Saving Money on Pets

I have not hidden my thoughts about people rehoming their pets over and over again. Dusty gets a walks either with my husband or myself everyday which lasts about an hour or more. On the weekends, I take him out for a long walk on Saturday and Sunday. During the sailing season, I walk to the Cam Sailing Club which is about 6 miles from my home. I

I think that dogs need to be walked regularly and that people need to be responsible before getting a pet. I saw on one of the selling sites someone was rehoming their puppy when it was 16 weeks old! Most dogs don't go home until 12 weeks old- that is awful! If you don't have time to keep up on all your other activities and are not willing to ship them all over the world with you, don't get one. Dogs are for life, not for Christmas like the Dogs Trust says.

Rant over!

Okay for my tips:

• Don't waste too much on toys and other accessories. Ruddles hardly ever played with any of them. Dusty's never lasted more than 5 mins. 
• Take the dog out frequently, a lot of behavior problems are due to pent up energy. England doesn't really have dog parks as such because they take their dogs out with them. If you are worried about them running off, you just need to train them to walk off a lead. I did this by taking Dusty to footpaths that I knew he could not get too far away and then giving him treats whenever he came back to me. Thetford Forest is a good place. Now we can walk through parks in Cambridge off the lead and he has good recall but that comes from practice!
• If you need help, get a dog trainer. I know this sounds like an expense but if it stops them running off or runing your stuff, I say that is a saving :)
• Train your dog and have patience. Dusty still isn't perfect but he is good and that enables us to go out for walks. If they don't walk perfect, keep trying, Dusty is a joy to walk now, thanks to Jon.
• Get pets insurance. I know many pet owners think it is too much but it has saved us loads of money in the long run. Ruddles was hit by a car and it took care of his scans and treatment. Also last year, Dusty was diagnosed with a congenital cataract and it covered a lot of the costs, the operation was 3,500 pounds itself! Also recently Ruddles was locked in someone's garage by accident, and the insurance would have paid for advertising for him- he is safe now! They do not give you discounts for taking your pet to the vet for regular checkups because that is viewed to be part of owning a pet- insurance is for the things you cannot plan for. Also if you do not keep your pet's vaccinations up, it can invalidate your insurance. But in my experience it has been worth it.
• Shop around for food but choose quality over quantity. I went to a local feed shop and found working dog food. It is about 2 pounds cheaper per bag to what I used to get from a pet store, unless its on offer, but Dusty eats less and his backend movements are better. I would pay more for that.
• I find having a dog, we get out walking through town and parks and this is free. It keeps us both healthy and entertained. 
• If you want a dog but can't give the full attention, offer to pet sit as so many people over here want to travel. You can make a bit of money and get your fill!

Do you have any that I missed?

Saving Money on Pets

I have not hidden my thoughts about people rehoming their pets over and over again. Dusty gets a walks either with my husband or myself everyday which lasts about an hour or more. On the weekends, I take him out for a long walk on Saturday and Sunday. During the sailing season, I walk to the Cam Sailing Club which is about 6 miles from my home. I

 think that dogs need to be walked regularly and that people need to be responsible before getting a pet. I saw on one of the selling sites someone was rehoming their puppy when it was 16 weeks old! Most dogs don't go home until 12 weeks old- that is awful! If you don't have time to keep up on all your other activities and are not willing to ship them all over the world with you, don't get one. Dogs are for life, not for Christmas like the Dogs Trust says.

Rant over!

Okay for my tips:

• Don't waste too much on toys and other accessories. Ruddles hardly ever played with any of them. Dusty's never lasted more than 5 mins. 
• Take the dog out frequently, a lot of behavior problems are due to pent up energy. England doesn't really have dog parks as such because they take their dogs out with them. If you are worried about them running off, you just need to train them to walk off a lead. I did this by taking Dusty to footpaths that I knew he could not get too far away and then giving him treats whenever he came back to me. Thetford Forest is a good place. Now we can walk through parks in Cambridge off the lead and he has good recall but that comes from practice!
• If you need help, get a dog trainer. I know this sounds like an expense but if it stops them running off or runing your stuff, I say that is a saving :)
• Train your dog and have patience. Dusty still isn't perfect but he is good and that enables us to go out for walks. If they don't walk perfect, keep trying, Dusty is a joy to walk now, thanks to Jon.
• Get pets insurance. I know many pet owners think it is too much but it has saved us loads of money in the long run. Ruddles was hit by a car and it took care of his scans and treatment. Also last year, Dusty was diagnosed with a congenital cataract and it covered a lot of the costs, the operation was 3,500 pounds itself! Also recently Ruddles was locked in someone's garage by accident, and the insurance would have paid for advertising for him- he is safe now! They do not give you discounts for taking your pet to the vet for regular checkups because that is viewed to be part of owning a pet- insurance is for the things you cannot plan for. Also if you do not keep your pet's vaccinations up, it can invalidate your insurance. But in my experience it has been worth it.
• Shop around for food but choose quality over quantity. I went to a local feed shop and found working dog food. It is about 2 pounds cheaper per bag to what I used to get from a pet store, unless its on offer, but Dusty eats less and his backend movements are better. I would pay more for that.
• I find having a dog, we get out walking through town and parks and this is free. It keeps us both healthy and entertained. 
• If you want a dog but can't give the full attention, offer to pet sit as so many people over here want to travel. You can make a bit of money and get your fill!

Do you have any that I missed?

Cats

I thought I would address the differences that the British treat their cats than Americans do. For starters, they generally allow their cats come and go as they please. It is normal to see cats out and about. This seems to shock many Americans and they take them in thinking that the cats are lost. I allow my cat, Ruddles, to come and go, I think I would not like to have a cat that is all locked up. I am sure that Ruddles would go crazy and he would be fat so win-win, I have a skinny and semi-sane cat. He doesn't have a collar either because he has lost it too many times. He did get turned in at my vet as a lost cat and we brought him home and he was out and about again. I know people think that they are doing the right thing but unless the cat is a bag of bones or injured, it is best to leave the cat be, it may be that your house is on its route. If they are lost, take them to the vet to have their microchip scanned and then returned to their owner.

Cats are free to roam under the Animal Act of 1971 and cannot trespass so the owner is not liable for what they do outside of their property.There was a great study conducted about the movements of cats on BBC2 that followed the movements of cats in a village here.

Another issue came about in response to my intentions of spreading the word, a woman suggested how can you control your cat and be responsible for your cat if you do not keep it close to you. Her concern was if a cat attacked her child. First, I do not suggest anyone pet any animal that is not known to them or without permission of their owner. If their owner is not around, then keep going. Ruddles is the kind of cat who likes attention but to a point and has turned on someone passing by who stopped to pet him (Ruddles doesn't even let me pet him in the street). Second, there are things you can do to discourage them from coming into your yard. Things that keep them away are prickly bushes, orange, peppermint and eucalyptus scents and there are electronic deterrents away. Third, attacking a cat is not an appropriate action. It is against the Protection of Animal Act 1911 and Animal Welfare Act 2005 to attack an animal. This includes beating, kicking, ill-treating, torturing, infuriating, terrifying, or poisoning an animal. I would suggest that you teach your children to leave animals alone.

It is just the culture here to let your cat out so it will be something you will have to get used to while you are here.

Magog Downs

I have heard people asking for areas to take their dog for a walk in an enclosed area so that they can take the dog off the lead. I was driving Dusty around after walking at Wandlebury Park and came across Magog Downs. You can take your dog on some trails on the lead but there are some areas that you can take them and let them off to run around. Just make sure you bring bags to pick up after them if they mess!

Dog Friendly Walks

I am always looking for a place to walk my puppy, Dusty. Here is a website that has dog friendly information such as walks, hotels and other information.

I found a local park where you can take your dog off the lead in an enclosed area in Cambridge called Magog Downs.

Pets

The British generally take very good care of their pets. They will walk their dogs several times a day and don’t think that letting the dog out in the yard is enough exercise. I have heard that people say that they treat their pets better than their children.

English landlords have a different attitude towards pets than in the States. Generally, pets are not welcome in rental homes, unless by prior agreement. This may entail either a double deposit at the start of the lease, or additional clauses added to the lease. Such as the carpets are professionally cleaned at the tenant’s expense when the property is vacated. This can be expensive.

Be honest from the outset what animals you plan to bring with you, or acquire while in England, because if you break the terms of the lease by bringing an animal onto the premises, you could lose your home.

It upsets me to see families that get a pet for the short time that they are here to pass it on to another family. It really gives Americans a bad name in the local area for not taking care of our pets.

It can be expensive to bring your pet over here but if you plan ahead you can save yourself money. If you quarantine your pets before you bring them over rather than quarantine them here in the UK, it can save you a load of money. Check out here to find out more.

England is a very small country with lots of things to see and do. Most places dogs are not allowed, so you
then have the problem of what to do with them.

Unvaccinated animals are not allowed in kennels. To save you money and stress, consider leaving your pets at home with parents or other family members, and make the most of experiencing England.

Please just be a good owner!