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Can You Really Be a Dog’s Best Friend? A Top 10 List

I think that’s a valid question, and I don’t ask it lightly. The short answer is yes. The long answer may be no, and let me tell you why.

I think I’ll start things off with a short story. It’s interesting and I think it will shed some light on what I am thinking.

Way back in 1999, I was attending graduate school at Binghamton University. I lived on the third floor of an old house in a very small apartment. The house was in a rather congested part of town, so all of the residents could get a very clear picture of what was happening in the neighborhood around them. From my apartment, I had a pretty good vantage point of a few backyards that were close by.

As you could imagine, while attending graduate school, I was required to study for a good portion of the day and night. There was no way to get around it and much of it had to be done in my apartment. In order to have a good studying session, I needed quiet. Thinking back, I should have moved into a more sparse part of town.

The day after I moved in, I remember looking out the window into the backyard across the street. There were two dogs lying down on a dirt area. They were tethered together by the same dog leash, a piece of one tied to the other. Their heads were about a foot apart and they had no where to go. Every time someone passed on the sidewalk, they would stand up and run to the chain link fence, barking. This went on day after day. Eventually, someone from the neighborhood called the ASPCA and had the dogs removed. The owners were charged with having the dogs outside without shelter and a few other things.

This brings me to the point of this piece. Why do people bring dogs into their homes, when they clearly don’t have the means to properly care for them?

I’m sure we have all seen it a thousand times; the messiest house on the road with three viscous dogs chained to a stump in the front yard, the college students who thought it would be fun to get a “house” puppy, the overworked parents who thought it would be a good idea to get their young children an active puppy to play with.

What’s the common theme that runs across all three examples above? Bad choices. I think the mistakes many people make are 1) they don’t understand that owning a dog is a huge responsibility and 2) dogs can lead miserable lives, if not taken care of properly.

Here is a (hopefully helpful) list of reminders that you should consider before bringing a dog into your family:

1. Dogs bark. If you like your neighbors and want them to continue liking you, be sure to consider this when choosing the breed of dog you get.

2. Dogs eat. If you have trouble paying your own grocery bill, think about the extra expense of a big bag of dog food once a month.

3. Dogs need to go to the doctor. If you are having trouble paying for your own health care, think about what you are going to do the day your dog needs to have an operation.

4. Dogs need to relieve themselves. If you like to snuggle under your warm covers at 5AM in the middle January, think about the feeling you will have when your new dog starts barking to go outside at that time.

5. Dogs need to play. If you work late and no one is home, who will be there to take the dog outside to burn off all the energy they have?

6. Dogs need love. Are you ready to spend at least two hours a day with your dog?

7. Dogs need space. Do you have the room for a dog that may become hyper when it gets excited?

8. Dogs are not welcome in many rental units. Do you rent? Be aware that by having a dog, you are limiting yourselves to about 10% of available units for rent.

9. Dogs require patience. Take a good look at yourself. Have you ever lost your temper? Many dogs may do things that will upset you.

10. Dogs need to be licensed. What are the rules of your area when it comes to dog ownership?

The above list is not meant to be depressing. It’s meant to give you a realistic view of what you can expect after you bring that cute, cuddly little puppy into your home. I have owned many dogs and I write from experience.

A good friend of mine owns two rather large dogs that he adopted from a friend during his senior year of college. They are both about five years old now. He loves the dogs, but feels he may have made a mistake. He may not have been ready for them. I remember asking him how he feels about owning the dogs, to which he replied, “Yeah, that was pretty much the biggest mistake I ever made.”

Now, let’s discuss the brighter side of things. If you have looked over the above list and think you might be ready to give a dog a new home, good for you. Just be sure to look for that dog in the right places. There are many dogs in shelters across this country that are just waiting for someone like you to walk through the door. Do the right thing and adopt. You’ll be glad you did.

This article was written by Jay Gaulard on behalf of http://www.petclassifieds.us, a popular pet classifieds website.

Foreclosures Rentals Drive Rents Down

The U.S. housing market is in a world of hurt. Bank owned homes (REOs) exploded to three-quarter of a million in the month of July, 2008.

For real estate investors, watching the number of foreclosures grow generates emotions much like those experienced while attending a slasher movie. The number of homes taken through bank foreclosures is up 184% from a year ago. Yes, a higher proportion of properties that enter the foreclosure process are ending up repossessed by lenders.

If anyone tries to tell you that the worst of the housing crisis is over point out that default notices are up 53% and notices of foreclosure auctions is up 11%.

Lenders now own over 750,000 homes and the number is climbing. They don’t want those homes, they want to sell them. What happens when there is a surplus of anything? Prices go down and that holds true for foreclosed homes. Some lenders are cutting prices as often as every 20 days on their REOs.

The book value of one to four-family homes owned by lenders whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. more than doubled to $8.56 billion at the end of the first quarter from $3.59 billion a year earlier.

Investor should understand that this ocean of vacant homes is driving down prices in many areas. Banks tend to cut prices faster than other sellers. That undercuts the value of every home in the area. What you buy today may seem like a bargain, but remember lenders will continue dumping tens of thousands of homes for months to come. That will reduce the value of your bargain home.

Those owning homes today are also suffering. Many bought at the peak of the real estate price bubble and have been underwater every since. With falling home values their situation grows worse every day. What little equity they had vanished some time ago. That will result in more owners walking away from there homes and another increase in foreclosures and REOs.

Rents Crash

The bad news continues. With hundreds of thousands of homeowners losing their homes through foreclosure the rental market has been flooded with potential tenants. That should be good for apartment owners, right? That seems logical until you remember the tens of thousands of vacant homes that can’t find buyers.

Landlords are desperate to rent their homes to raise cash that can be applied to mortgage payments. With so many homes offered for rent they are asking for almost anything they can get. For apartments rent growth has flattened, vacancies in many areas are at record highs and rent concessions are near record highs.

Renters can lease a home for the same price as a 990 sq ft apartment. That’s tough competition for apartment owners.

To make matters worse is the number of condo conversions that have been converting back into rentals. More rental units coming on a distressed markets means continued downward pressure on residential rents.

Oh sure, all of these problems will be overcome with time. If you are a real estate investor there are big profits ahead, but keep a tight hold on your buying power until there is not the slightest doubt that the housing market has hit a real bottom and is starting up the other side.

Keep This In Mind…

In November of 2002 an event was held to honor economist Milton Friedman on his ninetieth birthday.

Then Federal Reserve Governor Ben S. Bernanke (now Fed head) gave a talk. Here are the last lines of that speech…

“Let me end my talk by abusing slightly my status as an official representative of the Federal Reserve. I would like to say to Milton and Anna: Regarding the Great Depression. You’re right, we did it. We’re very sorry. But thanks to you, we won’t do it again”.

Mark Walters is a third generation real estate investor and founder of CreatingWealthClub.com. For a limited time Mark is offering his big guide to finding hard money loans for real estate investing free. Free guide to private money loans.

Short Sales, Foreclosures And Bank-Owned Properties – Part 1

There are many properties in some stage of foreclosure or taken back by lenders at this time and a lot of buyers ask about these because they’ve heard about how this is where you can get an incredible deal. After more experience with these types of properties I’ve found that there is a lot of false information and hype out there and want to provide you with some more information that can help you understand this whole subject a little better.

During the boom years there were tons of seminars and books on how to make a fortune in real estate by buying and flipping houses. Though some people were able to make good money quickly that way during the period of about 2003 to mid-2005, many others are now part of the foreclosure statistics.

Similarly, there are now lots of websites, seminars, books, etc. on how to make your fortune buying foreclosure properties. They present stories of exceptionally good situations that make it sound like this is how every foreclosure situation goes even though it is really more of a rare occurrence for the average person. Maybe these are the same people who promoted the seminars and books on “flipping” (and maybe they are also the ones who email you about winning the UK lottery or about the $50Million they want to send you from Nigeria:).

That’s not to say that there aren’t good deals available in properties that are in some stage of foreclosure, there are. For example, in March I saw a condo in Palm Harbor priced $25,000 less than the one a client of mine bought last year (which was already $50,000 below what they were priced for in 2005). But this current one also has a garage and upgraded kitchen countertops and cabinets (which my client’s condo didn’t have).

Another example is a house in Dunedin that one of my clients is buying which is priced about $20,000 less than comparable properties in the same area and is in good condition. So it is true you can find some properties that are good deals.

BUT - there are some things you’ll need to understand because the process can be quite different from the normal.

First of all there are some different types of ‘foreclosure’ properties and I want to start off by clearing this up for you.

There is a ‘pre-foreclosure’. This is a property where the owner has fallen behind on their payments to a point where the bank has begun the foreclosure proceedings (usually by filing a notice of pending legal action).

There is a ’short sale’. This generally means a pre-foreclosure property where the property is being listed at a price that is less than what is owed on the outstanding loans. You can recognize these in listings as it will either say “short sale” or “3rd party approval needed” or “list price may not be sufficient to cover all encumbrances” (meaning that the bank will have to approve it in addition to the seller accepting the offer).

One word of caution though, some realtors will list a property as a short sale or “possible” short sale without even having their client complete a “short sale package” (the paperwork that will have to be submitted to the bank with any contract) - avoid these as in most cases they end up going nowhere or take months to hear anything back.

There are also “bank-owned” properties. Bank-owned means the bank has completed the foreclosure proceedings and now owns the property fully. These are usually the easiest and quickest of the different types of foreclosure properties to deal with although they are sometimes (not always) in pretty bad condition.

That gives you a basic overview of the types of “foreclosure” properties you may run into. In Part II, I’ll go over some information that will be important to know if you are considering purchasing a property in any stage of foreclosure.

To search the MLS for Clearwater Florida and the surrounding areas and get a monthly email newsletter to stay current on how the real estate market is doing in that area you can visit Ron Nedd’s website: http://www.searchdunedinhomes.com and register for both MLS access and the newsletter.

Short Sales, Foreclosures and Bank-Owned Properties – Part II

In Part I, I covered what the different types of ‘foreclosure’ properties are. Now let’s look at what you need to know about them if you’re thinking about venturing into this area.

The most difficult type to deal with at this point in time (in most cases) is a short sale. With a short sale, you will have to be prepared to wait weeks or even months to hear anything back on an offer. If your offer is at the asking price and 100% cash, then that may shorten the time period. But even in that situation there is no guarantee that it won’t take weeks or months.

As an example, I spoke with another realtor a few months ago whose client not only put in a full list price offer but also offered to pay for the title insurance that would normally be paid by the seller. It still took 3 weeks to get an answer and what came back from the bank was that they wouldn’t consider the offer until they had a special disclosure signed by the buyer that is required on houses built before 1978. Only problem is that the house was built in the last 5 years and this disclosure isn’t required. But the bank doesn’t care and wants the disclosure before considering the offer. And it took 3 weeks to get even this ridiculous reply back!

One other case is a realtor that listed a short sale and got a very low offer which she submitted to the bank in November (this was even after the house was listed for $200,000 less than the current owner paid for it 2 years ago). As of February she still hadn’t gotten a reply back from the bank. So that was 3 months with no reply.

So with short sale properties, you first need to find out if it is actually a good deal. I had one client recently looking at a townhouse that is a short sale and based on recent sales in the complex and comparing the condition of the properties this townhouse was priced at least $15,000 too high for even its market value.

If you do determine it is a good deal (especially when it is below market value) then it is best to offer a price that the bank will consider. This is especially true when the lender has already dropped the list price once or more. If you go too low, you may never hear back. And keep in mind that during the waiting period for a reply, other buyers can submit an offer and if the bank feels the other offer is better than yours – they can then accept it and reject yours.

It is actually fairly well known that short sale deals are often more difficult. An April 18, 2008 article said “The success rate for short-sale offers is low…20 percent of short-sale offers in the area [Las Vegas] lead to completed sales, compared with 85 percent for more traditional sales. Redfin, an online real-estate brokerage based in Seattle, says it represented buyers on 65 short sale offers in the first quarter but expects only two or three to result in a completed sale.”

And the final insult with short sales is that even if the bank accepts your offer and things are proceeding along well, they can decide in the 11th hour to cancel the deal. This info was given to me by an attorney who works for our state Realtor association.

The easiest of all foreclosure properties to work with are bank-owned properties. This is where the bank has completed the foreclosure proceedings and now owns the property. In these cases the time frame for getting an answer back on an offer will be much quicker. However, in a high percentage of cases the property can be in very bad condition.

A very important point with any of these type of properties - you must have your financial arrangements taken care of before even bothering to look at any. In all cases that I have seen so far, an offer won’t even be accepted in a short sale or bank-owned situation unless you submit a preapproval letter for financing or proof that you have the cash to buy it.

Bank-owned properties can be a good deal for you if they are in decent condition or if you are willing to do the work necessary to bring it up to the standard you want. But keep in mind that you will get very little or no information about the property from the bank so the risk of hidden problems is higher.

I only recommend short sales at this time for investors who are cash buyers and will have no problem with waiting an average of 60-90 days for the whole process. Many investors who have a lot of cash are buying up several of these type of properties with plans to hold on to them until the market goes up again.

In most cases, your best bet is finding a property that suits your needs and is a good value where the owner can sell for a good price without being in a short sale situation. Many of my clients have found this to be the best thing for them (and the least stressful and frustrating).

So there’s a brief rundown of some information on foreclosure properties and how buying them differs from buying other properties. Please make sure you understand this if you plan to try to purchase any as if you aren’t properly prepared or try to ignore the way these go, you’ll just be wasting everyone’s time.

To search the MLS for Clearwater Florida and the surrounding areas and get a monthly email newsletter to stay current on how the real estate market is doing in that area you can visit Ron Nedd’s website: http://www.searchdunedinhomes.com and register for both MLS access and the newsletter.

Giving Your Dog a Home Spa Treatment

Taking your pet to the spa can be very expensive and time consuming, but you don`t have to pay big bucks to get your dog into a special spa. In fact, you can do your own spa treatment right at home. It`s a great way to bond with your dog and since most dogs prefer to hang out with their own humans, this is something that your dog is bound to enjoy.

What You`ll Need

There are a few essentials that you`ll need in order to give your canine friend a good experience. Items such as a comb or brush, shampoo and towels are all a very necessary part of bathing your pet. However, these are just the basics. To make the at home spa treatment something different from a normal bath, here are a few items that will make the whole experience better.

- Lavender scented conditioner. Make sure it`s formulated for dogs and don`t try using human conditioner which can burn sensitive skin.

- Music. Most pets really enjoy music and this can have a calming effect on both of you.

- Detangler spray. This is very helpful if your dog has long hair that tends to mat in the bath.

- Removable shower head. This allows you to easily rinse your dog without having to dump buckets of water on him.

- Knee pads. These will keep your knees from getting sore as you kneel by the tub.

- Non-slip bath mat. To prevent slipping and sliding, your pet can stand on the bath mat.

These extras will help your dog truly enjoy his spa treatment and it will make things easier on you, as well.

Tips for a Successful Spa Session

- Start with a massage. Get your dog nice and relaxed by stroking him and then lightly massaging his back and sides. Start lightly and then increase the pressure to where your dog seems happy. Watch for the sensitive area where the hips join the body, this can be rather ticklish.

- Keep treats handy. This is a pampering experience, so be sure to have some of your dog`s favorite treats on hand. Throughout the session, compliment him on his great behavior and give him a treat.

- Use conditioner to add shine. One of the great things about a spa treatment is that your pet`s coat is bright and shiny afterwards. The best way to get this professional look is with a good conditioner and then spritz a high shine spray over his fur as you brush him out.

- Don`t use a blow dryer. While it may seem faster, the heat can be too much for the sensitive skin of your pet. It`s best to simply dry your dog with a big fluffy towel instead.

- Brush first. This will ensure that the extra hair will end up in the brush or mitt, rather than your tub drain. Since most dogs tend to shed, even if you`ve done a thorough brushing, it can be useful to get a drain trap. This is simply a small bowl made of metal screening that sits in the drain, catching anything that threatens to go down. You can just lift it out and clean it later, without having to deal with clogged drains.

Giving your pet a home spa treatment can be a wonderful way to spend some quality time together. The end result is pretty nice, too. You`ll have a sweet smelling dog who will be thrilled that you took the time to spend with him. Most animals are also calmer after a soothing treatment that includes aromatherapy (the lavender conditioner or spray) and music, along with a massage.

Wholesale supplier that sells dog products from dog shampoo and conditioners, dog gas treatments, medicine for dog itchy skin and breath spray.

9 Hottest Real Estate Small Business Franchise Opportunities

If you’ve been paying attention to current US housing trends, you could very well be asking why on earth anyone would want to get into real estate at this point in the game. With interest rates rising to the clouds, astronomical selling prices, and rent everywhere being cheaper than a mortgage anywhere, there really isn’t much reason to try and cash in on real estate right now.

That was the shortest article ever, right? Not really. Let’s expand our current notion of real estate. Granted, trying to weasel into a decrepit buying and selling market isn’t the brightest idea ever, but there are other aspects to real estate that even in current trends could prove profitable for anyone willing to give them a fighting chance. Three sub-categories come to mind, and all provide small business opportunity: home inspection, home maintenance, and property management.

Home Inspection

By far the largest and most inclusive of the subcategories, home inspection covers more real estate businesses than you can shake a clipboard at, and their value for both owner and client is nearly immeasurable. It may seem reasonable to assume that when the housing market suffers, so does the market for home inspectors, but that, interestingly enough, is not the case. Completely to the contrary actually, the downturn in real estate is in many ways a blessing to the inspection industry, because as independent homebuyers, realtors, and lenders become increasingly choosy about the homes in which they invest their inflated money, the need for an excellent inspector increases dramatically. If you’ve ever seen the old Tom Hanks movie The Money Pit, you understand what I mean.

There are six home inspection franchises that we would strongly recommend looking into if this avenue seems right for you. Realistically, they all have the same goals: deliver the best possible training and support to the franchisee, always provide exceptional inspections to clients, and become top dog in the industry. Still, some of them excel in specific areas.

For instance, HomeTeam Inspection Service brings an interesting twist to the work, running a business model that—instead of being based on the work of a sole inspector eyeing over a home—uses in a small team of inspectors that work side-by-side to sort through every aspect of the home in finer detail. It lightens the load on the individual inspector and builds the trust of all parties involved in the sale. Another small business franchise in the sector, A-Pro Home Inspection, works its magic in the realm of marketing, providing every franchisee the rewards of having a corporate-sized central marketing team without having to develop it. If specific skills don’t interest you, though, and you just want the franchise the pros would use, take a look at Pillar to Post, the home inspection franchise ranked #1 by Entrepreneur Magazine six years running.

Even if you’ve effectively made your choice, don’t miss the other opportunities in this sub-market as well. National Property Inspections, HouseMaster Home Inspection, and Inspect-It 1st are all grade-A real estate franchises well worth your time and consideration.

Home Maintenance

There may only be one business for sale in this group, but that only means that it makes your choice easier. Whether you want to swing the hammer yourself or hire on others to do the groundwork for you, HomeTask.com Handyman Service can teach you how to make that business happen and give you the resources to pull it off. Jobs come in through the franchisor, and you can take or leave them as you choose. Grow the business as large or leave it as small as you like and take vacations at will. Regardless of what you choose, the work will inevitably be there for you, because though home sales has become a tricky business, there is never a lack of people who already own, are buying, or are selling a home who need to have it maintained, fixed, or renovated. Realtors may lose business at times, but handymen always have it.

Property Management

And here’s the kicker, part of the reason that our current housing market is doing so poorly is that home prices and interest rates have risen so drastically that it actually costs more, both per-year and in the long run, to own a home than it is to rent one of the same size and quality. Aside from pulling the bottom out of property sales, this reality has made property renting a big business, because everyone and their mother is renting. And with too many owners of rental properties living far from their land and dealing through the internet, the need for responsible men and women to handle rentals and deal with renters is great.

If you have a knack for real estate, a natural charm in dealing with owners and renters, and the responsibility to handle multiple—even dozens—of properties and all the technicalities that come along with them, then consider this growing industry one for you. Whether you go with Property Management Inc or Real Property Management, both great management business opportunities that have already attained national recognition for the skills of both franchisors and franchisees, there is plenty of room to climb the ladder of success.

Truth be told, the real estate industry is not in good shape these days, and there’s no getting around that. Like all things, though, it works on a cycle: after it goes up, it comes down, and after it comes down it goes back up. Regardless of what turn it’s on at any given time and how long it takes to sway the other way, there are certainly sectors of the industry that retain some degree of constancy despite the sways of the pendulum. These are them, so don’t be afraid to give them a go if real estate, in some fashion, is where you really want to be.

Find more real estate franchises and information about small businesses and home based businesses at Small Business Sale.

VA Foreclosures Can Be Profitable Investments

Just like any other lender, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs expects buyers to whom they lend money for property to pay their mortgages on time until the debt is paid off. Sometimes however, like any other lender, the VA is forced to take back a home through foreclosure.

The VA insures mortgages for serving and retired personnel in the armed forces. When one of those borrowers defaults on their VA-insured loan the lender turns to the VA for help. The VA reimburses the lender for the defaulted loan and the lender turns the foreclosed property over to the VA. The VA is not in the property management business, so VA wants to sell the property quickly and recapture its monetary loss.

Right now there are tens of thousands of homes in the VA’s inventory. Most of these are sitting vacant waiting for buyers. You don’t have to be in the military service or even a veteran to be eligible to buy one of these homes, but you do have to meet the VA’s qualification requirements.

Affordable financing incentives and interest rates are offered to all interested buyers so that the VA does not have to pay taxes, insurance, and maintain the foreclosed homes for any longer than absolutely necessary. They are eager to find qualified buyers and welcome all comers.

When searching for a home in a lower price bracket, VA foreclosures are a great place to start. Since the former owner was unable to make their mortgage payments it is likely that the property was not properly maintained making it a good investment for the savvy investor. Often times it is the more run down and unsightly properties you can pick up at bargain prices, fix up and flip for generous profits.

But be careful, you must be very cautious when you shop for VA foreclosures, and do your research before you commit to any investment. A good rule of thumb is that you should be willing to consider a purchase if there is just cosmetic damage to any property. That means paint, minor repairs and clean up. Unless you are very experienced with rehabbing real estate it is wise to avoid a property if real structural damage exists.

A moldy bathroom or a flooded cellar may look and smell off-putting, but they’re easy enough to fix, and their presence can drag down a property’s purchase price enough to make it a good investment.

A VA foreclosure can be perfect for an investor or a buyer/owner who wishes to purchase a property below market value. In order to obtain a listing of VA foreclosures, check with a local realtor who will have a list on the local Multiple Listing Service. You could also search the Internet under the search phrase “VA foreclosure properties”, and adding the zip code of the area where you wish to purchase property.

Here is a web site that lists available VA foreclosures http://www.ocwen.com/reo/home.cfm

There have been a wave of foreclosures with the downturn in the economy. It may a perfect time to gather a group of investors together to buy VA foreclosures by the dozen at deep discounts.

There are other types of foreclosures besides VA foreclosures that you should consider. They include bank owned real estate, preforeclosures and foreclosure auctions. They all offer opportunities to buy property at bargain prices.

Mark Walters is a third generation real estate investor and founder of CreatingWealthClub.com. For a limited time Mark is offering his big guide to finding hard money loans for real estate investing free. Free guide to private money loans.

What To Look Out For When Shopping For A Pet Health Insurance Plan

Pet health insurance is the latest buzz word in pet care today. However, for all the hype that it’s making, it can’t magically make all your expenses go away. Before purchasing a pet health insurance plan, there are many aspects that need to be examined. This article outlines the most basic points one should think about before purchasing a pet health insurance plan.

Discount Plan vs. Comprehensive Insurance plan

Before signing anything on paper, pet owners should try to figure out what’s more suitable for their budgets. Pet health insurance plans usually come in two forms: a discount plan and a comprehensive insurance plan.

A discount plan has an easier scheme, which gives you annual discounts on veterinary fees. A comprehensive insurance plan may offer more benefits, but the scheme is similar to a human health insurance plan—which means that there are more conditions to follow.

Choosing your own Veterinary

Most pet health insurance plans may take away your privilege to choose your own veterinary. When shopping for an insurance plan, make sure you examine the clause which states this condition. Most pet owners feel more comfortable working with the vets they trust the most. However, cheaper pet health insurance plans may not have this option.

Period covered

Be very particular about the period that your pet health insurance plan covers. If you’re a pet owner of a new born pup, go for a pet health insurance that covers veterinary services immediately. There’s no use in investing too soon on a pet that’s not fully grown yet.

Exclusions

Like health insurance plans for humans, pet health insurance may have a number of exclusions. Most insurance companies would try to waive off illnesses which are common in some breeds. To take advantage of this situation, read up on the common illnesses experienced by your pet’s breed. This will prevent you from purchasing a useless insurance hyped up by a sweet mouthed insurance agent.

Routine treatment and check ups

A huge bulk of any pet owner’s pet care expenses come from routine treatments and checkups. Before signing any documents, you should be very particular about the services that are included in the package. A pet healthy insurance policy that covers most, if not all, of routine veterinary expenses is a better deal compared to a pet health insurance that only covers accidents and major illnesses.

Deductibles

Most pet health insurance would require its purchasers to make a down payment before rendering any services. Make sure that the benefit of the insurance plan is worth the deductible that you need to pay for it. An insurance agent may try to lure you with a lot of fluff during sales talk, but you need to be wiser and check if these promises are included in black and white.

Company’s reputation

Always make sure that the company who’s offering you a pet health insurance is reliable. Looking for reviews online is very helpful for someone who’s never heard of pet health insurance plans before. Agents are only too quick to prey on uninformed consumers.

Pet Care

Six Ways To Lessen Pet Care And Vet Expenses

Keeping pets in the house could do serious damage to your savings account. A pet entails almost as much responsibilities as taking care of a small child. You need to feed them, groom them, and take them out for walks and regular check ups to the vet. Most people endure huge pet care expenses because these furry friends are lovely additions to any household.

With today’s economy, though, it’s wise to keep your pet care expenses in tow. This article gives you six ways to do just that.

Avail of pet wellness insurance plans

A lot of introspection goes into shopping for the right pet wellness insurance plan. Some people spend almost half of their income on pet care products alone. A newly born pup needs a whole batch of vaccines and treatment just to grow up well. It’s best to make a close comparison of all pet insurance plans available in the market before making a purchase. Choose what pet insurance plan suits your pet and your budget the best.

Consider taking a CareCredit card

A CareCredit card basically works the same way as your regular credit card. However, this plastic money caters mostly to your pet’s vet expenses. You should ask your vet if he accepts this card for transactions. This is very useful when you don’t have enough cash at hand.

Take advantage of your vet clinic’s special offers

You should keep an ear out for promos which your animal clinic may offer. Every vet knows how expensive it is to keep your pets in tip top shape. Some clinics can get cheaper bulk offers on pet food, shampoos and vitamins. These clinics could then occasionally offer these goods to their clients for less.

Buy your pet supplies in bulk and split it with a friend

Pet supplies are generally cheaper when purchased in large volumes. You could probably cut down on your pet supplies expenses by buying certain products like pet food by the bulk. Look for friends or fellow pet owners in the neighborhood who might be willing to split the products and expenses with you. This means huge savings on pet care products for both happy pet owners.

Trade your services for vet check ups

Money doesn’t have to be the only bartering card in these deals. There’s a possibility that your veterinary is also involved in another businesses, like sales, or maintaining a website. If you find yourself capable of offering your skills in exchange for your pet’s checkups and treatments, do so. Your vet could give you special discounts if you can tutor his son in school, or give him and the missus a good travel deal to a tropical island in the summer.

Be preventive

If your pet is injured or showing subtle signs of being sick, don’t hesitate to go to the vet as soon as possible. Most pet owners shoulder larger hospital bills by holding off the vet visit. Bring your pet to the vet before the injury or illness gets any worse.

Pet Care

Who Else Wants A Good Dog?

Everyone wishes for a well behaved pet dog that wouldn’t chew on their favorite shoes, or leave half-eaten newspapers on the lawn. We all long to find our own version of Lassie, but it’s difficult when we don’t know where to start. Training your mutt to be a Class A citizen is close to impossible if you’re off on the wrong foot. This article lists pointers to guide every dog lover on the right track.

Choosing the right collar and leash

The fist step in training your dog is to find the right collar and leash. Make sure that the collar you buy is strong enough to hold an aggressive and untrained mutt, but comfortable enough for long term wear. Don’t buy a frail collar just because it looks cute on your pet. On the other hand, you shouldn’t pick a collar that could possibly injure your dog. Collars made of tough cloth and leather are very good choices.

When buying the leash, the same rules apply. Chain leashes may be strong enough to handle a big mutt, but they’re pretty difficult to manage unless you’re wearing gloves. Chain leashes can also injure your pet, so it’s still safer to choose a tough rope-like cloth leash.

Positive reinforcement works best

Just because you have an aggressive dog doesn’t mean that you have a bad dog. Most of the time, pet aggression is caused by a misunderstanding between you and your pet. You pet is probably venting out frustration because it couldn’t please you. Giving treats to reward your pet works better than any punishment when you’re trying to get the message across. Harsh punishments for misdemeanors only trigger defensive behavior from your dog. For this to work, make sure you don’t spoil your pet dog by giving it treats for no reason. Make treat giving an occasional but meaningful occasion.

Keeping your sessions short and sweet

Your pet’s attention span can only hold lessons for 10 to 15 minutes in a row. Holding long training sessions within the day, in other words, will only bore your pet. For a more effective training scheme, spread your training sessions into 2 or 3 regular segments throughout the day. Try to stick to a strict and consistent training schedule, and don’t rush your pet when you’re in training. Slow and steady wins the game in pet training too.

What you should do when all else fails

There are some pets that are simply harder to train compared to others. Labradors usually give their owners a big headache because they tend to act like pups even when they’re all grown up.

Most people who can’t train their dogs look for professional trainers who can hold sessions inside their house. Some owners also find dog schools effective for extremely disobedient mutts. If you’re not comfortable about leaving your pet in someone else’s hands, you should try group dog training sessions, so you can still train your dog under the supervision of a professional pet trainer.

Pet Care

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