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-   -   Looking to take the plunge.. still a bit confused (http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/b-r-f-raw-feeding/234962-looking-take-plunge-still-bit-confused.html)

DTS 03-04-2013 03:50 PM

Looking to take the plunge.. still a bit confused
 
I have been researching RAW for about a week now and really want to switch, especialy with dog food prices being raised.
ive read that for the first week or 2, to start out with just ONE protien source and then build from there.
Jasmine currently weighs 72lbs and shes 24 inches at the shoulder. i feel like she could go down to like 68lbs. you can still feel her ribs and she still has a waist but there is a decent layer of fat over her ribs and they are getting harder to feel.
so i figured she would eat about 1.3lb of raw a day which is 2% of 68lb. she isnt very active, she gets a 2 mile walk a day and we play fetch but she isnt really into being active.
I was planning on 45% RBM, 50% MM and 5% organ meat.
so she would eat 9 ounces of RBM, 10 ounces of MM and 1 ounce of Organ meat daily.
i was going to start Week 1 and 2 off with chicken quarters and backs. Now when starting out and feeding 1 protein source does that mean only feeding chicken quarters or only feeding chicken backs or for dinner can i add ground chicken?
i also wanted to possibly add some canned pumkin or something to help her digest.
As far as supplements go right now with kibble she gets Nupro Silver, Tumeric, Fish oil Capsuels, and NutriVet digestive enzyme (which i heard after feeding raw she won't need)
I dont have a ton of freezer space. My MIL told me i could store some in her freezer but i would have to buy weekly or bi weekly. Is buying in bulk the only way RAW feeding is cost effective? i currently spend 65-70 dollars on a bag of food every month or so, so that would be my monthly budget so each week i could spend $18 a week on food.
Am I off to the right start? i still have about a month before i switch because i just bought a bag of dog food so i still have a ton of research to do

JackandMattie 03-04-2013 04:00 PM

You've obviously done your research and you're off to a great start!

1 protein source means one type of animal. Chicken backs, necks, etc., are still a single protein source.

You don't have to do the organs every day. The percentages given are over time. I usually try to balance mine out over a week or so.

If you can budget $18/week, that gives you $2.57/day to spend on 1.3 lbs of meat. That's $1.97 a pound. Easy peasy with chicken. When you can score some chicken on sale at say 99 cents/lb, that frees up your budget for a higher per lb price on beef.

When you start adding in the other protein sources, such as beef, you'll want to look into buying in bulk and freezing, or other sources. There are lots of good tips out there. Never be afraid to ask butchers for free meat. Also if anyone you knows hunts or fishes, ask them too.

The only "supplements" I add are canned sardines. The dogs add a little lawn grass when they feel like grazing ;)


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