# Buying prepared raw vs making home made raw?



## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

We have decided to do the full switch to raw after doing much research on the benefits. My two have had rawmeats as treats, and rmbs and fruit/veggies etc for months now during training so switching seemed easy. We had originally decided to purchase a pre-made/home made raw from a breeder. The breeder makes the raw themselves at their location with all the fresh meats/bones/veggies/fruits etc. and then packages them in 2lb containers and packs them in a case. I contacted the breeder and told them we wanted to purchase a few cases and wanted to switch this week. Well the breeder has not contacted us, not returned any emails/calls about if any cases are ready when she knew we wanted to start this week and only had enough kibble left until this week.

When speaking to the breeder she also mentioned that some pet stores sell pre-made proccessed raw diets that we could look into as well. Along with contacting a butcher and making a raw diet ourself at home. Can you all tell me do you buy the premade raw from the stores for your dogs, make your own raw by buying meats/bones etc yourself and then preparing it?

I would really like to do the best for my two but getting fustrated at the breeder for not being prompt and following through. Yes I know they are busy with 2 litters on the ground and 5 more coming in the next few months but I even offered to drive to their kennel over 1.5 hours away to pick up a few cases until they can get some here. The breeder lives in the same town I do literally 10 mins from me. 

Any suggestions on going with the premade stuff from the store vs premade/home made from teh breeder vs trying to grind everything up myself?


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Premade raw bought through the stores will end up being very expensive for a GSD. I just switched my cats to it and it is costing me 3x what kibble did. Unfortunately I don't have the time (or patience or stomach) to research DIY raw for them or my dogs right now. 

And that is the extent of my knowledge on the subject.


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## BritneyP (Oct 26, 2006)

Where in CT do you live?

A friend of mine is a distributor for a very good brand of pre-made raw and she orders it monthly.. I'd be happy to give you her contact information.


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## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

Join your local Yahoo Barf group- they are a great source for stuff like this.


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

I'm in Newtown, CT and would love any info on getting/feeding raw. Like I said we had prepared to switch this week and still would love too. Just want to find the best and most cost effective. We have had nothing but terrible luck on several types of dry kibble and just want our dogs the best they can be.


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## TechieDog (Jan 13, 2011)

They sell this near me:
Oma's Pride Raw Pet Food


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I buy the 10 pound Bravo mixes. It cost just a little more than feeding Orijen or something of similar quality in kibble.


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

"Making it myself" consists of buying the meat (with bones included), thawing it, and handing it to my dogs.  I don't grind,puree, or add any veggies or fruit.

*RAW PREY MODEL DIET*
*By: Nicki Simonson*

Some of the benefits of feeding raw: 
-fresh breath 
-diminished doggy odor 
-dogs are mentally stimulated 
-dogs generally eat their food right away 
-smaller poops 
-increased energy 
-shiny coats
-slower, steadier growth in puppies (important for large/giant breeds!)

The main points: 

-dogs should be fed 2% of their ideal adult body weight daily*
-the goal is 80% meat, 10% bone, 10% organs.* Igenerally try to balance this over a week's time.
-go slowly at first... too much, too fast can cause loose stool. 

*These percentages are guidelines. My GSD male needs a lot more than 2% because he has such a high metabolism and is constantly moving. Also, some dogs need more or less bone.. just look at the poop. If it's loose, add more bone. If the dog is constipated, add less bone.


I start new dogs on chicken. Many people buy whole chickens and cut them up, but I don’t like to deal with cutting them up so I buy leg quarters. (Bone in chicken breasts are generally a good choice for puppies, the bones are the easiest and there is a good bone to meat ratio). Check the sodium content: if it's over 80, it's enhanced and you'll want to pass. Most of the Gold N Plump sold at my local grocery store is un-enhanced. 

You can decide whether or not you want to take the skin and excess fat off the first few days. I did this for a couple of days when starting mine raw, but I don't believe I would've needed to. My dogs were just fine.

Simply hand your dog a chicken quarter (you can feed outside if you like... I fed inside at first because I wanted a more controlled environment). Don't be surprised if he doesn't immediately gobble it up. He may try to lick it to death first.

You'll want to feed nothing but chicken for the first couple of weeks. The bone content will be a bit high... but that's okay since bone = firm poops, and her tummy will be adjusting to the new food. 

Don't be surprised if your dog "guards" his food, even if he's never done this before. It is completely natural. Think about if you've been fed nothing but dry cereal your whole entire life and someone hands you a big, juicy steak. You'd guard that sucker, too! He WILL get used to the fact that he's going to get this fantastic food every day and become nonchalant about eating. The key is to NOT mess with his food. If you mess with his food, he'll start to worry that you will take it away. 

Don't be surprised if, once he starts to realize how amazingly good chicken is, he horks down his food and then almost immediately throws it up again. Let him eat it a second time (gross, I know, but it's what he'd do if he were a wolf in the wild). My Rottie occasionally does this and then seems to learn his lesson for a time... and for the next few days he'll eat much slower and more carefully. My German Shepherd female is an AMAZINGLY wonderful eater. She carefully chews everything. 

Your dog will be on just chicken for two weeks so that will give you plenty of time to choose your next protein source. I decided to go with pork, because it is inexpensive and readily available. When you start your second protein source, add just a bit of it to a chicken meal, so his tummy gets used to this new meat. Gradually increase the amount until you're feeding a full pork (or other protein) meal. Repeat these steps when adding beef, turkey, lamb, venison, etc. 

Most pork bones are fine for medium dogs on up, but smaller dogs will not be able to crunch some of the larger ones. I personally do not feed beef bones. They are generally too dense for all but the giant breed dogs. If your dog is careful and will eat around the bone without breaking his teeth trying to crunch it up, you can feed these “rec” bones. It will give your dog hours of entertainment and you some free time. ;-)

When adding organs, make sure you start small, since they are rich and can cause loose stool before the dog is used to them. Organs are the “powerhouse” when it comes to nutrients, vitamins, etc. If you compare organ meat with vegetables, you’ll find a lot of the same nutrients… but organs have a higher content. That is why dogs do not require veggies… because they’re getting what they need from the 10% organ in their diet. Wolves in the wild may munch on grass or eat stomach content, but they generally do this out of preference rather than need.

You must also add a source of Omega 3. It should be a protein source, and not flax based. Flax is not easily converted by dogs and many of them are actually allergic to it. I used to use salmon oil capsules, but with the recent lawsuits over PCPs in fish oil pills, I’ve started using canned sardines in water. I give each of my dogs a can of sardines 3x per week. A typical week looks like this:

Monday: morning – chicken. Evening – pork, sardines
Tuesday: morning – chicken. Evening – beef, beef liver
Wednesday: morning – chicken. Evening – pork
Thursday: morning – chicken. Evening – pork, sardines
Friday: morning – chicken. Evening – pork, beef liver
Saturday: morning – chicken. Evening – beef, sardines
Sunday: morning – chicken. Evening – pork

I get other kinds of meat (turkey, lamb, etc.) when they are on sale. I get venison whenever I can… it’s the BEST for them…. Plus they love it!

Some final points: 

Rawfed dogs: 

1) Are eating what is 100% natural for them, meaning they will likely be healthier. 

2) Have amazingly white teeth and fresh breath, without the necessity of brushing their teeth or EXPENSIVE vet teeth cleanings. 

3) Have tiny small poops (less mess to clean up). 

Rawfeeding:
1) Can be cheaper than kibble (post on CL for free/cheap meat, search the weekly ads for meat bargains, buy soon to expire meat, etc. 

2) Means no stressful worrying when kibble gets recalled! 

3) is EASY! My dog was SUCH a picky eater and ate barely enough to stay alive. Now she eats with gusto and finishes her meal up promptly, meaning I don't have to worrya bout my other dog stealing her food, since he was a living vacuum when it comes to food of any type 

Some myths about rawfeeding: 
1) Rawfed dogs do NOT become bloodthirsty killers. They may become refrigerator magnets... since the fridge is The Door To All Things Good And Wonderful. 

2) Raw meat will not give dogs bacteria/e-coli poisoning. Dogs' digestive systems were made to handle food heavy in bacteria... they are very short and contain strong acid. Kibble takes longer to digest, and that is why you see e-coli/bacteria related recalls with kibble.

3) Raw chicken bones are not dangerous to dogs. Only cooked bones are dangerous, since they become hard and brittle and can splinter. 

Don't be surprised if many veterinarians do not support raw feeding. These vets certainly mean well, but were likely given incorrect information in vet school since the very few nutrition courses they took were likely sponsored by a pet food company (usually Hills (Science Diet), Iams or Eukanuba). Pet food companies are, of course, going to say that ONLY dog food is good for dogs. Additionally, with all there is to learn in vet school, there simply is not time to focus too much on nutrition. I have researched extensively and consulted with a canine nutritionist with years of training, schooling (including a master’s degree), research, and personal experience.

For more information, please feel free to:
-PM me
-Join the Yahoo Rawfeedinggroup: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/

-Consult with a canine nutritionist: http://www.dogfoodguru.com/
-Check out the following sites:

http://rawfeddogs.net/
http://www.rawfed.com/
http://www.rawfed.com/myths/
http://rawlearning.com/
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/index.html (for finding bone percentages)


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

Wow rott-n-gsds thanks for the wonderful write up. I am def gonna print that out and see how well I can follow it. My guys are used to raw ground beef, raw chicken/chicken hearts, and raw beef livers as add ins to their dry kibble or during training as treats. I dont think Ill have a problem switching over. I cant wait to start your write up makes it look much easier then the breeder site. 

Once question i have is for your chicken quarters is it generally 1 quarter at a meal time? My female gsd mix is about 75lbs at 2yrs old and my male gsd is about 95lbs at 14 months. I just want to make sure I give the correct amount per meal.


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

If you're feeding 2x per day, one quarter will be fine for a meal. If you feed chicken in the morning, the evening meal would then consist of red meat to make up the rest of the daily amount. 

If they are small chicken quarters, you could feed two and then feed less red meat in the evening. The chicken leg quarters we get are huge.. so we feed one per dog. Nova isn't all that hungry in the morning so he usually eats the leg off the quarter and then gets the thigh with his evening meal.


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

Thanks I am def going to look into this route. I finally got an email back from the breeder last night $80 (on police discount) for 45lb case. Yikes that not even going to be a full 2 weeks if both my guys get 2 lbs per day!! Im gonna call the butcher who gets us bulk stuff to see if hed be cheaper. Geez at the grocery store buy 1 get 2 free on chicken and meats happens once a month if I stocked on that it would be cheaper then the premade from the breeder.

Rott-n-gsd Im gonna try and pm you later on with more questions your write up was great, and I read alot of those websites you sent. I have a 2nd interview out of a 4 part interview (typing/data entry test) today at 2pm so Im trying to prep for that right now.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

I use the pre-made packaged stuff for morning meal , usuall 12-16 oz. Evening meal is Orijen kibble. Still feel weird about handing the dog a chicken leg quarter.

Our pet store keeps Nature's Variety and Primal in stock. They are all blended with bone, organ meats, fruits and vegs. The Whole Foods Market also carries raw blends for dogs and cats. Our dog had no issues at all eating raw. We change flavors each week. Her coat is better, less itching, no dandruff and poops are solid, smell less and easy to clean up, seems to drink less water too which is good as she is messy. Glad you are looking into this. Everyone on this forum is so helpful when it comes to raw advice.


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## vomlittlehaus (Aug 24, 2010)

TechieDog said:


> They sell this near me:
> Oma's Pride Raw Pet Food


2nd the vote for Oma's, there are right in Avon, CT. Great product!! Have my dog and puppies on it now.


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## Freddy (Apr 23, 2009)

I feed thrive by honest kitchen. A box makes the equivalent of 35 pounds dry. About $62.00 a box. Amazing results with my two GSDs. Silky coats and less shedding than before I switched. I feed this 50/50 with Nature's Domain salmon formula from Costco. Total cost per month for two adult GSDs (one working that eats twice what the female eats) is about $100.


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

Gilly1331 said:


> Once question i have is for your chicken quarters is it generally 1 quarter at a meal time? My female gsd mix is about 75lbs at 2yrs old and my male gsd is about 95lbs at 14 months. I just want to make sure I give the correct amount per meal.


 
You *CANNOT* go by the _number_ of things - you need to go by the *WEIGHT*.

I can get 3 different brands of chicken leg quarters locally and there are weight differences between a single LQ from each brand - sometimes BIG differences.

You need to feed based on the WEIGHT of the food - not the number of items.

Based on what you wrote above and going on the assumptions that your dog are at idela weights and they get the average amount of exersice I calculated the following for you:

Female - weight 75 lbs

2.5% of her current weight = her daily total food intake = 1.875 lbs

50% of that is fed using Raw Meaty Bones = 15 oz
45% is fed using Muscle MEat = 13.5 oz
5% is fed using Organ Meat = 1.5 oz


Male - weight 95 lbs

2.5% of his current weight = his daily total food intake = 2.375 lbs

50% of that is fed using Raw Meaty Bones = 19 oz
45% is fed using Muscle Meat = 17 oz
5% is fed using Organ Meat = 2 oz


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

All this info is so much to take in. If I was going to call our butcher wholesaler who can get us anything and everything can someone give me a basic list of what to ask for. I want to buy in bulk and store in our chest freezer so the mix of everything I would need from day 1- through the next few weeks/months would be great. I am going to look on the website as well that was listed about foods.


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## DeeMcB (Nov 28, 2010)

If you can find a butcher who will give/sell you butcher scraps you can essentially get all your meat & organ from there. I get butcher scraps from a local butcher for .50 a pound. I have to clean off some of the fat because my dogs are sensitive to it. I also get a box with about 80# of whatever he has and I have to sort through it and package it up in to what we use in a day. I buy whole chickens and quarter them (.49 a pound) to get the bone in. In essence, I trade my time & labor for cost....not a possibility for everyone but there's no way I could feed raw otherwise.


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