Raw diet

[Flowerofthefen]

Is it more expensive than good quality biscuits and chappie?
Pup has James wellbeloved biscuits and working lab has gundog biscuits with a bit of chappie mixed in. I'm sure the raw diet has come on immensely since I last did it which was around 20 years ago and all that was really available was stinky disgusting tripe in bags you had to defrost. God they were awful!! Just looking into it again now but a little worried about what I actually need to feed and the cost compared to what they are currently eating. Any one got a dummies guide to eating raw? Thank you!!

 

[some show]

It's definitely more expensive than it was five years ago, but hard to tell how it compares to kibble/wet food because there are so many brands/price levels now. My dog can't have poultry or the fattier, cheaper varieties as it sets off his pancreatitis, so I have to spend more on rabbit and leaner meats - but if yours can eat chicken and the more 'bargain' end brands then the world is your oyster! If you find your closest suppliers they quite often have a website e.g. this Cardiff one, has a whole section on how to get started: https://www.rawpetsupplies.co.uk/learning-centre

Then you can browse their stock online and get a feel for prices.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Basics are 80:10:10-meat, bones, offal. I got a local producer to make this in a beef mix, he’s just started delivering. He does kilo bags of tripe and chicken mince plus bones but I find them too spiky and huge. Tripe is still stinky and horrible.

DAF does a mad variety, including wild boar. https://www.daf-petfood.co.uk/ They deliver UK wide.

 

[sbloom]

We use Durham and for our sensitive Dane it's a lot lot cheaper than the only very expensive kibble he can have (he still gets it but in small quantities). We use DAF most of the time.

 

[satinbaze]

I still make up my own using MVM minced carcass. I find “The BARF diet” by Ian Billingshurst a very good initial guide.

 

[maisie06]

Is it more expensive than good quality biscuits and chappie?
Pup has James wellbeloved biscuits and working lab has gundog biscuits with a bit of chappie mixed in. I'm sure the raw diet has come on immensely since I last did it which was around 20 years ago and all that was really available was stinky disgusting tripe in bags you had to defrost. God they were awful!! Just looking into it again now but a little worried about what I actually need to feed and the cost compared to what they are currently eating. Any one got a dummies guide to eating raw? Thank you!!

I used to feed RAW but the cost became crippling as trying to keep weight on the springer during the season was a nightmare, I found even with a kilo per day he was still looking lean, plus the storage I was running a freezer just for dog food and the cost of the electricity has gone up considerably. I also found that even the expensive brands were dropping in quality, I had a kilo pack of Paleo tripe that was actually only 650g of meat once defrosted as there was so much water...and the bone content has been increased in many brands too leading to my Cocker becoming constipated - so although I love the concept of RAW feeding 3 energetic dogs I found it no longer viable.

They now have a Grain free kibble - to be brutally honest whatever is on offer with a 50% or more meat inclusion at the moment we have Millies wolfheart on the go and some wet food like forthglade, naturo Pooch and mutt - they often do good discount codes! etc They also have left over veg from our meals, kale, carrots broccoli etc plus the odd tin of sardines - they look great and the springer is now holding weight - spare freezer turned off saving money there and my monthly feed bill has more than halved.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I used to feed RAW but the cost became crippling as trying to keep weight on the springer during the season was a nightmare, I found even with a kilo per day he was still looking lean, plus the storage I was running a freezer just for dog food and the cost of the electricity has gone up considerably. I also found that even the expensive brands were dropping in quality, I had a kilo pack of Paleo tripe that was actually only 650g of meat once defrosted as there was so much water...and the bone content has been increased in many brands too leading to my Cocker becoming constipated - so although I love the concept of RAW feeding 3 energetic dogs I found it no longer viable.

They now have a Grain free kibble - to be brutally honest whatever is on offer with a 50% or more meat inclusion at the moment we have Millies wolfheart on the go and some wet food like forthglade, naturo Pooch and mutt - they often do good discount codes! etc They also have left over veg from our meals, kale, carrots broccoli etc plus the odd tin of sardines - they look great and the springer is now holding weight - spare freezer turned off saving money there and my monthly feed bill has more than halved.

Thank you. I'm glad you've found a good diet for your dog. I've been looking into it and for us I think it's more faff and expense than it's worth. Both working dog and pup are looking and feeling well on what they are one so I think we will stick with it. Thanks again.

 

[Jenko109]

The quality of raw varies.

I sometimes use Durham as it's cheaper, however find it stinks and is more watery than other providers.

I liked Bella and Duke but only did the initial trial as it was a fraction of the normal price.

I've always fed kibble alongside the raw and am now slowly transitioning over to home made food to mix with their kibble instead.

This week the have ox liver, turkey mince, sea trout, white fish, eggs, sweet potato, carrot and a little rice.

 

[skinnydipper]

I've been looking into it and for us I think it's more faff and expense than it's worth.

It doesn't have to be a faff

I feed raw complete meals, ones that meet or exceed FEDIAF guidelines. The hardest part is remembering to transfer from freezer to fridge the day before.

 

[GSD Woman]

I've feed both raw and kibble. Raw got too expensive when I lost my source of cheap chicken. It was still a good quality but I could buy 40lbs of it. I also had a used freezer chest that I could use for storage. I'm able to get a good quality kibble with a good discount. My 2 also get eggs and table scraps.

Do what works best for your situation.

 

[AmyMay]

Raw didn’t work for us. Moved back to a good quality kibble.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I've been feeding raw for around 15 plus years, made my own mixes then the cost of living hit us. I always said I'd never go back to commercial food but I had to use something to bulk the meat out a bit as the price soared and so did the electric to run the freezers. I was using at one point 3 years ago £13.50 electric a month as I have other means to cook food,heat water etc but it is now standing at £70 a month for the same use and £8 more for a box of minced raw meat and I was buying 4 plus trays/boxes a month with bones on top. Not to mention the other things I add to their diets, I eventually gave in as something had to give and buy Dr Johns dry food GOLD and use it with their food to bulk it out more, it works for me but as soon as the (IF!!) cost of living ever goes down I will go back to raw only.
I used dogfood dave who supplies the rawfood treat meat, it's better quality than Landywoods who I used to use regularly years ago. I tried the again recently and it was like puree, horrible.

 

[GSD Woman]

cremedemonthe,

Holy cow! that's a huge increase. 13.5 pounds vs 70 a month. I wish I had the nifty pound symbol on my keyboard.

My freezer chest finally died. Fortunately I didn't have anything of great value in it, just bags of ice that I removed in time.

 

[Prancerpoos]

I use Naturaw but it’s not cheap at £75:50 for 15kg, delivered. My dog eats 1kg a day and it takes up 2 whole shelves of my freezer. I bulk cook broccoli, cauliflower and similar to add as she seems to crave a few veggies, but they only cost a couple of quid a week.

So no, not cheap. Probably cheaper if you have the knowledge / time to make up your own.

 

[skinnydipper]

Raw didn’t work for us. Moved back to a good quality kibble.

Did you manage to find kibble that Daisy isn't allergic to?

 

[cremedemonthe]

cremedemonthe,

Holy cow! that's a huge increase. 13.5 pounds vs 70 a month. I wish I had the nifty pound symbol on my keyboard.

My freezer chest finally died. Fortunately I didn't have anything of great value in it, just bags of ice that I removed in time.

Yes, it was ridiculous as I was being even more careful on what I use but it just kept going up and up and up. I notice they rarely come down if ever, as quickly, sheer greed isn't it

 

[splashgirl45]

I wanted to feed raw but just have a fridge freezer with not really enough room for the food I cook for myself. I have nowhere to put a chest freezer so decided to try the next best and went with Wolfworthy kibble. It sounds like it’s more expensive but for 2 very small terriers and a collie cross it worked out at £50 every 6 weeks. I also added a topper meat pouches, tuna, cooked chicken, sardines etc . With the better quality kibbles you don’t have to feed as much. I looked on the all about dog food site to find out about all of the foods available. My new lurcher found Wolfworthy too rich so I’ve changed to Burgess sensitive turkey which seems to suit the terriers as well..

 

[AmyMay]

Did you manage to find kibble that Daisy isn't allergic to?

Yes, she’s doing brilliantly on Orijen, and previous to that AVA.