How much does it cost to feed a dog a raw food diet? Essential Tips

Raw dog food prices from grocery store meat

The following prices are from my standard grocery store, nothing special. I wasn’t worried about organic meat or what was on sale. I just took 15 minutes to walk through the store and jot down some prices of some foods I would use if I were to make homemade food for Ace.

Chicken thighs: $1.72 per pound, $2.58 per day or $78 per month

Ace would eat about 1.5 pounds of meat per day. Obviously you want to mix up the kind of meat you feed your dog. This is just an example.

Chicken liver: $1.99 per pound, about 1 pound per week so $8 per month

Again, just an example. You want to feed your dog a variety of organ meat.

Vegetables: $0.50 per day or $15 per month

For fruits and vegetables, I would just feed Ace whatever I happened to be eating that week (lettuce, spinach, bananas, apples, carrots, zucchini, asparagus or whatever). He would get 1/4 C. or so of veggies per meal. On the high end, that might equal out to $0.50 per day.

Yogurt: $1.25 per cup, $0.63 per day or $19 per month

Ace would get 1/4 C. of yogurt or so per meal.

Other:

Other expenses not included could be calcium tabs, glucosamine tabs, fish oil, organ meat, raw bones, raw eggs, etc. These are all things that could be included in my dog’s meals from time to time regardless of whether I’m making his food or not.

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What Is a Raw Dog Diet?

A raw dog diet is a meal of uncooked food habitually consumed by a dog. The raw diet generally consists of raw meat from beef, poultry, pork, and fish, as well as dog-safe uncooked vegetables and fruits.

Raw dog diets usually consist of the following ingredients:

  • Bone meat
  • Muscle meat
  • Whole or ground bones
  • Organ meat (kidney & livers)
  • Fish
  • Raw eggs
  • Raw vegetables (broccoli, carrots, spinach, peas, green beans, celery, etc.)
  • Fruits (apples, bananas, blueberries, watermelons, etc.)
  • Raw dog diets are sometimes described as BARF (previously Bones and Raw Food, but now Biologically Appropriate Raw Food). This term was coined by the Australian vet Ian Billinghurst.

    In 1993, Billinghurst’s book, “Give Your Dog a Bone” suggested that feeding your dog raw meat was natural and healthier than feeding the pet with cooked food or dry kibble.

    So, is a raw dog diet really healthier and safe for your dog?

    Higher Cost – Chicken Thigh and Rice Recipe

  • 341g (12oz) cooked chicken thighs – $1.73
  • 86g (3oz) cooked chicken thighs with skin – $0.43
  • 57g (2oz) canned pink salmon $0.48
  • ½ cups (98g) cooked brown rice – $0.05
  • ¼ cup (28g) raw apple – $0.06
  • ¼ cup (28g) raw carrots – $0.03
  • 3 7/8 tsp BalanceIT Canine – $1.59
  • Omega 6 to 3 Ratio: – 7:1Total calories fed: 1018.1Composition: 50% protein, 38.6% fat, 11.4% carbsTotal Cost: $6.10 per day. $170.80 per month Full BalanceIT Recipe Here

    How much does it cost to feed a dog a raw food diet?

    Raw Feeding – How Much Does It Cost?

    Balanced raw? Rotating proteins? Bones? DIY?! Listen, we get it—the nuances of switching over to raw can seem overwhelming at first, especially when it comes to the “bottom line”: that’s right, we’re talking about the dreaded budget planning. Don’t let the idea of a budget switch-up deter you, though—the logistics and cost of feeding raw aren’t as insurmountable as they first appear. We’re here to help you understand the long-term benefits of raw and how you can conquer the hurdles you need to get there!

    For most of us, the switch to raw comes when we realize conventional pet food products just aren’t working for our pet—it could be allergies, chronic illnesses, an aversion to processed foods, or maybe they just plain old won’t eat! Traditionally treating these issues comes with costs of their own: hypoallergenic prescription diets, topical creams, antihistamines, antibiotics, even steroids can run up bills quickly, and they’re often only a “band-aid solution”—they’re treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Even just finicky pets who are tired of the same-old-same-old can be expensive: cracking open can after can of wet food and bags of kibble only to have your pet snub it can frustrate even the most patient of pet parents.

    In contrast, fresh food and other holistic treatment options could potentially address many underlying issues directly. Removing allergens from your pet’s diet may revert or relieve allergy symptoms they may be experiencing, or possibly prevent an escalation of symptoms. Even picky pets—if you switch them over slowly enough—can usually fall in love with the taste of raw food before they have the chance to snub the new food solely on the merit of it being new. It may be surprising, but often the long-term costs of feeding raw end up being less expensive than treating allergies and other chronic conditions that may be attributed to a lower-end diet and poor quality nutrition!