbs is pricey, but I splurge every month. My dogs absolutely love it and the glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate is important, especially for my big girl. Plus, its from grass fed cows so its a source of Omega 3s! Occasionally they have a ground bison supermix with bison tripe, liver, heart, kidney, and lung for $4.00 a lb. I get that when available but save it for birthdays and Christmas.

Most all of my other food I get from a co-op I drive about 1 hour to every 2 months. Through them I get bulk cases of unprocessed meats for cheap! My usual purchases from there are:

Beef heart, 60 lb cases @ $1.15/lb
Beef liver, 30 lb cases @ $1.45/lb
Beef kidney, 20 lb cases @ $1.10/lb
Chicken back and other bones (mostly backs, sometimes they have the necks and tails still attached), 40 lb cases @ $.60/lb
Pork rib tips, 10 lb cases @ $1.00/lb
Turkey wings, 40 lb cases @ $1.00/lb

The co-op also is a drop point for Blue Ridge Beef. I get ground green beef tripe in 2 lb tubes @ $1.55/lb and ground venison and bone @ $1.60/lb. 

I used to check the grocery stores but everything I found for cheap was either pumped full of sodium broth or had cut bones that would be a choking hazard. 

I've got a 28 cu foot chest freezer I try to keep full. It can be a pain to get to that bag of kidney in the bottom, but I like the security of having 4-5 months of food in case of financial hardships or the like.

All told I average about $1.25/lb for a monthly average of $112.50. Not too bad but I could easily lower it by sourcing free sources and the such.

I've harvested and processed deer myself in the past, but not since I moved states. I need to get back into that, I could easily fill a second 14 cu ft freezer, and could get that freezer for nothing off Craig's List. I've also been doing some research into raising meat rabbits, and that is something I am going to try and get into in the next couple years. Definitely another Craig's List venture as all the supplies can get to be quite pricey when bought new. 

Anyways, that's how we feed the beasts around here and they both are thriving puppies!


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## KnackerMT

It all depends are your area and your contacts. I started feeding chicken quarters at 50 cents a pound in 10 pound bags at box stores. Then through my contacts I found that I could buy cull sheep in good body condition for about 35 dollars a head. Not only do I get about 60 pounds of meat I get some great green tripe and all the organ meats, not to mention various bones. Disposal of what is left is the only issue. I know that his is not an option for everyone but there is a ton of viable, healthy animals going to waste or available at little cost other than some home butcher work.

I save some of the cuts for my own food the dogs get the rest.


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## Mollie_Jax

I have a half st bernard who weighs in at about 90# and a siberian husky who weighs in at 60#. If I wanted to try going raw food with them how do I start and how much would I give them at meal times? I have only ever feed my mix dry food. We just got the husky a few weeks ago. Im sure he was only ever feed dry food.


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## AkCrimson

Since I started hunting, 100% of my dogs diet is wild game that I kill myself. They get venison, turkey, duck, goose, squirrel, rabbit, grouse, phesant, etc. I realize hunting CAN BE an expensive and time consuming hobby, but I love providing for me and mine and I enjoy hunting very much. I always encourage people (especially other females) to tag along with a friend for a few hunts and see if they enjoy it! I also fish a lot so the dogs get to enjoy that as well. 

I haven't bought grocery store meat for my dogs for just under a year. I realize that my cost is not actually zero because of the expense that goes into hunting (ammo, gun, decoys, camo, etc), but it's something that I would still do even without the dogs so I don't factor it into my budget. 

I highly recommend it! Squirrel and dove hunting can be a great and cheap way to get into the sport. I first started hunting with a cheap air rifle, shooting squirrels and doves. Now I hunt with a 20ga shotgun and a muzzleloader and I hunt pretty much everything! (except predators).


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## Babyyoshi04

Baby is a Labrador retriever mix with Great Pyrenees right now she weight 10lbs.She is only 4 months old.I want to change her to raw diet but don't know if one she will be ok with it or what to feed her.


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