Tips to save money raising a pet?

Question

This question is for us cheapies out there. Pets can be pricey (worth it but not cheap). I have 3 big dogs and not a lot of money so I have to budget. What are some tips you have to save money (on treats/food/etc . . .) Here some of mine:

1. Buy flea meds online.
2. Wash dog bed covers! A chore but prevents me from throwing them out every time there's an accident.
3. Use old sofa cushions as back-up dog beds.
4. Pet toys from Target clearance dog aisle. My pets don't need the "coolest" toy on the block--they can use last season's.
5. Target Dollar section sometimes has dog stuff. Bought stainless steel food bowls for a buck each! And they're good quality too!
6. Generic baby shampoo.

Okay, what are some of your good tips?

Answer 1

I have two dogs on interceptor. I buy the appropriate size that can be split in half, giving them full protection. Same with my frontline plus.

Answer 2

Dogs ARE very expensive to keep. I don't know HOW you can afford three big dogs. But I will commend you on the love and care you are (evidently) giving them. You covered the every day living expenses.
The real expensive items are, of course, the vet visits. They have to be seen by a vet once a year or more if they are sick. They should have their feces checked, booster shots if needed and a general exam. I would not purchase flea meds online. My vet wants my dog on flea meds and heartworm meds every month of the year. I live in Michigan so it gets cold here. You cannot be sure what you are getting when you order online.

Washing dog bed covers is O.K. as long as the pillow it covers is not stained and smelly! They can get bad and bacteria filled from vomit or whatever.

Always use stainless steel or stone ware bowls. Bacteria can get stuck in cracks in the plastic or hard rubber bowls. Which, in time will make your dogs sick.

NEVER use anything but decent dog shampoo on your dogs. This is one category you cannot be cheap. It can cause more problems than the cost of dog shampoo. It can create itching, irritation and skin conditions. It washes out the natural oils in the dog's fur. Not a good money saver there.

You didn't mention food. You must feed them quality dog food. They don't need the canned food. But as someone else said, they need a good quality dry food. Again, if you go cheap on food, it can cost you more in vet bills because of the problems. Not everyone will agree with this part, but with big dogs I mix all the table scraps in with their large bowl of dry dog food. If I don't have scraps I would pour broth or gravy over it. Maybe a couple pieces of bread/butter mixed in. The larger dogs need so much more than the smaller dogs. There is nothing worse than a skinny, large dog and the owner says, "I feed him nothing but dry food once a day." That is great.......I guess I have always treated my dogs as more than a dog. I don't like it when dogs look like they are skin and bones. They might be "healthy" but I'll bet not very happy.


HELP.......CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT MANNY IS TALKING ABOUT? I HAVE READ HIS ANSWER 3 TIMES AND I STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT....................THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Answer 3

My vet said not to use baby shampoo as it dries their skin to much an could cause an infection. The only other tip that i have is to make sure you get all the necessary shots, this prevents illness and problems down the road that can be quite costly. You have some very good ones there. Clip coupons for food and toys also. I also use old blankets and carpet squares in my dogs house.

Answer 4

Sounds like you really care about your dogs!

There's nothing wrong with using old cushions as dog beds; the dogs don't know or care that they aren't sleeping on specially marketed "dog beds". If you think about it, dog beds are nothing more than cushions anyway!

WalMart has cheap dog toys for 88 cents each; really good if your dogs tear up toys like mine do!

I've got a friend who swears by Skin so Soft from Avon, as a flea and tick preventative. She also washes them in Ivory bar soap, and hasn't had a problem with either fleas, ticks, or any doggie dry skin! Garlic is also a natural flea preventative (although I wouldn't use it as a primary method). You can also purchase flea and tick spray as a preventative. You just have to reappply it weekly, and it's cheaper than Frontline.

There's nothing wrong with washing your dogs in human grade soap. Just remember that doggie skin is far more delicate, so use a very mild soap.

Oftentimes, you can make your own doggie treats. There are lots of great, inexpensive recipes online. Or you can just give them cut up generic hotdogs. Dogs love them, and they are cheaper than expensive dog treats! You can also go to your local pet store, and see if they have any clearance items.

You might want to look into homemade dog food. I don't have the time to cook for my dogs, but my friend does, and she said it's cheaper and more nutritious than dog food. She cooks a whole pot of rice beforehand, and just keeps it in the fridge. She takes a cup or two of rice, adds a cup of green beans, and puts in a raw or cooked egg. She adds chicken or beef once or twice a week, too. Just check with your vet to make sure it is a healthy alternative for your dog.

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

Prevention of potential problems. For example, making sure vaccinations are up to date so your pet won't catch something when you are out. Keeping your pet indoors or on a leash when you take him out will keep him from running off, getting into fights, or getting run over. Spaying and Neutering prevents the expense of having to raise and find homes for a new litter, and it also leads to healthy animals overall and extends the years they can live. Pet insurance can cover some of the costs of vaccinations and routine care as well as any emergency care. And don't let your pets get obese, this will lead to health problems, just like it does in humans.

Answer 6

Buy the highest quality dog food you can afford. The higher quality the less food you have to feed and the less waste you have to pick up.
Start a saving acct for the vet bills. Sometimes they come up and you need to be able to go to the vet. Having some money put away makes that much easier.
Ice cubes make great dog treats in the summer. Gets extra water into the dog and mine love them. Good for teething puppies.

Answer 7

Focus on mamking meals with cheap but healthy ingredients. Whole wheat pasta is no more expensive then the starchy unhealthy white kind. Tuna helper or tuna salad is another idea. Tuna, elbow wheat macaroni, mayo and peas. A whole bowl costs like 8 bucks and is good for 8-9lunches. Macaroni and cheese is another cheap idea, its not too bad when you use 1/3 amt of cheese recommended and add some broccoli Beef hot dogs with a side of potato chips is another cheap idea kids love. Not the best health wise, but a good weekday dinner once in a while Home made soup is one of the cheapest healthiest thigns , plus it can be frozen. Really easy, broth, chicken, laods of veggies. Toasted bread on the side. MMM

Answer 8

I buy as much as I can online (Drfostersmith.com) is great.

I make my own pet treats, cost is pennies and they are fun to make.

Have a couple of Lupine Leashes and Collars that we switch out throughout the year that way we have equal wear. Don't buy anything but Lupine.

Go to Petsmart after New Years and buy the clearance christmas toys. They are the cool toys normally just in holiday colors.

Do my own grooming - invest in a nail grinder.

Buy Costco dog blankets cheap and the hold up well.

Feed your dog good quality dog food, like Natural Balance Duck and Potato.

If your dog needs a medicin check at RiteAid or Costco to see if they carry that prescription.

Answer 9

well, first of all, if you truly love your dogs, i suggest that you buy them the best foods & snacks you can. They're like babies, afterall. I also don't know about using babyshampoo. those stuff are for HUMAN babies, not for the sensitive dog skin. try buying some affordable dog shampoo (some might even cost less than the human ones.) i agree with you on the dog toys...my schnauzer's been playing with the same toy he had since he was 3 mo. old. I think you can buy some dog snacks or dry foods for wholesale at Costco's or something, so try that out (though i feed mine Science Diet, and those stuff are excellent). Hope this helped & good luck with your dogs =]

Answer 10

After reading you're tips, I wanted to point out to you that buying your flea medication on-line is not necessarily less expensive. I buy mine directly from my vet, and I DO NOT have to take my dog(s) with me. I just tell them their weight so they know what dose to sell me. Might want to be careful there.

Also, I make homemade dog treats for my dogs. There are a million recipes on-line, all you need to do is Google dog treat recipes. My dog's favorite is:

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons oatmeal
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
Just a very small amount of brown sugar (less than 1/2 cup).

Mix, roll, cut out (I have a bone-shaped cookie cutter), and bake at 400° for 15 minutes. My dogs love them.

Hope that was somewhat helpful.

Answer 11

Regarding the toys: My pup's been playing with the two leter pop bottles for her whole life. We just had to "evolve" to make them more interesting. It's simple really, throw some kibble in there or a few small treats, and bang you've got yourself a toy that'll keep her busy for hou- ok minutes if you'v egot a lab like mine.... >.> She can get the top off a pop bottle in three seconds flat.
There's also the empty peanut butter jars. Same idea, leave the cap on, the dog'll learn to get it off. And then it's got the jar to lick clean. (But make sure they're isn't too much peanut butter left. Your dog may be "loose" for a few days if there's more peanut butter than can cover a peice of toast.
Paper towel rolls work too. And if you've got holey socks, put them over the paper towel roll. (you need a few pairs of wrecked socks for this.) until you've got a huge tube of socky fun. (or death, depending on who's kneecap the sock tube runs into ^^; )