Quote: Connie Sutherland

 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.

That's until you discover the joy of seeing them crunch through weird stuff, then it increases...

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 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.

So your monthly per pound rate is about 63 cents per pound.


($5.50 per day x 30 days / 260 lbs. = $0.63 per pound of dog weight per month) Somebody let me know if my arithmetic is off.


Connie, great to see you, too. Please send me an email. I have a new computer and your addy is on the old one in Outlook Express and I can't get to it. Thanks.


And, now, back to raw feeding.

 Quote: Nora Ferrell

So your monthly per pound rate is about 63 cents per pound.


($5.50 per day x 30 days / 260 lbs. = $0.63 per pound of dog weight per month)

I was saying that his per-pound rate, meaning his per-pound of food rate, must be around $1.05.


156 lbs of food over 30 days (his dogs at 2%) is costing him $165 ($5.50 x 30).

About $1.05/pound (food cost).

156 lbs x $1.05/pound = about $165 (which also + $5.50 x 30.)


Your number is, as you said, the amount per pound of dog weight per month. (Your math is not wrong.)

I think I get it now. I am talking about how much is costs per month, per pound of dog weight.


Your measurements are for per pound of dog food. Right?


eta: For instance, what I think I'm getting at is: If you have a ten pound dog, it costs about ten dollars per month to feed and a hundred pound dog costs $100 per month. I might be a little on the high side because that price also includes all supplements, yogurt, vegs, fruits, etc. And the cost can go down if you buy cheaper cuts of meat.

Edited by Nora Ferrell (02/05/2010 04:55 PM)
Edit reason: to add stufrf

 Quote: Nora Ferrell

I think I get it now. I am talking about how much is costs per month, per pound of dog weight.


Your measurements are for per pound of dog food. Right?

Yes, we have two different measures, both approximately correct given the info we have for Tracy's costs.

Yup. I had not done the math that way, but for me it is about 63 cents per pound of dog, per month, to feed.

In total, mine eat just a tick over 2% of their body weight in food per day. To be exact, they eat 86 ounces of food per day. I know, because I weigh each meal to the ounce.

But the percentage thing it isn't strictly consistent from dog to dog. In my experience, younger and smaller dogs need somewhat more as a percentage than larger dogs. And obviously, activity level is an important factor too.

Your mileage will vary.

The contents of the meals vary--but about half always comes from some cheap poultry source as RMBs--either chicken backs/quarters/necks bought in bulk, duck necks, or whole turkeys. The other half is comprised of whatever muscle meat I can find in my price range--usually pork or beef heart, chicken gizzards, ground beef or cheap cuts of pork muscle meat. I splurge on buying 50# cases of whole sardines or mackerel and bulk green tripe. Several times a year, they'll get venison, mutton, rabbit, goat--but these aren't staples.

I didn't include in the cost above the cost of fish oil and E supplements that they get daily, or the nightly snack of kefir. Or eggs. Or veggies. Or string cheese for agility class. Or tater tots from Sonic. ;-)

But who's counting, right?

I don't include fish oil cost either, because I would be giving it no matter what the base diet was (raw, dehydrated, canned, etc.).

It cost me $8 a day to feed 3 med-large dogs.... wont even scare you with how much i used to spend before i found a relatively cheap source. This also does not include oils, veg, or the numerous supplements they get. haha, that deepfreeze idea is getting more appealing, lost my head and bought ice cream tonight, i now can not open my freezer due to all the raw without packages of frozen meat flying at my head.... Worth the time, the cost and the flying frozen meat.

I talked one of my customers who is a scientist yesterday about raw feeding. He gives talks all around the country about sports nutrition and is a big fan of the "Paleo Diet" for humans. He said that if he had a dog, raw is the way he would go, no hesitation.

Between that, what I have read here, and talking to raw feeders that I know, I have decided that Tasha's last kibble meal will be Tuesday morning. I'm donating he unopened bag of kibble that I have to the local shelter.

I have had so much trouble finding the right food for her! All the really expensive holistic kibbles she would eat for three days. Then I would end up throwing away more than she would eat after every meal.

Now she is on a good mid grade kibble, which she likes, but she has gunky eyes in the morning. She is also shedding like crazy despite her fish oil supplements.

To top it off, I'm staring to worry about her right hip. She is not showing symptoms of dysplasia, but its definitely a little sore. She gets protective of it when I brush her, and she almost bit the groomer during a nail trim last month when she was working on that foot.

The butcher down the street has bone in chicken breasts on sale really cheap, is that a good place to start?

They don't sell backs and necks, but they always have lots of other stuff in stock at very reasonable prices. Leg quarters in 10 lb. bags a .69 cents a pound! They also seem to always have ox tails, wings, beef liver, tripe and hamburger for cheap.

Lauren,
You will NEVER look back. It's almost a high to know you are feeding your dog real food, and helping them be the healthiest they can be. Plus, you can stick it to the marketing machine that has brainwashed the population to accept kibble as food. It's like all of us have been desensitized enough to believe that pasta in a can is a good lunch. (Don't get me started.)

But to get YOU started ...yes, chicken backs, necks, and quarters are what people usually begin with. Search Leerburg and this forum on how to begin, and you'll be all set. Begin looking for wholesalers or raw dog food suppliers in your area. It seems overwhelming at first, but the suppliers are out there, and you can get food in bulk for $.50/lb. At first, you will feel like you're drowning, you will feel anxious, and you will have a gazillion questions. All normal. Ask away. The people here have more knowledge than you can imagine. I remain in their debt.

Plus once you get the hang of it, feeding your dog this way is fun. People don't much talk about it, but it's a kick. I got some lamb tongues for free from my CSA, and Cali ate two today today practically in a swoon of ecstasy! That made for one very happy dog.