Let’s face it – dogs can be expensive!  But these days, everyone is trying to save money, so are there ways to save money on your dog expenses without compromising your dog’s care?
Of course!  You just need to be more creative!
There are some things I absolutely will no compromise on – my dogs get fed a super-premium kibble or home-made food.  Vet care is another thing that you just can’t scrimp on!
There are lots of things you can save money on though…

Buy your dog food in bulk.  When I feed my dogs kibble, I buy the biggest bag possible – …read more

Etsy is one of my favorite places to find unique accessories & jewelry, but did you know that they also have an extensive pet section too?
Let’s say you want to find a unique collar for your dog…  Check out this cool leather dog collar, embellished with leather flowers from The Cool Puppy!

image: The Cool Puppy
How about a snuggly, eco-friendly fleece dog bed?  Annie’s Sweatshop makes one that fits over one of your own old pillows:

image: Annies Sweatshop
Want to treat your dog to a special treat for Valentine’s Day?  3 Dogs & A Chick makes these personalized dog treats from peanut …read more

I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites products for dogs that I’ve been using for years – and wouldn’t be without!
When I first saw a dog water fountain, I thought it was kind of gimicky.  Okay, my dogs like fresh running water (my Cocker Spaniel loves drinking out of the garden hose!)  Do they really need a water dish with a filter and water pump?

Petmate Deluxe Pet Fountain
 
Well, I was wrong!  The dogs love the water fountain – and you’d be amazed at how much stuff the filter picks up.  The water reservoir holds …read more

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers in the USA!  And of course, what happens after Thanksgiving?  The biggest shopping day of the year- Black Friday…
You don’t have to go compete with all those crowds to get the goodies you want for your dog – shop online and relax
Petsmart is offering $10 off any order over $40.
Amazon.com has tons of pet supplies for up to 65% off (Friday only).
The National Pet Pharmacy is offering 10% off your order with the code PERNPP30 – just enter it at the checkout.
Don’t forget that lots of online store don’t release their sales …read more

I’ve been working away to bring you the first ever Christmas Shopping Guide from The Doggy Blog!

image: Stock.xchg
I’ve found awesome gifts for toy dogs, gifts for big dogs – even gifts for eco-friendly pooches!  And, of course – what would a doggy gift guide be without gifts for dog owners too
Want to check out the holiday fun?  Just click on the tree to see the goodies!

Do you have a dog or puppy that needs a jacket or sweater to stay cozy?  There are lots of great free patterns to knit, crochet or sew your own dog jackets!
You’ll need to sign up for a free membership with Patons Yarns to access this charming knitted dog coat – complete with little knitted bones as accents:

image:  Patons Yarn
If you prefer to sew instead, check out this pattern to make a vest-style coat:
 
image: Circle of Crafters
Here’s one for the crochet fans:

image: Bernat
You’ll need to sign up for a free membership from Bernat, but they have several free patterns …read more

During the winter time, it gets dark here quite early, so my husband and I quite often end up walking our dogs at night.  Our dogs all have quite a bit of white fur, but they’re still not as visible as I’d like – for safety’s sake.
We discovered that bicycle lights make fantastic collar lights for our dogs – in fact, we’ve even given them as gifts to other dog owners

“Turtle” white LED light from Mountain Equipment Co-Op
These lights are quite inexpensive, loop on to the dog’s collar and last for over 100 hours (that’s a lot of …read more

My elderly Cocker Spaniel loves to go for walks, but he has real problems with snow in the winter time.  Snow clumps up between his toes, which is awfully uncomfortable!
Luckily, there are options!
Booties are a great option (as long as your dog will tolerate them) – they keep his paws free of snow and ice and even protect them from salt or ice melting chemicals.
Most pet stores carry booties and of course, you can also find them online:

These ones are “Companion Road Reflective Booties” from Petsmart.  I like having the reflective tape on booties – it makes it safer to …read more