RAW VERSUS COMMERCIAL DIET - Page 4

Hi Steve,

Here is the price per pound in US dollars for several things that I buy for my dogs.

Organic chicken 2.69-2.79 per pound

natual (but not organic) chicken. 1.99/pound

human grade chicken drumsticks 0.99 pound and sometimes whole chickens at that price.

chicken backsand necks 0.99/pound. (sometimes if they are trimmed of all fat, 1.49/pound.

When I go to a meat market, I ask if they have the giblets/hear/neck/liver packets that people did not want when they bought a whole chicken. Usually, they give that to me for FREE!!!!!!! Many people ask them to remove those packets from their chickens because they don't want it smelling up their garbage. The market I go to usually (Whole Foods) saves them for those of us who feed it to our dogs. Sometimes I get really lucky.

Always remember it is not all or nothing. If you want to feed your dogs half raw and half kibble, do separate meals. Kibble take 24 hours to digest (or more!!!)  Raw food takes several hours. If you fed raw food in the morning and a quality kibble in the evening that should prevent "traffic congestion" in the digestive system. I have heard people saying they mix both without problems. I am not a nutritionist.

I hope this helps.

Michele

Steve:   I cant believe the price you are paying...wow and we think we have it bad here .We buy stripped backs with necks in package for 1.65 to 2.10 a package which weighs about  2 lbs and calf liver is .99 cents a lb. fresh not frozen at Super WALMART.

We throw hamburger and some pork if we have chops and then the wings

I guess Walmart hasnt made it to where you are?

Hi Guys

Here is just a starter, i will find out about the price of a whole chicken tomorrow

Salmon $26 a KG

Cod  $44 KG

Steak  $27 a KG  all for human consumpsion

Steve

Steve how can you guys afford to eat meat over there at all? That is outrageous prices! No wonder you can't feed your dog RAW. The stewing chickens I buy are about 2# each and come in a case of 20 -24 chickens. They are a $1.00 a chicken. I buy the fryers for us and they are .99 lb. (from the Hutterites) They are so good to, not like store chicken at all. Then the local butcher lets me pick up the deer/elk trim during hunting season for free, but I buy the guys a case of beer occasionally, keeps 'em happy! I fill up a freezer with it. I buy canned fish and fish caps, beef liver and occasionally pork when on sale for the dogs. They really love pork. I see hamburger on sale for about $1.89 lb., I think it is a little fatty though. We try to buy a half a beef for the freezer from a local rancher for ourselves. Plus we hunt so have our game meat too. I wish I could send you some!

Both our dogs are on raw. We follow the BARF diet. Their staple is chicken. We saw a significant improvement in their overall appearance and energy level. We also raised our litter on raw. They have very nice muscle development and are strong and very healthy.

We have videos on our puppy blog page of theirfirst raw feeding and also a video of the litter eating a whole chicken. Mom finishes the carcass in the end.

http://www.germanshepherdk9.com/Puppy_Blog.html

Michele,

Great puppy video! See you at Menlo Park.

Michele

i've been gradually going raw for my dogs over the last year or so. they now get raw about 90%. i feed nature's variety raw. they have complete diet varieties; lamb, beef, chicken, organic chicken, venison and rabbit. each type has same-species ground raw bone and organ meats. the rabbit also has pork fat, liver and heart. whole duck, pheasant and quail eggs are also included in each type. this is one of the few raw diets in the "complete and balanced" type which meets the AAFCO standard. check out the last few months of The Whole Dog Journal for more raw and kibble ratings.

i've seen an inprovement in their coats and stools (esp. angus). i find it's easier to keep their weight steady too. i used to feed rc german shepherd and then went on to merrick's and now i do use a bit of nature's variety Instinct or Prairie. i also give each of my dogs a raw egg (shell and all) once a week and they will get some raw chicken on occasion.

i wish i had the game trimmings available here, but this is the suburbs of southern california ;) and my husband and son just don't hunt enough.