# How Picky Are You?



## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

This is really just for fun 

When buying meat for your pooch[es], how picky are you? Do you insist that they be fed only grass-fed/pastured/organic meat? How high a priority is price? How high is too high a price for you? Do you strive for local meats/supporting local farms and butchers? Or is it just, whatever you grab at the grocery store/co-op?
Also, how many of you buy week-to-week, or month-to month, versus buying every few months in bulk?

For me, right now I am kind of flying by the seat of my pants, since Wallaby only eats a handful of proteins and they are all pretty cheap. In the future [this summer and fall] I plan to stock up on local meats for us and him, and try to buy exclusively from local butchers, most of whom seem more than happy to give me amazing prices on stuff they would otherwise throw away. 

Since I gave up my five-year streak of veg*nism a couple of years ago I have tried to keep all the animal products I eat local, or at least organic. Lately though I have gotten a little too lax, since money is tight and it's hard to justify $13 for a 1/2 pound of bacon, even if it is ruthlessly delicious. 

I'm hoping that having a chest freezer and being able to buy in bulk during the harvesting season will alleviate some of the financial pinch that is so often attached to buying local/organic. 

As far as price goes, it's a pretty high priority for me. I won't pay over $.88 a pound for chicken, even then it's only if I'm in a tight spot. For everything else, I won't go over $2/lb. It's crazy how expensive turkey is right now, when around the holidays it is usually less than $.50/lb.

Right now I am buying pretty much week-to-week; I am waiting for a call from a local butcher who is collecting kidney, spleen, green tripe [ground], feet, oxtails, neck bones [beef, pork and lamb] and some other bits and pieces for me, to let me know I can come pick up my order with him [I ordered 75-100 lbs, all for $.50/lb] hopefully sometime next week and then all this shoestring crap can finally be put to rest.

So... what about you? op2:


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## pandaparade (Dec 29, 2010)

*Do you insist that they be fed only grass-fed/pastured/organic meat?* Yes. In fact everything I buy now is grass and pasture fed meats. I used to not care but if I am going in the full swing of raw, I would like to do it the most natural way I can. I can do this because I thankfully have the additional funds for it through my college money.

What I buy ranges around 4-5 dollars a lb for meat so around 90 dollars a month to feed my dog. Honestly, I do not mind at all in fact I love buying from local farms because of all of the neat pieces you can aquire. It is only 2.50 for grass fed animal organs, and about 8 dollars a week on wild caught tilapia. So again, around 90 dollars.

I buy sporatic. When I find a good deal, I buy a lot, but mostly and awesomely enough we have a farmers market every week that supplies me with any cuts I need.


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

We couldn't afford to feed ourselves grass fed/organic meats let alone the dogs. Although I do wish that was an option. All of the stuff we do buy for them is human grade from a co-op. 

I usually buy supplies about once every 2 months. I try to buy about 250 lbs at a time, sometimes more. I go thru about 130 lbs per month. I can feed our dogs for about 100/month but I do expect that to go up with gas prices. I generally don't like to pay much more than 1.25/lb on average for everything.


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

I'm a vegetarian and morally I wouldn't be able to buy factory farmed meat. So I get all my meat from a butcher who gets it from local farms. It doesn't have to be organic, just local and grass-fed. I'm only feeding a 20 lb dog (plus occasionally my mom's 20 lb dog and small foster dogs) so paying a little more for local stuff doesn't kill my wallet.

As far as prices go, I won't pay over $1/lb for any cut of chicken and wouldn't pay more than like .60/lb for necks or backs. I generally won't spend more than $2/lb on the other meats but will go up to $3/lb for something "exotic" (rabbit, goat, etc.). Again, I have a small dog so it doesn't break the budget to spend a little more .

I'll probably end up stocking up monthly or bimonthly. I get most of my meat from the local butcher but I still use some pre-made (Primal grinds and Bravo! Basic) which I get from a raw food delivery service.

I've only been feeding PMR for a few weeks (I did pre-made before that) but as you can see, I've stocked up a bit, ha.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Right now I'm not picky and due to prices I get what I can. If I had connections to local farmers/butchers etc. then I would gladly buy from them, but the only way i know how/where to get grass-fed meats is by whole foods and fresh markets and they are just so darned expensive, it's ridiculous.
I have to feed myself too, and when it comes to meats, I eat the same kind of stuff my dogs eat (excluding bones and organs) lol.


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

Whole Foods is like the Target of supermarkets. It's all good looks... If you think you're doing local farmers a favor by buying through them, more than likely you aren't. I have a very strong opinion on Whole Foods Markets, as they've tried to undercut my farmer friends more times than I can count, and there aren't even any Whole Foods in the Finger Lakes/North Country region. :mmph:

ETA sorry that was an unnecessary off-topic rant...


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

SilverBeat said:


> Whole Foods is like the Target of supermarkets. It's all good looks... If you think you're doing local farmers a favor by buying through them, more than likely you aren't. I have a very strong opinion on Whole Foods Markets, as they've tried to undercut my farmer friends more times than I can count, and there aren't even any Whole Foods in the Finger Lakes/North Country region. :mmph:
> 
> ETA sorry that was an unnecessary off-topic rant...


Don't worry, I don't buy through them, period (too expensive) >_<. Since I don't know any local farmers, I stick to the cheap grocery-store stuff :/
Thanks though, I didn't really know, except that their "free range" eggs are total BS, but only cause I have a neighbors chicken (real free-range) lay eggs in my yard hahah. It's egg's yolks are bright orange, any market eggs (even the supposedly organic/free range) have dull yellow yolks


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I'm kinda playing how you are just by the seat of my pants atm, he doesn't eat very much, 16-18oz per day 3-4 hard working days a week, less on the off days, but still... 5-8$ per day to feed him is just a bit too much, we couldn't feed ourselves that way let alone him, he gets usuall grocery store stuff, i do soak the chicken to leech some stuff out of it, but i think it will be better... and honestly raw fed with cheaper grain fed meats is stll a far step ahead of any kibble


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## KlaMarie (Dec 30, 2010)

When it's an option, I buy un-enhanced. But if I buy meat from walmart for myself, which I do, and I'm pretty healthy, it's probably ok for my dog. Yes, that is my totally anecdotal logic for you but, oh well :smile:


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Many say what we feed our dogs is the "Kibbles N' Bits" of raw feeding because it isn't all organic and a lot of it is factory farmed. Morally I can see why people don't want to support this way of producing food. I eventually want to get to that point but for now, I feed my dogs what I can afford and have no regrets. I know that its the best that I can provide for them and that is what matters. If I could afford the more expensive meats I'd buy them...but when feeding 10-15 pounds of meat PER DAY, cost is a huge part of it. 

I'm so motivated to feed higher quality meats that we have taken butchering livestock ourselves to feed organic, grass fed meats to our dogs. I'm pretty darn committed. 

End note: Don't let others make you feel bad about what you can and can't afford. The fact that you are here and care about what your dog eats is what matters.


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

DaneMama said:


> Many say what we feed our dogs is the "Kibbles N' Bits" of raw feeding because it isn't all organic and a lot of it is factory farmed. Morally I can see why people don't want to support this way of producing food. I eventually want to get to that point but for now, I feed my dogs what I can afford and have no regrets. I know that its the best that I can provide for them and that is what matters. If I could afford the more expensive meats I'd buy them...but when feeding 10-15 pounds of meat PER DAY, cost is a huge part of it.
> 
> I'm so motivated to feed higher quality meats that we have taken butchering livestock ourselves to feed organic, grass fed meats to our dogs. I'm pretty darn committed.
> 
> End note: Don't let others make you feel bad about what you can and can't afford. The fact that you are here and care about what your dog eats is what matters.



I totally agree with you. While I do feel bad buying factory farmed meat right now, I am doing what's best for the animals in my own household, since they are a priority. Even if it's all you can ever do, it's still miles ahead of most people, as sad as that is.


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## Angelwing (Feb 20, 2011)

I'd like to buy grass fed but meat is too expensive as it is here (if I could bring as much meat as I want across the border then I would be doing that!). The only supplier I really have is just for chicken backs and necks, $0.40/lb. Everything else is close to $3 if I can find it on sale, sometimes less but that's more rare. Chicken and pork are the 'cheaper' meats, beef (although ground is sometimes reasonable), lamb, veal etc. forget it. I don't see a lot of lamb in stores but except to pay $15+/lb for it. Turkey is only cheap generally around holidays when you can get whole frozen turkey for 0.99/lb. Fish is atrocious, even frozen. I sometimes find frozen tilapia between $5-$6 for 400 grams. But food is way more expensive here than most areas in the states in general. I've been really trying to find suppliers because the grocery stores are ridiculous. Even chicken is generally $3.5+/lb


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## JoeynZoey (Apr 25, 2011)

SilverBeat said:


> Whole Foods is like the Target of supermarkets. It's all good looks... If you think you're doing local farmers a favor by buying through them, more than likely you aren't. I have a very strong opinion on Whole Foods Markets, as they've tried to undercut my farmer friends more times than I can count, and there aren't even any Whole Foods in the Finger Lakes/North Country region. :mmph:
> 
> ETA sorry that was an unnecessary off-topic rant...


So you mean to tell me this is in reference towards whole foods trying to cheat farmers or their products in general are phony? We have been shopping at whole foods solely on the purpose of eating organically. It's also the place where I purchase my dog's raw meats and supplements as I only want to feed her organic as well.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I feed my dogs grocery store meats and I eat grocery store meats. I don't even give it a 2nd thought.


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

I'm not happy about feeding factory farmed meats, but it's the best I can do right now. I cannot find grass fed meats in this area for under $5/lb - and that's for chicken. It's absurd. I keep trending upwards, though - last week I found hormone-free, vegetarian fed (not grass fed) whole chicken (w/ giblets) for $0.96/lb, which will replace quarters (currently $0.77/lb). It makes me wonder what the chickens in the bags of quarters were fed - yuck. And I may break down and buy through Hare Today, though I hate the idea of feeding ground meats more than 1-2 times/week.

I mentioned this on another thread, but it fits in here as well. My next big feeding issue to tackle is whether I'm better off improving the quality of the poultry or red meats that I feed. For the price, I can feed a lot more higher quality poultry than red meat, but red meat is so much more nutritious that my dog may be better off getting some really high quality red meats. Not sure, yet.


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

I only buy unenhanced meat. That is my only solid stipulation. I *try* to buy grass fed meats, but honestly, they are $7 + /lb at the grocery store so that would be completely unreasonable when I am feeding a 60 lb. dog and a 45 lb. dog. I get bone-in chicken cheap, turkey necks and lamb ribs for a decent price, so I do splurge on lots of grass fed meat (venison, lamb heart and beef) from My Pet Carnivore. I spend about $3 / lb. on their grassfed meat, which honestly, is nothin' compared to grocery store prices. I also like that MPC's meat does come from midwest farmers.


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

I am not picky. I am also wish I can feed them and even grass feed meat, but we can not afford it. I think anything is better than Kibbles, so it is my start. Maybe one day, but for now I am happy with the results.


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## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

Well so far.... I found chicken backs at a dollar a pound, from a butcher who gets stuff from local farms. I got drumsticks for 3.99 a pound and stewing beef for 3.99 a pound. I will be picking up some beef heart next week... not sure how much that will be. I'll also see if i can get some stuff cheaper in bulk. The beef is all grass fed, and the chickens are usually free range (he said the farms vary, some are free range with access to out, but most are at least open concept barns) and i know it's all good quality.

I like to support the smaller stores, it's a bit more... but my dogs only about 20 lbs. So it's pretty cheap to feed her, even with the more expensive meats. 

Although, all in all, the stuff you get in Ontario is from small farms. The issue is that these farms don't butcher their own cows/chickens/etc... so most of it ends up at big facilities like Maple Leaf. 


...and Turkey is expensive now, so i am not buying it... i will clean out the freezer and get a bunch that goes on sale after thanksgiving.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Man, I wish so much that I could buy free-range, grass fed meats. I can't even buy that stuff for myself though, and I think like Natalie said, the only way it would be affordable for me in the situation I am in right now would be to butcher free-range animals myself. Which would be extraordinarily hard for me to do. I'm not even sure I could do it to be honest. 

We go through 10-12 lbs of meat per day. I can't afford to be spending +7$/lb on meat for each dog....That would be at the very least $70 per day. :/ I hope one day I can suck it up and have my own farm where I can be as self-sustained as possible. Perhaps I can have a deer herd. ;D That'd be an awesome way to feed, having venison as a staple.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Wow, I feel we are feeding our dogs such good quality I just buy what I can afford. Our co-op offers us grass fed, hormone free beef a few times per year and I do get that but usually just go through our supplier and grocery type store. I fees about 70 or so pounds per week and just could not afford to pay more than I do now.


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## KC23 (Nov 17, 2010)

I buy everything for my dogs from grocery stores and a couple meat markets. The one meat market sells chicken backs to me for .39 lb. One grocery store often has excellent markdowns and allows me to buy a variety of meats for my dogs really cheap. I do have to go to the Asian market for pork kidney. 

So--yes, prices do matter to me, and I count on the sales and markdowns. I don't feel bad at all--my dogs eat pretty darn good.....


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

My dogs get the same meat I get.....whatever is on sale or clearance at the grocery store. With beef and pork it's usually an argument with my husband whether he gets the clearance meat or the dogs do! I have never been able to get grass fed beef for us at an affordable price so the dogs definitely don't get it.

I used to only buy free range eggs but unemployment ended that. Now I buy the large economy 24 count cheap ones and we share them with the dogs. They are still eating better then any other dogs in our neighborhood with real (clearance) meat vs Beneful or Ol' Roy!!


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## schtuffy (May 17, 2010)

I try to buy organic and grass-fed meats if possible. I can afford it, but I also have a 12 lb dog, and most of the time the prices still make me cringe. Don't eat much meat myself, so usually our meat funds go towards the Louis piggy bank. I think meat is generally expensive in my area as I have checked with some local farms and ethnic markets, and I almost never find meat under $2/lb...chicken necks and chicken feet are the only things I can consistently find around $1.99. 

I don't think there is anything wrong with feeding non-organic, factory farmed meat...it's still worlds better than processed kibble.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I really try to do the best I can- but for now that means mainly grocery store meats. I prefer unenhanced, but will I turn down an awesome sale? Nope. 
Right now I reed roughly 11 lbs of meat per day, and I still have an adult dane on the way, and Champ is on a diet! I really never try to spend more than $2/ lb on anything but every now and then I'll splurge on something like Duck which is more like $3.50/lb. The low price I get on chicken quarters and backs justifies it for me. 
I'm somewhat picky on how much red meat they get. I make an honest effort to give them at LEAST 50% red meat overall. I don't think I quite make it, due to prices (When did Pork go to $2.50/lb?!) but it's what I aim for. I'm desperately looking for livestock to buy and slaughter myself. It's a work in progress.


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## bumblegoat (May 12, 2010)

I buy grocery store meat. Mostly unenhanced, but I will throw in the occasional enhanced chicken if I find a good deal. Most things I buy are from Sweden (where I live) so most of it is local. Sweden is a really small country after all. Even if I find meat from farms in my area, it is usually shipped around the country to the very few slaughter houses in the country.

Swedish lamb meat is typically very expensive though, so I get imported lamb. It is still the most expensive meat I get for my dog.

I used to have an awesome source of local, organic, grass fed beef scraps, and it was just a five minute drive from my house, but they yanked up the prices. Plus, I would have to buy one of their regular, even more expensive, boxes of meat meant for human consumption, to even get to buy their scrap meat. The scraps were very fatty, but with the old price I was okay with that. Not with the current price though.


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

I feel very lucky that my parent's own a natural beef company. For the price of physical labor on the ranch and helping out with sales/deliveries occasionally, I get as much hormone/antibiotic free beef as I can use. Yeah we grain finish, but thats no biggie... just means I have to get tripe elsewhere. THe animals are grown, finished, and killed/processed locally. Dogs get heart, liver, kidney, and some oxtail and tongue. I usually give each a tiny bit of buger when I'm opening a package to cook myself.

I'm really stingy with the deer/elk meat that my brother hunts. I usually eat that myself and don't share with the dogs. Its just too delicious. In fact I am having deer steaks tonight.

My parent's get a couple pigs killed for us to eat every year. Local pig farmer raised and killed/cut by a local dude as well. Yeah I've been too stingy to share that with the dogs so far too.

I am a huge procrastinator and have been insanely busy with work/school/dog training, so I haven't called around about obtaining some pork hearts for them. I would really like to though. Yes I would prefer to have only hormone/antibiotic free guarunteed pork for the dogs/myself, but hell the way pigs have to be raised there is almost no way to get around it unless its a small hobby farmer. Pig farming is gross.

My/their eggs are from someone down the road from my parent's. The chicken we humans eat in my family are actually ones she raised as well. And we give her veggies, etc. scraps to feed the egg layin' girls. They get grain that is free of any ickies and no hormones/antibiotics. Sooooo delicious. I actually really don't care much for chicken usually. I think its gross. Its amazing how much better the home raised chicken tastes.

Honestly I'd like to get fully away from using cheap chicken from the evil empire. It does not sit well with me. I know its better than kibble and obviously I'm using it, but I need to find better things. I'd like to get to using only turkey and duck necks and fill in the rest with a wider variety of red meat.

Tripe will be greentripe.com or Tripett. I've been giving Tripett, but I'd like to go to the fresh frozen.

So yeah, I guess I can see both sides. I'd love to feed all locally sourced hormone/antibiotic free, but many times that just isn't possible. I feel really lucky to even just have such a great beef source.


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