Food is one of the most important aspects of a dog’s life, and offering your dog only the best quality dog food is one of the best things you can do for him to live a healthy and long life. Unfortunately good quality always has its price. You might think that it’s impossible to include only high quality products in your dog’s diet on a daily basis, but there are several ways to save money on dog food without cutting down the quality.
1. Cook it yourself
One of the easiest ways to save money on your dog’s food is to make it yourself. Food cooked at home tends to be much better than what’s available at the store. It can also be more cost effective. There are many tasty recipes that are extremely healthy because you can use organic ingredients and avoid any preservatives or artificial flavors. The food made with natural ingredients will offer your dog all that’s best for him; it is highly nutritional and good for his health too. And the price for a serving will be much lower than you might expect. You can save a lot of money if you cook at home for your dog and you will know exactly what is going into his diet.
If you decide to cook your dog’s food the most important thing you need to consider is food safety. It’s true that dogs have many defenses against parasites and bacteria but that doesn’t mean that they are completely immune to them. Keeping your utensils clean and cooking the ingredients at the right temperatures is very important if you want to kill all the unwanted bacteria. This is very important for puppies and older dogs because they are much more vulnerable than others.
2. Buy only in bulk
Not everyone has the time or aptitude to cook at home. If you are one of them, a great way to save money on dog food is to buy in bulk. Many stores have different promotions and products on sale, especially if you buy in big quantities. That’s why you need to do a little bit of research on the different pet stores and buy what’s convenient for you. It’s also very helpful to have a stockpile of food for your dog in your house because it can save you from the stress of wondering what to feed your dog tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.
3. Pay for the ingredients not for the brand
Last, but not least, in knowing how to save money on dog food is to consider the brand. When shopping for dog food, sometimes the key factor in choosing one brand over another is the price. You might assume that a product with a higher price must be a better quality product when, in reality, you might just be paying more for the brand name and not the ingredients. Always check the labels of the products and compare them with other brands before you decide what you buy. You might be amazed to find products that contain the exact same ingredients, but the price will be higher only because a product is made by a certain brand. Be smart and buy the same quality for the lowest prices!
As you can see, it’s not that hard to save money on dog food. All you need is some knowledge and a bit of determination in order to achieve anything you want. There are other ways you can save money on your dog’s food, but the most important thing is to find a way that works the best for you and stick to whatever you find that has the best results for you. This is about your dog and his health, and nothing’s more important than that.
Featured photo credit: smerikal via flickr.com
