# Sticky  Modern Tips & Tricks - Saving Money & Raising Great Dogs



## WIBackpacker

A thread to collect ideas on how save some cash, while raising a healthy, sound dog in modern times. 

A few of my favorite methods, to kick things off.... 

1. _*Bartering*_. The barter system is alive and well, if you are creative, motivated, and willing to ask. While this won't work at your local Petco, many independent owners and trainers may be happy to accept goods or services in exchange for their own products or time. There's a man I trained with for a long time that paid the instructor with 1/4 sides of beef (he was a farmer). Another person does photography for trials, and receives lesson time in exchange. I've exchanged vegetables, plants, design work (logos, graphics) and all kinds of other things for dog related stuff. Everyone wins. Maybe you mow lawns, maybe you're an ace at baking birthday cakes, whatever it is, don't be shy - just ask if trade is an option. 

2. _*The Incredible Edible Egg*_. My favorite food treat - nutritious and so inexpensive. Hardboil and stuff them into Kongs, or hardboil, wrap in foil, and take along on a hike, or just crack them raw over dinner, so easy. If you can find someone that raises pastured poultry, wonderful. Offer to take any "mystery age" eggs off their hands. If their birds free range, it's pretty much guaranteed that unexpected eggs are found here and there outside the nestboxes. Offer to buy (or trade for!) duck eggs, turkey eggs, they're all edible, and people are sometimes unwilling to buy them because they're big/speckled/oblong. Don't be grossed out if you find some blood spots or development in the eggs occasionally, just throw them out if it bothers you. Or, take the plunge and raise your own chickens, if you have the space and time.

3. _* E-Mail Lists = COUPONS*_. Fromm, Nature's Variety, and others send coupons to their e-list subscribers every few months or so. It doesn't make the good quality food cheap, but every $5.00 off is $5.00 back in your pocket for something else. When you pair that with independent stores' Buy XX-Get-1-Free program, it adds up.

4. _*Freeze Freebies for Later Use*_. Save bones from your own meals in a ziplock bag, when you have enough, make a batch of bone broth. Nutritious, a tasty topping for dog meals, and it doesn't cost a penny more. You'd still have eaten the turkey leg anyway, right? Ask friends or family that hunt to save you the less desirable parts of animals, cook/freeze/serve as appropriate, however you wish. It often goes to waste otherwise.


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## girardid

Will trade Engineering design work for raw food lol
All jokes aside Bartering is a really great idea! Although i wish i could find someone to give me raw food in exchange for anything really


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## dogma13

Buy your meds online.

Flea meds,heartworm meds at heavily discounted prices are available from PetBucket and CanadaVet.Ear and eye meds are available online also for treating minor infections.


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## girardid

Lacrosse balls make awesome cheap heavy duty dog balls. Ive drilled an old one out and put a rope in it too. Cheap and works just like a more expensive gappay ball


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## WateryTart

WIBackpacker said:


> 3. _* E-Mail Lists = COUPONS*_. Fromm, Nature's Variety, and others send coupons to their e-list subscribers every few months or so. It doesn't make the good quality food cheap, but every $5.00 off is $5.00 back in your pocket for something else. When you pair that with independent stores' Buy XX-Get-1-Free program, it adds up.


I'd like to second #3 - I get a dividend every quarter from my local pet store. I didn't even realize this until I got the first one! But I signed up as a "Friend of Chuck" (Chuck and Don's, for anyone in Minnesota, Colorado, or Hudson, WI). They do a "buy ten bags, get one free" program, so we get all of our cat food there. Plus and I get coupons in a monthly newsletter and a dividend quarterly. The last one was substantial - over $30. It's based on stuff I'm buying anyway, so might as well make the expenditures work for me.

And with that, I would also suggest a good, fee-free cash back credit card. Every single item or service I purchase for my dog is put on a credit card with cash back rewards, and I pay it to zero monthly so I'm not carrying a big balance. I would spend money on her anyway - I can make said money work for me to the tune of 1.5-5% cash back depending on the card and category.

If you want to do raw and you're short on time but don't want to pay for commercial raw, ask your butcher about doing dog food. Mine does my meat base for $2.75-2.99 a pound. It's a little more expensive because I pay for the convenience of having him procure and incorporate the right amount of organ meat, but it would be $1.99/lb if I did that work myself. I could probably search around and get it for less if I didn't like that butcher. But when I wanted something specific, I asked, and the price they quoted was really reasonable.


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## Magwart

I agree with buying pet meds online, but always with a vet's RX (so your vet knows what you're buying), and in the U.S., I would only buy from a Vet-VIPPS accredited online pharmacy -- absolutely no grey-market/foreign-imported meds, as far as I'm concerned (that's where big risks come in -- ordering from abroad, you might get what you ordered, or you might get a counterfeit/non-FDA approved variant, and if you are scammed, there's no recourse).

In the U.S., KVsupply.com and Valleyvet.com are excellent low-cost pet pharmacies, and both are Vet-VIPPS accredited. Their prices are within a few bucks of the foreign/grey-market sites, and you have a lot more peace of mind.

For antibiotics and other prescriptions that are from the human pharmaceutical world being used on pets, fill them at a human pharmacy using GoodRX.com to shop for the best pricing. I often cut the cost of prescriptions in half this way.

For toys, leather leads, and other odds and ends: DogSupplies.com sells close to wholesale.


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## Castlemaid

Invest in a good quality leather collar and leather leash - not the ones you get at pet stores, but the ones available from internet sites that sell equipment for bite-sport training and police dogs - it will last you a lifetime!


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## Castlemaid

Made this a sticky!


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## newlie

I think this is a wonderful thread! 

I have found that sometimes when you buy a block of services, it is less expensive than for the same number of things that are paid for individually. Newlie's trainer does that, 8 sessions bought at one time are less expensive than 8 bought individually. Also, this was true when I took Newlie to doggie day care several years ago.


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## Niexist

Set up autoship through chewy.com, or petflow.com for 20-25% off first order. You can always cancel autoship after you get your order, but getting premium food 25% off is a big discount.


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## Jenny720

Some trainers let you pay per class so you don't feel it all at once. 
Tj max,home goods,marshals all have great deals on pet supplies- leashes,collars,beds,bowls, shampoo etc.


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## car2ner

when your pup is teething, rinsed juice bottles (Simply orange is best) are good for a day of crunching...and if you put kibble or treats in it first, even better.
Cardboard boxes, like the ones from Chewy's, are good for a day or two of teething. remove tape and always check for staples if you use larger shipping boxes.
Pinecones are great fun and pretty easy to sweep up once they are in little pieces all over the floor.


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## WateryTart

On the socialization end: Strip malls are a phenomenal place to meet a variety of people. You can walk your puppy up and down the sidewalk in front when they've had enough shots but are at that age when they're still cute and fuzzy enough that everybody wants to meet the cute puppy. Kids, people from different backgrounds, likely people with disabilities (I call that out because someone recently commented how they appreciated that my girl doesn't fear a cane), older people.

And it's free exposure plus for a very young pup there's their walk.


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## car2ner

Castlemaid said:


> Invest in a good quality leather collar and leather leash - not the ones you get at pet stores, but the ones available from internet sites that sell equipment for bite-sport training and police dogs - it will last you a lifetime!


I agree but if you do want something a little snazzier. LupinePet.com has a nice selection for a fair price and a guarantee that you can't beat. They will replace a leash or collar even if your dogs chews it to bits.


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## girardid

Niexist said:


> Set up autoship through chewy.com, or petflow.com for 20-25% off first order. You can always cancel autoship after you get your order, but getting premium food 25% off is a big discount.


does the %25 apply to each order or just the first?


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## Niexist

girardid said:


> does the %25 apply to each order or just the first?


Just the first, but it is a big help, plus free shipping over 50 bucks on those sites.


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## voodoolamb

Here are my tips:

1) buying non perishable items in bulk. My vet sells chlorhexidine shampoo in 8 oz bottles for $12. I can bet an entire gallon online for around $25 after shipping.

2) Don't be afraid of carbs in your dog food. Unless your dog has a health issue like allergies or chronic yeast. Most dogs do well with them. 1/2 cup of mashed sweet potatos is cheap and healthy and can stretch more expensive food stuffs out.

3.) DIY what you can. An old t shirt cut into strips and braided makes a good tug or lure for a flirt pole. A empty peanut butter jar with holes punched and treats popped inside is a free puzzle toy.

4.) An extension of number 3 - homemade treats are my BIGGEST money saver. I invested in a dehydrator and save so much money. I dehydrate chicken breast, beef tendons, chicken feet, pig ears, liver, sardines, sweet potatos and a bunch of other stuff. All of this is spendy in pet stores. Those dried tendon chews are over 2 bucks a piece. I get tendons at my grocery store and dehydrate myself. I worked it out and I ended up paying 0.68 per "large sized" tendon chew.


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## WateryTart

voodoolamb said:


> 4.) An extension of number 3 - homemade treats are my BIGGEST money saver. I invested in a dehydrator and save so much money. I dehydrate chicken breast, beef tendons, chicken feet, pig ears, liver, sardines, and a bunch of other stuff. All of this is spendy in pet stores. Those dried tendon chews are over 2 bucks a piece. I get tendons at my grocery store and dehydrate myself. I worked it out and I ended up paying 0.68 per "large sized" tendon chew.


I want to get one of these! I've heard it can save you a ton of money (plus I'm a nerd and sort of intrigued). I've heard that you can buy organs (like chicken hearts) in bulk and make your own training treats.


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## girardid

voodoolamb said:


> Here are my tips:
> 
> 4.) An extension of number 3 - homemade treats are my BIGGEST money saver. I invested in a dehydrator and save so much money. I dehydrate chicken breast, beef tendons, chicken feet, pig ears, liver, sardines, and a bunch of other stuff. All of this is spendy in pet stores. Those dried tendon chews are over 2 bucks a piece. I get tendons at my grocery store and dehydrate myself. I worked it out and I ended up paying 0.68 per "large sized" tendon chew.
> .


I have a dehydrator that i use to make jerky but have been meaning to find some good use for it for my dog. Any good sites or recipes to use?


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## Muskeg

Heartworm meds- you can save thousands (if you have multiple dogs like me) ordering sheep drench/ivermectin directly on line and dosing appropriately. Do your research, it's easy if you passed high school chemistry or even if you didn't.

I'm spending the summer in a heartworm area, and my vet would have charged about $50 a dog for heartworm testing (unnecessary since AK does not have heartworm, but protocol) plus I'd be spending roughly $40 a month on prescription pills ordered online, which adds up fast. This is a huge cost savings.

Now to find something similar for ticks and fleas...

Read up on heartworm a bit more here: Terrierman's Daily Dose: The Billion Dollar Heartworm Scam


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## WIBackpacker

@voodoolamb - Great point RE: dehydrators. They're fantastic, I love mine.

You can slice just about any meat thin - I agree with others who suggested that it's easiest to cut when it's partially frozen - and then it's a bit of trial and error, but most things I've made take between 6-8 hours to dry. 

The expense of buying a dehydrator can also be justified by how much produce you can preserve and avoid wasting. Bananas getting soft? Dry 'em for later. Too many tomatoes in August? Dry 'em for later. I have this model: http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-America...rvest+square+dehydrator+and+jerky+maker+fd-80 

I put the trays right in the dishwasher between batches, which is great when you go from a batch of lamb kidney chunks (urp) to a batch of dried cranberries for trailmix.


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## Muskeg

Shoot, wish I'd had a dehydrator when my dogs found that dead moose the other day. Could have had moose jerky for months.


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## Magwart

Muskeg said:


> Heartworm meds- you can save thousands (if you have multiple dogs like me) ordering sheep drench/ivermectin directly on line and dosing appropriately. Do your research, it's easy if you passed high school chemistry or even if you didn't.
> 
> I'm spending the summer in a heartworm area, and my vet would have charged about $50 a dog for heartworm testing (unnecessary since AK does not have heartworm, but protocol) plus I'd be spending roughly $40 a month on prescription pills ordered online, which adds up fast. This is a huge cost savings.


You can also _easily _overdose a dog on ivermectin. I've fostered a dog who was blinded (permanently) and neurologically damaged by an owner who overdosed the ivermectin. Most people don't realize it's measured in DROPS, not cc's for a dog. (A vet I know looked at some of the dosing recommended online and it was 1000 times the normal dose for HW prevention. Seriously.)

I would NEVER recommend an average person do the calculation or even trust the Internet to do the calculation, without a vet's guidance. The reason is because of the OD risk. Some vets will do the calculation for you -- farm vets routinely do this for their clients. The risk to the dog is irreversible, horrible damage -- if you screw it up, there's no fixing it! 

If cost of HW meds is an issue, you can buy Iverheart pills from KV Supply for less than $5/month. (Iverheart is a generic analog for Heartguard.)

ETA: Administering ivermectin for livestock to a dog who _may _carry the MDR1 gene is also not safe. The commercial pills have extremely low doses of ivm so that they're supposed to be safe for MDR1 dogs. If you give a huge dose, you lose that margin of safety, and if you have not tested for the MDR1 gene, you could be in for a very sad surprise.


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## Muskeg

Magwart, true but if you do your research it isn't an issue. Concentrations of 0.05% for example, vs. 0.1% make a huge difference. I did my research and I know enough chemistry so I'm not concerned about overdosing. 

It is something to consider, for most people with just one dog, for sure. But I know sled dog people with 30 dogs aren't paying $5 a pill each month or overdosing. 

Agree, about the bad information available online. I found one person recommending .1 cc per pound body weight of the 0.1% concentration. That is way more than you should be dosing. 

But I also found reliable sources with the correct dosage per concentrate and ran the numbers myself just to be sure. I am comfortable going this route, but it may not be for everyone.


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## cloudpump

You can use your oven as a dehydrator. Lowest temp. Just need to pay attention.


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## Springbrz

Caution purchasing heartworm preventatives online. Yes you can find them much cheaper than at your vet. However, if your dog should get heartworm or other parasites (roundworm, hookworm, etc.) that your chosen treatment is supposed to protect against and you did not purchase the treatment from a veterinary practice the manufacturer will NOT cover treatment and followup testing under their guarantee if your dog becomes infected.

I actually just had this happen with hookworm. Never missed a dose. Because I wanted to save a few dollars I bought Heartgard Plus online. Sanofi would not cover the treatment or the repeat fecal because I did not by from my vet. End of the day it cost me more in the long run. Lesson learned.

Better to buy online than not at all. Just make the informed decision.


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## Castlemaid

My dog beds are thrift store and Garage Sale blankets, folded and piled up. Bonus is that they are completely washable. 

Trade stuff among dog friends: my friend needed a smaller crate to fit her new car. I needed a larger crate to fit my new dog: we swapped crates and got exactly what we needed for free.


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## Springbrz

Dog beds: Sew the sides of old pillow cases together. 2 or 3 depending on how big of a bed you want. Insert inexpensive pillows...done. Washable.


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## newlie

As others have mentioned, inexpensive toys can be made. I took several small cardboard boxes. put a treat under one of them, and let Newlie find it.

Sometimes, people will offer to lend you things. Newlie has had free run of the house for some time, but when I told a friend that he would have to be contained after surgery, she and her boyfriend lent me an (extremely) large crate for him to use. To buy the same thing, I am guessing, would have run maybe four, five hundred dollars.


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## Jenny720

eBay and craigslist- I have seen agility equipment on Craigslist for a fair price kennel crates etc. so many homemade recipe treats. My dogs love the sweet potatoe chews - which are thinly sliced and slowly cooked in the oven until dehydrated. If your crafty lots ideas on Internet -My daughter uses strips of fleece to braid max's tug toy. She makes dog tags and training treat bags for me also.


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## Suzy25

Costco has $20 beds, with covers that be taken off and washed in washing machine, they are big beds too,super comfy and they look nice. they also have toys that common bulk if you don't want to offline. 
This thread is awesome, love all the ideas!


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## Dunkirk

I bought a used airline crate and saved $350. Magic erasers with methylated spirits removed ALL the permanent marker writing and sticky label residue, with no damage to the crate.


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## Magwart

Re vet costs:

Develop a relationship with a great vet who offers good value (i.e., reasonable prices on diagnostics, not pressuring staff to "up-sell" elective services, getting good outcomes with lowest-cost interventions instead of always recommending highest-cost interventions, etc.). By develop a relationship, I mean this: don't "vet hop" constantly, or chase coupon deals on annual exams, or only show up when your dog is very sick, etc. Don't berate the staff over the cost of the bill. Don't let your dog try to bite them. Become a client they all know and like. Take your dog there frequently just to say hi to the reception staff and get a dog-treat from them (and sometimes take a plate of people cookies for the staff, just to thank them for putting up with your frequent visits). 

Some vets have "good client" discounts (mine gives 10%), for people who've got multiple dogs, and are "regulars" who've been with them for years. They sometimes also do valuable "extras" for such clients, like stay past closing time on a Friday night, so that you don't have to take a sick dog to the emergency vet that costs twice as much, or even giving you their personal email or cell phone number so that you can call them over the weekend when you've got a sick dog--things you have absolutely no right to expect or even ask for, but that save you a lot of money and stress. Mine even did a house call for me at the end of my senior dog's life, and sent his vet tech to my house to help me (I live close), and he didn't charge anything extra for that level of service, even though they don't normally do house calls at all.

How do you find those kind of wonderful vets? Ask the staff at your city shelter or better yet, ask your local breed rescue. Chances are they know which vets they wouldn't send _any _animal to even for free (due to a history of incompetence, missed diagnoses, botched surgeries, or harsh handling), which vets are "best of the best" for hard-to-treat cases (high cost, but worth paying extra for when a life is on the line or no one else can figure out what's wrong with the dog), and which vets are trustworthy low cost/high value leaders (and worth having a long-term relationship with for general-practice vetting). If you find out which vets they use for their personal dogs, you'll probably uncover some hidden gems in your community who don't advertise much but are much beloved by clients because of reasonable prices, wonderful staff, and _really _great care.


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## WateryTart

Castlemaid said:


> My dog beds are thrift store and Garage Sale blankets, folded and piled up. Bonus is that they are completely washable.


We started out using old towels; rather than donating them as planned, we repurposed them for dog bedding. I'd pad her crate with four or five of them (they were still thick and fluffy). Later we did buy her an orthopedic crate pad, but the towels were already owned, not in use for humans, and were a good starting point. I'd use them again when traveling without thinking twice.


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## WIBackpacker

If you combine some of these ideas, you can really start to compound your savings....


- Use a promo code and/or discounted Auto-Ship option, AND - 
- Do this during a month when your credit card's cashback category includes online purchases (Discover will be 5% cash back on Amazon purchases from October - December 2016, which I'm planning to use to my advantage). Of course, you must pay it off monthly to stay ahead, but I'll happily take another 5% "discount" on top of other potential savings.


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## WIBackpacker

Whoops, too late to edit, but - 

I'd second the recommendation to form a relationship with a vet. I have two vets, one for dogs and cats, and a separate large animal vet. I've been very honest with both. They're willing to discuss importance, priorities, options. My large animal vet taught me how to do a number of things for myself (knowing full well that I would no longer need to pay him for these services). He has made honest recommendations for what I should pay him to do, and what I can buy at Tractor Supply and save a few bucks.


It took a few hits & misses to find the right doctors, but I value them very much. I also pay my bills immediately and thank them for their time, every time.


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## voodoolamb

Another tip about vets: if you live in the city, consider driving an hour or two out towards the boonies. Often time the prices of rural vets are half of their city counter parts. 

Good for multi dog homes especially if you have everyone on the same schedule for check ups and vaccines.


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## sebrench

As for training, after I took a few classes at our training facility ($110 per class), they put us on their friends and family plan. Now we pay $60 for six weeks of group-classes, one class per week. We don't go out to movies or go to expensive restaurants so I think it's fairly affordable. Maybe other trainers offer similar incentives, or even payment plans...


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## car2ner

When I change the pillows on my bed, which is only when they become hopelessly flat, they go to the dog's crate. They are small enough that our dogs move them around depending on if they want to lay on them or not. And of course, pillow cases can be inexpensive and easy to wash.


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## Saito

Grooming & bathing a dog yourself is a huge money saver. Clean the ears, keep 'em brushed, the occasional bath, clip their nails, and all that good stuff.

Unless your dog is going into show soon, just do it yourself. If the dog is simply a pet, no excuses to not do this stuff yourself. When I'm at dog parks I'm flabbergasted at how much I hear people end up paying. If your dog isn't fond of the bath tub, there is another option (though not free like your own bath tub). At least where I am, it is becoming more and more common to see car wash places having a separate doggy station that you can wash your dog yourself. I've heard some pretty much have a full blown set up similar to that the dog grooming places have. Most run about $5-10 per dog. Which is still waaaayyy cheaper than what a dog groomer costs.


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## Dainerra

girardid said:


> Will trade Engineering design work for raw food lol
> All jokes aside Bartering is a really great idea! Although i wish i could find someone to give me raw food in exchange for anything really


when I fed raw, I got almost their entire diet for free. The only think I bought were my bone staples - chicken backs, turkey necks and leg quarters (I cut off the majority of the meat for making soup instead of going to the dogs). 

Local hunters. Many people do their own butchering and, in some states it's legal for people to butcher for other hunters in their home. Bison, elk, moose, bear, duck and enough deer scraps to feed goodness knows how many people. They'd give me a call when they were going to have a busy day and I'd stop by the next day and I might get 10 lbs of meat or might get 50 lbs. 

Local butcher gave me cast-off scraps that they would otherwise put into the rendering barrel. Goat, pork, beef, lamb, chicken, duck. easily 20-30 lbs a week in the fall.

Post in your local craigslist or online yardsale site before hunting/butchering season starts and ask for freezer burned meat.

ETA: almost forgot to say to check with local taxidermists. They can be a good source.


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## Dainerra

Consider joining your local Kennel Club or training group. My dues are $10 a year. They have drop in obedience and rally classes, conformation classes and the occasional drop in agility class. The cost of drop in classes are $10 and generally last until everyone is finished. You get discounted prices on seminars and other events hosted by the club (though not entries into trials). We are currently hosting a handling seminar by Norma Smith. $100 for club members, $150 for non-members. Savings like that can really add up.

Volunteer to help at local club events and trials. You can learn a LOT by simply observing those in the ring and talking to people. You can pick up a lot of hints and tips by learning from the mistakes of others. I've spent many a lunch hour chatting about dogs with Pat Trotter and other well-known judges. I spent a day stewarding for Jimmy Moses last year. Watching him go over dogs and learning what he expected to see from the person handling the dog and how he handled the dogs for exams. Watching him handle the puppy classes, many of whom were a bit over-whelmed by the environment, was exceptional. 

Also, many clubs offer special raffles for their workers. You get a ticket for every day or even 1/2 day you work. Plus, you can get some awesome things in the regular raffle as well. I've gotten an off-brand furminator, 3 traffic leads, dozens of cute dog themed t-shirts. A couple years ago, our club's big raffle item was a new tunnel for agility.

Don't buy dog specific items when the human equivalent is cheaper. For example, dog gates. In the pet section, they can be $15-20. Or get a baby gate for $5. 

Train with friends. We get together a couple times a month at least and work dogs. The more experienced help the less experienced and it's always good to have multiple sets of eyes to see where you might be giving mixed signals.

I've exchanged photography work for training lessons. I've swapped dog sitting with friends. We take turns driving the carpool to various events.


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## WIBackpacker

Hurry up and sign up for Fromm's email list if you haven't already, for a FREE small bag of food with other purchase (see screenshot thumbnail). This is a super way to get a few more pounds of food and/or try a new flavor, 5lb bags are worth at least $15, with some selling for $25.00 or more.

And of course if you fulfill this promotion's intent, your local rescue or shelter could win HUGE.


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## WIBackpacker

Backcountry K9 is discontinuing their retail store, a lot of gear is on steeply discounted clearance today only.

Backcountry K-9 : Closeout Gear

Harnesses, collars, biking tools, packs, all kinds of good stuff.


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## WIBackpacker

Reminder to raw feeders ~ clear out your freezer, whole turkeys are about to hit the cheapest price point of the entire year!

There are lots of money saving blogs that list price comparisons across major chain stores, but they're all specific to geographic location. A few stores (like Target) have an add-on "Save $10.00 off a $50.00 food and beverage purchase" which will decrease your per-pound price even more.

Here's the official USDA run-down, if anyone is extra nerdy and curious what the average prices are. Hooray for us Midwesterners, it seems we may have access to some of the best deals... https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/pywretailturkey.pdf

Sidenote, for label readers, don't forget to look at the salt content... some of the birds are pre-brined/heavily salted before freezing now.


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## Dunkirk

This is an old thread I thought was worth revisiting and updating. My tips are:

A 3 gallon/12 litre empty plastic water cooler bottle make a great yard toy.
My vet's usual two suppliers for a medication for my dog were out of stock. She tried a compounding pharmacy, they are making it for her and they are cheaper.


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## Magwart

Good suggestion re compounding pharmacies, Dunkirk! In the U.S., one of the best-priced compounding pharmacies for pet meds is Wedgewood, in NJ (they ship nationwide). They won't sell directly to consumers, but you can ask your vet to price meds there and order for you. They can supply Doxycycline to treat HW or tick-disease infections at a small fraction of the cost of buying it from human pharmacies -- and they make a 400 mg. chicken-flavored wafer that makes dosing much easier. 

https://www.wedgewoodpetrx.com/


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## ErinBibi

I think it's affordable. I was taking classes and paid $90


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## paul91

good tip mate


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## islanddog

Old pants make great tug toys, cut one leg into lengthwise strips and braid, tie with a knot. Jeans are great for stronger teeth, a mix of jeans & track pants, or track pants for soft toys. So cheap & easy it doesn't matter if they don't last long. For supervised dog & human together play, not as a solo toy.


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## EgansMom

Suzy25 said:


> Costco has $20 beds, with covers that be taken off and washed in washing machine, they are big beds too,super comfy and they look nice. they also have toys that common bulk if you don't want to offline.
> This thread is awesome, love all the ideas!


I have two large dog beds that have heavy duty covers with zips. $45 each from walmart BUT the padding inside was cheap and got flat within 3 months so I scored a free single (yellow) foam mattress from kijjiji - ripped the fabric off - cut it in two pieces- inserted into dog bed covers - and voila ! My guy had two "real" beds that never got flat for 6 yrs and were solid (but soft enough) support as he got old ! (Just make sure kijjiji stuff doesn't have fleas)


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## Magwart

Great old thread to dig up! 

A new tip to add: Zoetis Rewards! If you buy any Zoetis vet med products, sign up for their online rewards program for rebates. They send you a rechargable credit card that can only be used for purchases at vet clinics, and they add money to it for your rebates--basically, giving you money for your next vet visit. The program includes Simparica, Proheart, Revolution, Apoquel, Rimadyl, and several other common meds. (They accept online pet pharmacy receipts as rewards-eligible too.)

Another online pharmacy tip: I recently had a flyer stapled to my receipt from my local vet advertising "My Vet Online" -- a web pharmacy that partners with individual clinics. I think it's a new storefront for Heartland Pharmacy out of Nebraska (a very repuable pharmacy). When I set up my online profile at this "My Vet Online" portal, it connected my profile to my "home clinic," so the pharmacy website has my vet's logo on it -- like an online store for my own vet. The prescription med prices are GOOD -- competitive with Chewy, Valley Vet, etc. Dasuquin Advanced was about $10 less than buying it from the clinic. The paperwork with the order said that any returns could go back to my local vet clinic because buying from this online portal is the same as buying from my own vet, due to the arrangement they have in place. I absolutely love this new service!


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## Springbrz

If you purchase Heartgard Plus go here Save on HEARTGARD® Plus: latest offers and rebates and get the rebate form or ask your vet if they have the rebate form.
You have to buy a year supply but it's worth it. They always have this offer. My vet staples the rebate form to a duplicate receipt every year. They mail a $12 Visa gift card. I've been getting this rebate for 5 years.


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## Springbrz

Make your own flirt pole.

Pvc pipe cut to length you desire (mine is about 3 ft . It can be however short or long you like)
2 rubber chair leg caps that fit the diameter size pvc pipe you choose
Para cord
Lure of your choosing

Drill or poke a small hole big enough for the para cord to fit through into the center of the rubber caps. Thread cord through one cap and tie a good knot on the outer side. Thread the cord through the pvc and place cap onto pvc snug. thread the other end of the cord through the second cap and push cap onto the pvc pipe. Cut the para cord to your desired length and secure lure of you choosing to free end of the cord. About $10 to make. 
We use these for lures



Spot Plush Skinneez Raccoon - Care-A-Lot Pet Supply


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## John K

Install pet turf system....


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