We’ve all heard it many times. This is a sad fact when it comes down to dog food. Raw diets can be expensive because they require high-quality ingredients and production.
This article will help you if you think that feeding your dog a raw diet would be the best for them, but you don’t have enough money to purchase each meal. This article will explain what a raw diet looks like, how it can be made on a tight budget, and why it can be so costly.
What is a Raw Diet for Your Dog?
It is exactly what it sounds like: raw dog food To give your dog a complete diet, you feed it raw food. This includes meat, bones, and vegetables. It must contain all of the essential nutrients for their continued growth and development.
Raw Diet Benefits
- Eliminating fillers
- Maintaining their food in a 100% species-appropriate manner
- They have complete control of their food
Pets WebMD states that raw food diets can have health benefits for pets.
- Healthier skin
- Keep your teeth clean
- Shiny coats
- Energy levels increase
- Smaller stool
It is still controversial to feed a dog raw food. This food requires more care to store, prepare, and serve safely.
Raw Diets: What are the Risks?
- Both humans and dogs are at risk from bacteria found in raw meat.
- It is more difficult to maintain a healthy balance and overall health.
- Tooth-breaking or choking can be caused by bones.
Raw eggs, meats from organs such as livers or kidneys, and meats on the bone are some of the foods you will find in a raw diet. You can either grind or leave the bones whole.
Even though dogs are obligate carnivores, vegetables are essential. After eating their prey, the dogs get some nutrition from vegetables and fruits.
You should wash all fruits and vegetables before you serve them. This could include celery, apples, broccoli, and even some spinach.
Before giving fruit or vegetable to your dog, make sure you check their safety. It doesn’t necessarily mean that dogs can eat it, just because humans can.
Why is a Raw Diet so expensive?
Raw food is typically more expensive than canned food or dog food. Because it is more difficult and requires more maintenance, most people don’t make their own raw food for their dogs. They usually buy premade raw food meals that cost between $2 and $4.
These premade meals are so expensive, even though technically, kibble can also be “premade”.
The safe sourcing of raw meats, vegetables, and other ingredients is what you pay. There are no bacteria to worry about. The balance of ingredients is also paid, just like canned food or kibble. Raw foods must be packed and delivered with greater safety precautions in order to maintain continued health.
This means that the best way to reduce the cost of a raw dog food diet is to make it yourself. Here are some tips to help you stick to your budget while still providing a healthy diet for your dog.
Tips to Stay on a Budget
It can be hard to stick to a budget. It is important to plan, organize and be very specific. It is important to set a dollar amount that you can afford. This will allow you to determine where you have the most room for error and areas you should be strict about.
Coupons
Once you have determined your dollar amount, it is possible to start saving money so that you stay within this amount. This includes using coupons to help you keep a budget in check. To save money, you can pay the newspaper’s cost if you find out that raw meat suppliers put coupons in newspapers.
Search Asian Supermarkets
Asian supermarkets can supply all types of dog food additives. Asian markets are more open to using the whole animal, while European and American markets are much less picky. However, your dog isn’t as picky. Your dog will eat more of their animal parts, the better.
You can find many parts of birds, cows, and pigs in Asian supermarkets. Many times, you can find bulk items, such as animal hearts, for less than $5. These can be easily cut into cubes and frozen later.
Pinpoint Budget Grocery Shops
Find the closest grocery stores that cater to budget shoppers. Some stores may be able to get items that haven’t expired but that aren’t selling the way bigger stores want them to. These “extras” might be sold at a discount by Walmart so that you can get these food items for half the original price, or even less.
Tips to Sticking to a Raw Diet
It is not easy to prepare, store, and make your own raw foods. It might seem tedious over time. Before you give up on the diet and switch to kibble, make sure to take into account your dog’s energy level and health. Here are three ways to help you if you continue to struggle.
Create a Meal Plan
A personalized raw diet requires planning. It will be much easier to plan if you don’t have a clear idea of what you should make each night.
A meal plan can help you stick to your budget. This helps you keep track of what you have and when you will use it. You can also plan to ensure that your dog’s food has balanced.
This information can be written down to make it easier for others to refer you as you go. Dog food does not have to be changed every week. You can make a weekly meal plan that uses what you have and still provide all the nutrition they need.
Bulk Buy and Freeze
For large families, buying in bulk can be a great way of saving money. You can also save money on the dog’s food. You can plan for the future by buying in bulk.
Make sure you portion out the right amount of food, wrap them properly and label them with the date. Put them in the freezer and thaw them as you need them. This will help you save time and money.
Check-Up with Your Vet
Last, make sure to take your dog to a vet for a check-up. Talking to your vet can give you assurance about how the dog’s diet is doing. Your vet can help you determine if your dog needs additional food or if you’re doing a good job.
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