Price Range of Raw Diet?

[tla0126]

Hello everyone, I have been reading a ton of posts and was thinking about trying a raw diet for Beau and Samson. I've gotten great ideas, such as preparing a weeks worth of food on the weekend, so you don't have to take time in the middle of the week, or everyday to prepare. The one thing that I haven't seen discussed is a range of costs. I was wondering if I could get an estimate of what some of yall spend weekly? I haven't a clue how much a chicken neck costs, or I would guestimate myself by recipes a few of yall had posted. I appreciate and thank you in advance for any input!!

[Knoxx1]

We have 2 rotts with a new adoptee on the way. Weight range 65lbs, 125lbs and our new one will prob get to about 190-220lbs when full grown. We fee raw only and do a variation of the "prey" model. There are quite a few different types of "raw" diets. We feed Chicken, beef, pork fish and anyother meat we can find. Chicken necks,back and whole fryers cut in half. Ground beef with organ meat and meaty bones. Most will tell you to feed 2-3% of ideal body weight. With all three dogs we will be feeding about 6lbs food a day and we can usually do it for about $1 a lb. if we shop the sales. Even if we can't get the cheap stuff we found it was still as much or cheaper than the high end kibble we were feeding and we have not had to have teeth cleaned in over 4 years ($250 each time for our big guy). Our dogs coats are fantastic and their energy level is wonderful. Some can get really fanatical about feeding raw on both sides of the fence. We will never go back to kibble. Get a freezer and shop for sales or there are lots of ways to get free meat. We spend 1 sunday a month preparing our organ and red meat meals and buy as much as we can when we find a good price. You can feed meat that is "more ripe" than humans would eat and the dogs love it. Just practice good cleaning when preparing and after they eat and you should have no problems. there are a few forums specifically for feeding raw. Read a lot and take what you think sounds good and apply. I would be happy to talk more about it if you are interested.
Liz Maggio

[brutus'mother]

Knoxx1-PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell us "the new one" isn't a rottie that will get to be 190-220lbs!

[Luvtails]

My 88lb female gets around 2-2.5lbs a day and my male is getting 3-3.5lbs/day. Now that is total. they get chicken backs- around $0.70/lb, beef mix (beef, organ meat, salmon, chicken and some others) $1.60/lb. also alternate with chicken mix that has fruit and veggies/organ meats at $1.00/lb. I buy prepared raw from a company near me. a company across the US is k-9Kravings and their prices are on the sites. I also buy meat if it is on sale at the store and separate it into 1lb bags. I buy whole chickens and a variety of other things. So, the price varies depending on the diet. some are lucky to have friends that are hunters or butchers.not me :)

[Knoxx1]

Originally Posted by brutus'mother

Knoxx1-PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell us "the new one" isn't a rottie that will get to be 190-220lbs!

I don't know how big he will get. He was 120lb when the shelter got him and he was very under weight. His entire rib cage was showing and no meat on his hips at all. The trainer and the kennel manager of the place that is hosting him are the ones that told us to expect that weight. I can easily see him with 50lbs more and still being very trim. He's taller and longer than any other rottie I have seen to date.

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by Knoxx1

I don't know how big he will get. He was 120lb when the shelter got him and he was very under weight. His entire rib cage was showing and no meat on his hips at all. The trainer and the kennel manager of the place that is hosting him are the ones that told us to expect that weight. I can easily see him with 50lbs more and still being very trim. He's taller and longer than any other rottie I have seen to date.

Unless this is a Great Dane, there is no way that any Rottweiler should weigh that amount!! There is nothing wrong with a rib or two showing...especially if you have an oversized dog. Keeping him slim and trim will help him orthopedically.
Give him another 20 lbs....but please do NOT let him gain so much weight.
Most Rottweilers that I see owned by the general public are overweight.

Gina

[4zenuff]

Knoxx-- When you can could you please post a pic of the new dog? His size and weight are very difficult for me to imagine. Not that you have to prove anything, I'm just very curious.

Sorry, I don't feed raw so I have nothing to offer the OP.

[Kandi]

I feed the K-9 Kravings diet to my one girl. I mix it with kibble, but if used only the K-9 Kravings, she would be eating about 3 lbs/day. I give the chicken, beef, veggie blend and it cost me $55 for 30 lbs. Overall, I do not think that a bad price. Also, I can notice a really big difference in the coats of my two, since one only gets the raw on occasion. My girl on raw has a much nicer, softer coat. If I were to put her completely on raw, I would supplement it with foods from the grocery store/butchers, just because the 30 lbs would only last 10 days. Considering it contains all the vitamins and minerals she needs, so I know she is getting all of the proper nutrition, I don't want to go it alone, and make my own foods for my dogs. I kind of figure someone else did all that work for me, I am just going to sit back and enjoy it. JMO

[brutus'mother]

Depends on what kind of raw you feed. Obviously, the prepared raw will be pretty expensive to feed a large dog. Plus you dont really know what's in it as far as quality og meat. If you are planning to feed prey model the cost will vary. If you find a butcher or slaughter house that is willing to sell or give you "scraps", shop grocery store sales, have hunting friends that will give you extras, etc. I have found the meat I buy in the grocery store I try to get around $1 per pound. I am fortunate to have a freezer full of venison from last year and hopefully it will be restored this hunting season. Geographical location will also be a big factor as far as price.

[SigTau66]

I have a 92lb male and a 75lb female. The male gets about 10 ounces of a hamburger/beef heart mix in the morning and a few ounces of a pureed mixed veggies. The female gets about 8 ounces of the same meat mixture and a few ounces of pureed mixed veggies. Dinner consists of about 22 ounces of chicken RMBs for the male and 16 ounces of chicken RMBs for the female.

I buy the hamburger/beef heart mixture for about $1.79/lb in 50lb lots. That lasts me about 45 days. The chickens I get for $1.35/corpse (a farmer sells me the corpse after it's been processed of breasts, wings, thighs, and legs). Those can weigh anywhere from 1lb-2.5lbs.

On top of that I feed some supplements, but those aren't necessarily needed just something I like doing.

I'd say I probably spend about around $3.50 per day, but that can fluctuate depending on the size of the chicken corpse. Some days I have to use 2 other days I use 1.5.

[ElJefe]

i'm still kinda new to the forum, and even newer to the "raw diet". when you say you feed them the chickens they are uncooked? hamburger/beef heart mixture completely raw as well?

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by ElJefe

i'm still kinda new to the forum,...even newer to the "raw diet". when you say you feed them the chickens they are uncooked? hamburger/beef heart mixture completely raw as well?

Yes, raw means raw.

Nothing is cooked--not the pork, the chicken, the turkey, the duck, the organ meat, the fish, the venison, whatever the meat being fed.

[tla0126]

Thanks everyone for your input, I really appreciate it!

ElJefe, yes, everything is raw... If you do a search on raw diets you will find tons of info on it! Basically, people are feeding their dogs a similar diet of what they would eat in the wild.... There is no cooked chickens out there!!! =) These forums have a wealth of information, I have never heard of people feeding anything other than cheap dogfood until this website! I love it!

[ElJefe]

ok thanks i just wanted to be sure. i'll definately start reading up on it.

[SigTau66]

Update on my cost since I had to buy both meat sources this past weekend. I got the 50lbs of ground beef for about $82 this time. The chickens were about 73lbs for around $55.