Ask Your Vet For Coupons And Samples
Note: No harm in asking around
Often various companies provide vets with free samples of various product for marketing purposes.
And Scooby earns a lot of them, so you too can ask your vet if they have any free samples or coupons and your vet will be happy to give them to you.
Plus, your vet knows exactly what will suit your dog and what not. So, your vet will be giving you the best samples which you can try with your dog.
And if your pet likes the sample food, then, later on, you can buy the same from various stores. For online shopping, you can try Chewy as well.
How Do You Know How Many Calories To Feed Your Dog
Here is the equation to calculate your dog’s caloric need:
30 x weight in kg +70 = daily calorie requirement for an adult dog
To convert your dog’s weight from pounds to kilograms, simply take your dogs weight and divide it by 2.2.
For example, my dog weighs 80 lbs. Therefore, his weight in kilograms is about 36.4 lbs.
So, for my 80 lb dog:
30 x 36.4 + 70 = 1162 calories a day
Here a cheat sheet for a couple of different weights:
- 10 lbs – 30 x 4.5 + 70 = 205 calories
- 20 lbs – 30 x 9.1 + 70 = 343calories
- 30 lbs – 30 x 14 + 70 = 490 calories
- 40 lbs – 30 x 18 + 70 = 610 calories
- 60 lbs – 30 x 27 + 70 = 880 calories
More Ways To Save Money On Raw Feeding
Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned more ways to save money from fellow raw feeders and through my own experience and I’m updating this post with more tips.
22 Connect with a mobile butcher this is a person who goes to farms to slaughter/butcher animals and a fellow raw feeder suggested that we inquire about what is done with the parts of the animal the farmer doesn’t keep maybe we can purchase it off of the butcher or farmer for our pets.
23 Don’t be a short-order cook. Find affordable proteins that all of your dogs can eat. Rodrigo is sensitive to chicken, turkey, and beef. I no longer feed chicken and turkey and I swapped out the beef for grass-fed beef that I source from local homesteaders .
24 Check the want ads for an army base. Someone told me that when soldiers are deployed, they’ll often sell everything in their freezer. If you live near a military base, find out where the military personnel might post such ads.
25 Make sure you’re not overfeeding your dogs. When I started feeding raw, I leaned too heavily on raw feeding calculators and ended up overfeeding my dogs. All of them. They’re down to a healthier weight now, which means that the food I purchase lasts longer .
Read: Rethinking Supplements I Feed to My Dogs
Read: 5 Benefits of Fasting Raw Fed Dogs
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How To Achieve Financial Freedom With The Right Mindset
As we touched on earlier, coming at your life from a space of lack simply perpetuates more of the same. As I always say: your environment doesnt lie. Look around you, if youre dissatisfied with any aspect of your life, you first need to accept responsibility for it. If you dont, youre abdicating your power to make new choices.
You may well have been the victim of circumstance in the past, but how you respond and what you do with that experience is up to you. If you choose to look for the positive, however minor it might be in any given situation your experience of life will begin to change.
This is, in essence, what The Law of Attraction is all about. What lies behind it is your reticular activating system . The part of your brain designed to filter out the unless information, highlight the important information and prioritize your safety. Thanks to it being part of your primeval/lizard brain however, it predates the conscious mind, intellect and reason.
The issue for a lot of us is that we havent understood how to communicate in a way that our RAS understands. We cant translate our conscious desires and are therefore caught in a loop between two incongruous forces.
Heres how:
Join Pet Store Loyalty Clubs
Join the Petco Pals Rewards program and youll receive a $5 gift card for every $100 in purchases.
Buy food thats already on sale, and with your rewards card you can rack up on savings over time. Most of the major pet supply retailers have similar programs.
Sign up for several if you shop in more than one place.
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What Are Your Favorite Money Saving Tips For Dog Owners
How do you save money on dog supplies? Do you make your own dog toys or treats? Do you bathe and trim your dogs nails at home? Let me know in the comments below.
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Use What Youve Already Got
I am ashamed to say that I own a clip-on doggy bag dispenser for taking on walks. I was lured in by the adorable bone-shaped container, and perceived convenience, even though I have a never-ending supply of perfectly good plastic bags from the grocery store.
The lesson here is not to pay money for things to throw out.
Old sofa or patio furniture cushions make great dog beds, as do outgrown crib mattresses. Have a look around the house the possibilities are seemingly endless!
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Make Your Own Pet Food
Theres nothing wrong with buying pet food from the store if youre happy with the price and want to save time. But if youre trying to reduce your pet food bill, making meals for your pet is one of the most cost-effective options.
Many homemade dog food recipes call for inexpensive ingredients like carrots, beans, rice, flour, and even baby food to provide bulk and nutrients. Recipes require a protein source, but even then, you can keep it affordable.
For starters, you can buy meat thats on sale to save money. Dogs can also eat muscle and organ meats, so you can use ingredients like chicken liver, which costs around $1.75 at Walmart for a 1.25-pound container.
One effective way to find homemade dog food recipes is to ask your vet for advice. You should also consult your vet before making any dietary changes for your pet, even if you already know several recipes. Another source for recipes is to search dog food recipes online.
For example, the turkey-and-vegetable dinner recipe from SkinnyMs. calls for:
- Lean ground turkey
- Cauliflower florets
- Some olive oil
The recipe yields eight servings, and the cost of vegetables in this recipe is under $2. Lean ground turkey costs approximately $3.50 to $4.25 per pound at Walmart, depending on the brand. Ultimately, that means this recipe yields eight servings for under $10, so youre paying less than $1.50 per meal, though it could cost more or less based on your dogs size.
- Tuna
- Bone meal tablets
- A multiple vitamin-mineral tablet
Work Your Social Network
Theres one pretty cool thing that happens when you get a dog that few people expect: Youll meet lots of other owners. And many times, you can use this to your advantage. Other owners will often hear about sales and specials that you missed, and they can also be a source for second-hand items.
So, be sure to reach out to your friends with dogs and join a few local dog-owner groups. Keep your eyes peeled for good deals that your pals share, and never be afraid to ask your friends if they know of any deals before you make major purchases.
It may even make sense to buy some items as a group to benefit from the power of bulk buying. This probably wont work for highly individual things like food, but there are a lot of broadly useful items such as training clickers and toys that are cheaper when purchased in bulk. Also, by pooling your resources, youll all pay less for shipping too.
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Learn To Trim Your Dogs Nails
You may think that trimming your dogs nails is largely a cosmetic issue, but its actually important for your pets health . Dogs with severely overgrown nails can end up having difficulty walking and suffer from joint problems over time.
Most vets will trim nails as a matter of practice, but you probably dont take your dog to the vet once a month. So, many owners have to make a monthly or bi-weekly trek to the grooming salon or local pet store to have the deed completed. This will usually only cost ten bucks or so, but thats ten bucks you can often avoid spending.
Nail trimming isnt exactly easy , but owners can learn to do the task on their own. Try to start while your pup is young so he gets used to the procedure, and be sure to trim your pups nails on a consistent basis.
We walk you through the nail-trimming process here and recommend a few good tools for the job.
An Announcement On Social Networks
Right now, there is nothing in the world that works better than a page on a social network, regardless of what it is. To take the example of Facebook: you could search for i specialized groups on animals or that relate precisely to the adoption of puppies, those of dog lovers like you and once inserted simply write a announcement and be ready to respond to any offer will seem appropriate. This is one of the absolute most effective methods.
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Invest In Pet Insurance
Ill admit that the link between pet insurance and dog food isnt immediately clear, but stick with me for a moment. Have you ever looked at the prices of specialist, veterinary dog foods? Theyre enough to make your eyes water. Feeding those foods can leave a serious dent in your wallet.
Assuming your dog is currently in good health, it might be wise to invest in a good quality pet insurance plan. Doing so can help to ensure your dog gets the best possible medical care or may even contribute to the cost of buying such foods.
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Go For Ingredients Not Brand
Knowing the best and quality ingredients on dog food is imperative. The key factor to keep in mind is the type of ingredients used in different foods.
Compare different brands and if the ingredients are the same, you need to be smart. Buy quality at an affordable price.
Always have the best knowledge on what to go for and where to get the best. This allows you to maintain the quality of food you give to your dog as you save money.
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Ways To Save Money On Raw Dog Food
If you’re interested in feeding raw, but freaked out by the cost, there are plenty of ways to save money. However, you’ll have to be willing to make raw dog food yourself.
3 Reach out to brands to see if they offer a discount on bulk orders.
4 Contact distributors and local pet stores about a discount on bulk orders.
5 Connect with other raw feeders in your area to see how they save on raw.
6 Connect with other raw feeders to see if they’ll go in on a discounted bulk order.
7 Shop sales at the grocery store, Walmart, or discounted grocery stores.
8 Contact your local butcher to see if they sell trim or parts that they’d otherwise throw away.
9 Search online forums and Craigslist for hunters who may be willing to sell meat or the trim be sure to check local laws to make sure that they can sell you their excess meat.
10 Join the mailing list of Raw Paws Pet Food to be the first to learn about discounts and sales.
11 Go hunting.
12 Learn about the roadkill laws in your state can you take a dead deer to be butchered? It’s important to note that not all roadkill is fit for consumption.
13 Raise your own meat chickens, ducks, rabbits, etc.
14 Post an add to Craigslist or the FB Marketplace for old meat that people would otherwise throw out. Keep in mind that you will have to add more taurine and other nutrients because it does degrade in old meat.
18 Contact local farms to ask about their butchering schedules and if the meat is available.
Homemade Dog Fooddoes It Save Money
Making your own dog food can save you money in the right circumstance, but that’s not usually why folks choose to do it. Changing your dog to a homemade diet can be a challenge. Finding the time to make it and figuring out methods of storing and getting the recipe right all take extra work. Weigh these factors with the possibility that making your own food can be even more expensive than buying dry food from a bag.
The draw of making your own dog food is that you know exactly what goes into it. The food brands that are super transparent about their ingredients and use only quality, grain-free foods are going to be very pricey. If you want super quality ingredients to feed your pup, making your own food will help you save money.
In order to make homemade dog food cheaper than buying it at the store, you will have to use a good amount of “filler” ingredients like rice. Rice is not inherently bad for most dog breeds it just does not add a lot of nutritional or energy value to their diets. A dog’s metabolism runs on protein and fats they can’t make use of carbs as well as humans can.
Consider making homemade dog food.
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How Do I Make This Homemade Grain
In an Insta Pot or pressure cooker:
*I have a Ninja Foodi All-In-One 6.5 Qt. If you make this in a smaller pressure cooker, you will need to halve the ingredients as they will not all fit*
- roughly chop the carrots, potatoes, chicken and pork
- place the ingredients in the pressure cooker
- add 1-2 cups of water
- seal the vent and set the timer for 15 minutes
- allow to naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes and then manually release the remaining steam
- stir in the eggs and the coconut oil
IN a Slow cooker:
- roughly chop the carrots, potatoes, chicken and pork
- place the ingredients in the slow cooker
- add 1-2 cups of water
- set the timer for 3 hours on “HI” or 6 hours on “LOW”
- once cooked, stir in the eggs and the coconut oil
In the oven:
*This is much more time consuming as you have to puree all the ingredients*
- in a food processor, puree the chopped carrots and once pureed, place them in a large bowl.
- Repeat the same procedure for the chopped potatoes
- Place the potatoes in the same bowl as the carrots
- Repeat the same procedure for the chicken and the pork
- Once all the ingredients have been pureed, add the eggs and coconut oil to the mixing bowl
- Stir to incorporate all the ingredients
- Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes
A bowl of DIY Homemade Human-Grade Grain-Free Dog Food
Stay Away From Chain Stores
Dog food from a pet supply chain is always overpriced. The first part of saving money on food for your pet is realizing that the cat and dog food you can buy at your local pet supply chain store is at least 10% more expensive than what you should be paying. Prices fluctuate based on sales, which is not what you want to subject your wallet to. Instead, get smart about where you buy their food and how you buy their food.
Consider your options for saving money by shopping online.
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Saving Money On Pet Food
Bringing an animal into your life is not a decision to make lightly. Its essential to do your research before you commit to caring for a living being over the next several years. Dont be one of those guys who abandons a pet just because its become inconvenient doing this should disqualify you from ever being a parent to a human child.
How much exercise and stimulation do different kinds of dogs need? What can rats eat? Which breeds of cats are best for allergies? If you have small children, what pets are tough enough to safely tolerate affectionate but clumsy handling?
Another question you should ask yourself during this process is: how much does it cost to feed this kind of pet? This will probably be followed closely by how to save money on dog food?, as pet ownership, at least if youre a responsible owner, is bound to cost a pretty hefty amount each month. Dont give up on your dream of having your own all-in-one security system, couch warmer, therapist, and personal trainer just yet, though. It is indeed possible to save on dog food and other essentials. If you have any additional tips, please share them with our other readers nobody should be forced to go without a pet just because theyre broke.