# How about store bought raw food? Primal?



## Jessica H (Mar 14, 2009)

I want to feed RAW but I am not ready for the raw necks and raw feeding.

That said, what do people think of foods such as Primal? 
http://www.primalpetfoods.com/education/feeding

I know it is not the same as BARF but I am thinking about trying it, it is more my type of feeding. I would think it is better than the kibble they get.


Thanks for any advice.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

It's good but it's going to be expensive feeding primal to a big dog like Dozer. How much does he weigh? I would imagine he would need a least 1.5 to 2 lbs of food per day. If you are feeding primal nuggets, that's 24 to 32 nuggets a day!

The other disadvantage is Dozer won't have as much fun eating it as he would crunching bones! (Although you can make it "tougher" for him by giving him the nuggets/patties frozen)

The last thing is the food has veggie and quite a lot of bone mixed in so it's more BARF than prey model.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Jess, Primal is great! Lots of folks feed Primal with amazing results. Another good one is Bravo, and my absolute favorite prepared raw to feed is K9 Kraving. 

I bet if you transition slowly onto the Primal, you will start to see results in a few weeks! I started Grimm with prepared raw (that fantastic K9 Kraving). It was easy, non-disgusting, and WOW was there a difference! Plus, they love this stuff.







Oink!!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Primal is EXCELLENT food but very expensive. You can get it in 5 pound chubs and I was doing that with Rafi for a while. It's much less expensive than the patties. Then I found out I could get Bravo in 10 pound chubs and that's what I'm doing now. I can get the chicken for $16.50.


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## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

I've been using Primal as part of Caleb and Aodhán's diet and where I get it in CT it runs between roughly $12 - $19 for a 5 lb chub depending on the protein. So it would be expensive if you were to feed that exclusively.


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## Jessica H (Mar 14, 2009)

Dozer weighs about 80lbs, Scooter is 17lbs, Sadie is 14lbs.

I did the calcualtor for how much to feed and I would need about 20lbs a week. I have not gone anywhere today yet and cannot find prices. Roughly how much would that cost for Primal and Bravo?

Thanks!


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## Jessica H (Mar 14, 2009)

What kind of differences do you think i will notice? I do not see any problems with them.

The main thing I would like to clear up is Sadie's skin issues. If it ends up being too much for all of them I may just put Sadie on it, she has pretty bad skin problems. I have in semi under control now but not completely.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Around here you have to special order the large chubs of preprepared raw so the first thing would be to find out if you've got someone local who can order the food for you. 

It would cost a FORTUNE to feed 20 lbs. a week of the patties. I think it's 6 pounds for $30 or something like that. It costs me about $70/month to feed Rafi the Bravo raw.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Another thing, if your dog has skin issues DIY raw may actually be better because you can monitor and know, exactly, what is going into your dogs meals. With premade, you still have to deal with any extra ingredients the manufactures put in it.

Some of the benefits you may see are: shiner, softer coat; cleaner teeth; less carb/sugar-fueled, useless energy; more energy when it counts (long walks, hikes, swims, etc.); clearer, brigther eyes; less eye boogies; the dogs will really enjoy meal time. Lol. 

In Dozer, you'll also probably see a great development of muscle. We started Jerzey on raw as an older puppy and she gained a lot of muscle and started filling out almost immediately. Obviously I can't be 100% that it was the diet but the timing of it all makes me believe that the diet had something to do with it.

ETA: Check out the Changes After Being Switched to Raw thread. It has before and after raw pictures so you can really _see_ the difference it makes.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Jess, I don't know how strongly you feel against feeding them actual raw but it really is a whole lot cheaper than the pre-made stuff. If you shop at the right places, it could be even cheaper than kibbles.

Around here (and I am talking about just shopping at regular supermarket, not better sources like ethnic markets, local butchers, raw feeders co-op, etc), I can get 10lbs of chicken quarters for $6-7 dollars. The tougher cuts of beef are usually no more than $1 - $1.50 a pound. For smaller dogs, you can give them wings and chicken necks (necks are usually very cheap). Add in a few pieces of liver (again, cheap stuff) once in a while and you have some pretty solid meals going.

As for coat, you can try either fish oil pills or a raw egg once or twice a week.


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## crazyboutdogs (Aug 26, 2007)

I use Bravo and Nature's Variety. I also buy ground beef and make my own patties when I have the time and give plenty of raw frozen bones. I saw beef heart on sale at the local supermarket, so picked some of that up also to add in with their premade.


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## UConnGSD (May 19, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: JerzeyGSDthe dogs will really enjoy meal time. Lol.


I second that! I just switched Wolfie to "real" BARF. I used to do the Primal and NV -- both are very good food but Wolfie showed nowhere near the enthusiasm that he shows for the RMBs, MMs and OMs. I also agree with Ruth's comment about the prices.


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeowAround here you have to special order the large chubs of preprepared raw so the first thing would be to find out if you've got someone local who can order the food for you.
> 
> It would cost a FORTUNE to feed 20 lbs. a week of the patties. I think it's 6 pounds for $30 or something like that. It costs me about $70/month to feed Rafi the Bravo raw.


i am leaning toward the Bravo for now. the cheaper 10 lb tubes are the Bravo Blend, which apparantly is primarily meat products and a few other ingredients. do you supplement that food or are you getting the Bravo Balance for that price?


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

I have Lulu on one meal Chicken Quarter (1lb.) and 1/2 lb of K9 Kraving a day with a bit of high quality kibble and treats in between and she has maintained a perfect "figure"  

You can always get the pre-prepared and not use it for her only or primary meal. The pre-prepared has stuff in it that can be a pain to do yourself like the veggie mush (if you even want to give it) and the OM's which is why I suppliment the K9 Kravings because of time constraints and not being able to find the OM's etc. here at a reasonable price. 

I pay $65 for 30 1lb chubs of the K9 Kraving which giving 1/2 lb a day lasts for almost two months. I am going to incorporate a little more MM here soon since she seemed hungrier than normal today which will put her at 5% of her body weight. So far her energy level and coat, etc. is perfect on this plan









I would def. suggest always having one meal (or recreational at the least) RMB as it is so great for the teeth and Lulu just seems to love chewing it up and tearing at the meat!


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## focker (Oct 4, 2008)

you try switching barf. mine is composed of different Rmb's made up of chicken pork etc. together with a little bit of apple cider and a bit of coconut oil also mixed into it. you'll dogs get shinier coat, fewer vet visits, nicer white teeth, healthier and most of all cheap! and the food is made and prepared with attention and much love!










this is my suggestion though


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

Prepared is just WAY too expensive. I can buy most RMB's (chicken leg quarters, drumsticks, pork necks, whole chickens, etc.) for .39 - .75 per pound. I can buy most muscle meat (beef heart, ground beef, picnic ham, pork shoulder) for .90 - 1.30 per pound. I can buy organ meat for around the same price as muscle meat. I average about $1.00 per pound cost for raw feeding. I hardly use my freezer any more since I found a Mexican market that always has crazy sales on "undesireable" cuts of meat. Either it goes on my smoker, or it's fed to the dogs! I now do all of my shopping there, especially since they've had filet mignon on sale for $4.99 per pound all summer. 

The best prices I've found were still over $3.00 per pound for anything prepared.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I pay $1.60/pound for the Bravo chicken. I also supplement with raw tripe. Rafi's doing great!


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

That's a good price for something prepared. I'm sure he is doing great - he went from starving and covered in fleas to eating like a king! He's in freaking heaven!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: roxy84
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: BowWowMeowAround here you have to special order the large chubs of preprepared raw so the first thing would be to find out if you've got someone local who can order the food for you.
> ...


It has a few veggies in it. I also give raw tripe. Sometimes I make him some food too, usually quinoa and sweet potatoes with veggies but he just gets a tbsp or two of that with his food. 

I previously had him on half raw/half kibble and then 3/4 raw and 1/4 kibble but he really didn't start doing well until I took him off kibble completely. 

I do still give him regular treats.


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

I only pay around $2 a lb. for the K9 Kraving. It's not so bad at 1/2 lb a day and has all the OM and veggie mush, vitamins in it and USDA certified (human grade food)


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Sorry, didn't get to edit my post. I'm also starting Rafi on raw meaty bones and he gets eggs in that mixture that I make for him.


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