10 Simple Ways to Save Money for Pet Owners

At the end of the month I am always surprised how much money we spend on our pets. It can be expensive, making sure your pet has the very best.  So I thought it was time I created a strategy for how I could save money without depriving my pets of the things they deserve. Health Care is one of the most financially tasking expenses so I spoke with my Vet and asked how I could cut costs? He said that the best way to cut pet costs is to actively participate in a preventative care plan.

Here were some of his recommendations...

1) Brush your pet’s teeth. Teeth brushing can be as simple as using a cheap toothbrush and water. You can mix bouillon cubes and baking soda for homemade toothpaste as in this easy recipe.

2) Keep your pet’s fur clean!  Bathe your pet once a week and brushing them every day.  Weekly baths give you the chance to spot any problems on your pet’s coat and brushing ensures that your pet doesn’t develop painfully matted fur or hot spots.

3) Help eliminate unwanted germs by making your own doggie wipes.  In a zip bag or glass jar, fold up several paper towels.  Mix a cup of water and a few drops of doggie shampoo in a cup and then pour over the paper towels.  Seal them in a plastic bag and then you have some ready to use wipes for quick clean ups.

4) Eliminate harmful food additives by making your own dog treats!  Rachel Ray has some fun and easy recipes like these Pumpkin Biscuits that I can make up and then freeze so that my pups have some great treats available all the time.

5) Look in your veggie drawer for treats. My dogs love baby carrots, broccoli, and green peppers. Chat with your veterinarian and check a site like Dog Heirs to make sure that the veggies you are sharing aren’t toxic. This will add antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to your pet’s diet, helping ward off free radicals that may do your pet damage.

6) Know what is in your pet food.  Healthy pet food doesn’t have to break the bank, there are nutritious pet foods that are budget friendly.  I used Pet Food Talk to find more about the food I fed and other choices available.  This helps my pet get the nutrition and fuel they need for a healthy system.

7) Concentrate on protein by making your own jerky treats!  Most pet foods are high in carbohydrates and don’t include enough protein to support strong, healthy muscles (remember the heart is a muscle too!).  Purchase an inexpensive cut beef roast and cut it into thin strips. Bake those strips in an oven at 145 degrees for six hours. Store in a cool place sealed in an airtight container.

8) Keep your pet’s mind busy with “work to eat” toys.  They can be as simple as putting treats in a muffin tin and covering them with tennis balls to using a large cardboard box with some scrunched up newsprint or butcher paper.  Inside the box hide pet food, treats, and maybe even a Kong filled with peanut butter.  This will help your pet with some much-needed mental exercise and also provide them with a nutritious treat!

9) Maintain your pet’s exercise routine by creating a dog walking group.  I got together with a couple of my friends and we do a dog walk together three times per week.  Regular exercise will help keep your pet’s weight under control, warding off disease like diabetes and heart disease. If you don’t have time for a daily walk, get the help of a local dog walker to ensure your pet gets out and about!

10) Make sure your pet has companionship.  Lonely pets experience more health related issues then those with a “pet sibling”.  Add to your family by adopting a shelter or rescue pet and make sure your pet has constant companionship!

What is your favorite money saving tip for pet care?

MUST WATCH: Mufasa — Homeless senior dog rescued from a water treatment facility

Today I watched a video about a senior dog named Mufasa. Mufasa was found at a water treatment plant, alone, dirty, scared and hungry. Luckily, a rescue group named: Hope for Paws, came to Mufasa's rescue. At first the video is truly heartbreaking and then so healing as you watch this dog go from a scraggly throw away to a cuddly and lovable boy.

No one will probably know how he ended up there, however, Mufasa was at the water treatment plant long enough for the staff of the treatment plant to become concerned about him wandering among the chemically treated water in the open tanks. I can imagine that it was a difficult balance to decide how to rescue him while keeping him calm so he didn’t bolt blindly into an open, chemically treated water tank trying to escape his saviors.

When Mufasa maneuvered himself next to a staircase, his rescuers finally had a safe way of capturing him and getting him to safety. Watching the video, I honestly forgot to breathe while I waited for him to be saved!

According to the rescue site, Mufasa is now a happy, beautiful boy that is looking for a home. I only wish I had space for him, he so deserves a happy home for his golden years. This video is a must watch!

Would you adopt a senior dog for your family?

Bobo The Cat Loves Vacuum Cleaners (Compilation)

Meet Bobo the cat! As I watch Bobo get vacuumed, I had two thoughts: I wondered if that cat was just too lazy to groom himself by licking himself clean, and I wondered if I could teach my cat to like to be vacuumed (just because it looks kinda fun), without causing him too much anxiety.

On her YouTube channel, Krzysztof Smejlis said that she didn’t teach Bobo to get vacuumed. Kryzysztof said: "When he was a little kitten (about 2-3 months old) he liked to play with the brush. Now getting vacuumed is a ritual for him." She also cautions, “Because it's unusual behavior - please don't try this on your own cat (unless you're sure in 100% that he likes it like Bobo, otherwise, you could hurt him and he could hurt you).”

With her input, I believe I’ll just watch the Bobo videos and not try to vacuum a cat in my house because I believe my kitty would probably hate the noise and the sensation. Besides, if I do something that really upsets my kitty, she might quit bringing me those stellar gifts of dead mice and birds. I don’t know what I’d do without those sweet gifts at the foot of my bed on a cool morning!

Does your cat have some unusual behavior?

Munchkin the Teddy Bear gets her exercise ORIGINAL

Do you suffer from “Cuteness Overload Syndrome?”  Then you don’t want to watch this video! This Shih Tzu mommy took a stuffed teddy bear and made it into a costume for her dog by cutting out the face and fitting it to her Munchkin. She then taught Munchkin to walk on a treadmill.

Beyond the sheer cuteness of this video, I started to wonder how difficult it would be to teach a dog to walk on a treadmill.  I also thought about how convenient it would be to have a dog that would walk on a treadmill.  In fact, Tyler Muto Dogmanship created a video that teaches you just that! The most important things I learned from the video were to introduce the dog to a slow treadmill first, reward them for being interested in the treadmill, raise the speed to their natural gait as soon as possible, and to never leave a dog on a treadmill unattended! There were many other lessons to be learned and I’m eager to get started teaching my dog Buffy to walk on a treadmill.

In the meantime, I have to watch Munchkin again-- it just doesn’t get any cuter!

On Co-sleeping with Pets

I’m at home sitting in my king sized bed with my dog and kitty cuddled up next to me.  It never fails—our dogs always lay vertically, taking up the whole bed, leaving me squished to the wall or falling off the edge!

It turns out that dogs and people have been co-sleeping for centuries!  Dating back to Pre-Aztec culture, dogs acted as bed warmers and companions to people. In the Australian Outback, the saying: “three-dog night” was related to how many Dingo’s it took to stay warm.

It seems this habit has stood the test of time and has scientists studying both the benefits and disadvantages of co-sleeping with your pet.  Hal Herzog, PHD, conducted a study in an article for Psychology Today.  He studied over 1,000 people that co-slept with their pets and over 1,000 people that didn’t sleep with pets.  He found people who co-slept with their pets may take longer to fall asleep than people who did not co-sleep with pets.  Other than taking longer to fall asleep, there was no difference in the quality of sleep between the two groups.  In measuring the quality of their daily lives, people that co-slept with their pets were equally as productive and awake as people that slept in a pet-empty bed.  The study seems to shatter the myth that sleeping with your pet is problematic for your quality of rest.

I personally would have continued to sleep with my pets even if the study said it was not in my best interest!  But it is reassuring to know that sleeping with a healthy pet is not only fine but may bring psychological benefits to the owner.  A recent study in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine confirmed that my pets can lower my heart rate, promote regular breathing and relax my muscles. The study also found that my stress related hormones dropped even more quickly than if I had taken medication to lower them!

I find it exciting that the scientific evidence is clear, there are great benefits to sleeping with my pet, both because I just love snuggles and because it is just plain healthy. But what about the health of my pet?  Is it healthy for my pets to sleep with me? Behaviorist Dr. Marsha Reich of Maryland believes that under normal circumstances, co-sleeping is healthy for the pet as well.  Dr. Reich believes that if your pet exhibits grouchy behavior while in your bed that they may need to get off.  However, as long as they mind their manners, the pet can stay.  More good news for our fur family!

There is nothing better at night than being tucked in bed with all the folks in my home that I love.  I know I would not change that no matter what my research or professionals said.  I am so glad that the research matches my beliefs, being surrounded by the ones you love is just plain healthy for everyone!

Is there ever a reason you would not sleep with your pet?

Brody Brixton at Twelve Weeks

Brody Brixton is tiny little French bulldog that has already learned some big boy manners. He sits, shakes, and he can also ring a bell.  This mini boy stole my heart when I first saw him.

As I watched Brody, I couldn’t believe how well trained he was for such a young puppy. Then I remembered a dog show I attended where a trainer spoke of positive reinforcement training for puppies. The trainer shared how important it is to be consistent when training a puppy.  She emphasized the importance of consistency and that part of training is that the dog be needs to be able to predict the consequences for their behaviors, so it’s imperative that the owner establish consistent rewards for desired actions.  A dog should never be rewarded for a behavior that isn’t desired and remember, that giving attention does serve as a reward.  I remember thinking that I was going to have to be more conscious about what I was doing so that I didn’t encourage behavior I considered negative.

As I was listening to her explain how she taught her dog to do some mind-blowing tricks, I was struck by the patience that is required to work with a dog. She said that you can shape a dog’s behavior in just a few days and it is the owner’s responsibility to pay attention to their dog’s behaviors and then encourage the ones they would like to continue.  For example, if I want my dog to shake, I have to praise and reward him for just moving his paw. That will encourage him to lift his paw and that will encourage him to put his paw in my hand and ultimately to “shake”. I’ll be watching Brody again as he performs his magical little tricks, he is just irresistible.

What is the next trick you are going to teach your dog?

10 Dogs Who Love Their Cats

This inseparable duo...

This Golden who always wanted a kitten...

This Lab who hopes you don't mind being his furry chin rest...

These beach bums...

This Beagle who likes to show his love with impromptu cleaning sessions...

Flower children Oliver and Arashi

These furever friends...

This Husky that just wants to play!

These lookalikes...

...and last but not least...this patient pup and his kitten!

Do you have a photo to share? Send it to us at social@fetchpetcare.com for consideration.

Purina Beneful is Toxic?

On February 5th in Contra Costa County, California, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of dog owners.  The lawsuit alleges that the dry “kibble”  produced by Purina’s Beneful brand contains propylene glycol (a component in antifreeze) and mycotoxins (toxins produced by mold) , resulting in as many as 3,000 dogs' illness or death.

Frank Lucido, the pet parent of three dogs: a German Shepard, an English Bulldog, and a Labrador Retriever, purchased a bag of Beneful dog food in December 2014. He noticed after just two weeks that his German Shepard exhibited signs of poisoning.  After an examination by his vet, it was confirmed that the dog had internal bleeding, a compromised stomach and liver, which are symptoms consistent with poisoning.
In January Lucido’s wife found their beloved English Bulldog in the yard and he had sadly passed away.  The English Bulldog also tested positive for the same poisoning symptoms.  The Lucido’s took their Lab to the vet so that he could also been treated for the same poisoning symptoms—possibly saving his life.

Because of his experience and that of 3,000 other dog owners, Lucido filed a class action law-suit to try to compensate the owners for their vet expenses and to get the dog food removed from the market.  Testing by a third party lab confirmed the presence of mycotoxins, most likely from mold in the grain.  Other sources say that the propylene glycol, used to keep the food moist, is also a known toxin that was used to be in cat food until it was outlawed.

While we wait for the outcome of this case, dog experts are warning dog owners to check the Dog Food Advisor site and avoid food that has less than a 4 star rating.

ARF is Making Dreams Come True

Tony LaRussa has been a manager in major league baseball for over 33 years. Not only is he an influencer on the field, but he’s also managed to make a splash in the pet rescue community as well. In 1991 Tony and his wife Elaine cofounded the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) is located in Walnut Creek, California. The inspiration for the project came after Tony saved a kitten only to find out that there were no no-kill shelters in the East Bay of California. Tony decided to change that and opened ARF.

It was exciting to learn that ARF homes about 2,000 animals yearly and provides spay/neuter services to over 3,000.  They also provide classes for people and animals, have an emergency fund to help animals when they are sick, and collect and distribute over 170,000 pounds of food to animals that would have otherwise gone hungry.

Everyone knows the tune "You Make My Dreams" by Daryl Hall & John Oates. To help raise awareness of shelter pets in need, ARF put together this catchy lip dub that’s been trending on the web since it’s debut in early December. You can see how happy both shelter pets and volunteers alike are to be part of this amazing community. Watch and share with your friends – this is sure to put a smile on your face!

Should You Take Your Dog to Work?

My friend has been nagging me to take my dogs to work during so they wouldn’t be sitting at home all day.  I started doing some research on the pros and cons of animals in the work place and this is what I found:

A group of folks from the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia did a study published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management.  Their study found that pets did indeed lower the stress of their owner and the owners reported higher job satisfaction when they had their pets at work. Other studies have found that there are numerous other benefits to having a pet around, including: lowered blood pressure, more exercise, and that our pets are great entertainment.

With the evidence from the Virginia Commonwealth University study, I wondered why I still had a nagging feeling that pets didn’t belong at work. So I kept researching to see what else I could find. According to Ayyar Rohan, there are a lot of reasons to reconsider allowing pets in the workplace. 15% to 30% of the population is allergic to pets so bringing a pet into the office can actually compromise someone else’s health. A fellow employee doesn’t even have to share workspace to have an allergic reaction to a pet in the office; they can be affected by just being in the same building.

Another reason to avoid pets in the workplace is that the fear people have of dogs is second only to spiders and snakes. Though a dog may help some to be calmer and less stressed, it may cause a co-worker to have more stress, which would be a great reason for me to keep my dog home. I also wondered about the distraction that a pet might cause in the workplace. My dog would have to be taken out, possibly more regularly than my breaks would allow. It could also be tempting for my office mates to pay more attention to the dog and less attention to their co-workers, which could damage office bonding and become a distraction from work.

After considering all my options and the benefits, I’ve decided to take a third option for my pet family while I’m at work and hire my local Fetch! Pet Care. My dogs get to enjoy the socialization of going for walks, meeting people, and being in the community. My cats get to play with my pet care professional so they are stimulated. All of my pet kids know exactly when their playmate is due to come and I get to go to work knowing that my little family will be happily looking forward to the adventures of their day as I focus on the adventures of mine.

What do you think about pets in the workplace? Click here to find a Fetch! Pet Care location near you so that your dog is cared for when you're at work!

12 Pets Who Are Living Valentines

This cat who wears his heart on his chest.

This chocolate Valentine...

This lil' ball of fur...

This living Care Bear...

This kitty who dons Angel wings...

This Corgi with the cutest bum in the world...

This heart-shaped duo...

This very patient Golden...

These lovers...

This Boxer who has mastered the art of the loving stare...

This puppy who has reached max cuteness potential (is that even possible?)

These yin and yang friends.

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Have a Valentine's Day photo of your pets to share? Send them to us at social@fetchpetcare.com. Thank you!

Run Derby, Run!

Derby was born with limb differences in his front legs where they do not have all the bones that they should. Although his foster mom did try to create a solution by putting wheels under him, the wheels still did not allow him to turn quickly or to run like his foster family was hoping.

Derrick Campana, CO of Animal Ortho Care and his team found a way to help Derby the same way that the team of folks from E-nable are helping children with limb differences, using a 3-D printer. I spoke to Derrick about Derby last week. Derrick said that Derby was a new challenge to Animal Ortho Care. They often make legs for dogs that have amputations or braces to help dogs. However, for Derby they had to figure out how to help him with legs that would accommodate his different feet. Their first thought was to make Derby some blades like humans with limb differences use to run. However, they soon figured out that the blades would not work the same in a dog as in a human. Then they came up with the innovative design that could be printed on a 3-D printer.

When designing Derby’s feet, the goal was to keep Derby close to the ground in the beginning so that he didn’t have trouble learning balance and could get used to his new feet. He has since received more sets of feet that are higher and he will soon be running on full height feet!

Derby is a pioneer in the field of helping dogs with limb differences run. With his help, more dogs will soon be able to go for walks, and even run.

Red Solo Cups and Baby Bulldogs [Video]

Baby bulldogs -- what would be cuter? These tiny puppies can be no older than a few weeks and they are clearly playing with red solo cups. I guess that means they are very smart dogs! So what would it be like to have a baby bulldog in the family?

I did a little research and found out a bit about these cute little dogs. According to the site, “How to Train English Bulldog Puppies” by Louise Lawson, bulldogs are very smart and also very stubborn. If you don’t start training them at 8 weeks, they will be training you. That sounds suspiciously like what happened with my Peyton sometimes, even though he’s not
a bulldog.

Did you know that short-nosed breeds can overheat easily? I had no idea that they would, and Louise says that is why you should always crate short-nosed dogs in crates that get good ventilation, like a wire crate.

Louise goes on to share some great suggestions to train a baby English Bulldog puppy, and it could go for other puppies, too. I know I’ll incorporate several in my routine, including working on obedience commands.

What’s the cutest thing your pup did when he was a tot?

What My Vet Wishes You Knew

While in my veterinarian’s office the other day, we started talking. She mentioned that there were so many things that most veterinarians wished that their clients knew. She believes that her patients could get better care if they would just do a few things differently while also adding a few things to their pet care routine.

The first item on her list is a yearly checkup. The yearly checkup is an opportunity for her to hear all about how my dog Buffy is doing. Regular checkups give the Vet the opportunity to catch any problems that may come up with all pets (especially with cats). Cats can hide their illness and injuries until it is too late.

The second item on the Vet’s list is dental care. In addition to preventing cavities and infection, good dental care can prevent some heart and kidney diseases. I kinda felt like one of “those” pet owners when I purchased the pet-specific toothbrushes and chicken flavored toothpaste…guess I need to get over that.

Here’s an interesting fact for you, did you know that about 52% of all dogs and cats in the U.S. are overweight? Veterinarians say that on average, a pet that is overweight lives two years less than one that is average weight. Pets, like my Buffy, that could normally deal with some bone issues find that they are in too much pain to survive them if they are overweight. I’m feeling better about keeping her on that diet because I don’t want to lose her to obesity.

Overweight pets are also at higher risk for other ailments like arthritis and heart disease. To prevent all my pets from becoming obese, we pay attention to portion control, and they get NO people food. The other side of the equation is to make sure that everyone gets lots of exercise, both physical and mental, so lots of games and lots of walks for all of us.

Which brings me to Dr. Lawson’s fourth recommendation: hygiene routine. Part of our bedtime routine now includes brushing those canines, and our weekend chores include baths and pedicures (and the wrestling matches that are probably good exercise for me, too). Bath time works well for also checking Buffy’s skin and looking for strange lumps and bumps that don’t belong. We also make sure that the first Saturday of every month is preventive medication day – Frontline, Heartgard, etc. By creating a schedule, I’m less likely to forget preventative care and just like my pets, I love routine.

Finally, Dr. Lawson said that she wishes that everyone knew that veterinarians don’t mind if you get a second opinion or request a referral to a specialist. The veterinary professionals welcome all the information they can get. With information, they can take better care of your family members. Veterinarians don’t even mind when you do web research and share the results of your searches, as long as you make sure you’re searching credible sites with quality information. That is good to know since I’m almost an Internet junkie and look up all the information I can find about what is happening with the health of my crew.

Here’s a handy chart to keep next to the family calendar or somewhere you’ll notice it to help remind you of your pet’s health routine...

Setting Us Up for Success in 2015

After the fun and frivolity of the holiday, I feel the guilt over the extra pounds, extra couch time, and extra fun. I feel extra pressure to set some goals for the New Year so I can get my life “back on track”. Spending time with my dog, Peyton, is at the top on my resolutions list.

Tasha Eurich, Ph.D. says in her article, “The Science Behind Successful New Year’s Resolutions” that there are a couple of secrets to keeping your resolutions. One way to be successful is to work on only one thing at a time. Eurich reminds us that the late Stephen Covey advocated putting first things first, pick the resolution that will give you the biggest payoff and work on only that. I know that the time I spend with Peyton is always has the biggest payoff for both of us.

When training Peyton, I found that instead of teaching him to quit doing something, it was much more productive to have him learn a behavior that is more desirable to do instead, for example, he loves to chew. Instead of chewing up my shoes, I have provided a lot of other choices of chewies and taught him to find one when he needs to chew. Dr. Eurich says that the same can be done for humans. Maybe I can change my clothes when I get home from work and take Peyton for a walk instead of sinking into the couch and then trying to talk myself into getting up and getting out again. The extra incentive is that when Peyton realizes that this is routine, he will encourage me to continue walks when I get home from work. I know he won’t give up easily!

Finally, Dr. Eurich recommends that I practice my resolution every day A research study by . K. Anders Ericsson, Michael J. Prietula, Edward T. Cokely and Daniel Coyle all show by research that greatness isn’t born, it is achieved by consistent practice every day. They proved that marathon runners don’t have any different bodies than anyone else, they just train every day for the months leading up to the marathon. Not only will I do walks with Peyton regularly, I can do more challenging activities for both of us. 

What will we do next?! My mind goes directly to running a marathon. Peyton could do that with me, except I don’t like to run. I watch the dogs on television that dance and do tricks. I think we could do that. And maybe we can if we are consistent and I’m realistic enough to know it isn’t my personality. So what will work for us? So I decided to consult with Sam the Trainer to see if he had some basics skills that every adult dog should have. He said that every dog should be:

✔ Well socialized: good with me, family, friends, strangers, and other animals in any setting

✔ House trained: 100% trustworthy indoors

✔ Well-mannered: in home and in public

✔ Obedient: able to do sit, down, heel, come off leash and with distractions, obedient up to 100 yards from me and even if he can’t see meOk that gives me a few things to work on!  Sam the Trainer has some advanced skills that we can work up to like agility (I think we’d love to do this), retrieving on command and tracking.  This could be overwhelming. Then Sam the Trainer gave me some more advice, “Note that none of this comes automatically. To get the most out of your dog takes planning and effort.”

Karen Pryor is a clicker trainer (which I find fascinating), and she says that teaching nose targeting is the most important skill. For those of you who aren’t familiar with nose targeting, it is essentially a building block in dog training where the dog is taught to touch it’s nose to a target being held close to the nose. Karen says that if a dog has the nose target skill then you can substitute it, in a pinch, for another skill the dog has yet to learn. I’ll be looking into her book, “Fired up, Frantic, and Freaked Out”.

I know there is still a lot of research I need to do and then I need to come up with a written plan with a schedule. I also know that planning for our future is one of the most rewarding things I will do for both of us in the coming year.

Bath Time Heaven: Barry the Pug in the tub.

My dogs know when it is bath time way before I even setup the bath. They scatter and hide. A task that usually takes a few minutes becomes an ordeal that takes at least an hour and involves wrestling.

Then there is Barry the Pug. This little guy practically begs for a bath, luxuriating in the warm water, the attention, and all the rubs. His owner has a little bath set up for him. I can
totally relate to the bliss this little guy feels. I also think there is nothing better than a warm bath.

The Pug in bath is video #23 of the series of videos made by Barry’s owner, David Stanton. Most of the videos are about David’s carpentry skills, however, Barry is an unusual dog and the video of him taking a bath has become so popular that David did another video of him. In this video, Barry is eating fruit. David says that Barry isn’t very fond of dog food and prefers fruit. His sister, obviously, prefers dog food.

Now Barry is a bit of a social media star, maybe we’ll get to see more of him and all his quirky ways. 

Have a video tip? Send them to us at social@fetchpetcare.com