Ok, so I have been strongly considering making the switch to raw, but I am a little overhwhelmed by all of the varying information out there.
My boy is averages around 68-70# and has an average activity level (He lounges around most of the day while I'm at work but then gets daily walks/runs of about 4-5 miles when I get home). Otherwise, that's about it. He's not a working dog, we don't play fetch for hours on end, etc. He's just an indoor, family dog that gets SOME form of exercise each day, but not an immense amount.
What I've concluded so far is that I should start with feeding him about 2% of his body weight and can adjust accordingly.
What I'm not sure of is do I NEED to add in all of the extras like veggies, fruits, supplements, etc? I see some people making entire MEALS for their dogs including not only the meat, but also veggies, fruits, eggs, different supplements, etc. I do not have time to prepare entire fresh meals like that for my dog every day, so I'm wondering if I'd be OK just doing the meat/bones/organs and not adding any veggies/fruits/various vitamins???
Also what about cost? Currently I feed my dog Nature's Variety Instinct. He goes through a 13# bag in about 15-20 days. I pay around $37 a bag for it. So approximately $75 per month. How much would it cost per month to feed the same dog (70#'s, average activity level) a RAW diet? Is RAW cheaper? Or would it be cheaper to stick with the kibble?
I want to make the switch to raw, but only if it's cost efficient and won't turn into a full-time job just preparing the meals.
My boy is averages around 68-70# and has an average activity level (He lounges around most of the day while I'm at work but then gets daily walks/runs of about 4-5 miles when I get home). Otherwise, that's about it. He's not a working dog, we don't play fetch for hours on end, etc. He's just an indoor, family dog that gets SOME form of exercise each day, but not an immense amount.
What I've concluded so far is that I should start with feeding him about 2% of his body weight and can adjust accordingly.
What I'm not sure of is do I NEED to add in all of the extras like veggies, fruits, supplements, etc? I see some people making entire MEALS for their dogs including not only the meat, but also veggies, fruits, eggs, different supplements, etc. I do not have time to prepare entire fresh meals like that for my dog every day, so I'm wondering if I'd be OK just doing the meat/bones/organs and not adding any veggies/fruits/various vitamins???
Also what about cost? Currently I feed my dog Nature's Variety Instinct. He goes through a 13# bag in about 15-20 days. I pay around $37 a bag for it. So approximately $75 per month. How much would it cost per month to feed the same dog (70#'s, average activity level) a RAW diet? Is RAW cheaper? Or would it be cheaper to stick with the kibble?
I want to make the switch to raw, but only if it's cost efficient and won't turn into a full-time job just preparing the meals.