I just set up an "ideal" schedule for feeding, based on what I have, basic weights, pounds, etc., and came up with an average of $3.04 per day to feed all three dogs, which would mean I'm spending about $100 a month to feed three dogs that are all going to weigh between 35-60 lbs full grown. Whereas before, I was spending $100 a month to feed TWO dogs on kibble. XD
It's been one of those days! haha.
So, started off the morning by giving my dogs their first ever organ meal of chicken livers (not including the noob mistake of including little bits of it in their meals when I first started them, or the fact that Ryou and Amaya got some in their meals when they were having whole trout, though Ryou didn't eat them). Kuso scarfed his down in about five seconds, literally. Ryou took a little more time than he usually does, picking through them in about twenty seconds. Amaya, who I thought would totally turn her nose up to it, walked into her crate and sniffed it, then started to lick it, and slowly started to chew on it. Then she laid down, licked it some more, then started to actually eat it, no problem! She took about a minute to eat it all. XD I is so proud of her!!! Once they finished (it was a small portion of liver), and I knew they weren't going to refuse it, I gave Ryou and Amaya each a chicken leg quarter. Kuso doesn't eat much in general, so he just got the liver, and he'll get a chicken leg quarter tonight.
Once we got going, Adam and I went to Blue Ribbon, one of the local meat companies we frequent now. They are getting more and more raw feeders in there, so the front desk lady started a more centralized list for the raw feeders which has the best things to buy at the best prices for beef, turkey, and chicken (sadly no pork, which was one of the main sources we were looking for, because it's next on the list to start). So they had beef heart $.70/lb, beef liver $.70/lb, beef head (WOOT!) $1.25/lb (she also said that the other feeders comment on how much their dogs love these!), turkey liver $.59/lb, turkey tails $.25/lb, and turkey necks $.90/lb. Chicken wasn't really worth it, because I can get that at Walmart for $.59/lb (or less). So we ordered some turkey liver, necks, and tails.
We ordered the tails per Rachel's (Rannmiller) suggestion, because I said that Amaya and Ryou don't seem to be gaining any weight. I've been doubling up on their meals each day (between 1-1.5 lbs per meal, twice a day!), and their backbones/hip bones are still jutting out more than I would like. So Rachel said to try adding a turkey tail to their meals here and there, because it's higher in fat content, AND, since they're only $.25/lb, it works out better than doubling their meals. haha.
We ran some more errands, then went to the new and improved Butcher Boys, which is a local deli/butcher here in Reno that has always been really popular. They recently closed for remodeling (and my dad saw on the news that the power company turned off their power and a bunch of meat just got thrown into a trailer outside. I was soooooooooooooo mad, because I could have got a crud ton of FREE meat!!!). Anyways, they had some pork neck bones for $.99/lb, so I bought those out, and I'll keep checking there, perhaps talk with the butchers to see if I can get some special ordered in bulk, because they don't really stock very much of it. I've got enough pork to tide us over for a good month or so, though, so yeah, and if anything, I can also get pork neck bones for $1.08/lb at Walmart.
So then, I dropped Adam off at work, and I came home and gutted the three freezers and reorganized them by taking out all of the organization. I figure, from now on, I'm just going to bag up all of my stuff based on judgment (perhaps relying a bit on the scales because I'm HORRIBLE with that stuff), and make the portions all about the same, and for Ryou, who requires more than the other two, I'll just double up his portions once a day to every other day, depending on how I feel his weight is doing.
So yeah, we have three freezers, and I spent two hours taking things in and out and organizing/reorganizing/disorganizing/organizing again, because I kept finding things that, oh, I want this on the side of this, or this under this, or this here, not there. haha. So now I have one whole freezer for all of the turkey I'm getting possibly tomorrow or Friday completely open, and then I pulled out all of the pork to portion out, and then there's a second freezer (the upright) that only has one shelf being utilized by random stuff at the moment, and the other three shelves are completely open for the pork. hehe.
Next will come portioning all of that meat, which is currently sitting out in the garage, because if I put it in the backyard, all of the dogs will have a hayday. Oh, and the whole turkeys in the fridge. XD
WOOT! I consider today a productive day. XP Anyways, just felt like sharing my "dog food day" story with you guys. Hope you enjoyed my random ramblings.
Once we got going, Adam and I went to Blue Ribbon, one of the local meat companies we frequent now. They are getting more and more raw feeders in there, so the front desk lady started a more centralized list for the raw feeders which has the best things to buy at the best prices for beef, turkey, and chicken (sadly no pork, which was one of the main sources we were looking for, because it's next on the list to start). So they had beef heart $.70/lb, beef liver $.70/lb, beef head (WOOT!) $1.25/lb (she also said that the other feeders comment on how much their dogs love these!), turkey liver $.59/lb, turkey tails $.25/lb, and turkey necks $.90/lb. Chicken wasn't really worth it, because I can get that at Walmart for $.59/lb (or less). So we ordered some turkey liver, necks, and tails.
We ordered the tails per Rachel's (Rannmiller) suggestion, because I said that Amaya and Ryou don't seem to be gaining any weight. I've been doubling up on their meals each day (between 1-1.5 lbs per meal, twice a day!), and their backbones/hip bones are still jutting out more than I would like. So Rachel said to try adding a turkey tail to their meals here and there, because it's higher in fat content, AND, since they're only $.25/lb, it works out better than doubling their meals. haha.
We ran some more errands, then went to the new and improved Butcher Boys, which is a local deli/butcher here in Reno that has always been really popular. They recently closed for remodeling (and my dad saw on the news that the power company turned off their power and a bunch of meat just got thrown into a trailer outside. I was soooooooooooooo mad, because I could have got a crud ton of FREE meat!!!). Anyways, they had some pork neck bones for $.99/lb, so I bought those out, and I'll keep checking there, perhaps talk with the butchers to see if I can get some special ordered in bulk, because they don't really stock very much of it. I've got enough pork to tide us over for a good month or so, though, so yeah, and if anything, I can also get pork neck bones for $1.08/lb at Walmart.
So then, I dropped Adam off at work, and I came home and gutted the three freezers and reorganized them by taking out all of the organization. I figure, from now on, I'm just going to bag up all of my stuff based on judgment (perhaps relying a bit on the scales because I'm HORRIBLE with that stuff), and make the portions all about the same, and for Ryou, who requires more than the other two, I'll just double up his portions once a day to every other day, depending on how I feel his weight is doing.
So yeah, we have three freezers, and I spent two hours taking things in and out and organizing/reorganizing/disorganizing/organizing again, because I kept finding things that, oh, I want this on the side of this, or this under this, or this here, not there. haha. So now I have one whole freezer for all of the turkey I'm getting possibly tomorrow or Friday completely open, and then I pulled out all of the pork to portion out, and then there's a second freezer (the upright) that only has one shelf being utilized by random stuff at the moment, and the other three shelves are completely open for the pork. hehe.
Next will come portioning all of that meat, which is currently sitting out in the garage, because if I put it in the backyard, all of the dogs will have a hayday. Oh, and the whole turkeys in the fridge. XD
WOOT! I consider today a productive day. XP Anyways, just felt like sharing my "dog food day" story with you guys. Hope you enjoyed my random ramblings.
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Sounds like an awesome day!
I personally wouldn't have purchased the pork neck bones. We didn't like the shape for our girls and found better things to get in their place
That's awesome though that you're already up to 3 freezers :biggrin:
I personally wouldn't have purchased the pork neck bones. We didn't like the shape for our girls and found better things to get in their place
That's awesome though that you're already up to 3 freezers :biggrin:
It'll be four soon! haha. Adam's friend's mum has a freezer in her backyard that she's not using and said we can have it if it works, so Adam still needs to take an extension cord up there to see. XD I've got chicken and fish in one for now, a freezer for turkey, and then one for pork/beef/random stuff, since I don't really have much beef at the moment. Once we get the fourth fridge (a standup), that'll be strictly for beef, because the cases come in 60lbs!!! Then one for chicken (the big chest), one for turkey (the little chest), and the other standup for fish/pork.
Unfortunately, there's nothing else pork that I can find that is in our "price range" so to speak. I'd rather not go too high, and I can't even find pork ribs for cheap! Must be the area I live in...I'll have to ask Rachel where she gets her pork from.
And yes, it was an awesome day! hehe. Except for the part where I went to grab a bagel and found them all COVERED in mold!!! Try to eat better for myself and it all goes bad! Such luck...
Unfortunately, there's nothing else pork that I can find that is in our "price range" so to speak. I'd rather not go too high, and I can't even find pork ribs for cheap! Must be the area I live in...I'll have to ask Rachel where she gets her pork from.
And yes, it was an awesome day! hehe. Except for the part where I went to grab a bagel and found them all COVERED in mold!!! Try to eat better for myself and it all goes bad! Such luck...
Okay, my puppies both got spoiled today - pork sirloin chops. :biggrin: It was on sale in a ten pound package, bone in. I was the not-so-lucky one who got the job of deboning them. It was 20 cents off the regular price and was a "must freeze or use that day" item.
Both dogs got one pound each pork sirloin chop. Talk about two happy, satiated puppies! They lazed around after a late night supper, played a little out in the yard, and then rested on the cool deck. Both puppies went to bed early. Sweet dreams of pork sirloin chops dancing in their heads.
Both dogs got one pound each pork sirloin chop. Talk about two happy, satiated puppies! They lazed around after a late night supper, played a little out in the yard, and then rested on the cool deck. Both puppies went to bed early. Sweet dreams of pork sirloin chops dancing in their heads.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
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