Owning a dog is a rewarding experience, but it can be expensive. In just their first year of life, owning a dog can cost anywhere between $1400 to $2000. Between food, toys, treats, vet bills, medication, grooming, and whatever else comes up, owning a dog can be pricey.

The first year of a dog’s life is pretty expensive, and you can count on the cost to decrease from that point forward. Nevertheless, owning a dog will still cost a couple of hundred dollars per year. For many, that can take up a sizable chunk of their annual budget.

Thankfully, there are ways to cut down on costs. Everyone loves to save money when they can and saving money as a dog owner is not a far-fetched idea. Here are 8 ideas to save money as a dog owner.

1. Make Dog Treats at Home

Making your own dog treats can be easy and is a great way to save some money as a dog owner. You don’t have to be a great cook or baker when it comes to making your own dog treats. Your pup likely will not mind if you are not a master chef.

Making dog treats often involves some inexpensive ingredients and your oven. For example, you can make some baked chickpeas by simply putting some chickpeas in a pan and baked them in the oven. A cursory search online can lead you to endless do it yourself dog treats.

2. Start Grooming at Home

Grooming can be a large yearly expense if you have a long-haired dog breed. That cost can soar if you have a long-haired and large dog. In fact, grooming for long-haired dogs can cost an owner $265 for small dogs, $320 for medium-sized dogs, and as much as $408 for a large breed. By learning how to groom your dog at home, you can save a lot of money.

Grooming at home will often have to start with some research. Certain dog breeds have some special requirements for grooming and others do not. In general, most dogs need regular baths with a nice brushing either before or after. Taking care of your pup’s coat can almost entirely remove grooming costs.

3. Make Your Own Dog Toys

Although the cost of dog toys per year is not much, you can still save money by making your own dog toys. If your dog is a chewer and loves to rip apart any new toy that you give him, you can end up saving a pretty penny. Here are some of the many different dog toys that you can make at home:

• T-Shirt Rope Toys
• Ball Tug Toys
• Plastic Bottle Dog Toys
• Rope Tug Toys
• A Muffin Tin Puzzle

There are a seemingly endless number of different dog toys that you can make at home. This can help you cut your costs by $40-$100 a year. Talk about some great savings.

4. Make Sure Your Dog Gets Enough Exercise

It might not seem like it but making sure that your dog gets enough exercise can actually be a money saver. Having a dog that is in shape is more of a preventative measure against future expenses. Not to mention that exercising your dog can be as easy and inexpensive as a walk around the neighborhood.

By regularly and sufficiently exercising your pup, you can reduce the likelihood that you will be met with costly vet bills in the future. Sufficient exercise can protect against your dog developing disorders such as obesity or excessive chewing. It pays to have an in shape dog.

5. Supplement Your Pups Meals

You can either make your own dog food entirely or help supplement your pup’s meals to make sure that they are well-rounded. By supplementing your dog’s food with fresh and healthy ingredients, you can better nourish your pup. Often, these healthy ingredients are cost-effective.

Supplementing your dog’s food is another sort of preventative measure to save money against future vet bills. Feeding your dog high-quality food will strengthen his immune system and can help prevent him from becoming overweight.

6. Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

Did you know that the vast majority of dogs suffer from periodontal disease? Periodontal disease can cause complications such as heart, kidney, and liver issues. That is why taking care of your dog’s teeth can save you money. Not to mention that you save money from getting a professional cleaning done on your dog’s pearly whites.

7. Shop After the Holidays

If you are looking to save money as a dog owner, then you are probably already keeping an eye out for sales. Lucky for you, at least once a year there are large sales all across the country. If you are in the market for any dog-related needs, try shopping after the holidays.

Skipping the holiday rush can save you a lot of money. Often, retailers are looking to get rid of their holiday stock before the stock for the new year comes in. This makes shopping after the holidays the perfect time to stock up on the things you need for your dog.

8. Make Your Own Dog Bed

Dog beds can be expensive, but you always want to make sure that your pup has a comfortable place to sleep. Making your own dog bed can be done without any serious sewing skills. In fact, you can find instructions on making your own dog bed that requires no sewing whatsoever! Check online to find an easy DIY dog bed to start saving money.

More Money-Saving Tips for Dog Owners

Saving money as a dog owner can require a bit of extra work, but it does not have to. You can try to cover as many bases as possible with an all in one money-saving option. That might seem like a far fetched idea, but it is a reality. If your dog suffers from anxiety, joint pain, or stress, then you can try giving him CBD treats.

CBD is a naturally sourced substance that has been shown to be an effective treatment for stress, anxiety, joint pain, and some neurological disorders. Not to mention that you can buy CBD treats that are packed with all-natural ingredients and nutrients like FOMO Bones’ CBD Dog Treats. Try CBD treats today to reap the many benefits.

Popular brands of CBD oils (cannabidiol oil) and pet parents who try it say that mixing the oil with food is a foolproof method that yields great results. While the opinions and reviews of other people are usually a great guide on what to do and what not to do, they do not tell us how safe the method or the product is.

This is why you should always listen to the words of an expert first. This time, the expert you should seek answers from is a veterinarian!

We want what is best for your dog, so we’re compiling the best guide for you based on the advice of vets. We’ll discuss

• The potential benefits of CBD oil in dog food
• Why pet food with CBD oil could be a good choice for a dog’s body
• The advice of vets on CBD oil and risks associated with it
• Why vets do and don’t recommend using CBD products

The Potential Benefits of Pet Food + CBD Oil

This is all about the method of cannabis oil administration. Why would this be a good choice for your dog over other methods

• It is easier to give than oil straight from a spoon. Food is associated with pleasure in a dog’s brain while the medicine is not. They expect the food to be tasty, so they may take the CBD oil better with their dinner.
• Even a small amount can be spread pretty evenly into your dog’s food if done properly.

Why Food With CBD Oil Could Be a Good Choice

Now let’s get into why CBD oil products in pet food would be beneficial. CBD oil:

• Could lessen the duration and frequency of seizures in dogs with epilepsy. This is being studied and reviewedby a team of vets and the American Kennel Club.
• Has the ability to calm dogs with anxiety. CBD in humans is shown to produce these effects, and researchers now believe that the same could be said of dogs as well.
• Can ease the chronic pain of cancer, arthritis, and other injuries. It can also help ease inflammation.

Other effects are studied less but have the potential to work in dogs as they work in humans!

What Vets Say About CBD Oil and Pet Food

The treatment of ailments in dogs with CBD products is new to the world of veterinary science. Some are hopeful of the benefits, and some are skeptical. Both sides agree that there are potential benefits and risks associated with it.

Pro CBD Vets

Most pro-CBD veterinarians take this stance because they have seen the effects for themselves. Patty Khuly, VMD, MBA has written an article about why she believes that CBD products can be effective for treating ailments in dogs even though it is currently illegal to give these products out herself.

“For my part, I’ve chosen to flout federal law in favor of patient care. Most of the patients I’ve medicated with CBD oil have thrived. After recommending it to hundreds of patients (I carry it in-house now), I’ve not yet observed an adverse reaction. Sure, some patients have balked at its delivery, but that’s about it for negatives.”

Dr. Gary Richter has also been outspoken on the issue, hoping that the regulations on the use of medical CBD oil will change soon.

Anti CBD Vets

Those on the opposite side of the debate are mainly concerned about the lack of medical evidence surrounding the use of CBD for pets. More research is being done all the time, but it isn’t enough yet to get everyone on board with the positive effects of cannabidiol.

Dr. Jerry Klein, though he does not strongly oppose the products, warns that there just isn’t enough evidence to support using it as a form of medicine yet.

“Currently, most of what veterinarians know about CBD oil and dogs is anecdotal, and there is limited scientific evidence about the effects of its use.”

Risks of Using CBD Oil on Dogs

Many vets agree that there are risks associated with giving your dog CBD products just as there is with any medicine. These include:

• Low blood pressure. This can make a dog tired or disoriented
• Increased drowsiness. CBD products may cause fatigue in some dogs
• Dry mouth.
• Lowered liver enzyme activity. This changes the way that dogs metabolize some medicines

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide for yourself whether you will take the plunge and give your dog CBD oil and pet food or not. A veterinarian can’t stop you, but they can warn you or encourage you about the effects of CBD. Talk to yours and see what they may have to say on the subject.

As a dog owner, dealing with canine separation anxiety and distress can sound like a daunting task. When you become a dog parent, you never even think about the potential behavioral issues that might arise and the thought of having a dog that struggles with anxiety almost seems slightly absurd. The reality is, though, that at one point or another during your life of being a doggy parent, you are going to have to deal with issues and one of the most common is learning how to correctly and effectively treat separation anxiety.

Just like raising a child, everyone has different styles of parenting when it comes to their dog’s behavior. Some people prefer to crate train their dogs, so they get used to being in a safe place when you are not home, while others believe that separation anxiety is due to a lack of mental stimulation or exercise. However, despite the fact that everyone has their own preferences when it comes to treating severe separation anxiety, distress, destructive behavior, and other problems in dogs—even for short periods—they all have one thing in common: the desire to overcome it.

Here are some of the most effective ways of naturally helping your dog to overcome separation anxiety of your pet (sometimes severe cases), so you can feel completely at ease when you have to leave him home alone.

STEP 1: Decide on a Strategy and Method

The very first thing you need to do is to determine whether or not the unusual behavior or distress increases right about the time you are getting ready to go out, or even better, while you are out. This is so you can pinpoint if your pup is acting out due to separation anxiety or if there is something else going on. If you are concerned, then you should contact your vet and schedule a check-up. Once you have been given the all clear, it’s time to create a strategy that you feel comfortable with. The most important thing to take into account when it comes to treating separation anxiety in dogs is that you have to be consistent and you need to have patience. You won’t necessarily see an improvement overnight, but stick with it and before too long things will get better.

STEP 2: Create a Safe Place

As humans, when we feel alone or panicked, we will automatically seek refuge in our safe place. Some people will retreat to their man caves for long periods while others will seek comfort in their favorite chair and many people instantly start to feel better when they are snuggled up in bed with their favorite pajamas on. If your dog doesn’t currently have its own bed, feeding area or toys, then understandably she could feel unsettled. To create a safe space for your pup, find a cozy and warm corner where you can lay down a few blankets that have your scent on them to reassure her when you aren’t there. Many people are massive advocates of crate training, as it not only keeps your dogs out of trouble when unsupervised, it can actually be beneficial for their safety. If you do choose to look into crate training, please make sure that you seek professional guidance to ensure you do it right, or it could backfire. You can find plenty of free information online, or by watched TV shows like Cesar Milan’s “The Dog Whisperer.” If you have made a decision not to crate your pup while you are out or turn to an animal behaviorist, then you can hide the CBD dog treats around the house to keep your dog entertained with a game of hide-and-seek!

Step 3: Natural CBD Treats

Cannabinoid-based products are appearing in media headlines every day, thanks to therapeutic capabilities. With so many people starting to take CBD oil to alleviate a range of illnesses and issues like anxiety, CBD dog treats have also become extremely popular over recent years. The healing treats have been proven to significantly decrease the symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs, as well as having a range of positive benefits such as:

– Soothes and alleviates anxiety

– Reduces nervous or hyperactive behavior

– Treats epilepsy and seizures

– Relieves pain

– Effectively treats arthritis

– Better immune system

– Promotes organ health

Step 4: Doggie Cinema

Many dog owners report that their dog is less anxious and displays fewer problem behaviors such as destructive chewing when left alone if they have some background noise to keep them company. And while it might sound a little ridiculous, leaving the TV or radio on while your dog is alone can help her to feel less alone. The next time you are getting ready for a night out, try putting on a movie as “treatment” that will distract and entertain your dog, allowing you to enjoy your evening without the fear of coming home to chaos and destruction.

Final Thoughts

Helping your dog to overcome separation anxiety is not only going to allow your dog to have a well-balanced approach to life, but it will also benefit you as an owner. And if you want to successfully treat separation anxiety for good, then it is important to create a routine and stick to it. The good thing about natural medicines like CBD treats is that they can be used alone or in conjunction with any other method you choose. CBD is pretty much the only natural remedy that will allow you to see positive improvements fast and the fact that there are so many other benefits means that your dog’s overall health will improve. Separation anxiety in dogs will progressively get worse over time, which is why it is so important to take action as soon as you notice that something is awry. And as responsible dog owners, we should always approach the methods we choose with love and care, as changes won’t happen overnight—patience and persistence is a key factor in ensuring that you are reinforcing a bond with your dog that is based on discipline and trust.