# If I can't afford to feed raw, what's the next best thing



## skeller (Mar 5, 2008)

I would love to put my pups on a raw diet, but in the course of my research, it appears that the commercial blends would be very expensive, over $200 per week for my golden pup and 3 cavachons.
I work and I do not think I could make my own.... I barely have time to prepare meals for my family. Convenience is a major issue for me.
All of this said, what would be the next best. A good quality food for all four. My little guys seem fine, but my Rudy, age 4 months, has some digestive issues. He is on I/D right now as per our vet. I am thinking about when his issues resolve.
Thanks everyone!


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Feeding raw is a bit of a hassle, it is what I do with my girl. The next best thing and frankly far more convenient is a high quality kibble. A large percentage of serious hobby dog people go with Purina Pro Plan kibble (not the shredded kind) with very good results. The other popular brands like Fromm have big followings but become quite pricey. Honestly, the best thing you can do for your puppy is keep her growing at a slow rate, keep her weight on the lean side - ask your vet for help with this and pop into the vet for frequent weight checks - and make sure she receives daily aerobic exercise. Feed the Pro Plan (they do have a sensitive stomach version) or work to find what seems to agree with her delicate digestion. My rough collie has delicate digestion and can't take rich, high fat food so he eats the Pro plan and my Golden eats raw and it seems to be good at our house.

Here is some reading you might like: http://www.goldenretrieverclubofsandiegocounty.org/Slow_Grow.php

http://www.prevention.com/health/healthy-living/extend-your-dogs-life


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Agree with the above! You want a slow growing puppy, and to feed a dog food that has an appropriate calcium/phosphate/calorie content for large breed puppies. Raw is expensive and costly, especially when you have lots of dogs in the mix! I feed my dog Fromm, the grain free surf and turf kind, which is more expensive but Piper does well on it. Fromm makes an excellent large breed puppy food also that is less expensive but very high quality. A lot of people here use Pro Plan with great results. Other people here use Taste of the Wild, which is also an excellent food. If Rudy is a sensitive type guy, Natural Balance makes some great limited ingredient type diets that people use with good success. Pro Plan also has a sensitive skin and stomach blend. Those are other ones I might think about. 

Some people who don't want to do raw will end up feeding Orijen, which is probably the priciest kibble out there. I don't use it, but I could easily see it ending up costing close to a commercial raw blend diet. Its pretty rich, so sometimes dogs that have stomach issues don't tolerate it. 

You can always add in a raw food supplement, like Stella and Chewys, or Nature's Variety Instinct. Some people will add that as a topping to kibble.


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## Atis (Jul 8, 2014)

I see by your profile you are located in Oceanside. It's not right around the corner (about 45 min.) but there is Armellino's in Huntington Station. Here is a link Armellino's K9 it's a pretty popular place for people down at this end of the island. I've been feeding my boys meat sourced from here for years and have been very pleased. It's just meat and bone so you will have the added cost of supplements but it will still cost far less than a commercial raw diet. If you have reason to come east on a regular basis maybe it would work for you. They do grind on a daily basis so inventory is hit and miss sometimes if someone comes in and makes a big purchase. If you are making a long trip you should call and place an order so they hold it for you. Good luck


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