BLUE BUFFALO VS. RAW
I've been debating wether or not i should transition to feeding my dogs a raw diet...i've heard so many good things about it and it sounds promising but it also sounds a bit pricey and like a lot more work. Currently I'm feeding the boys Blue Buffalo Wilderness and they seem to be doing fine on it but i want the best for my boys....so which would you say is better high quality kibble (Blue Buffalo) or Raw meat??? why????
Comments
Jesse
Personally, I like feeding raw because that's what dogs are designed to handle and their health is usually better with it (especially when it comes to skin/coat health). Most high end dog foods try to replicate a 'wild' diet which is mainly meat, why not just give meat? My dog is forced to actually chew when it comes to larger pieces of meat and bone. I wouldn't label my dog a 'power chewer,' but he does like to chew and toys don't last long with him. It's nice that he is able to devour something that won't hurt him (like plastic or fabric can) and I'm not paying extra on expensive toys all the time (we've been through a few 'non-destructive' or 'long-lasting' toys...). I don't have a set formula that I follow when feeding raw, but we are pretty close to the Prey Model (meat, some bone and organs). I usually shop at the grocery store and try to find deals. I've asked the butcher about heart, chicken feet or items they can't sell to people, but that was a no-go. My uncle was lucky and knew a butcher that would give him loads of free meat/animal products for his dog!
As I stated before, we are not exclusively raw as of now. Also, a higher quality (grain free or at least without corn, wheat or soy) dog food is OK for dogs. They won't shrivel up and die without raw meat. One of our dogs had a couple bald patches and itched a lot when we first got her; after getting her on a decent kibble food, her itching stopped and her coat was beautiful. If you feel like you'd rather stick with something like Blue, that's fine. Personally, the cost of Blue is higher than I like, though I have been able to find discounts which made it very reasonable. Earthborn Holistics is about the same quality but cheaper depending on where you purchase it.
Bottom line, if I could feed raw exclusively, I would. My husband can be slow about change, especially when it seems hard, so he would probably prefer to stick with kibble if I went out of town or something. In my situation, about 50/50 (kibble and raw) is probably going to be what we do. But who knows what the future holds
Many new to raw owners make the mistake of giving too much and their dog ends up with the runs.
I had my dog on premium kibble (Orijen kibble and Freeze dried). Not only is raw far more healthier than kibble, my dog loves it more and it costs way less.
Yes, If you compare it to premium kibble. Raw will depend on the prices in your area, but if you can get it directly from a butcher, it will be cheaper. Buying prepackaged meat at the market is not.
Keep in mind you have to invest time initially to get use to feeding raw. Eventually you can eyeball the portions.