Feeding multiple dogs a raw diet can be expensive, but with some simple strategies you can keep costs under control and maintain affordability.
Many reputable raw foods offer affordable options, including toppers and mixers designed to add variety to a dog’s existing diet.
Contents
Meat
Raw foods tend to be more costly than canned or kibble as they require greater safety measures during packaging and transportation, as well as more meats and vegetables than their canned or kibble counterparts.
Some innovative raw feeders may find ways to cut costs by purchasing from local butchers instead of large chain grocery stores. Doing this often works out cheaper for their business than purchasing directly.
Sharing orders with someone local can also save money – this helps split shipping costs while making keeping your freezer full easier! Use K9Savings at checkout at Raw Paws Pet Food or this link at Raw Feeding Miami and use K9Savings or this one at Raw Feeding Miami as referral links (both of which offer 15% savings!).
Vegetables
Raw diets should include plant ingredients rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for maximum benefits for digestion as well as helping balance healthy bacteria in their gut. Vegetables like carrots, spinach, squash and leafy greens are an essential element in any nutritious raw food diet; fruits such as berries, apples and pears should also be included but avoid avocado and onions which are toxic for dogs.
Some pet parents opt to make homemade raw meals for their pet, which requires extensive research on safe ingredients and balanced recipes. To simplify raw feeding for owners and pet-sitters alike, many companies now provide affordable frozen and freeze-dried diets as meal toppers or complete diets for raw-fed dogs. Some even prioritize sustainability by using 100% recycled packaging materials, planting trees for each new customer, or producing energy from solar power generation systems.
Bones
Raw meaty bones should make up 10% of a well-balanced raw diet and provide vital calcium and phosphorus essential to bone health. Chewing on bones also promotes teeth cleaning while satisfying a dog’s natural urge to chew and can even aid psychological wellness.
Bones should never be cooked as this can result in them becoming brittle and lead to choking risks for pets. Furthermore, their size must match that of their companion animal to reduce gagging or tooth damage risks.
Nutritionally-oriented raw bones such as chicken backs, necks and wings should be fed. Recreational raw bones (like turkey wings) may also be fed under supervision and in sizes appropriate to each pet so as to prevent choking.
Organs
Raw dieters sometimes look to meat organs (commonly referred to as offal) as an excellent way of supplementing their diet with essential nutrients – or “Mother Nature’s multivitamins”! Meat organs contain more vitamin D than muscle meats and provide crucial minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium potassium phosphorus. Furthermore, fat-soluble vitamins like thiamine and coenzyme Q10 that may otherwise be hard to access are found abundantly here.
Organs should only make up around 10% of a balanced raw diet, but they’re essential. You can purchase organs from local butchers or opt for We Feed Raw’s meal mix option which contains base proteins plus offal from abattoirs as well as vegetables, fruits, organic coconut and herbs – making them perfect for newcomers who may find DIY meal prep overwhelming or those with hectic lifestyles who simply don’t have time! These treats, toppers or nuggets can either be freeze-dried or refrigerated to ensure quality nutrition!
