Pet Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Making Sense Of Cents

My Pets and Their Costs

Last Updated: January 1, 2015 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 55 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Everyone knows that I am an insane animal person, right? OK well you now know. I often do the most ridiculous things for my pets, and most people don’t understand.

The other day before my dogs were to get their yearly vaccinations, I sang the “SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS” song to them. Yes, I actually did that.

Today’s post will most be about the background on my pets and their costs and soon I will have another posts detailing how you can take the right steps to finding the perfect pet for you.

Background

Both of our dogs are technically “rescued.” Our bigger dog (pictured below) was from a rescue agency.

She was found by the agency at around 6 weeks old tied to the ground with a chain.

Her chain was so short that she could not move at all. People are REALLY horrible out there!

Now, she is about 90 pounds of love. They think she’s a Brittany/Pitt/Boxer mix. Seriously the nicest dog ever (but has a mean bark and protects me!). [Read more…]

Making Your Own Dog Food

Last Updated: December 19, 2015 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 9 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

I’m hoping this isn’t going to sound too crazy, but I’ve thought about this a couple of times. Making my own dog food appeals to me because I feel like I could create better and more healthy food for my dogs. This isn’t really about saving money, because I’m pretty sure making your own dog food is actually more expensive once you include all the meats that you need. Many vets say making your own dog food is better, as long as you do it right. Check out this article on WebMD about homemade dog food also.

Here are advantages from this website:

A longer lifespan
Shinier coat
Fewer skin problems
More energetic
More healthy
Better tasting

Here are some recipes:

Have you ever thought about making your own dog food?

I’d like to get everyone’s input on this, as long as no one calls me crazy!

Homemade Dog Treats that my pups LOVE

Last Updated: December 8, 2014 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 8 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Instead of doing homework last night, I made dog treats. I made these all by myself so I’m hoping the dogs like them.

2 cups Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Milk
1 Granny Smith Apple, cut into tiny pieces

Preheat oven to 350’F.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl
Bake for 25 minutes
Let cool

Obviously if you couldn’t tell, I’m very basic when I cook. I usually just throw everything together and hope it all tastes alright. My dogs seemed to love them, let me know how it goes for you!

Do you have any good dog treat recipes?

How much do you spend on your pet(s)?

Last Updated: July 14, 2017 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 4 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

Here’s a great graphic displaying what the average person on Mint spends on their animals.

We spend around (this is yearly and for both of our dogs):

$500 on food
$400 on vet bills (shots, yearly check-up, plus medical bills for my smaller dog)
$200 on toys and treats

We don’t have pet insurance. Any thoughts on pet insurance?

How much do you spend?