Our Best Budget-Friendly Dog Care Tips After 2 Years As Pet Parents

Real-life budget dog care tips from a dog parent: How we save on food, vet bills, and grooming without cutting corners on care.

It’s been two years since we got our dog. 

I have to admit, I didn’t want a dog. Mostly because I knew all the care would fall on my shoulders (mm mm). 

But we got one anyway, and of course, I love her dearly. She really is like my third child and definitely the spoilt baby of the family.

Even though both DH and I had dogs as children, we were still so unprepared for modern dog parenting—the training, the cost, making sure they are properly exercised and mentally stimulated. 

Oh, and did I mention the cost?

Just like it’s easy to spoil your kids, it’s easy to want to give your beloved pup the very best of everything. 

And while having a pet isn’t cheap, there are ways to bring the cost down. 

In this article, I share some of the money-saving tips I’ve learned over the past two years.

🐾 Note: I’m not a vet—just a fellow dog parent sharing what’s worked for us. Always check with your own vet before changing your dog’s routine or diet.

1. Food and Treats: How to Cut Costs Without Sacrificing Quality

Food is one of the biggest costs of pet ownership. 

This might sound obvious, but if you don’t yet own a dog, one of the best ways to save on dog food is to choose a small dog. The smaller the dog, the less they eat.

Our friend had Great Danes. Two of them. The amount of food for a week would feed our dog for months.

But if you already have a dog, here are some other money-saving tips I’ve found to help me save:

Buy the best quality food you can afford

It’s a good idea to speak to your vet about your dog’s individual nutrition needs and ask for vet-approved, budget-friendly brands or check guidelines from sources such as the Pet Nutrition Alliance (American) or Choice (Aussie). 

Quality food can reduce illness and therefore, be a long-term saving – Choice (above) argues for a variety of dry, tinned, and fresh food.

Making your own food may also be cheaper (although this is debated), but it’s good to check with your vet to ensure you’re making food that is adequately nutritious for your dog’s breed, age, and particular needs.

Consulting your vet or a vet nutritionist is what the American Kennel Club recommends – they would totally not approve of our dog’s weekly bickie when I have my coffee. 

Compare prices and use loyalty programs

Our local pet store has a loyalty program that gives us discounts on almost everything, but we’ve saved significantly by shopping online (sometimes at the online version of the pet shop!!) and taking advantage of sales.

We also get cash back using sites like Cashrewards (referral link), which is triple savings: online + sales + cash back.

Compare Prices with Vet Supply

We often shop at Vet Supply (which is also an affiliate) because it is usually (not always) cheaper than other online stores and definitely cheaper than our local pet store.

We usually buy our kibble and vet-recommended flea and tick treatment from them and save a ton. 

Check unit prices

Bigger isn’t always cheaper! Watch for sales and compare unit prices to get the best deal.

Shop the sales

We have two vet-approved brands our dog likes, so we buy whichever is on sale. Having that flexibility means we almost never pay full price.

Make your own treats (Maybe)

Not going to lie; I don’t have time for making dog treats.

But if you do, this is one way to save money. Otherwise, I shop the sales and rely on a sneaky free bickie at the cafe down the road.

Insta is also a great source of pet treat recipes.

2. Vet Bills and Preventative Health Care

Wow! Vet bills, am I right?! 

Apart from routine care, our dog has allergies AND has been to the vet four times because she swallowed something she shouldn’t have. 

Only last week, we were behind a mum and her baby, and the baby dropped their food, and my dog snuffled it up before I had time to react. 

A wodge of hot cross bun, no less. With sultanas. Deadly for dogs.

She’s fine, thankfully. And our vet is awesome. But it was an expensive lesson for me to be more vigilant (not blaming mum or bub, totally on me!). 

Here are some things we’ve done to lower the costs.

Shop around for a vet

Prices vary significantly, so it’s worth shopping around before committing. We found this especially true for regular meds like allergy treatment.

Prevention saves thousands

Routine flea, tick, and worming treatments are far cheaper than treating an illness. Most vets recommend year-round protection, as outlined by the RSPCA. Some dogs may be eligible for an injection instead (ours gets a yearly heartworm injection), which might save money over the course of a year.

Buy medications online

We get our brand-name flea and tick treatments at Vet Supply (unless they’re on sale somewhere else), which is cheaper than pet stores and WAY cheaper than the vet.

Prescription meds tip

You can buy prescription meds online with a script, but check first if your vet charges a fee to write the prescription.

Ours charges $45 just to write the script for a $14 medicine (online price) on top of the consultation fee, so sometimes it’s cheaper to just buy directly from them.

Free or discounted vaccinations and health checks

Some local councils and animal charities offer vaccinations and health checks for low-income earners (Pets in the Park does it for homeless people in QLD, for instance, and RSPCA sometimes does free vet services in different local areas like this one).

Pet insurance

Insurance is costly, but if something happens to your dog, it could save thousands.

It helps to shop around each year to avoid a “loyalty tax.” Our renewal price ended up being $400 more than a competing quote; however, the new coverage was a lot less, so we ended up not switching. 

This is why it’s always important to check the PDS for limits, waiting periods, and exclusions, and it’s a good idea to keep vet documents that give your dog a clean bill of health in case you need them later to prove a claim. 

Our pet insurance has a free helpline with a qualified vet, which was useful for us when our dog started vomiting…during a cyclone.

It saved us a trip and the massive cost of visiting the emergency 24-hour vet. She was fine, maybe a bit anxious about the weather, as were we all.

3. Affordable Toys and Enrichment

We now know that mental stimulation and enrichment are vital for a pet’s well-being. But you don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy toys (although we (but more importantly our dog, found Kongs (Amazon) to be great). 

Just like many parents of first-born babies, I got a lot of books on dog care because that’s how I handle the world, by retreating with an explanatory book and a cuppa.

Not saying it’s the best way to learn, but it’s my jam.

Anyway, here are some books on dog enrichment that aren’t going to mean spending a ton on fancy puzzles (links to Amazon):

• Canine Enrichment for the Real World (a lot of theory, but I found it interesting)
• Enrichment Games for Dogs (lots of ideas, free with Kindle Unlimited, although the dog IQ test…lol!)
• Canine Enrichment (written by a canine behaviourist)

Here’s what has worked for us:

Walks with lots of sniffing

Sniffing is mentally stimulating for dogs, so instead of a quick, mandatory walk (look, there are busy days when we do a quick blockie, too), it can be good to let them pause often and let them explore with their nose.

Visit different places

A walk on the beach or a trip to the markets can be as exciting for dogs as it is for humans. Our dog gets super excited/anxious in new places, so we try to keep it low-key while still helping her to explore.

Do training

Many dogs love learning new tricks and getting treats, especially highly intelligent breeds and working dogs. It’s fun, rewarding, and it helps reinforce good behavior.

I find there are a ton of tricks and enrichment ideas on Pinterest and Instagram.

Play “find it”

Our daughter hides kibble around the room, and our dog hunts for it!

Other options: wrapping kibble in a towel or using a snuffle mat. We loosely tie treats in an old tea towel; it’s challenging without being too hard.

Check out Khris Erickson’s (canine behaviourist) website, which has 35 enrichment ideas.

DIY toys

Some dogs love shredding paper boxes or playing with second-hand teddies. Ours will just eat it all, so we don’t give her these toys – it depends on the dog.

Here are some DIY dog toys from the RSPCA. Just remember that supervision is important, especially if, like our dog, yours is more likely to eat the cardboard/towel/t-shirt rope rather than play with it.

Dog parks (if your dog enjoys them)

If your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, a dog park can be a free way for them to romp around and for you to meet other pet owners. We haven’t had a bad experience in a dog park, but it’s relatively quiet and usually only small dogs.

4. Training and Boarding

We did the whole puppy school thing. Our dog is partially trained – not the most obedient dog in the world (refer back to the hot cross bun incident – she’s still learning ‘leave it’ and ‘drop it’), but she’s not too bad. We probably wouldn’t do it again if we got another dog.

Train at home for free

We felt that puppy school is mainly for teaching owners, not dogs! They can’t learn to come in 30 minutes over six lessons, but you are learning the best way to continue the training. 

There are plenty of free online guides and YouTube videos that involve positive training (we particularly liked Zak George).

Pet-sitting swaps

Instead of paying for kennels, swap dog-sitting with a trusted friend, family member, or neighbour.

Some travellers will care for pets in exchange for accommodation—great if you’re going away for a while!

However, there are a ton of pet-sitting scams online at the moment, so it pays to do due diligence, get references or just get a friend or family member if you can.

5. Grooming and General Care

We have a Cavalier, and she needs a LOT of grooming.

If we don’t stay on top of it, her fur mats easily.

And while she goes to a professional groomer every 3-4 months, learning to groom her at home has saved us heaps, helps us stretch out the time between grooming sessions, and keeps her mat-free.

DIY grooming

Regular brushing and minor trims can stretch out the time between professional grooms. I found a cheap detangler brush from Kmart to be exactly like the one the pet store sells but for a fraction of the cost. 

We also use kids’ rounded school scissors for trimming (no pointy bits), a regular plastic human comb, and for mats we miss, we have a pair of thinning scissors to loosen the mats.

Yes, I’ve bought fancy stuff – even one of those fancy pet brushes on Instagram with the retractable button. No, none of it was worth it, and we now use cheaper human hair combs!

Pet bedding

We bought a comfy bed for our dog, and she sleeps…beside it. On the floor. 

Or on our bed, if she can get away with it. 

A towel or large pillow may be sufficient unless your dog has arthritis or other issues.

Wash bedding with regular laundry

Unless your dog has allergies, a regular low-allergy washing powder is sufficient to wash pet stuff in the washing machine (check manufacturer’s directions first).

Helpful Resources

• RSPCA Pet Health Guides
• WSAVA Nutrition Guidelines
• Zak George’s Positive Training
• Pet Insurance Comparison by CHOICE

Owning a dog is a huge commitment of time and money. But the love they give and the joy they bring is, in my opinion, worth it. I love snuggling with our pup, especially now that the kids are too old for that.

And while it’s not cheap, there are plenty of ways to save money by shopping smart and avoiding unnecessary expenses.

Do you have your own money-saving dog care tips? Feel free to share them in the comments below!