A Camera Shy Diego Hides on the Ceiling Fan
In honor of Diego, my pet Parrotlet’s, Hatch-Day, I thought today would be a good day to post about pets. I have three dogs and a bird so it’s an area that I am always looking for savings.
Selecting a Pet
When I got my first apartment, I REALLY wanted a dog. But I knew that it wouldn’t get the exercise and playtime that I would like for it to have. I eventually opted to get a bird, specifically a parrotlet. Stevie was not the most tame bird, but he was infinitely more entertaining than the parakeet I’d had as a kid. He loved to hang upside down and swing sideways on his swing. Had I done more research before falling in love with him at the pet store, I would have know that a hand-fed bird is the way to go. When birds are hand-fed from the time they are hatched until they are ready to eat on their own, they can become very tame. Stevie died last year at 15 years old. I eventually decided to get another parrotlet and found a local breeder that hand-fed her birds and even played with them. Diego is so much more tame. There is the initial output for the cost of the bird and a cage. But a small bird does not eat much and will be much less expensive than a larger pet. A pet bird can cuddle and even talk to you.
When looking for a pet, I highly recommend checking out rescue organizations. All of my dogs are rescues. I think they make great pets; it’s like they really appreciate the love and the home you provide them. In addition to rescues making great pets, they are usually a pretty good deal. My last dog came with all her vaccinations, was spayed and microchipped. Something to keep in mind when selecting a pet is its size. Not only will a larger pet eat more, but it will require larger more expensive doses of medication. I am amazed at the difference in cost between medication for my 10 pound dog and my 30 pound dog.
Food
Since the pet food recall of 2007, I have been especially vigilant about the food I feed my pets. At the time, I was feeding my dogs a more expensive brand that I thought was better for them. I was surprised to learn that much of that brand’s food was produced in China and subject to the recall. I quickly changed to a different brand. I do believe that the higher-quality, more expensive foods, are better for them and will ultimately be less expensive in the long run. Because the higher quality foods don’t contain as many fillers, you don’t have to feed the animal as much food. I currently feed my dogs Blue Buffalo. I have been very happy with it. My pug mix, Daisy, seems to have less allergy and gas issues since she started eating the Blue Buffalo. And I’ve found the price to be a little lower than the other foods we’ve used. I’ve also had better luck finding Blue Buffalo coupons than the other brands. I’ve found coupons in the Sunday paper and even high dollar coupons on Ebay. I usually purchase dog food at Petco because of their “Buy 10, Get 1 Free” deal. I have not reached the 10 bag mark yet, so I cannot give a complete review of the system. I have read of issues of people having trouble getting the coupon to receive the free bag, so I’ll keep you posted. Once I’ve purchased the 10th bag, I plan on changing my system a bit. I will begin purchasing smaller bags. Every coupon I’ve had is applicable to the small bag; and with the high-dollar coupons, you can even often get those bags free while still counting towards the ten for a free bag. My best bird food deals have been at Target and Doctors Foster and Smith. When I’m shopping at these stores, I always check the price on bird food and stock up if the price is right.
Vet Bills
When I adopted my third dog, I thought about the fact that she wouldn’t add much to my food bills but I don’t think I really appreciated how much that tiny dog was going to add to my yearly vet bills. When adopting a dog, keep in mind that even if they are healthy, they will nee to go to the vet at least once a year. But if they have any other issues, they will more likely go 2 or 3 times a year. Annual vaccines are very important to the well being of your animal and skipping them can ultimately cost you a lot more money. The best way I’ve found to save money on those vet trips is to combine them. If one dog has an issue and another dog is close to needing its annual exam, I will combine the visit. Some vets will charge you less for seeing two animals in one visit versus separate appointments. And if nothing else, it saves me time. If you have an animal that regularly suffers from a particular ailment, talk to your vet and see what you can do to prevent it. For example, one of my dogs gets ear infections at least once a year. I’ve found by using a cleaning solution and regularly cleaning her ears, those infections can often be prevented. Before your pet’s next exam, do some internet research and then ask your vet about preventative methods you’ve found.
Medication
Medication like heartworm preventative can be very expensive, especially if you have a larger dog. It is important to give your dog a monthly heartworm preventative. Not only would it cost much more to treat heartworms, the treatment is very painful for pets. I have saved money by purchasing heartworm preventative and flea treatments online instead of from my vet. Be careful about where you shop, some retailers have less than a stellar reputation. In fact my vet will only approve prescriptions for Doctors Foster and Smith. Be sure to check for coupon codes and wait for sales when possible.
Toys
My dogs can chew through toys pretty quickly. I think rubber Kongs and Nylabones are the only chew toys that they don’t destroy within a few minutes. If you have a smaller, less toothy pet, you might be able to get by with a less expensive chew toy. I’ve found that it’s a much better deal to purchase more expensive durable toys than multiple cheap toys. I usually buy Kongs and Nylabones either at Target, Amazon, or Doctors Foster and Smith. Unless there is a great deal at Petco or PetMart, these stores usually have much better deals. Dollar Tree has rope bones that are comparable or better than the $3-5 toys at the pet store. You can also consider making your own toys. The internet is full of instructions.
Grooming
Grooming expenses can add up quickly. When selecting a pet, consider short haired breeds over long haired ones. I selected my first two dogs partially based on the fact that they wouldn’t have to go to the groomer for haircuts. To save money, bathe your dogs yourself at home. If your dogs are more docile than mine you could try trimming their nails yourself. It would be impossible for me to clip my pug’s nails myself. Apparently pugs are notorious for not liking to have their nails trimmed, at least that’s what they tell me at Petsmart. Another option to save money on grooming is going to a dog grooming school. I recently took my long haired dog to a grooming school near my part time job. It wasn’t the best cut she’s ever had but it was half the price of the others.
Like with any other area, it pays to look around when shopping for you animals. While it can be hard to shop on a budget, once you find the right items and stores, it is possible to dramatically cut back on your pet expenses.
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