Cost Involved With Feeding Your Dog Barf Patties Vs Home Made Barf Vs

[kiki]

After reading 'give your dog a bone' I am convinced I should change my dogs diet. Currently they are eating optimum kibbles with the occasional bone and some extras such as yogurt. For my labrador and min schnauzer, this diet doesn't cost me much.

I am worried about the costs involved in switching their diet. The barf patties are rather expensive. So I am considering making my own feed for them, however after buying supplements, oils and meats I can imagine that the cost would add up quickly (I'm thinking it might even be more then the patties?) I'm wanting some ideas from other owners feeding barf and how much more they are paying so I can get a better idea of the average cost involved before I switch.

Thanks for your help!

[Cavandra]

Hi Kiki

I have never used the commercial Barf patties, but I believe they are expensive. I have always fed my own diet, and it is mainly meaty bones. I estimate it costs me $40 a week to feed 10 Cavaliers.........That would be my average, sometimes if I am replacing things like flax seed oil or some other supplement then the bill will be higher that week, and undoubtedly some weeks might be less than $40 when things are on special..........The money saving comes from buying bulk when things are cheap, and having enough freezer room to store.

As an example, I get fresh chicken carcasses from my butcher for $2 for a shopping bag full, and chicken mince (minced carcasses) for $1 a kilo from him.......Beef mince is often down to $4 a kilo at Bilo.........Any fruit & veg can be got for next to nothing or free from grocery stores, they often have over ripe stuff out back & give it to people for thier rabbits etc.......There is nothing wrong with it, as over ripe is better anyway. If you bring it home & blend it straight away & freeze it, it is fine to use

I am always looking at Bilo for bargains you can get Cottage cheese & yoghurts about to expire for as little as 49c...........

[Guest Piximatosis]

The patties are expensive, yes. They're fine if you only have one small breed but in my house I would end up going through a roll a day... which would be $126 a week!

I'm switching my dogs back to BARF this week as my GSDx seems to have FINALLY outgrown her "upset stomach at everything" stage. I went out today and spent $20 at the abbatoir getting meat and bones, $5 at the supermarket getting fish & yoghurt, and $11 at the fruit barn getting their eggs, fruit and vegies. What I got will last me about 10 days for 2 large breeds and 1 small breed.

It's really not that expensive making it up yourself if you are wise about where you buy from

Where are you located?

[poodlefan]

The RMB meals cost an average of 40c per dog for my poodles. The BARF mix, which I make and feed every third meal, costs $1.50 per dog... the secret is to buy and make it in bulk and try to source your ingredients on special or from bulk suppliers.

[greychicken]

Depends where you are, I feed BARF that is the same as the patties, it comes in 2kg rolls as opposed to being broken up and costs $2.20 a kg, so for 2 greyhounds it costs me around $30 a week including chicken frames and bones etc.

If you are in Brissie PM me and I can let you know where, am not sure if I am allowed to put the link one here?

[kiki]

Thanks for your help, you all have some good ideas to cut costs. I might buy a deep freezer later on so I can buy in bulk. I'm in WA - south of the river. So if anyone knows of some good places to buy well priced meat near me - do let me know!

[Guest Tiggy]

The premade BARF Patties are expensive but as I only feed one each to my dogs for breakfast their affordable and such a good product. I feed raw meaty bones for dinner for two days then on the third day my own BARF recipe. Don't fall into the trap of adding all sorts of extras and supplements the dogs don't really need because that's where it'll get expensive. Goodluck feeding your dogs BARF, they'll love you for it!

[sandgrubber]

Thanks for your help, you all have some good ideas to cut costs. I might buy a deep freezer later on so I can buy in bulk. I'm in WA - south of the river. So if anyone knows of some good places to buy well priced meat near me - do let me know!

There's an active thread on cheap dog food meats in Perth. . . lots of good SOR suggestions.

[Malamum]

With dogs the size of mine, feeding the commercial patties would send me broke.

The bulk of my dogs diet is chicken. From the chicken shop I get 5kg of backs, 5kg of necks and 5kg of caserole pieces for around $35 - $40. That lasts about 3-4 weeks.

I get bags of bones from the butcher for $2 a bag.

I also get heaps of stuff from the supermarket such as liver and kidneys, bagged off-cuts, and any other red meat that is on special. I also buy home brand sardines (less than $1 a tin) and mackeral (a much bigger tin so about $3 I think).

I also get fruit and veggies from the supermarket. I buy about $30 worth and that will make up a batch of veggie slop that will last about 6 weeks.

I did buy myself a chest freezer specifically for the dogs food though.