Feeding raw can be intimidating. Having someone you can turn to that you trust and can bounce questions off of is really really helpful.
There are a ton of different 'ways' to feed raw and you will get a lot of differing advice on the subject. It doesn't mean that one way is right and another is wrong. Raw feeders get into a method and routine that works for them - what works for me might very well not work for you and vice versa, so don't feel like it's "their way or the highway" when it comes to raw feeding.
So, this is how I do it.
The first thing I did was buy a 21 cubic foot freezer. This allows me to buy in bulk and take advantage of sales/bulk pricing. Also, because I feed two Newfs, I need the freezer!! My freezer full lasts me about 4 weeks. I would absolutely LOVE to get a second one. It's something I will eventually do.
I do not feed pre-packaged raw (many do and think it's fantastic!) - I try and keep my costs down by doing a ton of the work myself. I source the meat, organs, bones from meat packagers and I just found a new fish supplier!! YAY! When you find a new supplier it's like winning the lottery!
I buy in bulk, bring it all home, weigh it, portion it, colour code it and into the freezer it goes. I feed a variety of meats - pork, beef, chicken, fish, game meats like moose or venison if I can get my hands on it, rabbit, turkey, tripe, etc. I don't grind anything (some raw feeders do a lot of grinding) - I only let them have bones that are completely digestible (no weight bearing bones). I also do not feed any veggies, just 80% meat, 10% bone, 10% organs - this differs from others. They do get kelp daily though.
It is a lot of work to feed this way. I don't have a separate area in the house where I can portion the meat (I WISH!!) - so, when it is meat portioning day, I clear off the entire counter, cover it in garbage bags and away I go with my cutting boards, scale, coloured clips and rubbermaid bins. It takes hours when I have brought in a big order.
The alternative to this approach is pre-packaged, or a mix between what I do and pre-packaged. There is nothing wrong with choosing this method either! It can be more costly, but it is way less work! For me, my big factor (as is my mentors) is that I want to know exactly what my dogs are eating. I want to know the exact portions of fat, meat, by-products, etc and I have complete control. There are some great raw products on the market and I know a number of people on here can recommend some.
I don't find the meat handling to be a big deal. In fact, I somewhat enjoy it and find it very rewarding to feed this way. It's actually pretty neat to hold a lamb pluck in your hands and prepare it for your fur babies. I have never had an issue with bad meat or had a sickness from the meat handling. I use regular precautions - lots of kitchen spray after portioning, disposal outside in the garbage of all my raw bags, etc and voila! the kitchen is back to normal.
My dogs absolutely LOVE to eat their raw. They do sometime regurgitate, but I have grown used to it. It is not all the time, but occasionally they will do it. I feed them outside or in the garage - they do not end up covered in raw juices - they usually have their meal gone in under a few minutes! Not a lot of time to make a mess.
The amount to feed was trial and error for me. I was told to start at 2% of their ideal weight per day. This was way too much for my guys. However, my mentors Newfs eat almost 4% per day! Totally depends on the dog and their activity levels. Mine got fat. I cut them back and now I have a very good idea of what works for them.
I do admit, there are days when I am really really not in the mood. I have to devote a lot of time to feeding like this - sometimes I just want to run out and pick up a bag of kibble! But, the dogs are doing wonderful on their raw - I have not had one issue - their skin, coat, teeth, overall health is fantastic - they have great energy and are not starving all the time (biggest issue I had with kibble is that neither of them were ever satisfied). In the end, I keep doing it, even though there are days when I envy a kibble feeder!!
Here are some pics!
This is my freezer - I colour code my portions because Boum needs more than Ayasha
and here is an order I picked up! Ready for portioning!!
The chickens were on sale for $1.49/lb so I requested cases of whole chickens - the meat packagers thought I was crazy to be feeding them to dogs!
