[tammy8833]

Originally Posted by jadecomputergal

I was going through the line items of her very thorough list and thinking things like, "Nope, my standard vet exams are $45. Most recent carrier was $50. Shampoo/conditioner $24 (for both)." Now I'm sitting here wondering how much money I've spent on these dogs and afraid to go into my MS Money file to sort by animal expenses and add it all up! Most of it I really never thought about because it's part of another purchase, like if I pick up a couple of toys at WalMart, I'm always there for other things too, so they're just another thing on a bigger receipt.

A lot of this stuff will vary with where you live, like the cost of my standard vet visits versus Tammy's. There are almost always less expensive ways of doing things, like so many others have pointed out. Everything in the northeast is expensive, but even here they have spay/neuter clinics periodically. Toys, beds, etc. you can always find cheaper online than doing an impulse buy at a pet store. Most places will even give free shipping if you spend a certain amount, and Amazon has a lot of their dog stuff on 4 for 3 right now.

LOL. If we've sufficiently frightened you at the cost of owning a dog, you're in a good position to start going backward on the expense. Most of what you spend on a dog is a personal choice, and I think most of us just spoil our dogs. Dogs don't know the difference in a two dollar toy and a twenty dollar one. They don't care if they have pretty, expensive dresses to wear, and most would prefer not to wear a dress. We buy that stuff for ourselves, not our dogs. You're doing research rather than an impulse buy, so you're going to be able to accumulate things much less expensively if you shop around at clearance sales and online and you focus on the necessary items rather than expensive toys and clothing. I can say with no doubt at all that my dogs are happiest when they're either running around jumping on one another in the yard, or they're curled up on our laps at night while we watch a movie. Some of the best things in life really are free.

lol...im cheap i dont have half of that stuff..lol but they are all good things to get dont you think??

i save money on doing all my own vaccines i bought 10 last year for $49 that included 2 day air on ice..so i vaccinated my litter and my adult dogs..

i never get bordettla (sp?) or lyme

i shop around for everything ..i finally found a great vet that does tails and dewclaws for $50.00 from a friend of mine here on yt..and that about a $60-70 savings from the other vets on my side of town

i never paid for an exam except when i take my litter in at 6 weeks..i go to banfield during wellness hours for free exams, i go to dr taylor for the puppy exams and thats $35..i will probably use dr taylor more often he is such a sweet guy and my mom has been taking her dogs there for Years upon years..and he told me that i have a beauitful healthy litter and we agreed on the same pup to keep..although i let her go =( i see pics all the time!!! and he is the only vet that doesnt get offened when you tell them you do your own vaccines and deworming..he told me i was doing a fantastic job..yeah i like him!!

i make my own beds..im not great at it..i have bought some but i wouldnt spend more than $20 i like shopping at petedge.com but the shipping had gone way up last time i looked..i buy most things online looking for wholesale prices..i did just make my own whelping box and my husband is also going to MAKE ME another bigger one..mines really cute though...i took an old moving box, cut the tabs off, cut one side down so gidget can get in and the puppies cant get out..i found some of this stuff i put in my kitchen cabinets and drawers..kinda like lament and placed on the bottom..i wrapped the box in this pink fabric with black poka dots and made a fleece roof and a fleece bed from left over materials my husband bought for his boat (i hope he didnt need it ) and ALL the dogs are fightening to get in it..lol

i dont buy halters and leashed..i do have name tags and collars..gidget still has hers from when she was a baby and its porbably needs replacing..little girl had a nice set from the cat dept at petsmart and she ruined it, tanner his collar and name tag didnt last the night...he chewed them up..so the only one wearing a collar is gidget..i rarely take them anywhere..gidgey can go any where and she doesnt use a leash at all..she listens that well..tanner occassionaly goes to drive throughs with me..little girl has always had shot gun and never needed a carseat but she will bolt for fun so she doesnt go out other then out back..my neighbor knows her because she escapes...the guy mike down the street told me that she likes to come sit on his sofa and watch tv..LOL..she hasnt escaped in a while i think i fixed all the bottom of the gates this time..

i bought me a nice water cooler thing for them to drink out of i think it was $8 wholesale they just chewed it up so now they have my china dishes..lol

i do all my deworming for $3.00 and it lasts forever..petsmart or walmart or target..3 in one..i also order the tradewinds tape dewormer online for 10.00 ..i havent had any emergencies knock on wood and right now i have no savings for these guy but my mom has that care credit for emergencies and i would have to pay her back..(honestly i have never had a savings for them..but it sounded good didnt it???..lol)

i dont have a travel carrier but i have seen them online for 15.00
i did buy my pens/kennels and i love them..i have one x-large crate my moma bought me 6 years ago and i love it! it was $70..my other kennels (2) were right around $50.00 thats my inside stuff i have a nice fenced in yard but when we got butterball the golden my uncle gave us his 10x20 kennel for $50.00..and that had been at my mamas she just wanted it gone

i bought this awesome puppy shampoo at KROGER for $4.99!! and the smells last a whole week!!

i got some flea meds on clerance for 2.00 for 15lbs and under and stocked up!!..and when i sell my puppies banfield gives me coupons to give the new customers free frontline or advantage..

i bought my nutra cal at petedge for 2.99 each
the beds i gave out were $3.99 each on petedge
the toys were like $.50 at petedge

i do go all out when i sell puppies i give big puppy packs with bows, and treat, and food, etc..


i dont buy dresses all though they are super cute i just dont have extra money for that and if my husband came home and my dogs were wearing dresses that cost more then .99 he would flip..LOL...he cant get over the price of yorkies..he said whenever he wanted a dog he got it for free..or once he was a shelter and the dog was being put down that night and they wouldnt let him get the dog because he was like 18 and broke! so he stole her..LOL trixie was his fave dog!!

i buy treats every once in a while but they'd rather have my food that i "accidently" drop

i havent fixed any of my pets but im a small breeder so i dont really want to..except my golden i'd died if he got one of my girls..my vet said 115.00 for the golden (his name is butterball)

the only thing i spend money on is usually the puppy....

my dogs like purina..i used to get eukanuba but it made little girl sick..and they like purina and i can get a 35lbs bag on sale for $15 and it feeds 3 yorkies and a growing golden for 2.5 weeks =)

the only time i buy big things for them is after i sold a litter i like to treat them and me like last time i bought all new beds and that iris kennel off of amazon.


i dont send mine off the be groomed..i have 2 kids and a husband and i dont woke i dont have the extra money to take 3-4 dogs to the groomer every month so i bath them and brush them and trim them..i do like to buy bows sometimes...i use my Dove moose for styling them..lol

i just have fun if i have extra money to do nice fun things i do if i dont i dont worry about it..i make sure they are loved, well fed, healthy and up tp date on vaccines..and get at least 16 hours of sleep a day..LOL

oh but the carpet cleaner really is a must...LOL