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My dogs are my fur-kids (until we have real kids, anyway), so I want them to have the best of everything.  However, pet ownership is very expensive.  And, after doing some research I found that many of the things that were adding to my monthly budget were unnecessary, and in some cases even harmful.

Here are 10 frugal pet care tips that don’t scrimp on the health or happiness of our furry friends, and in some cases can actually make their lives better.  

1. Invest in high quality dog toys.  I can’t tell you how much money we wasted when these dogs were pups, on cheap stuffed dog toys that didn’t list ten minutes under the assault of itchy puppy teeth.  We finally did some research and found a durable brand- Nylabone.  They have toys now that have lasted almost 6 months.  Granted, these might cost a little bit more upfront than buying the cheap Dollar Store toys, but they are definitely worth the added investment because of their durability.  Besides, with stronger toys there is less of a choking hazard.  

2. If you do want stuffed toys for your dog to destroy chew on , get them from a garage sale.  You can almost always find bags of kids stuffed animals for a quarter an animal, or even free. They are just going to get destroyed anyway, so might as well get them here.  Just make sure there are no small eyes, or tags, that your dog could choke on.  Usually, since the toys are made with the safety of children in mind, there aren’t any hazardous parts.

3. Groom your dog yourself.  This is easiest obviously with breeds that don’t require a lot of hair cutting or shaving.  But, for all dogs even the most difficult to groom, you should be able to give a simple bath at home.  We have a handheld shower head which makes it much much easier to bathe them, but our neighbor just ties her dog to the fence and uses a hose on hot days.  The dog likes it and thinks it is having fun, but really it is getting cleaned for a fraction of what it would cost to have a professional grooming job done.  You can also use unscented baby wipes to do a daily paw wipedown when your dog comes in from the mud, so you won’t have to bathe as frequently.

4. Use Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and Murphy’s Oil Soap to groom your dog, instead of expensive dog shampoos and conditioners.  Many dog show experts swear by Murphy’s Oil Soap, to soothe dry skin, hydrate the coat and make your dog shine.  And, while regular human shampoo is to much for a dogs sensitive skin, baby shampoo is just perfect.  

5. Use a dremmel and cut your pets nails yourself.  Most tool fanciers have a dremmel (or a neighbor they can borrow one from).  They also have special dremmels made just for cutting pets nails, but these can be a little more expensive.  A dremmel is much less traumatic for a pet than scissors, and you are much less likely to make a mistake and cut too far.  This also makes it much easier to groom your pets at home.  

6. Trade dog walking/sitting with other dog lovers instead of paying a dog walker.  We looked into dog sitters and the estimated cost was at least $50 a day, and that was just to walk the dog a few times.  So, my neighbor (who is a real dog lover too) and I are going to trade off sitting for each others dogs when we go out of town.  She is a dog lover so I know she will really take care of the dogs, as opposed to some dog walkers who are only in it for the money.  Besides, our dogs and her dogs love to play together, so it works out well for them in a lot of ways.  If you don’t have any friends with dogs, maybe you can find friends with kids and arrange to babysit their children in exchange for them watching your dog for a few hours.  Most kids love dogs, so this could also work out as a bonus for everyone involved

7. Do your research on vaccines before you go and get an annual booster shot.  There is growing consensus among animal lovers that annual vaccines are not in fact good for anyone except your vets pocket book.  The immunity from vaccines lasts longer than one year, and there are actually dangers to over vaccinating that have become more and more well-documented.    

8. Consider all natural alternatives to monthly pest preventatives.  Fleas and ticks are dangerous and unpleasant and no one wants them in their homes (of course).  However, the products that we put on our dogs to prevent these creatures (Frontline, Advantage, etc.) can hurt more than our pocket books.  What the drug companies essentially want you to do is to put poison on your pets, in the hopes that a flea or tick will land on your pets and be poisoned.  There are all natural and safer ways to prevent your dogs from becoming affected by these pests, and these alternatives are not only much healthier for your dog, but they also hurt your budget less as well.  

9. Do your research on heart worm prevention medications.  This, too, is a poison and can have dangerous side affects.  Studies have shown that the common products can actually be effective for up to 6 weeks, instead of the 4 that are mentioned on the box.  In addition, if you live in a place that is cold in the winter, the medication can be given seasonally.  

10. Feed a species appropriate raw diet.  I talk more about this in the article Frugal Habits that Have Improved My Life and this is by far the most important piece of advice I can give to dog owners.  Dogs that eat species appropriate raw food will have healthier immune systems, so they won’t need to visit the vet as much, they will be less susceptible to costly diseases, and they will be less likely to be an attractive host to pests because there strong immune systems create an inhospitable environment.  A species appropriate raw diet also cleans their teeth, eliminating the need for teeth cleanings which are expensive and dangerous.  Finally, feeding raw food can be cheaper than high quality kibbles, especially if you get to know butchers or hunters who can give you good deals (or free!) bulk, expired, or otherwise unwanted meat products.