The one thing that most dog-owners know about a raw meal plan for dogs is, one, that it is the best type of food for your dog and, two, that it is expensive. That's where they stop: they don't need to learn more about the diet, they simply can't afford it.
Every dog owner has experienced the struggle of quality versus price. Sometimes you simply don't have the money to feed your dog a raw diet. It costs more, and it costs money weekly; this isn't a one and done deal.
On the other hand, you want what's best for your dog. You love your furry friend, and you don't want to see them sick or tired if they could be energetic and happy. It is a sad dilemma.
Most owners just try to feed their dogs the best they can with the money they have, and that usually amounts to kibble. Hold on! There's another way.
If you want to feed your dog high-quality raw food on a kibble diet, there's a way to do that, and all the information you need can be found in this article in minutes.
Don't try to choose between your dog's health and the health of your wallet; you don't have to! Use this fact-packed guide to treat your dog right and give him or her the food that they deserve.
Even if these great tips can't cut the cost enough to make it manageable, you may be able to implement some of the tips and give your dog a better lifestyle.
We all just want what's best for our dogs. Read on to learn how to give your dog exactly that: what is best for your dog.

#1 Stick to the diet as much as possible
Stick to the diet, but remember that this isn't all or nothing. A raw meal plan is more similar to practicing a language than to buying a boat.
If you buy a boat, you pay for it all at the same time, or in payments. Either way, you have to pay a specific, large sum.
If you start to learn a language, you can practice for however much time you want. You don't have to stick to a schedule, and any amount of practice will lead to benefits.
This diet is the same. If you feed your dog this diet once a week because that is all you can afford, it will have more benefits than if you just give up on the diet because you can't stick to it every day.
Of course, the more of the raw diet they get, the better they will feel, but this just isn't possible for some people, and that's okay.
For instance, if you feed your dog twice a day and feed it a raw meal once a day, they will be getting many more nutrients, and you will cut your bill in half.
#2 Buy in bulk
Coming straight from a butcher himself: "purchase whole animals whenever possible" to cut down on the price of meat.
When you buy meat in bulk like this, you are purchasing both human-grade meat and meat that few want, like organ meat. Few people want this meat, sure, but your dog would love it. If you have enough storage, this is a great way to cut down on costs.
How does this cut cost? When you purchase this way, you are cutting out the middleman, or the store. When the store buys the meat, they split it and raise the price, so they make a profit. If you buy the whole animal, you cut out the store and that price increase.
It's relatively easy to buy this way. Many local farms or butchers would be willing to work with you to set a price and buy half of or a whole animal.
It's a win-win; you get a cheaper price on your meat and your dog food, and the butcher or farmer sells another animal and makes more profit on their local business. You also know exactly where your food is coming from, which puts many people's minds at ease.
#3 Repurpose money going to the vet into money going towards your dog's diet
This tip is a little more 'leap of faith' than some may like, but it's true, nevertheless. It's said best in Paleo Dog, "An animal cannot heal its body if its nutritional needs remain unfilled," and this applies to taking your dog to the vet.
If you feed your dog the nutrients it needs, it will be more energetic, but it will also improve digestion, weight, skin and mouth health. As these issues that you didn't even know your dog had been having to improve, you will need to stop by the vet less.
It will, of course, take time. It's not fair to assume that everyone has enough money to start this diet and wait to save money for several months, but if you have the money to transition slowly, the vet bills will subside, and you will have more money for the diet.
Not only will you save money at the vet, but your dog also won't have these issues, almost immediately after you start this diet. You spend the same amount of money, and your dog is happier and healthier in general. If you don't believe it, keep track, and you will find that it's true.
#4 Create your own diet
Not only can buying pre-packaged food be expensive, but it also isn't always suited to your pet. Although these meals claim to have everything your pet needs in them, not all breeds of dogs are the same, and there isn't a one-size-fits-all meal for any two dogs. Just like people, every single dog is different and has different needs.
For this reason, it is cheaper and easier to make your own meals. There are plenty of videos on the internet that can help. For instance, this one, that recommends learning about the needs of your dog before creating a meal. It also teaches you how to craft the perfect meal for your pup.
Creating your own meals also makes it easier to keep your dog healthy. If your dog has an illness or needs special nutrients that are unique due to an illness, if you create your dog's diet, it's much easier to tweak the diet you create than to avoid different ingredients at the store.
Here is the number one tip in creating a cheap and sustainable raw diet plan for your dog: make the meals yourself. It gives such an advantage to both the dog and the owner in the long run.
#5 Don't use human-grade Meat
Although you may not want to eat liver and giblets, your dog would love to. Just because eating raw is seen as the expensive diet for a dog, doesn't mean that the meat has to be expensive.
This diet is about feeding your dog what they would get in the wild after all, and only T-bone steak is not it. Said succinctly on dogsdailystuff.com, "Your dog doesn't need human-grade cuisine. They won't even be able to tell the difference".
If you've tried this diet in the past, this might help you get back on the bandwagon again. Don't shop for yourself and your dog in the same place. It will end up being more expensive, and your dog can't tell the difference.
Are you confused about where you can find inexpensive, lower-quality meat? There are a lot of options, but you probably can't find this meat at Walmart.
You could talk to your local butcher about the meat that they discard. It could help support a local business by buying meat that doesn't usually sell, and you could get it cheap.
#6 Talk with your local Butcher
Although this was mentioned briefly before, it's a tip that is important enough to be elaborated on again. Many raw diets call for about 80 percent organ meat, according to themutt.com, and this may be hard to find in a regular grocery store.
Organ meat makes up a good part of the animal, and it is required in a raw diet to simulate what a dog would eat in the wild.
Where does all of this product go? Every animal that is butchered has organs, and just because they aren't sold in the store, doesn't mean that you can't get them.
Many butchers lose money on this kind of meat because it isn't desirable. For this reason, many butchers are willing to make a deal for this meat for cheap. That way they can make back some of their lost profit, and you can get the meat for cheap.
If you don't have the storage space for a whole or half animal, this can be a good alternative. Either way, you can get the meat cheap, and it's fit for a dog's raw diet. In addition, both ways cut out the middleman to save you money.
#7 Invest in your dog's diet
If you invest in the right ways, you can further drive down the price in the long run.
For instance, buying a large freezer can help drive down costs. Buying a freezer is expensive, but that expense can pay off.
Once you have freezer space, you can begin to buy in bulk. You can buy an entire animal which is much cheaper than buying weekly or twice weekly from your local grocery store.
If you are a busy person, you can also prepare large amounts of food beforehand and save time each day. Although this article is about saving money, this can be a great way to save time as well.
A freezer also allows you to buy other items in bulk. If you need vegetables for your dog because of dietary restrictions, you may be able to work out a deal with a local farm. Buying in bulk can save you money here, too, and a large freezer allows it.
You can also invest in a garden that grows the food you need or, if you have space, you could even raise an animal for your dog. It is a lot of work, but it also saves a lot of money.
There are lots of ways to invest in your animal, and if you're gung-ho about the raw diet, this may be the perfect step to take.
Conclusion
With that, you're free to start helping your dog live a better life. Even if you can't provide a raw diet to your dog all of the time, you can help your dog live a healthier, happier life if you are able to use these tips to improve your dog's diet.
As mentioned before, just a few meals a week can greatly improve digestion, energy and overall health.
These benefits can be attained for just slightly more or even the same price as cheap kibble that doesn't offer the nutrients your dog needs to grow and thrive.
Different avenues of buying can make this lifestyle even more possible for your pet. If the main issue is money, these tips can help bring down the price. In addition, some common misconceptions, like that you must buy top-tier meat for your dog, may have been causing the diet to be more unattainable.
In the end, this diet is possible on most diets. Now that you have these tips buying the right food for your dog should be easier; finally, an end to the dilemma of quality or money.
Now, take the step towards making your dog happier, healthier and more energetic with just a few changes. Good luck.

Linda Hollander
Author
Hi! My name is Linda Hollander and i am the writer of most of the articles on this website. I love dogs! I've been around them my entire life and have been working alongside doggies in a shelter for about five years. Now i own this site to inform owners and help them to improve the life of their dogs.
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