Pet Care and Savings

My dog Diesel is my best friend and I would do anything for him no matter what the cost. If I can save a little bit here and there that’s always a good thing. Here are some things that I’ve learned about cats and dogs that have saved me a lot of money over the years.

Food
To help maintain good digestion it’s good to stay with the same brand but sometimes I can use a coupon and get another brand cheaper per lb than my usual brand. I just mix a little bit of the new brand into his normal brand and his digestive system doesn’t have a hard time getting accustomed to it; same goes for cats.

Treats
Dogs will eat just about anything out of your hand if they like the smell of it, sometimes even their own dog food. I have seen a lot of coupons out there for treats and if you wait for them to go on sale you can get them for next to nothing. I think treats are a waste of money. Every time you go to buy some though, imagine your dog or cat walking around with a 5 lb weight hanging from their collar. Remember that if you must indulge them, cut back on their daily intake of food.

Toys
I have found that animals are simple and will play with anything that strikes their fancy. Cats love string, paper clips, bells, aluminum foil balls and catnip. If they still have claws, the best thing I found was the cardboard scratch pads. Sprinkle them with a little catnip, the cats love them, their inexpensive and they last forever. Dogs love to play with whatever you shake in front of them or throw. Old stuffed animals, rope and old rags make great things for tug of war. I get tennis balls from the dollar store. A neighbor gave me some 1"x12" dow rods for Diesel to chew on because he loves to chew on wood and they are also great for playing catch. I have rarely bought toys but when I do I make sure that they will be stimulating, noisy and helpful to their teethe and gums such as; busy bone, squeaky bone and rawhides for dogs; and a laser light and small catnip filled noisy mice for cats.

Kennels and Boarding
Asking someone to care for your pets while you’re away is the cheapest way to go but sometimes this is not an option. I shopped around and found a lot of people who specialize in boarding. A lot of them lived farther away from town and had plenty of room for the animals to exercise and socialize and this meant minimal time in cages and crates. These places cost the same and sometimes less than having them stay at the vet and spend most of their time in the kennel while you’re gone.

Grooming
I know grooming is a big thing for a lot of people and I think if you find someone you like you should stick with them. I find coupons for money off grooming all over the place; in the phone book, on the back of receipts, junk mail and in local newspapers. Starting with a good diet helps your animal produce the oil they need to keep their fur clean. Sometimes the oil builds up and they need to be bathed. Cats don’t usually need to be bathed because they clean themselves but dogs may need to be bathed once in a while. Investing in a shower hose for the tub comes in handy and not just for bathing the dog. It can save time and money when it comes to bathing children and cleaning the shower walls. Oatmeal or baby shampoo works just as well as any of those expensive brands of dog shampoo, unless they need a medicated bath. The only grooming I’ve ever had done was nail clipping on a dog. A dog that spends a fair amount of time outside will keep their own nails filed down but sometimes they may need an occasional trim. Given a place to scratch, cats will keep their own nails trimmed.

Vet Bills and Medicine
I’ve learned the bigger the vet office the bigger the bill. My local independantly run vet offices did the same tests and gave the same shots for half the price. I found a non-profit vet in the yellow pages who gave tests, shots and medications at cost. It saved me $185 for the year. It pays to look around. There are a lot of websites that sell pet medications and if you compare prices you can get them cheaper than you can get them from the pet stores. Sometimes the vet office will offer a special if you buy so much or they may have rebates.

Exercise
I just wanted to add exercise because all animals need exercise and stimulation and we as people can benefit. I try and walk my dog 3 times a day and so far I have lost 50 lbs, also with a change in my diet. When we exercise and stimulate our pets we pump up our own adrenaline and start our endorphins and we burn calories and become happy.