Is feeding raw expensive?

With more and more pet parents questioning the nutritional quality of cooked pet food and looking for an alternative to the dry feed we all know as kibble, raw diets seem to be the golden path. The advantages of raw feeding outweigh those of packaged food. Numerous pet parents talk about better digestion, less allergies, more vivacity and high spirits, and healthier, happier dogs in general. As the owner of Everything Raw Doggie Café and an Advanced Pet Nutritionist, one of the biggest questions Lynn Menard gets is whether raw pet food is actually more expensive than dry food from the bag. 

Understanding the Cost of Raw Diets 

The price of raw varies widely, depending on what kind of raw food you are buying (prepared commercially vs home-cooked), the size and dietary needs of your pet, and where you purchase your ingredients or meals. As with kibble, raw diets range in price from budget to premium options, and the key to successful planning is research and comparison.  

Price Shopping: A Must for Raw Feeders 

As with conventional kibble, pet parents contemplating a move to raw should shop prices, wisely, since the market now contains choices at every price point. Some house brands offer complete balanced meals at good value, while others might offer costly premium ingredients or specialized formulations. Understanding what a balanced raw diet for your pet is all about will certainly serve you well here. 

Benefits That Justify the Cost 

Despite the higher costs upfront, many raw feeders perceive this to be money well spent, given the many reports of enhanced health experienced by their pets. Better coat quality, improved dental hygiene, weight optimization, and decreased veterinary visits are some of the long-term benefits of raw feeding reported by its proponents. Those improvements in a pet’s lifelong well-being can lead to meaningful financial savings over time. 

Cost-Effective Strategies for Raw Feeding

To mitigate the costs associated with raw feeding, pet parents can use several strategies: 

• Bulk-Buying: Buying meat in bulk means that although it is initially more expensive than vacuum-packed supermarket stuff, it works out cheaper in the long run, and portioning out the meat is easy. 

• Co-ops and Local Butchers: If you can find a co-op or make the rounds at the local farmers’ market, you can develop a relationship with a butcher and work out some discounts on really good meats.  

• Balancing Commercial and Homemade: By alternating homemade (well-balanced and researched) raw diet meals with some commercially prepared raw diets, the virtues of economic practicality can be combined with the drawbacks associated with high cost. 

Making the switch to the raw dog food lifestyle in Ottawa is dependent on your pup’s overall health, as well as the financial and health benefits of feeding raw. While raw diets may seem more costly than kibble, the long-term health benefits that come with it may ultimately save in healthcare costs. With some research, price shopping, and thoughtful ways to save, pet parents can realistically take on the task and reap the various benefits.  

You can learn more about raw food options for your pets in Ottawa and get personalized advice by contacting us at Everything Raw.