# Weekly cost?



## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

I found this really great place here in Minneapolis 

http://www.woodyspetdeli.com/home

and stopped by to ask some questions and get some prices. They worked up a food feeding calculator for my puppy (4 mos, 35 lbs) and it showed that it would cost about $32 a week to feed her on an entirely raw diet.

This "pet deli" takes the "work" out of raw feeding -- they grind and mix the food. I can pretty easily find out how this compares to kibble, but I'm wondering how this price compares to doing the raw diet myself. 

Obviously it varies from place to place and depending on what price you can get on meat, but does anyone have any estimates for how much it costs to feed a puppy (or active adult) GSD per week on a do-it-yourself raw food diet?

Thanks!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Including supplements, it averages about $3 a day to feed one [email protected]#a meal with 2 meals a day. I order in bulk, though and try to average less than $1 a pound for most meats...I can't get exotic meat like bison, venison, rabbit or lamb for this cost.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

I spend approx $1/lb of food (doing it myself), so approx $14/week per dog (one dog gets just over 2 lbs and one just under - I averaged it to 2lbs/day/dog). Some things I buy are more expensive than $1/lb and some are under. I can't think of anything that I spent more than $2/lb on, unless they are getting a special meal (lamb at xmas, steak for a bday, me buying some pre-packaged stuff to take on vacation because it is easier, etc). 

I also buy most of my stuff in bulk - so we had to buy a freezer for the dogs. 

Your puppy should also be eating 2-3% of her EXPECTED adult weight.


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

I average about $1 a pound, maybe a little more, and feed around 2 pounds a day, which equals a monthly average for one 75# active GSD $65.

Interesting website. 

They say under 'deli menu' can you can purchase, "Full meals (complete and balanced)* (our supplement for these full meals include: wild artic salmon oil, organic apple cider vinegar, organic safflower oil, organic sunflower oil, organic kelp, organic turmeric, vitamin & mineral mix with taurine)"

I would be curious to know what standards, if any, they are balancing their meals to, NRC, AAFCO or other? If the full meal is 100% beef, then is it just beef and their list of supplements? What cuts of beef? Those would a few questions I would want to know more about before committing.

If they are truly balanced then it would be convenient if you could afford it.


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

I just bought 300lbs of ground up beef, 120lb of necks, 120lb of backs and 40lbs of neck bones. I'll let you know when I run out (feeding 5, soon to be 6 plus a litter of pups)


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## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't feed a raw diet, and the do-it-yourself sounds much cheaper than the service. But to be fair in an evaluation - How much of your time does it take to prepare the dog(s) meals and how much is that time worth?
My Dh (who runs his own business) always reminds me to factor those things in when doing this kind of comparison.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Quote:They worked up a food feeding calculator for my puppy (4 mos, 35 lbs) and it showed that it would cost about $32 a week to feed her on an entirely raw diet.


I have a problem with this statement. With a growing puppy there’s no way to say it will only be X amount per week. Maybe for the first week or two but things change fast!

In a two week period Mauser went from 8 ounces to almost 12 ounces (a 50% increase). He went through a growth spurt. Now he’s going back down to 10 ounces (he’s getting a little pudgy). I’m sure he’ll go back up when he has his next growth spurt (right now he’s 4.5 months old).

All that being said, keep in mind that you are paying for all that convenience. Having them grind it for you and premix it and balance it and so on.

Also, you will have to start supplementing this premix with WHOLE RMBs soon for teeth health.

That being said, here’s an idea of cost:

For an adult dog in good health of average activity level – I’d use 2.5% of their adult weight.

So, a 80 pound dog would get a total of 2 pounds.

Here’s the breakout:

50% RMBs – 1 pound
45% Muscle Meat – 14 ounces
5% Organ Meat – 2 ounces

I pay less than $.50 per pound for chicken RMBs
I pay about $.75 per pound of beef or pork heart
I pay about $.60 per pound for beef liver

Here’s the costs:

Per day - $.50 + .68 + .06 = $1.24

Weekly - $1.24 * 7 = $8.65

Monthly = $1.24 * 30 = $37.05

So, for what they want for a week you could buy almost a months supply.

I do add in some supplements but those also stay under $1 per day for my healthy dogs.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

To answer the time question – it takes me about an hour to plan my order (I buy in bulk). Then another hour to go pick it up from the delivery location (we might change this and have it delivered right to our house). Then I’d say it takes me about 4-5 hours to “process” all the food (after it has been defrosted). That means stuffing RMBs in bags and cutting up the muscle meat and stuffing that in bags.

The total time on my part is probably less than 8 hours.


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlIncluding supplements, it averages about $3 a day to feed one [email protected]#a meal with 2 meals a day. I order in bulk, though and try to average less than $1 a pound for most meats...I can't get exotic meat like bison, venison, rabbit or lamb for this cost.


Oops -- I made a mistake -- without supplements, it would be about $22 a week -- which is close to your costs ordering bulk. (And that is also just for "basics" like chicken, turkey... even beef would be a little pricier.)


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: mspiker03
> I also buy most of my stuff in bulk - so we had to buy a freezer for the dogs.
> 
> Your puppy should also be eating 2-3% of her EXPECTED adult weight.


Thanks for the reminder about the amount she should be eating.... do you have any links showing what her expected weight will be based on her current weight and age? (i'm sure I can dig around here and find one if you don't have one handy.)


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: natalie559I average about $1 a pound, maybe a little more, and feed around 2 pounds a day, which equals a monthly average for one 75# active GSD $65.
> 
> Interesting website.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tips! I'll be sure to ask those questions before making any decisions.


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Angela_WI just bought 300lbs of ground up beef, 120lb of necks, 120lb of backs and 40lbs of neck bones. I'll let you know when I run out (feeding 5, soon to be 6 plus a litter of pups)


Holy crap! Looks like the freezer chest was a good idea...

Where do you even begin to look to buy in such quantity? What, if anything, do you look for in quality when sourcing places?


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The Gang
> 
> 
> > Quote:They worked up a food feeding calculator for my puppy (4 mos, 35 lbs) and it showed that it would cost about $32 a week to feed her on an entirely raw diet.
> ...


Wow -- those seem like great prices for meat! That makes it seem REALLY inexpensive to do it yourself -- and likely worth the time it would take.

I'm PRETTY sure that the recommended amounts that they give are based on the expected adult weight -- but I'll have to check that. 

Any advice on how to source meat in my area?


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangTo answer the time question – it takes me about an hour to plan my order (I buy in bulk). Then another hour to go pick it up from the delivery location (we might change this and have it delivered right to our house). Then I’d say it takes me about 4-5 hours to “process” all the food (after it has been defrosted). That means stuffing RMBs in bags and cutting up the muscle meat and stuffing that in bags.
> 
> The total time on my part is probably less than 8 hours.


Thanks for breaking that down! Combined with your cost posting above, it makes it seem totally worth it (not to mention the fact that I hear you save on vet bills....)


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

call around to meat markets, animal processing/slaughter houses. I get my pork neck/beef neck and necks/backs from there. Last order cost me $17/box for chicken necks/backs about .43lb (used to be 12 but costs have gone up over the last year). Beef and pork neck bones are .50lb as well as boar meat. Beef I get from an animal supply house that delivers meat to greyhound farms, I get that for about .50lb for 50lb box (25 or so, depending on season)

Leg quarters run anywhere from 18.99 to 22.00 for 40lb box at yet a diff store. 

Used to be 11.00 a box!


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Angela_Wcall around to meat markets, animal processing/slaughter houses. I get my pork neck/beef neck and necks/backs from there. Last order cost me $17/box for chicken necks/backs about .43lb (used to be 12 but costs have gone up over the last year). Beef and pork neck bones are .50lb as well as boar meat. Beef I get from an animal supply house that delivers meat to greyhound farms, I get that for about .50lb for 50lb box (25 or so, depending on season)
> 
> Leg quarters run anywhere from 18.99 to 22.00 for 40lb box at yet a diff store.
> 
> Used to be 11.00 a box!


Thanks! Woah -- cost of chicken has really gone up!

I'll start making some phone calls as soon as I do some reading and figuring so I know about how much of what i'll be ordering at one time.


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