Raw Diet Cost

[betty_joanne]

Is there an updated poll or thread on raw diet cost(prey m. or barf)? There was a raw diet cost poll done in 2009 on here but meat prices have gone up since then. I am researching meat prices and unless I use mostly chicken it is going to be really difficult to come in under $90 per dog per month. If you feed raw can you give your monthly costs per dog? Also, what is the daily amount of food in pounds that you are feeding per dog. I am thinking approx. 1.5 lbs(give or take) per day per dog is the correct measurement for my dogs at 65,70, and 75lbs.

[Remolacha]

It is not cheap, for sure. Your costs are to some extent going to depend on where you live and how much work you are willing to do to track down cheap meat. Remembering my early days of driving around town to pick up a case of turkey necks from one wholesale distributor to a carneceria for goat on sale, and so on. I now have access to a couple of sources that buy in large quantities and repackage and resell. I pay more, but they do the running around My dogs are 60-75 lbs and they each get about two pounds of food a day, in two meals. They are eating less now that it has turned hot, probably closer to 1.5 lbs/day. Another cost factor is, both of my dogs are older, one with bad teeth, so I now feed only ground, no RMBs, and of course, that costs more. The person I buy most of my food from makes a ground meat/bone/organ/veg mix, in the correct portions. More expensive than doing it yourself, easier, less time consuming, and way cheaper than the commercial raw mixes. I’d guess I spend about $125 per dog per month. To me, it is worth the money.

[NeylasMom]

It really is going to depend on a lot of factors. I live in an expensive area, often have meat delivered (costs an additional $20-25 for 55 lb of meat), don't feed any chicken any longer, and insist on feeding my dogs (and myself) pastured, no CAFO meat. So yeah, I prefer not to total up what I spend because its a lot.

 

It is definitely worth investing in a separate freezer so you can buy in bulk, whether to save yourself effort and/or money. I just upgraded from my chest freezer to a larger upright and it is seriously better than Christmas.

 

How much to feed is another it depends. I think your estimate is probably decent. Violet, at 60 lbs eats between 1 and 1 1/2 lbs per meal, but I would say most meals are closer to 1 lb (she's fed once per day). But she has disc issues so while we walk and hike, and she plays a lot, she doesn't run much off leash. My 40ish lb mutt, who is more active eats about 1/2 lb daily. They also get kongs stuffed with carb free canned food daily so they get extra calories that way and from a number of meaty treats from daily training.

 

Probably not as helpful as you'd hoped, but I agree the cost is well worth it.

[racindog]

I feed 2 dogs- a 72# greyhound (Octane) and a ~50# working Belgian Malinois(K9 Reba). It cost me ~$250 a month and that includes shipping costs from My Pet Carnivore who truck it to a convenient location for my pick up. I do feed a SMALL (few ounces) quantity of HIGH quality kibble for their breakfast and maybe a little as a before bed snack for the hound. One bag of it lasts forever(sometimes I throw away 'left overs' as I don't believe in feeding anything unless it is fresh) so costs for that are negligible. I also give them both a dab of yogurt and pumpkin in the morning and various supplements e.g. K9 Finest. Fresh Factors are a must. In my experience I shoot for 2 - 2 1/2% of body weight as a starting point for the amount of raw that they need and adjust it from there based on the dog. I don't have time to formulate the raw diet which is why I love MPC because it comes mostly in a tub already pre-mixed in appropriate fashion and all I have to do uis thaw and feed.

Edited June 13, 2018 by racindog

[Remolacha]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the extra freezer, an essential!