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This week’s PennySaverUSA.com Pet of the Week blog is all about a canine smile that you won’t be able to resist.

“Belle” is the adoptable pet of the week at your Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas. She’s a 5 year and 8 month old, 101 pound, spayed, female, blue-coated, Great Dane. Her big goofy smile will draw you in immediately.

How could you resist Belle, and her big goofy Great Dane smile

How does a sweet, Great Dane end up in an animal shelter? Belle was surrendered to RCHS by her family when they moved someplace that does not allow pets. They’re trusting Rancho Coastal Humane Society to find someone that will love Belle the rest of her life.

While Belle gets along great with other dogs, she seems to prefer the company of people and would love to sit on the couch with you. You can take sweet Blue “Belle” home for only $145, which includes her medical exam, up-to-date vaccinations, spay, and microchip identification. If you can’t adopt her, maybe you can sponsor Belle until she is adopted.

For more information about Belle or other dogs, cats, and rabbits that need families, contact the Rancho Coastal Humane Society.

Rancho Coastal Humane Society

Location:

389 Requeza Street, Encinitas, CA 92024

Contact: SDpets.org | (760) 753-6413

Adoption hours: Wednesday – Monday, 11AM – 5PM

Adoption fees: $145 (includes medical exam, up-to-date vaccinations, spay, and microchip)

Your cat spends hours primping in the mirror. Your dog melts hearts with one look of her puppy eyes. And your goldfish thinks he’s the hottest thing to grace a bowl.

Prove that your pet is what cute dreams are made of and enter our “So You Think Your Pet’s Cute? Contest”

Prove that your pet is what cute dreams are made of and enter our 'So You Think Your Pet's Cute? Contest'. The pet with the most votes will reign cute supreme and win $250!

How to Vote
Vote for your favorite entry through the contest application on the PennySaverUSA.com Facebook page. You can vote for multiple photos daily. Only one vote per photo will be counted. The photo with the most votes will be the winner. The voting period begins June 28th and ends July 3rd.

Prize
The pet with the most votes will reign cute supreme and win $250 to spend on all the catnip, treats, and fish food they like.

So does your pet have what it takes to boast they’re the cutest of them all? Enter to find out.

For more details, please read our contest rules.

So you just adopted a new pet… now what? It’s easy to get carried away at the pet store, so here’s your guide on what to buy and what to skip on that new dog supplies checklist.

New Dog Supplies Checklist:

• Adjustable snap-on collars, tags, and a leash – Go for the basics!

  Forget about the fancy accessories, a basic nylon 6-foot leash, nylon snap-on adjustable collar, and standard tags will be all your new pup needs to be on your way home. Skip the fancy bling and opt for a sensible choice. If your pup is teething, you’ll be glad , you didn’t go for the designer variety. As for collars, a basic adjustable, snap-on collar ensures that you’ll be able to accommodate properly based on your new pet’s growth.

• Training collar – Invest in a head harness!

  Head harnesses are widely used to help your dog learn proper manners while on walks. Because you can control their posture, you can easily teach your pup when to sniff, when to leave it, and how to walk without pulling. Once your dog is used to the head harness, he’ll have the skills to properly go on walks and you won’t have to invest in pricier body harnesses because your pup won’t have pulling problems.

• Food – Invest in higher quality ingredients!

  Keep the same brand that your pup has been fed and gradually mix in a new brand or flavor of food that fits your budget. It’s important to note that higher quality foods will last longer because they provide all the essential ingredients for a healthy canine. Do your research and check with a local pet supplies store to see if they have bulk discounts.

  

  Go for the basics in food and water bowls, and invest in higher quality ingredients!

• Food and water bowls – Go for the basics!

  Sure, a personalized set of bowls looks really cute, but you can save by choosing a dishwasher safe set instead.

• Toys – Repurpose old stuffed animals!

  Speaking from experience, my pups love old stuffed animals more than any new store-bought toy. After a cycle in the laundry, it’s like a brand new favorite friend. Pick out a few different toys and introduce them in rotation so there’s always “something new” for your pup to obsess over!

• Treats – Invest in raw knuckle bones!

  Raw bones are a great value find! These are very satisfying chewing treats and it’s very cheap to find these raw bones at your local butcher shop or carniceria.

• Dog bed and crate – Invest in a quality crate!

  A quality metal crate is a must-have for any new puppy. If your dog is already house trained, you may opt for a comfortable dog bed instead. Crates help with providing a safe place for your dog to be safe & comfortable when you are away.

• Training – Get free tips online!

  Dog training is all about training the dog handler more than the dog. So it’s more important for you to learn how to interact with your dog in a way that suits your lifestyle than letting someone else train your dog. You can get started online with a variety of videos that can teach you how to use positive reinforcement to train your dog.

Whether you have an active outdoor dog, or a dormant pampered inside dog, you definitely need to factor in grooming. From nail trims to hair cuts, your expenses could end up costing more than your personal trip to the salon! This Save Money Monday, we’re sharing  pet care tips for saving money while keeping Fido nice and clean!

Fido loves a bath in your tub even better than going to the doggy salon

Brush your dog daily.

One of the first things you should do when you get a dog is to get a nice brush or comb. Brushes are good for shorthaired dogs while combs are good for dogs with medium to long coats. And if your dogs’ fur tends to curl and get matted, a finer comb can help detangle and dematte. Now that you have the perfect brush or comb, use it daily. When you’re watching TV, grab the brush and start grooming away. If your dog is skiddish, it’s best to introduce your grooming tool slowly and reward your dog with a treat for each time they get closer to the brush. By brushing and combing daily, you can help with excessive shedding, and you’ll be able to keep your doggie’s curls free of tangles!

Doggy wipes.

Use unscented baby wipes to wipe down your pup’s face & ears a few times a week. This helps get rid of the stinky dog smell. You can also use wipes on their paws after walks to keep their paws clean! You can save a couple of bucks by making your own wipes! Just use diluted doggy shampoo or baby shampoo.

Clean your dogs’ ears.

Most of the time, the worst smell comes from a dog’s ears, especially if you have a dog with floppy ears. You can use a solution of 1 part vinegar, 1 part alcohol, and 1 part water to make your own ear cleaning solution. Dab it with a cotton ball and run it along the outer parts of your dog’s ears. If you suspect an ear infection, contact your vet immediately.

Bathe your dog.

Hopefully you’ve been brushing, wiping, and cleaning out your dog’s ears on a regular basis now. Your stinky companion should be not so stinky anymore. So maybe you can cut your baths to every other week, or even down to once a month. Either way, you can save a ton of money by bathing your dog yourself. Fill the tub and start scrubbing away. Lather, scrub, rinse, and repeat. Be sure to do an extra rinse to rinse off all the excess shampoo! If you don’t have a bath tub, check with your local doggy groomer to see if they have self-service stations available. For a small fee, you can rent all the supplies and towels you need to make your doggy squeaky clean!

DIY doggy hair cuts.

If you are confident in your handling skills, please proceed cautiously. You can use a hair trimmer on your dog to trim the fur to a desired length. Pick an area to start. It can be at the back of the neck, or at the shoulders. Run your trimmer in one long stroke. If you’re happy with the length, continue throughout the dog’s body. Invest in a high quality trimmer and avoid those huge grooming bills!

For more money saving ideas for the four-legged friends in your family, catch-up on some good reading with our Pet Care Tips blogs.

Over the weekend, I had to fulfill my duty as a cool aunt and pet sit for my two favorite furry nephews, two Alaskan Klee Kai puppies named Koda and Kane. At first, I was a little nervous with all the responsibility, but it ended up being a doggone good time! And I definitely picked up some survival skills quickly that I want to share with you in today’s Adventures in Pet Sitting blog post.

Meet Koda and his rebellious personality that I learned about during my Pet Sitting Adventures

Before you pet sit, ask yourself, “Can I really handle this?”

And take in consideration the type of pet (dogs are a handful, cats are less demanding, and small pets in cages aren’t too bad at all), your experience with pets (if you’ve never owned an animal, start out with something easy), and the time frame you will be pet sitting (the shorter the time, the less hair pulling).

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and write everything down.

When does your pet nap? How many times do I need to take your pet on a walk per day? How many times does your pet eat? What does your pet eat and where can I find the food in your house? Does your pet have any allergies? Any bad habits I should watch out for? Any areas in the house your pet is not allowed to go? Is there any medication I need to administer and how do I do that? What’s your Vet’s contact information? Is there any additional information I need to know in case of an emergency? These are all great questions to ask!

Make it easy for yourself and keep all-things-relating-to-the-pet in one area.

I felt like a lot of my time was spent running around finding toys to keep the puppies busy and I couldn’t even find the leashes to walk them. By day 2, I had everything in one spot, so it was easy to grab when Koda was yelping for attention or Kane wanted a treat.

Be comfortable with cleaning up their “business.”

Since the boys are still in the potty training phase, it was hard to tell when they needed to be taken outside. I was forewarned that they head to the door or start sniffing the ground if they need to use the restroom (AKA the backyard). Still, there were accidents! So I had to be comfortable picking up their accidental hiccups and carpet cleaning. Each pet is different, so you’ll need to be comfortable with picking up a range of “businesses.”

Develop an understanding of the pet’s personality.

Understanding and predicting what the pet will do next is a great way to avoid a headache. I noticed right away that when I picked up one pup that it made the other one follow me around and obey. I used this to my advantage when the boys were being too rowdy and I needed to take them inside. Each pet has certain quirks that if you watch closely, you’ll learn and be able to use to your benefit.

Pet sitting doesn’t have to be a huge disastrous adventure. Just follow these simple pet care tips and you’ll make that pet your best friend in no time, of course, it’s just until their mom comes home!

What is Kane thinking? Answer in a comment below.

Cats or dogs?

PennySaverUSA.com decided to settle that age-old debate once and for all by taking a poll of our staffers to see which animal makes a better pet.

Needless to say, our efforts to reach a definitive conclusion were an epic fail. The results showed why the cat vs. dog argument is never-ending… because people are truly split down the middle!

Out of the 13 PennySaverUSA.com staffers that participated in the debate, six picked dogs, five picked cats and two love both.

Which do you prefer? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Here is their reasoning:

Those who picked dogs

“I love Dogs! My family only had one cat and she would hide away from us and scratch our arms when we tried to hold her. I’ve been scared of cats ever since. I fell in love with dogs when we got our German Shepherd Duke, pictured to the right. He would lick our faces instead of trying to scratch them off. From him, I learned to adore big dogs. The bigger the dog, the cuter he is,” is what I like to say.” – Alisha

“Dogs!!!!! Dogs are loyal and just love to be loved on. Cats on the other hand are spastic. One minute they are in the dinning room and for no apparent reason they feel the need to dart to the bedroom.  They are not social animals they do not like to cuddle and I am allergic to them so we will never own one.” – Kimberly

“My vote is for Dogs. Reason? Well, let’s just say, I am rather fond of the skin covering my organs. Cat’s are fickle, random, and are lacking in the EQ (emotional intelligence) department. Whereas doggies are all love all the time. One look into those big round eyes and the whole world disappears.” – Lorena

“Dogs……NO CONTEST. Why?  They are excited to see you every time you come back. They show appreciation for what you do for them. They are anxious to protect you if they think something or someone is a threat.” – Loren

“Dogs! Because they listen to you. Have you ever tried walking a cat?  Not cool.” – Drew

“I don’t know if it’s because I’ve never really bonded with a cat or maybe I just enjoy the friendliness of dogs? If I had to choose it would be dogs.” – Jesse

Those who picked cats

“I prefer cats, for no other reason than I prefer them. They don’t do anything special that a dog wouldn’t do. But I think its funny when they do silly things, like sleep in shoe boxes (see photo on the right) …

They’re also just better for cuddling, they purr, do happy feet, and give little kitty massages.” — Michael

“I like cats because they are pretty much a low-maintenance pet and they are not as messy.” – Jonathan

“Dogs certainly have their lovable qualities, but I prefer cats because they will give you affection when you want it, but will leave you alone when you don’t.  Plus, you don’t have to potty train them – a major positive!” – Jason

“Cats, for sure! They don’t require too much attention but will give you some when you need it…and they can fit in small spaces and look cute like the one on the right!” – Kelly

“Cats, they’re generally more quiet and peaceful.” – Som

Those who couldn’t decide

“Dogs and cats are just like potato chips…YOU JUST CANT HAVE ONE!!!  I have come to that conclusion.  See this great example.

See…what did I tell you” — Veronica

“I have two dogs and two cats, and if I choose one over the other, they might go on strike. I love that my dogs are always happy to see me and greet me at the door when I come home, and I love that my cats cuddle with us at night. My house wouldn’t be complete without both.” – Elizabeth

This blog was written by PennySaverUSA.com staffer Elizabeth, who has four pets and considers herself a passionate pet lover

In my household, we have two dogs, a Siberian husky named Luna and Australian cattle dog named Logan, and two cats, a big Russian blue named Buddha and a lean Tom cat named Bradley. It’s quite a full house. We love our furry friends to pieces and are always on the lookout for healthy eating tips to ensure we’re giving them the very best. Here are some of the pet care tips that I’ve found helpful.

Elizabeth's family of pets are healthy in large part because of their carefully monitored diet.

Food amounts for healthy weight levels

Luna and Logan are drastically different sizes and have very different activity levels. Luna thinks she’s training for the Iditarod and weighs about 40 pounds, while Logan loves to sleep in the sun all day and weighs only 20. If we fed them the same amount, one would probably become underweight and the other would blow up like a blimp. I used this Dog Food Calculator from Dog Food Advisor to determine exactly what they needed. We feed our dogs twice a day, and Luna needs a little over 2 cups total, while Logan only needs about 1 1/2. We aren’t as strict with our cats, who can eat any time they want, but we probably should be. I plan on trying out this Cat Food Calculator for them.

Food Ingredients

The ingredients you should choose vary significantly based on your pet’s age, lifestyle, and breed. Before choosing a pet food, you should speak with your vet about the optimal ingredients for your pet, and they can send you in the right direction.

Our vet recommended Kirkland Superior Premium Pet Foods because of the low cost and healthy ingredients. We feed our dogs the Superior Premium Adult Dog line which is rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids (for shiny coats and strong joints) and high-quality protein like lamb and eggs. We feed our cats the Adult Cat Healthy Weight and Hairball Control. Buddha is a little chunky, and we’ve noticed improved weight using this brand. It’s also chocked full of omega fatty acids, vitamins, and natural proteins like chicken.

Whatever you choose, watch out for foods containing these unhealthy ingredients that could harm your pet:

• BHA and BHT – preservatives that can harm the kidneys.
• Corn syrup – pure sugar and can cause “finicky eater syndrome” if they get addicted to the taste.
• Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG) – can cause allergic reactions in pets and people.
• Dry blood meal – low-quality protein that’s hard to digest

If you see any of these ingredients in your pet food, it’s a sign that it’s not a high-caliber product and you should leave it on the grocery store shelf.

Treats and Snacks:

Who hasn’t felt the urge to give into those pleading puppy eyes when you’re enjoying a delicious burger? However, as a rule, you should avoid feeding your pet people food. Feeding your pet from the table can lead to annoying begging and hurt their health, as not all ingredients for people are good for pets. We opt for treats that mimic what they would eat in the wild as much as possible. Our dogs love the all-natural PCI freeze dried chicken breast treats, and our cats go bonkers for catnip. We reserve the occasional pre-cooked chicken or steak, without any seasonings. Just avoid table scraps and treats with the harmful ingredients mentioned above and you and your pets will be happy.

For more pet care tips, check out our other blogs. Happy meals to you and your pet!