Quote: tracy collins

I've never had much luck with restaurant suppliers. Wish I did. What I have had good luck with are small independent (mom and pop) grocery stores. Talk to the meat department manager and ask about ordering things in bulk. They have the resources and are happy to make the sale. Especially if you tell them that this is an ongoing thing--you'll be ordering stuff every month.

I've also had good luck shopping in ethnic grocery stores--Asian, African American, Hispanic. Those cultures eat more "parts" than you can normally find in the big chain grocers.

One of the tardiest things I ever did was to finally ask the butcher at a tiny local natural food store chain (like a teeny-weeny Whole Foods of four stores) if they could save the backs when they butchered Smart Chicken Organic birds into the common 8-piece result (2 breast halves, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 drumsticks). They said sure. I get these for a little over a dollar a pound. (I also buy whole birds, not so cheap, which they will butcher any way I want, no extra charge, and throw in some livers.)

Point being, ask everyone. I didn't ask them for years about backs, and one day it dawned on me: Wait a second! This 4-store chain must have a lot of backs when they do the 8-cut butchering (as opposed to quarters). And indeed it was true. They use them to make their deli soups, etc., but were happy to save as many as I want in their freezer for my dogs.

Just went to the butchers, got some backs and turkey necks, they were actually a bit more than the ground raw we buy at the pet store...I have read all or most of the articles on raw on this site. Great articles, just im a little confused about the exact details. So with the backs, not much meat on them, how much do i give them? Isnt that too much bone? Do they eat the whole thing? I live near Vancouver so im hoping theres someone i can ask that can get me what i need, lots of people feed raw here, they even had packaged raw dog food at the butchers, but wanted 1.99/lb.

How much do the dogs weigh, and are they growing pups or adults?

You got chicken backs, right?

I'd put the turkey necks in the freezer for now. I'd start with one item, and I'd make it the chicken backs with the skin and the globs of fat pulled off but I'd leave those little kidneys attached (see them on the bone side?). You can toss the skin/fat blobs or freeze it -- it's just for a couple days so there's no "sudden-fat" diarrhea.

Since the title is "What 2 buy for raw?", I'd put these on the grocery list, too.:wink:

http://leerburg.com/935.htm

http://leerburg.com/970.htm

I can't even begin to put a number on how many times I've gone back to my copies just to make sure of something.

Thanks for that detailed info, exactly what i needed. I will have to take a better look at the backs tonight. My dogs are all adults, the shepherd is 55lb eats 1.5lb, does well, my cane corso, eats 3lbs(yikes)shes only 85-90lb too. My 13yr old springer spaniel/border collie used to do fine on 1lb, but was looking skinny so we upped it about 0.5lb...noticed hes still looks just a tad too skinny for me, hes i think 50-55lb's. Im wondering if we should up it again, want him to have some fat reserve in his old age, my dogs are very lean btw, people ask us all the time why they are soo skinny? i feel like being why is your dog so fat? lol. they get tons of exercise too... I am thinking of purchasing a book, which one would you reccomend? Im pretty raw savy, despite the maybe dumb sounding questions, i've just always fed ground and pre-packaged, never had to think about it. I just want to learn as much as i can, but know the basics, ie: dont cook bones, no your dog wont get samonella, no the vets dont know it all etc...haha what would be a good book to add to the library? Thanks! Will check out those links to for sure! Thanks again

Good luck, Cat, keep looking & hopefully you will find a place that will give you a 'deal' on the ingreedents for raw feeding.

I don't know if this thread is the appropriate place to put this, and if not, moderators feel free to move it, but.....

When having conversations with people about the benefits of raw feeding (I try to tell this mantra wherever I go), the question that comes up most is, "How much does it cost?".


My standard reply is that is may cost a little bit more but the first vet bill will more than wipe out that $10 savings you thought you got by feeding commercial grain heavy kibble.


I haven't done a real spread sheet and so, this is just the meanderings of an unfocused mind.


Depending on the cost of living of your area, I've come up with an average(based on 100% cost of living) about $1 per month per pound of dog weight.


Anybody else have an estimate?

Good to see ya!!

Per day, it's the cost/per-pound of your basic RMBs times 2% or so of the dog's weight.

Roughly:

If you feed 2% or so of the dog's weight a day, then that number of pounds of food times your per-pound price.

We all have different per-pound prices (Costco, free from hunters, natural food butchers, supermarkets, wholesalers, raw coops, etc.).

If your ADULT dog weighs 60 pounds and your per-pound cost is around $1.70, for example, then it will be around $2 a day.

If the per-pound is $1, the 60-pound ADULT dog is closer to $1.20 a day.

If the per-pound goes down, the daily cost goes down accordingly.

Our anecdotal experience: I spend on average $5.50 per day to feed four dogs. Total dog weight = 260 pounds.

 Quote: Tracy Collins

Our anecdotal experience: I spend on average $5.50 per day to feed four dogs. Total dog weight = 260 pounds.

Then your per-pound rate is probably around $1.05.