With our extravagant purchase of a new puppy, and the fact that it was a less than frugal purchase, we had to really figure out ways to cut corners. Not that we don’t already, but putting such a large purchase on the credit card was simply not taken likely. So there are a few things we have done and I thought I’d share them.
New puppies are usually a lot like newborns. And as such, cannot play with the larger toys that are available on the market. One of the best tips my mother gave me, and she’s not even a frugal person like I am, was to buy baby toys on clearance at local discount chains and department stores. Teething toys are perfect for puppies. Be sure that nothing is able to be chewed off and like any toy you give your dog, he should be supervised just in case he is able to chew it apart.
Many people dislike giving their dogs soft toys to chew on, because they think it will encourage them to chew on socks and children’s stuffed toys. While that might be true for untrained puppies and dogs, if you train them to know which toys are theirs, they should learn to respect other items that are not theirs. Tied socks, and small stuffed animals are great for small puppies. Be sure that nothing will come off like a loose eye or embellishment. Again, watch the puppy with the toy to be sure he isn’t actually eating the toy.
Our puppy is somewhat like a toddler. He absolutely loves anything that seems to be free. Boxes are his favorite and he can play for quite awhile amongst a bunch of opened, upended boxes with the kids playing with him. He will also chase string across the floor. Things that are free, seem to really appeal to him. He discovered a paper shopping bag yesterday. It was entertaining but he kept himself busy for almost twenty minutes with this one bag, playing by himself.
Two Non-Frugal Things to Avoid:
Don’t purchase fancy or cute or expensive collars when you get a puppy. A simple, cheap, expandable collar is all you need. They grow so fast, so wasting money on cute collars can seriously add up. Save the cute collars until they are bigger or at least close.
Do not feel like you have to feed your pet top of the line puppy food. A $15.00 bag is probably just as good as the $10.00 bag. And do NOT waste money on small bags of food. You save more money by purchasing the larger bags. And honestly, using coupons will help a lot. Usually when you get a new puppy, just like when you get a new baby, you can sign up for clubs that will mail you coupons for everything from pet food to toys and accessories.
Related Articles:
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More Frugal Ideas for Pet Care
Learn To Be Frual With Pet Health Care
You might also enjoy visiting the Pet Blog here on Families.com for more insightful and wonderful articles dealing with your treasured pets.