I simply introduced residence my third Dachshund, so I’m re-examining how a lot it price to feed my canines.
After I solely owned one or two Dachshunds, I didn’t care how a lot I used to be spending on their meals.
However now I’ve three mouths to feed.
I did the mathematics and Yikes! Feeding three Dachshunds the way in which I’ve been feeding two will price as a lot as a automotive fee!
I re-evaluated the meals I’m feeding them, and didn’t need my hours of analysis to go to waste, so I summarized it on this article.
Even when the knowledge doesn’t immediate you to alter what you’re presently feeding your canines, it could be useful to you later.
How A lot Will it Price to Feed One Dachshund Per Month?
The minimal price for feeding decrease price, descent high quality kibble is round $41 per 30 days and the utmost is round $71.
Feeding your Dachshund commercially ready uncooked pet food will seemingly price someplace between $102 and $180 per 30 days.
It shocked me just a little that feeding moist pet food can price simply as a lot or greater than feeding a uncooked weight loss plan.
The month-to-month price for feeding a descent to prime quality canned pet food ranged from $106 to $240.
You’ll be able to count on to pay someplace between $40 to $300 per 30 days to feed a miniature Dachshund.
Some folks wish to feed their Dachshund uncooked meals however don’t wish to take up freezer area with it, deal with the meat, or fear about thawing parts earlier than hand, so that they select to feed freeze dried uncooked as a substitute.
The price for that can high out at round a whopping $300 a month for a miniature Dachshund.
In fact, the meals price will enhance with a number of canines within the family, particularly if one additionally owns a bigger breed canine.
Learn on to see which meals I analyzed and the way I arrived at these price estimates.
What Are The Major Components That Affect the Month-to-month Price of Canine Meals?
Determining how a lot it should price you to feed your Dachshund a month is extra difficult than simply value looking for meals.
The largest components that can affect the month-to-month price of pet food are:
- What number of energy your Dachshund must eat a day
- The kind of meals – canned, kibble, or uncooked
- The calorie density of the meals
Totally different canine meals have totally different calorie densities, so an oz. of 1 meals might include 30 energy, whereas a ounce of one other meals might include 100 energy.
In case your Dachshund wants 350 energy a meal (see this text to calculate the variety of energy your Dachshund wants), you might must feed 11 ounces of 1 meals and solely 3.5 ounces of one other.
Since pet food is bought as value per quantity (ex. 5 lbs, or 80 ounces, per bag at $35.99 per bag), the meals with the decrease calorie density can find yourself costing you extra.
Under, I’ve damaged down the fee to feed a Dachshund by meals sort, itemizing a number of manufacturers, and thus a spread, in every class.
My Strategies and Assumptions When Calculating Meals Prices
Some issues to remember if you evaluation my Dachshund meals price calculations are:
- My analysis was performed in January of 2024. Whereas the costs are most related nearer to that date, they are going to be usually correct for years to come back as a result of the price of pet food doesn’t fluctuate that a lot.
- This info is primarily supposed for myself. Because of this, I selected to match canine meals that I mostly feed, or would take into account feeding, my Dachshunds.
- My miniature Dachshunds weighs round 11 lbs, and are reasonably energetic, and require a mean of 450 energy per day to take care of their splendid weight. This variety of energy is what I used for my calculations.
- I selected chicken-based formulations normally as a result of nearly each model makes one and consistency in protein supply permits for a extra correct comparability.
- I used 4-6 lb baggage of kibble for my calculations, as a result of shopping for smaller portions permits the meals for use earlier than it goes rancid. Shopping for in bulk can cut back the fee.
- I didn’t use sale costs for these meals, however shopping for on sale will, in fact, prevent cash.
- Used Chewy and Amazon for costs for canned, kibble and the freeze dried uncooked canine meals. For frozen, recent uncooked pet food, as a result of it may well sometimes solely be obtained regionally or from a mail subscription service, I acquired costs from my native pet retailer in Seattle or straight from the corporate.
Now, let’s discuss numbers…..
Disclosure: Lots of the hyperlinks on this web page are affiliate hyperlinks (Amazon Affiliate or different applications we take part in). As an affiliate, I earn a small fee from qualifying purchases.
How I Calculated Day by day and Month-to-month Meal Prices – the Math
In case you wish to calculate the every day and month-to-month price for a meals that’s not on this listing, that is the way you do it.
- Step 1: Worth of meals/ounces of meals per bag, can, or case of cans = price per ounce of meals
- Step 2: Energy listed on the again of the bag (this might be listed in kcal, which is only a calorie) in kcal/kg/35.27 (the variety of ounces in 1 kg) = energy per ounce of meals
- Step 3: the variety of energy your canine must eat in a day (you possibly can determine that out HERE)/energy per ounce (calculated above) = variety of ounces of the meals your canine must eat a day
- Step 4: variety of ounces of meals your canine must eat in a day x price per ounce of meals = price per day to feed your canine
- Step 5: price per day to feed your canine x variety of days within the month (I used 30 days in my calculations under for a good comparability) = price per 30 days to feed your canine
Word: “x” means I multiplied, and “/” means I divided
Under are the prices for the meals that I calculated. I’ll seemingly add to the charts if I calculate the prices of extra meals.
What Does It Price to Feed a Dachshund Kibble?
My first Dachshund ate low to moderate-quality kibble for the primary 6 years of his life. He was my first canine as an grownup and I didn’t know higher.
By the point I had adopted my second Dachshund, I had labored at a pet retailer for over a 12 months the place I realized extra about pet food diet.
Armed with extra data, I transitioned each canines to grain free kibble an then recent, frozen uncooked pet food.
Whereas my Dachshunds nonetheless primarily eat a uncooked weight loss plan, they do eat kibble once in a while.
I might take into account going again to a 50-50 uncooked and non uncooked (canned and or kibble) to cut back my month-to-month feeding prices although.
To check, I calculated prices for one of many lowest high quality kibbles I might feed, one of many highest, and some in-between.
Word: slide the charts to the left (to see what’s on the proper aspect) if you’re on cellular to see price per ounce and energy per ounce.
How A lot What Does It Price to Feed a Dachshund Moist (Canned) Canine Meals?
After I feed my Dachshunds kibble, it’s by no means simply out of the bag.
I typically, I add water to their kibble, however I desire so as to add a little bit of canned meals as effectively.
Generally, I feed them canned meals alone.
As a result of I desire to feed them simply canned meals over kibble, checked out what it might price to solely feed them that sort of meals.
What Does It Price to Feed a Dachshund Uncooked Meals?
To me, the one true uncooked meals is frozen, recent meat. It’s very minimally processed and accommodates the unique moisture ranges.
Nevertheless, I do feed my Dachshund freeze dried uncooked typically once we journey, and all the time once we are backpacking and the burden of my backpack issues.
I created two separate comparability charts for these meals sorts as a result of the fee will not be straight comparable because of the lack of water (moisture) within the freeze dried uncooked.
Word: If you’re occupied with feeding your Dachshund uncooked meals, learn this text first.
Recent Frozen Uncooked Canine Meals
Freeze Dried Uncooked Canine Meals
As you possibly can see, it’s unequivocal that freeze dried uncooked pet food is costlier than recent, frozen uncooked, and is the costliest meals sort to feed total.
Month-to-month Budgeting for Canine Meals and Making My Alternative
I haven’t made my remaining choice about what forms of meals, or what manufacturers, I’ll feed my Dachshunds going ahead, however listed here are the components I’m weighing.
High quality of meals
I gained’t compromise my Dachshund’s well being to avoid wasting a buck.
Nevertheless, the truth is that I can’t maintain spending the $500+ a month on my unbridled, and considerably fiscally unconscious, shopping for of no matter I really feel like for my canines.
I’ve to search out the proper stability, which is the primary factor stopping me from making a selection – I’m nonetheless researching elements and meals to ensure I’ve chosen the perfect one.
My finances
Whereas I might accept having the ability to feed 3 miniature Dachshunds for a similar price that I’ve been feeding two, my splendid purpose could be to feed three whereas lowering that price.
If I had my means, I might be capable to keep an identical high quality weight loss plan to what I’m presently feeding whereas lowering my month-to-month price to $250, however that’s not affordable.
After performing some preliminary calculations, $400 is a greater estimate of what it should price, though I might be completely happy if I may carry that price right down to $350.
Accounting for different components
Apart from their regular meal, my Dachshunds additionally eat coaching treats, pure chews, and get food-stuffed enrichment toys.
Whereas these things rely towards their every day calorie allowance, thus lowering the quantity of meals given at meals, they price simply as a lot or greater than pet food.
I additionally give my Dachshunds dietary supplements.
Dietary supplements will be costly to buy, however usually final a number of months.
In different phrases, the price of the complement(s) might hit in a specific month however I solely “use” a portion of that price every month.
I’ll seemingly account for these prices in later calculations however, for now, I simply wished to have a look at the meals itself.
I’ll seemingly return to feeding kibble with a little bit of canned at one meal and frozen uncooked for the opposite. A minimum of for now.
Try my article if you would like see the meals my Dachshunds eat. I’ll in all probability replace the listing with finances choices sooner or later.
