First of all, let me say that I did NOT write this article, so please understand, I take absolutely NO credit for it. I get emails from the Humane Society, including the "Adoption Tip of the Day". This was today's adoption tip, and I couldn't resist sharing it. Those who know me know that I usually have over 10 animals in my house at any given time, and am always looking for money-saving ideas. I thought this was brilliant and a real money-saver when it comes to dogs and treats!
How to Stuff a KONG Toy
What’s a KONG?
The KONG is a nontoxic, dishwasher-safe rubber toy with a hollow center. When stuffed with food, it provides dogs with a healthy outlet for their natural desire to chew and lick. KONGs come in many sizes, from very tiny to extra-large. Some are made for puppies with baby teeth, some are made for regular chewers and some are made for dogs with powerful jaws. There’s a
KONG out there for every dog!
Why Give Your Dog a KONG?
Nature made dogs to hunt, forage, scavenge and work for their food—not have it delivered for free in a bowl! One reason dogs develop behavior problems is sheer boredom, resulting from a lack of physical exercise, problem solving and outdoor exploration and investigation. To make your dog’s life more enjoyable, you can give him fun “work” to do when he’s home alone or
when you can’t play with him.
Food puzzle toys give dogs a chance to work for their food. These toys are sturdy containers, usually made of hard rubber or plastic, that can hold food or treats. They usually have holes on each end or on the sides. A dog must work to get food to come out by shaking, pawing, rolling, nibbling or licking a puzzle toy. The effort dogs make to get their food from these toys eases boredom, reduces destructive behavior and lessens the anxiety they can feel when alone. In addition to the KONG, here are some of our favorite puzzle toys:
The Tug-a-Jug™, the Twist ‘n Treat™ and the Squirrel Dude™ by
Premier Pet Products
· The Buster® Cube
· The Tricky Treat™ Ball
· The Atomic Treat Ball™
· The TreatStik®
How to Use a KONG
You can stuff KONGs with almost any kind of food your dog likes. Feed him his meals in a KONG by mixing his regular kibble with a little canned dog food, cottage cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, canned pumpkin or mashed banana. After spooning the mixture into the KONG, you can use a bit of cream cheese or peanut butter to seal everything in. You can also fill your dog’s KONGs with special snacks to supplement his diet. See the recipes below for
creative KONG-stuffing ideas.
Start Out Easy
Dogs don’t automatically know how to use food puzzle toys. They need to learn how. When you introduce your dog to the KONG, you’ll need to make it easy for him to empty it so he doesn’t get discouraged and give up. Use small pieces of kibble or treats that will fall out of the KONG easily.
Make It Harder
When your dog learns how to use the KONG and can empty easy KONGs quickly, you can make his job more difficult. He’ll love the challenge!
· Use bigger pieces of food. Wedge chunks of fruits and veggies and larger biscuits inside the opening of the KONG.
· Put a few cubes of cheese inside the KONG. After stuffing it with the cheese and some of your dog’s regular food, put the KONG in the microwave for just five to eight seconds so that the cheese gets sticky and soft. (Be sure that the KONG is completely cool before you give it to your dog.)
· Hide your dog’s KONGs around your home. Dogs love finding hidden food and unpacking stuffed food puzzle toys! Try putting your dog’s breakfast in KONGs and hiding them right before you leave for work in the morning. Your dog will have a great time working for his meal while you’re away. (A word of warning: Some dogs can make a bit of a mess while enjoying
KONGs. If a KONG has soft or wet food inside it—or if your dog tends to drool a lot when chewing on tings—you might want to give him KONGs only when he’s in his crate, outside or confined in a room with flooring that’s easy to clean, like tile or linoleum.)
· Make a KONGcicle! They’re great for spring and summertime outdoor enjoyment. First, put a dab of peanut butter at the bottom of the KONG to seal the small hole. Then turn the KONG upside down and place it in a cup. Stuff the KONG with kibble, canned food, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, banana or anything else you like. Pour a little chicken broth or gravy into
the KONG and freeze it overnight.
KONG Stuffing Recipes
Here are some of our favorite recipes. Give them a try—or make up special recipes of your own! Just be sure to avoid foods that can be dangerous to your dog, like onions, garlic, avocados, macadamia nuts, bread dough, grapes and raisins, moldy foods, artificial sweeteners, fatty cuts of meat and chocolate. If you’re unsure about what’s safe to feed your dog, contact his
veterinarian for advice and please see our article, Foods That Are Hazardous to Dogs
<http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/71/Foods-That-Are-Hazardous-to-Dogs-..
aspx> .
Main Courses
The Basic KONG
You’ll need:
· A special treat for “dessert,” like a cube of freeze-dried liver or jerky
· Your dog’s kibble
· Canned dog food
· Sticky sealer (a blob of peanut butter, processed cheese or cream cheese)
Drop the special treat into the bottom of the KONG. Then mix together your dog’s kibble and a few spoonfuls of canned dog food. Spoon the mixture into
the KONG. When the KONG is filled, seal all the food inside using a dab of peanut butter, a smear of processed cheese or a little cream cheese. If you find that your dog can lick the KONG clean within just a few minutes, try freezing it overnight before giving it to him to satisfy him longer.
Meat and Potatoes
You’ll need:
· Ground turkey, chicken, lean hamburger or cubed chuck steak or roast
· Potatoes, brown rice, cooked oatmeal or crumbled whole wheat bread
· Kidney beans and grated raw or lightly steamed veggies
Combine equal parts meat and potatoes or grain. Stir in a spoonful of beans and a sprinkle of raw grated or steamed and mashed veggies. Freeze the KONG overnight or serve it warm.
Chicken Stew
· 1 whole chicken or fryer parts (breast and thighs)
· Potatoes or cooked brown rice, oatmeal or millet
· Vegetables: Some that dogs like raw (grated or finely chopped) are parsley, carrots, zucchini, lettuce, bell peppers (green, red, orange and yellow), fresh corn, celery, tomatoes and beets. Some veggies that dogs enjoy steamed are green beans, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, potatoes and hard winter squash.
In a soup kettle, cover the chicken with water, lightly salt and spice to taste, and add chopped veggies—celery, carrots, diced tomato, bell pepper, etc. If you’re using potato, add that to the stew as well. If you’re using grains, cook them separately. When the stew is done, you’re ready to combine everything. Put equal parts of meat and grain or potato in a large bowl, along with a tablespoon or two of the vegetables. (The vegetables should amount to about five percent of your dog’s meal.) Then spoon the mixture into a KONG. If you’re going to freeze the KONG, you can add some broth as
well.
Itchy Dog KONG (for dogs with allergies on restricted prescription diets)
Because dogs with food allergies usually can’t have regular treats or chews,it can be challenging to come up with ways to add variety to their diets. Using KONGs to feed your allergic dog can help spice up his life. Just be sure to check with his veterinarian or dermatologist for a list of approved
foods before you get started. The following recipe includes ingredients that many dogs with food allergies can eat. You’ll need:
· Your dog’s prescription kibble
· A few spoonfuls of water or prescription canned food
· Grated, steamed or raw asparagus spears, broccoli, zucchini and/or carrots
· A few chunks of apple, banana, watermelon, cantaloupe, a strawberry, some blueberries or a section of orange
· A hypoallergenic biscuit, formulated for dogs with food allergies(ask your dog’s veterinarian about where to find these)
· Baked russet or sweet potato
· Vegetarian refried beans
First drop the fruit into the bottom of the KONG for dessert. Then mix together your dog’s kibble, the wet food or water, and the veggies. Put a spoonful or two of the mixture into the KONG. Then put a chunk or two of potato in. Repeat, layering the mixture and potato until the KONG is almost filled. Finally, cram the biscuit into the end of the KONG. Seal everything in with a dab of the vegetarian refried beans. Serve warm, at room
temperature or frozen.
Snack KONGs
Warm Veggie Delight
You’ll need:
· Cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, green beans, tomatoes, peas and/or carrots (use any or all of the above)
· Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Chop the veggies into chunks, grate them or steam and mash them. Put a few veggies into a KONG. Sprinkle in a spoonful of cheese. Repeat, layering the veggies and cheese until the KONG is full. Then microwave the KONG for five to eight seconds, just until the veggies are warm and the cheese is soft. Make sure the veggies and cheese aren’t too hot to eat before giving the KONG to your dog. To challenge him, you can freeze the KONG after stuffing
and microwaving it. (The melted cheese will be hard to get out after it’s been frozen with the veggies.)
Western KONGmelete
You’ll need:
· One egg
· Cheese
· Bell peppers and tomatoes
Grate the bell peppers or lightly steam them. Chop the tomatoes into chunks. Then scramble one egg with a sprinkle of cheese. Spoon the cheesy egg and the veggies into a KONG. Seal the KONG with a small chunk of cheese. Serve warm.
Fido’s Fruit Salad
You’ll need:
· Cottage cheese or yogurt (only use plain or naturally sweetened yogurt—not yogurt with artificial sweeteners, which can be toxic to dogs)
· Apples, banana and melon (any kind)
· One small marshmallow
Cut the fruit into chunks and put them into a KONG until the toy is about two-thirds of the way full. Holding the KONG upside down, spoon cottage cheese or yogurt into the remaining space. Finally, finish by putting a small marshmallow into the KONG. Serve at room temperature or frozen.
“Pupkin” Pie
You’ll need:
· Canned or freshly cooked pureed pumpkin
· Yogurt or cottage cheese (only use plain or naturally sweetened yogurt—not yogurt with artificial sweeteners, which can be toxic to dogs)
· Cooked oatmeal
· Low-fat graham cracker
Put a spoonful of cooked oatmeal at the bottom of the KONG to seal the small hole. Then put two spoonfuls of pumpkin into the KONG. Follow with a spoonful of yogurt or cottage cheese. Repeat, layering the pumpkin and yogurt or cottage cheese until the KONG is almost full. Then cram a few pieces of graham cracker into the end of the KONG. Serve warm or frozen.
The Nutty Monkey
You’ll need:
· Half a banana, cut into slices
· Peanut butter
· Roasted peanuts
· Plain, vanilla or strawberry yogurt (only use plain or naturally sweetened yogurt—not yogurt with artificial sweeteners, which can be toxic to dogs)
· A spoonful of wheat germ
Put a blob of peanut butter into an empty KONG to seal the small hole at the bottom. Add a few roasted peanuts. Mix the banana slices with a few spoonfuls of yogurt and the wheat germ. Then spoon the mixture into the KONG. Seal the KONG at the top with another blob of peanut butter. Serve at
room temperature or frozen.
Late-for-Work KONGs (As Easy As It Gets)
Running late? If you’re busy and don’t have time to create culinary works of art, you can simply take a few seconds to try the following ideas. This is KONG stuffing at its fastest!
· Keep a stash of halved bananas in your freezer. When you’re on the run, just grab a banana half and slide it into a KONG. Or slice an apple into wedges and insert one or two of those into a KONG.
· Cram a large dog biscuit or two into a KONG. If necessary, squeeze the KONG when inserting the biscuits to change the shape of the hole and fit them in.
· If you feed your dog raw food, try purchasing frozen raw medallions, which easily pop into a KONG. Just turn the KONG upside down on a counter, large hole facing up, and push the medallion into the KONG using the heel of your palm.
· Use a squirt of Cheez Whiz®. Just insert the nozzle into the small end of the KONG and squeeze in some cheese. You can also use a similar product made by the KONG Company, called KONG Stuff’N™ Paste, which comes in liver and peanut butter flavors.
· Smear a spoonful of peanut butter or cream cheese (preferably low-fat) on the inside walls of a KONG. If you think that your dog might finish licking out the KONG too quickly, consider preparing a few peanut butter or cream cheese KONGs in advance and leaving them in your freezer for
quick use when you’re in a hurry.
Bon appétit! For more great recipe ideas and information on serving sizes and ensuring complete nutrition with home-cooked meals, we recommend Dr. Pitcairn’s New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Richard Pitcairn, DVM; Real Food for Dogs: 50 Vet-Approved Recipes to Please the Canine Gastronome by Arden Moore; and Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: the Healthful Alternative by Donald Strombeck, DVM, PhD.
Source:http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/76/How-to-Stuff-a-KONG-Toy.aspx
Back to my own words now.... There are a few things I will recommend when considering giving your dog a tasty KONG treat. He will love it! Especially if he's never had this extra special treat. He will love it so much, in fact, that if there are other animals around, he will be prepared to defend it. Please use caution in multi-pet households. In our house, we only give food and special treats to our dogs while they are in the safety of their own crates. Even then, they will sometimes "fight" through their crates.
The special KONG treat has been particularly useful for me in crate-training my rescue dogs. Lilly, our "mama dog", was the most difficult to crate train. She actually broke out of two crates before I tried the KONG. I finally got her crate trained by giving her a new, different KONG treat recipe each day when I put her in her crate. She quickly learned that "crate" = "treat". Now, she loves being in her crate and I don't even have to give her a treat to make her go in it.
I would also recommend this technique for diverting your dog's attention from anything he may "obsess" over. For example, I know of a dog who chases shadows. He must've been terrorized by a laser light at some point in his past. When his owner settles in to bed for the evening with a good book, and turns on the book light, the dog goes bananas. This would be the time to provide the dog with a tempting distraction, such as a KONG! You could also use this technique to desensitise a dog who barks at the doorbell, or to keep him busy when company comes over. We also like this for the winter time, when it's too cold to get the dogs out for a walk as often as we'd like.
A $10 toy and a few dollars in groceries sure does go a long way to provide your dog with the spoiling he deserves! Oh, and did I mention, they make KONGs for cats?!
Doggy KONG-
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2750604&lmdn=Dog+Toys
Kitty Kong-
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10939492&lmdn=Brand
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Monday, March 28, 2011
How I save money and still spoil my pets
Being a mom of three dogs and five cats, and a foster mom to countless others, I have, through trial and error, learned some valuable money-saving tips on pet care. I am constantly answering questions from family, friends, and clients, and giving recommendations on everything from feeding to training to veterinarians. That got me thinking that I should gather all my knowledge and publish it, in one place. So, here it is!
You see, our "Pets" budget was close to $300 each month. That included food, litter, toys and treats -- the basics. That didn't include vet care or training. Our pets are our kids, so we don't mind spending money on them. We will do without so that they won't have to. But that was a big chunk of our budget. I decided to start doing a little research to see where I could make some changes to reduce that number. I am proud to say that our current "Pets" budget is now $80 each month.
Lets begin with dog food. We prefer to feed our dogs the highest quality food we can afford. We feel it is an investment in their health, thus reducing our vet bills by providing the best nutrition. We also have a Black Lab/Great Dane mix who has allergies, so we avoid any food containing beef, corn or wheat. We used to shop for food at Petsmart. The brand we bought costs $57 for 25 pounds. ($2.28/lb) We bought two bags per month, so on dog food alone, we were spending $114 each month . After doing some research, I learned that we could find healthy, good-quality food at Tractor Supply. For the dogs, we now buy Diamond Naturals Lamb and Rice Formula, which sells for $32 for a 40-pound bag. ($0.80/lb) We purchase one bag per month, so for dog food, we went from spending over $100 each month to spending $32 each month.
For our five cats, we were spending about $22 for an 8-pound bag of food ($2.75/lb), again, buying two bags each month, so spending $44 each month for cat food. Now, from Tractor Supply, we get them 4Health All Life Stage Cat Food, which runs $20 for 18 pounds ($1.11/lb) and one bag lasts us the whole month. So cat food went from eating up $44 of our budget each month, to a mere $20.
A 20-pound bag of the pine litter goes for about $10 a bag at Petsmart and Wal Mart. We found a fantastic brand of natural litter at Tractor Supply, called Paws & Claws Natural Kitty Litter, which comes in a 25-pound bag for $2.99. A lot of times, they will have it on sale 2 bags for $5.00, and we'll take advantage of that great deal! It's also scoopable and clumping, so we can scoop the litter, rather than having to dump the entire box and start fresh each time we clean it. We have eliminated the amount of product we were wasting, without having to compromise our health.
Speaking of litter, we found this fantastic litterbox. You see, anyone who has cats AND dogs in their household knows how helpful dogs can be at keeping the litterbox clean. Gross, right? Well, we found a litterbox that, not only deters the dogs from getting into it, but it also keeps most of the litter inside, rather than it getting tracked all over our floors. It's called the Clevercat Top Entry Litterbox. We HAD to have one! So, we spent the $35 it sells for. Well, that was two cats ago. So, our three cats shared it -- which was fine, since it's a pretty good-sized litterbox and holds a lot of litter. Now that we have five cats, we were in need of another one or two litterboxes for them. But another $35 - $70 was just not in the budget. That's when I came up with an alternative. The litterbox looks just like a Rubbermaid container, except the lid has an opening for the cats to enter. So, at the beginning of the new year, when the Home Depot, and most other stores, have organizing supplies on sale. We picked up two Rubbermaid containers, about the same size as the litterbox, for $5.00 each. We got them home and, using a box knife, cut an opening in each of the lids, saving us $60!
While we're away, at work, or wherever, our dogs stay in their crates. Well, all except one -- the Black Lab/Great Dane, since she's six years old and doesn't chew up everything in sight like the puppies! We like for the dogs to be nice and comfy in their crates, but crate pads for their size crates run about $28 for the cheapest ones. Also, our two Pitbull mixes are only a year old, so they are still in that chewing phase. We might as well give them 20-dollar bills to chew on daily! When they're older, we will definitely make the investment, but for now, they need a cheaper alternative. Also, their bedding needs to be washed pretty often, especially if they have accidents in the crate. Our solution is functional, soft and comfy, easy to wash, and cheap: fleece fabric. We actually had some scrap fabric from another project laying around the house, so I cut it into smaller "blankets" for the dogs. I was able to make about 10 blankets for free! They have been washed over and over again, and the fleece doesn't fray, so it's an easy, no-sew project. They have chewed on their blankets a little bit, but that's okay, we can make more for pennies!
Our little chewers are also "scarfers" when it comes to meals. They take about 2.3 seconds to "inhale" about 2 cups of dog food. We found these neat-o bowls made by Martha Stewart for Petsmart, that are made specifically to slow dogs down when eating. They no longer sell them now, but I believe they were about $15 for the large size. Problem was, (and this may be why they don't sell them anymore) if they fell, they would break! We went through several of them, since we kept breaking them. They did the job of slowing the dogs down, but they were fragile and difficult to keep clean. Our solution was to purchase stainless steel bowls from Tractor Supply, which run about $8.00 for the larger size. They're unbreakable and easy to clean. But, they don't solve the "scarfing" problem. So, we bought each of the dogs a Kong toy ($10), which we place in their food bowls when we feed them. They have to actually eat around the Kong, thus slowing down! We actually bought two bowls for each dog, so we can have on in the dishwasher and one to feed them with each day, and alternate them for breakfast and dinner. Not only will we not have to purchase new bowls again, but their bowls stay clean, inhibiting the spread of germs, keeping them healthier, and cutting down on vet bills! We've also switched to the stainless steel bowls for the cats and the water bowls. After battling kennel cough, we learned that the "community" water bowls are the biggest spreaders of germs from dog to dog. We wash all the pet dishes daily now, and don't use anything plastic anymore.
Let's talk about that bought of kennel cough. Our three dogs, and our two "inside" fosters, all had to be treated at the same time. They each took two pills a day for 10 days. That was 100 pills. We had to come up with a way to make them swallow the pills. They sell these cool things called Pill Pockets, made by Greenies. They sell for $8.00 for a 25-count package. That would have cost us $32 for 100 of them. Our solution was to buy a package of the grocery store brand American cheese slices. One slice could be torn in to five strips. We wrapped a strip around the capsule, which would stick to the pill. The dogs ate them right up in one gulp! Savings: $30. And we had some leftover for grilled cheese sandwiches for ourselves!
All spoiled kids need toys, and our babies are no exception! I'll start with the kitties, since they are pretty simple. Ours are ages 6, 4, 1, 6 months and 5 months. They all love to play and they love their cat condo. There's five of them, so the bigger the cat condo, the better. I don't know if you've ever shopped for one, but they can run anywhere from $50 to $300 and up! Well, I found a great little store on Ebay that sells cat condos. New ones. I believe our 5-foot tall cat condo set us back about $80. Is was delivered to our door, and took about half an hour to assemble. Our cats love to chase their toy mice and jingle balls. We usually wait until the end of a holiday season to purchase them. We can usually find a six or twelve pack of holiday-themed cat toys on clearance for about 2 bucks! Our cats don't mind playing with red and green mice in January, or orange and black ones in November. On the rare occasion we buy stuffed toys for dogs, we will do the same thing -- grab the holiday-themed ones they mark down right after the holiday.
For our aggressive chewers, the pibble puppies, things get a little trickier. It's a delicate balance between cost and durability. Anything plastic, made for large breeds to chew on, can NOT be given to our dogs when they are unsupervised. They are able to actually bite pieces of plastic off the toys and swallow them. We've tried ham bones, which they took about 30 minutes to completely devour, and them proceeded to get sick afterward. The only thing we've found that actually lasts, is safe, and not very expensive are cow femur bones. They're about $12 for a 3-pack, but they last our dogs about a month. And that's just about the time it takes them to chew off all the "goodies" and flavoring, leaving a sparkling, clean bone, which they will continue to chew on until they get bored with it. $12 a month for femur bones -- not bad!
That brings me to the question I get asked more often than any other. What vet do I use? I had used several good, reasonable vets in the Oklahoma City area before finally settling in with one. If you're in the area, I'd highly recommend her. If you're not, I recommend you find a mobile vet near you. Dr. Tracey Alden is our vet. Not only is she compassionate and very knowledgeable, but she comes to us. You're probably thinking, "wow, how much does THAT cost?". Well, here's a little-known secret about mobile vets. They come to you, so they don't have the expense of paying rent on an office. Yes, they use gas to get to you, but rent on an office has to be paid -- no matter what. If no clients come in, you still owe rent. It's not like the landlord charges a certain percentage per client for rent. With the overhead of an office eliminated, mobile vets can provide their services to their clients for a much more reasonable rate then one with an office. Also, I don't have to wrestle my kids in the car, take them to an office, sit in the waiting room, and deal with the other pets there. I don't have to make a separate appointment for each of my eight kids either. Dr. Alden can just swing by my place once a year and vaccinate everyone in one trip! And, when my beloved Kirby, my dachshund, my "man" of 14 years was ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge, Dr. Alden was able to come to my house and lay him to rest in the comfort of our home. She even took him to have him cremated and delivered his remains to me a few days later. I wouldn't have trusted anyone else with my Kirby.
If you have a pet who is not altered, it is so important that you get your pet spayed or neutered ASAP! I will write about the reasons why in a future blog. For now, just trust me on this. If cost is what's holding you back, you are not alone. That is the number one reason most people don't get their pets fixed. In Oklahoma City, we have some great resources. We have two low cost spay/neuter clinics. I'm sure you're thinking what I thought at first too. I was concerned about the quality of care my babies would receive there. So, I became a volunteer at one. And what I learned is this: they are a spay/neuter clinic. They do an average of 50 surgeries a day. That's all they do. They have a very efficient system in place. Think about it. If you do one thing, the SAME thing, 50 times a day, don't you get really, really good at it? The quality may actually be better at a spay/neuter clinic! And, a dog or cat can, contrary to popular belief, be spayed/neutered at 8 weeks of age, and as small as two pounds. It is actually better for the animal to get it done as soon as they are old/large enough. The smaller they are, the smaller the incision is, and the faster they heal. I have, in the past year alone, cared for over a dozen pets who were altered at the spay/neuter clinic. I have not had any problems with any of them. In Oklahoma City, we have the SPOT Clinic, which goes by your income, and charges on a sliding scale. We also have the OK Humane Place spay/neuter clinic, which charges the same low fee for everyone. At both of them, you can also get vaccines at the time of surgery for next to nothing. Call for exact prices, but, I assure you, you will get out of there with vaccinations and spay/neuter for under $100.
You're probably wondering how in the world we keep our house clean and smelling good with so many pets. There is one product, which I just discovered, that is excellent for pet odors and germs. I found it at Home Depot and it comes in a gallon size, and it's concentrated, so it makes up to 32 gallons of cleaner, depending on your dilution ratio. It also comes in a spray form. I got lucky, since it's "Spring Cleaning" season, and got the gallon jug with the free spray included, for about $10. It's called OdoBan. I used the spray to clean out the dogs' kennels, and I used the concentrate in my mop water to mop the floors. Three days later, my house still smells as fresh as it did the day I mopped it! I will never buy any other cleaning solution again. It also kills 99.99% of germs in 60 seconds. I don't know how I ever lived without it. And, of course, washable mop heads are a must! For the pet hair, I use the Swiffer Sweeper Vac. It's lightweight, fast, easy, and doesn't blow the hair around like a regular vacuum. The starter kit runs about $35, but, if you visit the Swiffer website, you can get a $5.00 off coupon. Now, we do live in a house with no carpet, so it's pretty easy to keep clean.
I hope this helps you to learn that having pets and spoiling them doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Being in rescue, I see people give up their pets all the time, due to the cost of keeping them. I hope this will help someone out there be able to keep their pet.
Links:
Dog food-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/dog-products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/diamond-reg-naturals-lamb-meal-amp-rice-adult-dog-formula-dog-food-40-lb--5025623
Cat food-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/cat-products/cat-food/dry-cat-food/4health-trade-all-life-stage-cat-food-18-lb--1152999
Cat litter-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/cat-products/cat-litter-supplies/paws-and-claws-reg-natural-kitty-litter-25-lb--2407509
Bowls-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/pet-feeders-waterers-bowls/pet-food-bowls/spot-mirror-finish-stainless-steel-bowl-5-qt-2420688
Kong-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/dog-chew-toys/kong-reg-classic-large-2409006
Cat condo-
http://cgi.ebay.com/73-Cat-Tree-Condo-Furniture-Scratch-Post-Pet-House-B-/310304618203?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483f98b6db
Dog bones-
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4327957
Vet-
http://www.wagginwheels1.com/
Spay/Neuter Clinics-
http://www.vawokc.org/main.asp?id=19
http://www.okhumaneplace.org/
OdoBan-
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202560628/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Swiffer-
http://www.swiffer.com/en_US/sweepervac.do
You see, our "Pets" budget was close to $300 each month. That included food, litter, toys and treats -- the basics. That didn't include vet care or training. Our pets are our kids, so we don't mind spending money on them. We will do without so that they won't have to. But that was a big chunk of our budget. I decided to start doing a little research to see where I could make some changes to reduce that number. I am proud to say that our current "Pets" budget is now $80 each month.
Lets begin with dog food. We prefer to feed our dogs the highest quality food we can afford. We feel it is an investment in their health, thus reducing our vet bills by providing the best nutrition. We also have a Black Lab/Great Dane mix who has allergies, so we avoid any food containing beef, corn or wheat. We used to shop for food at Petsmart. The brand we bought costs $57 for 25 pounds. ($2.28/lb) We bought two bags per month, so on dog food alone, we were spending $114 each month . After doing some research, I learned that we could find healthy, good-quality food at Tractor Supply. For the dogs, we now buy Diamond Naturals Lamb and Rice Formula, which sells for $32 for a 40-pound bag. ($0.80/lb) We purchase one bag per month, so for dog food, we went from spending over $100 each month to spending $32 each month.
For our five cats, we were spending about $22 for an 8-pound bag of food ($2.75/lb), again, buying two bags each month, so spending $44 each month for cat food. Now, from Tractor Supply, we get them 4Health All Life Stage Cat Food, which runs $20 for 18 pounds ($1.11/lb) and one bag lasts us the whole month. So cat food went from eating up $44 of our budget each month, to a mere $20.
A 20-pound bag of the pine litter goes for about $10 a bag at Petsmart and Wal Mart. We found a fantastic brand of natural litter at Tractor Supply, called Paws & Claws Natural Kitty Litter, which comes in a 25-pound bag for $2.99. A lot of times, they will have it on sale 2 bags for $5.00, and we'll take advantage of that great deal! It's also scoopable and clumping, so we can scoop the litter, rather than having to dump the entire box and start fresh each time we clean it. We have eliminated the amount of product we were wasting, without having to compromise our health.
Speaking of litter, we found this fantastic litterbox. You see, anyone who has cats AND dogs in their household knows how helpful dogs can be at keeping the litterbox clean. Gross, right? Well, we found a litterbox that, not only deters the dogs from getting into it, but it also keeps most of the litter inside, rather than it getting tracked all over our floors. It's called the Clevercat Top Entry Litterbox. We HAD to have one! So, we spent the $35 it sells for. Well, that was two cats ago. So, our three cats shared it -- which was fine, since it's a pretty good-sized litterbox and holds a lot of litter. Now that we have five cats, we were in need of another one or two litterboxes for them. But another $35 - $70 was just not in the budget. That's when I came up with an alternative. The litterbox looks just like a Rubbermaid container, except the lid has an opening for the cats to enter. So, at the beginning of the new year, when the Home Depot, and most other stores, have organizing supplies on sale. We picked up two Rubbermaid containers, about the same size as the litterbox, for $5.00 each. We got them home and, using a box knife, cut an opening in each of the lids, saving us $60!
While we're away, at work, or wherever, our dogs stay in their crates. Well, all except one -- the Black Lab/Great Dane, since she's six years old and doesn't chew up everything in sight like the puppies! We like for the dogs to be nice and comfy in their crates, but crate pads for their size crates run about $28 for the cheapest ones. Also, our two Pitbull mixes are only a year old, so they are still in that chewing phase. We might as well give them 20-dollar bills to chew on daily! When they're older, we will definitely make the investment, but for now, they need a cheaper alternative. Also, their bedding needs to be washed pretty often, especially if they have accidents in the crate. Our solution is functional, soft and comfy, easy to wash, and cheap: fleece fabric. We actually had some scrap fabric from another project laying around the house, so I cut it into smaller "blankets" for the dogs. I was able to make about 10 blankets for free! They have been washed over and over again, and the fleece doesn't fray, so it's an easy, no-sew project. They have chewed on their blankets a little bit, but that's okay, we can make more for pennies!
Our little chewers are also "scarfers" when it comes to meals. They take about 2.3 seconds to "inhale" about 2 cups of dog food. We found these neat-o bowls made by Martha Stewart for Petsmart, that are made specifically to slow dogs down when eating. They no longer sell them now, but I believe they were about $15 for the large size. Problem was, (and this may be why they don't sell them anymore) if they fell, they would break! We went through several of them, since we kept breaking them. They did the job of slowing the dogs down, but they were fragile and difficult to keep clean. Our solution was to purchase stainless steel bowls from Tractor Supply, which run about $8.00 for the larger size. They're unbreakable and easy to clean. But, they don't solve the "scarfing" problem. So, we bought each of the dogs a Kong toy ($10), which we place in their food bowls when we feed them. They have to actually eat around the Kong, thus slowing down! We actually bought two bowls for each dog, so we can have on in the dishwasher and one to feed them with each day, and alternate them for breakfast and dinner. Not only will we not have to purchase new bowls again, but their bowls stay clean, inhibiting the spread of germs, keeping them healthier, and cutting down on vet bills! We've also switched to the stainless steel bowls for the cats and the water bowls. After battling kennel cough, we learned that the "community" water bowls are the biggest spreaders of germs from dog to dog. We wash all the pet dishes daily now, and don't use anything plastic anymore.
Let's talk about that bought of kennel cough. Our three dogs, and our two "inside" fosters, all had to be treated at the same time. They each took two pills a day for 10 days. That was 100 pills. We had to come up with a way to make them swallow the pills. They sell these cool things called Pill Pockets, made by Greenies. They sell for $8.00 for a 25-count package. That would have cost us $32 for 100 of them. Our solution was to buy a package of the grocery store brand American cheese slices. One slice could be torn in to five strips. We wrapped a strip around the capsule, which would stick to the pill. The dogs ate them right up in one gulp! Savings: $30. And we had some leftover for grilled cheese sandwiches for ourselves!
All spoiled kids need toys, and our babies are no exception! I'll start with the kitties, since they are pretty simple. Ours are ages 6, 4, 1, 6 months and 5 months. They all love to play and they love their cat condo. There's five of them, so the bigger the cat condo, the better. I don't know if you've ever shopped for one, but they can run anywhere from $50 to $300 and up! Well, I found a great little store on Ebay that sells cat condos. New ones. I believe our 5-foot tall cat condo set us back about $80. Is was delivered to our door, and took about half an hour to assemble. Our cats love to chase their toy mice and jingle balls. We usually wait until the end of a holiday season to purchase them. We can usually find a six or twelve pack of holiday-themed cat toys on clearance for about 2 bucks! Our cats don't mind playing with red and green mice in January, or orange and black ones in November. On the rare occasion we buy stuffed toys for dogs, we will do the same thing -- grab the holiday-themed ones they mark down right after the holiday.
For our aggressive chewers, the pibble puppies, things get a little trickier. It's a delicate balance between cost and durability. Anything plastic, made for large breeds to chew on, can NOT be given to our dogs when they are unsupervised. They are able to actually bite pieces of plastic off the toys and swallow them. We've tried ham bones, which they took about 30 minutes to completely devour, and them proceeded to get sick afterward. The only thing we've found that actually lasts, is safe, and not very expensive are cow femur bones. They're about $12 for a 3-pack, but they last our dogs about a month. And that's just about the time it takes them to chew off all the "goodies" and flavoring, leaving a sparkling, clean bone, which they will continue to chew on until they get bored with it. $12 a month for femur bones -- not bad!
That brings me to the question I get asked more often than any other. What vet do I use? I had used several good, reasonable vets in the Oklahoma City area before finally settling in with one. If you're in the area, I'd highly recommend her. If you're not, I recommend you find a mobile vet near you. Dr. Tracey Alden is our vet. Not only is she compassionate and very knowledgeable, but she comes to us. You're probably thinking, "wow, how much does THAT cost?". Well, here's a little-known secret about mobile vets. They come to you, so they don't have the expense of paying rent on an office. Yes, they use gas to get to you, but rent on an office has to be paid -- no matter what. If no clients come in, you still owe rent. It's not like the landlord charges a certain percentage per client for rent. With the overhead of an office eliminated, mobile vets can provide their services to their clients for a much more reasonable rate then one with an office. Also, I don't have to wrestle my kids in the car, take them to an office, sit in the waiting room, and deal with the other pets there. I don't have to make a separate appointment for each of my eight kids either. Dr. Alden can just swing by my place once a year and vaccinate everyone in one trip! And, when my beloved Kirby, my dachshund, my "man" of 14 years was ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge, Dr. Alden was able to come to my house and lay him to rest in the comfort of our home. She even took him to have him cremated and delivered his remains to me a few days later. I wouldn't have trusted anyone else with my Kirby.
If you have a pet who is not altered, it is so important that you get your pet spayed or neutered ASAP! I will write about the reasons why in a future blog. For now, just trust me on this. If cost is what's holding you back, you are not alone. That is the number one reason most people don't get their pets fixed. In Oklahoma City, we have some great resources. We have two low cost spay/neuter clinics. I'm sure you're thinking what I thought at first too. I was concerned about the quality of care my babies would receive there. So, I became a volunteer at one. And what I learned is this: they are a spay/neuter clinic. They do an average of 50 surgeries a day. That's all they do. They have a very efficient system in place. Think about it. If you do one thing, the SAME thing, 50 times a day, don't you get really, really good at it? The quality may actually be better at a spay/neuter clinic! And, a dog or cat can, contrary to popular belief, be spayed/neutered at 8 weeks of age, and as small as two pounds. It is actually better for the animal to get it done as soon as they are old/large enough. The smaller they are, the smaller the incision is, and the faster they heal. I have, in the past year alone, cared for over a dozen pets who were altered at the spay/neuter clinic. I have not had any problems with any of them. In Oklahoma City, we have the SPOT Clinic, which goes by your income, and charges on a sliding scale. We also have the OK Humane Place spay/neuter clinic, which charges the same low fee for everyone. At both of them, you can also get vaccines at the time of surgery for next to nothing. Call for exact prices, but, I assure you, you will get out of there with vaccinations and spay/neuter for under $100.
You're probably wondering how in the world we keep our house clean and smelling good with so many pets. There is one product, which I just discovered, that is excellent for pet odors and germs. I found it at Home Depot and it comes in a gallon size, and it's concentrated, so it makes up to 32 gallons of cleaner, depending on your dilution ratio. It also comes in a spray form. I got lucky, since it's "Spring Cleaning" season, and got the gallon jug with the free spray included, for about $10. It's called OdoBan. I used the spray to clean out the dogs' kennels, and I used the concentrate in my mop water to mop the floors. Three days later, my house still smells as fresh as it did the day I mopped it! I will never buy any other cleaning solution again. It also kills 99.99% of germs in 60 seconds. I don't know how I ever lived without it. And, of course, washable mop heads are a must! For the pet hair, I use the Swiffer Sweeper Vac. It's lightweight, fast, easy, and doesn't blow the hair around like a regular vacuum. The starter kit runs about $35, but, if you visit the Swiffer website, you can get a $5.00 off coupon. Now, we do live in a house with no carpet, so it's pretty easy to keep clean.
I hope this helps you to learn that having pets and spoiling them doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Being in rescue, I see people give up their pets all the time, due to the cost of keeping them. I hope this will help someone out there be able to keep their pet.
Links:
Dog food-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/dog-products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/diamond-reg-naturals-lamb-meal-amp-rice-adult-dog-formula-dog-food-40-lb--5025623
Cat food-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/cat-products/cat-food/dry-cat-food/4health-trade-all-life-stage-cat-food-18-lb--1152999
Cat litter-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/cat-products/cat-litter-supplies/paws-and-claws-reg-natural-kitty-litter-25-lb--2407509
Bowls-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/pet-feeders-waterers-bowls/pet-food-bowls/spot-mirror-finish-stainless-steel-bowl-5-qt-2420688
Kong-
http://www.tractorsupply.com/dog-chew-toys/kong-reg-classic-large-2409006
Cat condo-
http://cgi.ebay.com/73-Cat-Tree-Condo-Furniture-Scratch-Post-Pet-House-B-/310304618203?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483f98b6db
Dog bones-
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4327957
Vet-
http://www.wagginwheels1.com/
Spay/Neuter Clinics-
http://www.vawokc.org/main.asp?id=19
http://www.okhumaneplace.org/
OdoBan-
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202560628/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Swiffer-
http://www.swiffer.com/en_US/sweepervac.do
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