Raw food provides a high-quality protein, low-carbohydrate food that can bolster your dog or cat’s overall health. But it does cost more than some kibbles, so many households look for ways to save on the increased cost of raw food.
What we’ve learned after decades of feeding raw to our own pets is raw food can be economical if you’re willing to choose carefully. To find out more about what Muddies often recommend to customers looking to cut their raw food costs, we talked with Shoreline Store Lead Kelsey Deans. Kelsey feeds her dog a partially raw diet and likes to share the cost-saving tips she’s discovered from feeding her own animals.
KD: People sometimes see bags of freeze-dried raw food and think that it’s beyond their budget. But it’s important to know that freeze-dried raw food is nutritionally very dense, so you’ll be able to feed less. And if you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of convenience, our raw frozen food is a lot less expensive per ounce and doesn’t need added moisture before serving.
We carry a variety of brands at different price points. However, each food may or may not make sense for your individual animal, so we recommend coming into a Mud Bay and talking to a Muddy. We’re more than happy to discuss what you can do to keep costs low.
KD: If you want most of the health benefits of feeding raw food, we recommend feeding at least 50 percent. For dogs, that can be a very easy transition to make. For example, with my own dog, I feed her half kibble and half raw. It’s a cost-effective way of meeting her nutritional needs.
For people with very big dogs or people on a strict budget, we like to encourage them to consider just 25 percent raw food. Your dog will get a lot of benefits of eating raw food, but you’ll be able to minimize the cost difference.
For cats, we strongly encourage people to use at least 50 percent raw food. Cat’s need extra water in their diet because they don’t drink enough water naturally. Eating at least 50 percent raw helps protect their kidneys and prevents overall dehydration. Of course, some cats don’t like the texture of raw food, so for those few cats, we strongly recommend at least 50 percent wet food. If that doesn’t fit your budget, 25 percent will also help your cat’s overall health.
However, people should embrace whatever amount of raw food fits into their budget. Even a topper of 10 percent raw food gives your dog or cat valuable high-quality protein. We support adding high-quality protein and moisture-rich foods into your dog or cat’s diet in whatever amount fits your budget.
KD: A big way to save is to feed less food. It sounds really obvious, but many pets are overweight. And owners think that if you feed a cup of one type of food, you should feed your dog or cat a cup of this other type of food. But feeding should come down to calorie counts.
We have a feeding calculator at Mud Bay that will calculate exactly how much you should feed your dog or cat based on the food you want to feed and your animal’s characteristics.
And what you’ll quickly see when you switch is the amount of food you feed changes depending on the food form and type. If you feed kibble to your dog and then switch to a freeze-dried raw food, you’re going to feed approximately a third less of that freeze-dried raw food.
It’s important to remember that switching between any two foods is never going to be a simple switch. We’ll calculate how much raw food you should feed when you buy that food. We’re also happy to make those calculations for several different foods at several different price points, so you know the exact daily cost to feed your dog or cat. ***
Store Lead Kelsey Deans is a three-year Muddy who works at Shoreline, so come say hello if you’d like to learn more about raw food. When she’s not at work, she’s spending time with her surprisingly friendly seven-year-old Shiba Inu, Sushi.
Weruva WX Phos Focused Freeze-Dried Chicken and Tilapia is a low-phosphorus, high-protein supplement made from 93% boneless, skinless chicken breast, tilapia, and egg white. It has no grains, fillers, bones, or organs.
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Due to its naturally low phosphorus content, this food is suitable for cats requiring phosphorus management, particularly those with kidney conditions. Additionally, it’s highly digestible protein helps maintain lean muscle mass.
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You can serve it dry or add water to soften the texture. Adding water can help your cat digest it more easily and boost their daily water intake. This recipe is meant as a supplement and works well as a topper or treat alongside a complete, balanced diet.
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If you want help figuring out if this is right for your cat, visit your local Mud Bay and speak with a Muddy, or shop with us online today.
#mudbay #healthypets #kidneyhealth #cats #catfood
If your pup brings the energy indoors, meet their new favorite toy. The ultra plush Fluff & Tuff Soccer Ball is designed for fetch, toss, and all-out play.
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With a strong inner mesh liner and concealed double stitching, it delivers the durability Fluff & Tuff is known for in a soft, soccer-inspired design.
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Kick off the fun and shop the Fluff & Tuff Soccer Ball in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #fluffandtuff #dogs #timetoplay #healthypets
Need to keep your dog engaged while you work, host, or help them burn energy?
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The Woof LickMat and LickMix make enrichment easy.
The textured design encourages longer licking, helping promote calm behavior and engagement. Premeasured lines make portioning easy every time.
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Simply mix the grain-free Cheddar and Bacon LickMix. It’s easy to digest, simple to prepare, and each bag provides 10 or more lick sessions. Made from 100 percent silicone, BPA-free, and dishwasher safe. Strong suction cups keep the LickMat stable for easy, everyday use.
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Enhance your dog’s daily enrichment—visit us in-store or online and bring home the woof LickMat and LickMix today.
#mudbay #woof #healthypets #dogs #petenrichment
👀 Looking for a way to slow down mealtime and keep your dog thinking? The GURU Pet Company Bobble Ball turns your dog’s food into an interactive activity.
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Simply fill it with kibble or small treats, screw the top back on, and let the wobble begin. The weighted base creates unpredictable movement that keeps dogs engaged and working for every bite.
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A great option for dogs new to enrichment or seasoned puzzle pros.
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Shop in-store or online at Mud Bay today.
#mudbay #dogs #staybusy #healthypets #dogtoys
🎉 New Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are now available in-store and online at Mud Bay!
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We’re excited to offer two new formulas that are complete and balanced for both cats and dogs.
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The Digestive Support Formula has beneficial fiber from lentils and sweet potato, along with probiotic inulin from chicory root. It also includes organic apple cider vinegar for extra immune and digestive support.
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Our Hip & Joint Support Formula features turmeric, oat flour, and omega-3 fatty acids from tuna 🐟 to help support joint mobility and immune health.
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All Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are veterinarian-formulated and free of corn, wheat, soy, and artificial preservatives. And they are convenient and easy to use as a complete meal, a treat, or a topper.
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You can find the full line—including Skin & Coat, Cognitive, Digestive, and Hip & Joint Support formulas—exclusively at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #healthypets #mealtime #pnwpets #mudbayairdriedtoppers
💫 New at Mud Bay!
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CocoTherapy Cranberry Sweet Potato Pie and Peanut Butter Blondie Coco-Charms. Small in size and low in calories, they are an ideal training treat.
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Made with 100% organic ingredients, you can feel good giving them to your dog during longer training sessions. CocoTherapy Coco-Charms are also free from grains, dairy, gluten, eggs, and preservatives, and are low glycemic.
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Shop the Cranberry Sweet Potato Pie and Peanut Butter Blondie CocoTherapy Coco-Charms in-store or online today!
#mudbay #cocotherapy #trainingtreats #dogs #healthypets
🎉 🎉 GIVEAWAY! New Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers for Cats & Dogs
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We’re excited to give you a chance to win a bag of one of our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Topper formulas.
Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are veterinarian-formulated, complete and balanced for cats and dogs, and easy to use as a topper, treat, or complete meal.
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New Mud Bay Air-Dried Topper Formulas:
Digestive Support
Made with turkey, chicken, and lentils, plus organic apple cider vinegar and chicory root to help support healthy digestion and immune function.
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Hip and Joint Support:
Made with turkey, chicken, fish, and oats, plus turmeric and omega-3s from tuna to help support mobility and joint health.
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To enter:
👍 Like this post
😃 Tag us and tag a friend
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We’ll pick winners at random and notify them on April 16th. Each winner will receive a bag of our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers. 🍀 🤞 Good luck!
#mudbay #foodtoppers #dogs #cats #petfood
Check out these new aquatic-themed toys for your pup from Fluff & Tuff.
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Available in-store now: Claude the squid, with tentacles that are great for tugging.
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We also have Dottie the Puffer Fish, who will keep your pup active with a nice fetch session, and, last but not least, we have Millie the Axolotl, who is an engaging option for all of the above and ready to shake up your pup’s toy selection.
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Shop these fun new Aquatic options for your pup in-store or online today!
#mudbay #fluffandtuff #dogtoys #playtime #pnwpets
We visited the local dog park today to share a fun spring surprise 👀🎉
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The park pups got to try our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers!
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We can’t share all the details on these new toppers yet, but here’s what we can tell you:
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Two new formulas are coming soon, and you’ll find them both in stores and online. They’ll be available in 8-ounce and 24-ounce bags.
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Just like our current toppers, these new formulas give both cats and dogs complete and balanced nutrition. You can serve them as a full meal, sprinkle them on top of their food, or offer them as a treat.
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Thank you to all the pups who came by to try them today.🐾🎉
Check back next week because we have a giveaway coming up. Stay tuned and have a great spring!🌈 💐 🌷 ☀️ ☔
#mudbay #dogpark #sneaktreat #mudbayairdriedtoppers #new
Keep your pet happy and blissfully engaged with the woof LickMat and LickMix.
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The LickMat is BPA-free, 100% silicone, and dishwasher safe on the top rack, with suction cups for stability and a design that encourages longer licking. It also features suction cups for stability and a design that encourages longer licking, while its built-in mixing bowl and measuring lines make mixing easy.
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The Bacon and Cheese LickMix is grain-free and designed for use with the LickMat, woof Pupsicle, or as a meal topper. Each bag yields about 10 LickMat sessions when used as directed.
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Treat your dog with the Woof LickMat and LickMix. Shop all woof products in-store and online today!
#mudbay #woof #dogs #enrichment #petproducts
Stock up on your dog’s favorite Bulk Biscuits and make every refill count.
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Mud Bay’s Bulk Biscuits are all-natural, with many locally sourced options, including organic and grain-free varieties. When you refill your Mud Bay Mud Bucket, you pay $4.24 per pound instead of $4.99 on every refill. That’s 75 cents saved per pound, or 15% off each refill.
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Our Mud Buckets are BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and come in two handy sizes: 2.75 liters and 8.5 liters. Designed for easy refills and fresher storage, they help make treating your dog simple and eco-friendly.
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Refill. Reuse. Re-Biscuit. Visit your local Mud Bay today to pick up a Mud Bay Mud Bucket and some tasty biscuits for your dog!!
#mudbay #mudbuckets #dogs #treats #healthypets
Shhhhh! 🤫
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Don’t tell your cats or dogs just yet, but we have two new Mud Bay Air-Dried Topper formulas landing in-store next month! We also want to let you know we`ll be offering a giveaway so that your pets can enjoy one of the new formulas.
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More details to come, so stay tuned for your chance to win a bag of our newest Mud Bay Air-dried toppers.
#mudbay #airdried #comingsoon #airdriedtopper #giveaway
