This week’s “RUFF TAILS” features a beautiful Lab/Shepherd mix, named Finn.
I love to sleep everywhere and anywhere….
In the morning when my mom and dad jumped out of bed, and left to grab a coffee, they came back into the room a few minutes later, “ I told them I was just keeping it warm.” Hee Hee.
Welcome to Doggie Dialogue:
As a dog owner, we have definitely spoiled our many dogs over the years. Yes, we have a huge basket full of toys and a cupboard full of biscuits. We wanted to compile some money saving tips to help canine owners try to stay within some sort of a budget.
Here are some great ideas that we have tried:
1. Make your own dog treats.
There are many recipes on-line, that are healthy and tasty. This is more cost-effective, and most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry. This works well for us, as most of you know our German Shepherd, as a wheat allergy. I have used recipes from Pinterest.
2. Bathe your dog at home.
This can be messy, but you control what soaps and perfumes that are used, unlike at the spa/groomers. We recommend to use a non-slip, bath mat and a microfiber pet bath towel. Take time to brush your dog’s teeth at this time as well.
3. I wish I sewed, as some of our clients, have made their own dog beds. You can re-purpose old t-shirts, towels, or sheets, they all work well.
4. We have made a few of our own toys, that our dogs have loved. The best one was a empty water bottle (lid off) inside a thick sock. They love it!!! It doesn’t take Jaxon long to destroy it, we recommend supervision with this toy. Amazon sells pet toys and supplies cheaper than most pet stores.
5. When going on vacation, boarding can be expensive.
Our clients have boarded their dogs at “dogs at camp” their info is on our website,1. and some clients have had great success with rover.com. This is a personal choice, both great.
6. Be creative using household items, for example, a stainless steel bowl works great as a water bowl. A gently-used futon could be used for a large breed dog bed. We recycled our children’s “kiddie pool” to use as a dog pool. (not at the same time lol)
7. Pet-proof your house to help prevent your canine from suffering an injury and having a costly vet bill. For example, all household chemicals, like bleach, ammonia or drain cleaner must be placed in a locked cupboard. All S.O.S pads and sponges locked away as well.
8. Make sure your dog gets lots of exercise.
Overweight dogs are more susceptible to diabetes, liver disease, and cardiac problems. This can be costly if your canine needs on-going medical treatment.
9. Do not skip routine vet care, this can save you money in the long run.
This is preventive health care. When your vet recommends a flea and tick preventive, use it. This prevents your dog from an infestation, which can lead to a bigger expense for treatment.