First: Yes, way healthier, if fed by an owner who has done their research. Compare feeding a dog bunches of corn, starches & by-products to feeding a kid candy & chips... the natural diet for dogs, and the healthiest for their system, is raw meat & bones. That said, it is better for a dog to be fed a premium, high meat content kibble than an unbalanced raw diet.

Some huge improvements I've seen with Gonzo on all raw is thicker, shinier, lower-shedding coat, great teeth (like, great! without brushing them), odorless breath, higher stamina, way less hyper energy, better muscle development, weight loss (he's perfect now), smaller odorless poops & only twice per day, less barking/neurotic energy, no more itchy paws or ears, etc. Of course it will vary from dog to dog, and sometimes it's hard to notice the changes if they happen gradually, but if fed properly almost ANY dog's health will be much improved.

Like Ashley said, you can balance food over time... such as chicken one week, beef the next week, turkey the next, etc. I mix a lot from day to day. The meats I buy are fairly inexpensive. I still use pre-made as a staple (Farmore), which costs $2/lb. The raw meaty bones that I get are usually under/around $1/lb, verrry rarely over $2/lb. Supplements are very cheap, as are organ meats, and veggies & fruit which is fed occasionally.