[mstngchic2012]

Thanks, Moose. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that Mater is starting to get some tarter build up even though he has several femur bones and a Nylabone that he chews on constantly. I really don't want to have to start brushing his teeth :roll:

 

[2bully]

one thing to consider is sheer cost.

the average cost per lb of a good grain free food, or other "holistic" or human grade ingredients dog food is well over a dollar a lb, some foods are 2-3 dollars a lb.

with cheaper foods, this isn't a problem so much, but if you are concerned enough to feed a higher quality or speciality food, it costs.

now, generally the cost of raw is less than a dollar a lb, and depending on what you are getting, and the sales, it can be free, 50c a pb, etc.

that is LOADS cheaper than even middle of the road dog food. cheaper than foods like science diet and eukanuba. thats like, purina and ol roy prices per lb.

here a 28lb bag of EVO red meat is close to 80 bucks. for that price, we just picked up like, 160lbs of raw meats, possible more than that.

i don't have a scale here, but if someone does, i would be interested in seeing how much the average weight of a days worth of kibble for like, a 60 lb dog it. the weight of different foods would be interesting too, since the amount is different.
for raw foods, it would be just over a lb of food a day, so essitiantly, you could be feeding your 60lb dog for 50c a day.

We actually have just over 200# of raw sitting in our freezer. I know we have at least 30# of just chicken leg quarters that we got at an amazing $0.44 a pound at a grocery store. I used to have the belief that feeding raw would be more expensive, but its just not true in our case. Like Moose said we average about $0.50 a pound, we couldn't feed 5 dogs for that on kibble. Your imagination is the only limiting factor when it comes to finding cost effective sources of raw for the critters. Discount grocery stores, ethnic grocers, meat markets, farmer's markets, and the like can be found just about anywhere. Craigslist, freecycle, and such are at your finger tips. Heck raise your own, most places allow for rabbits and more and more cities are allowing chickens.

 

[paulnzeus]

We actually have just over 200# of raw sitting in our freezer. I know we have at least 30# of just chicken leg quarters that we got at an amazing $0.44 a pound at a grocery store. I used to have the belief that feeding raw would be more expensive, but its just not true in our case. Like Moose said we average about $0.50 a pound, we couldn't feed 5 dogs for that on kibble. Your imagination is the only limiting factor when it comes to finding cost effective sources of raw for the critters. Discount grocery stores, ethnic grocers, meat markets, farmer's markets, and the like can be found just about anywhere. Craigslist, freecycle, and such are at your finger tips. Heck raise your own, most places allow for rabbits and more and more cities are allowing chickens.

How do you determine whether or not the meat is a good quality. salmonella etc.

 

[2bully]

How do you determine whether or not the meat is a good quality. salmonella etc.

I really don't worry too much about it, for a couple of reasons. The speed in which dogs digest raw, the freezing of the diet, and the places one procures their raw diet reduces such concerns. At this point we've purchased all the raw from grocery stores and meat markets/butcher shops, so all our raw is considered human grade/quality and has been handled in accordance to laws and industry standards. If I'm willing to buy food for my consumption from a place, you can bet I'ld purchase raw for the dogs there as well.

 

[3 PITS and a PEI]

As far as safety.......

I do buy a lot of chicken from the grocery stores when it goes on sale. In the states you can buy chicken quarters for about .40 cents a pound every week if you check sales.

I freeze all of the fresh venison for at least 2 weeks, fresh fish I gut and check for hooks, the rest comes from someone elses freezer usually. It is meat that they think is old or freezer burnt and just don't want to throw away. My neighbor slaughters a cow every year and they give me all the offal and bone, same with the venison. They need to clean out the freezer for the 'new' stuff , bonus for the dogs.

I have given thought to raising rabbits or chicken to feed, but........I don't know that I could kill stuff. I realize someone has to but I don't think it can be me.