My kids want a dog, I’m worried about not being able to afford the pet. Are there any affordable ways to own a dog?

Great question! There are many affordable ways to own a pet. While the cost of owning a pet will never go away, there are many ways to keep the costs down! You can find low-cost vets or mobile vaccine clinics, free spay and neuter clinics, adopting a pet, subscribing to your dog food, or even finding donated supplies. See our blogs and try our SMART Match pet matching program for more information!

I want to change my dog’s food but I don’t know where to start; can you help?

Of Course! The first thing you should know is that changing your dog’s food requires a transition process to avoid an upset stomach. This takes at least a week to add more of the new food until you have fully switched. Most dogs thrive on high-quality kibble or a raw food diet. When searching for new foods, try looking for kibble that isn’t too processed and doesn’t have a lot of fillers. Anything after SALT is less than 3% of the food.

Where is the best place to get a dog?

There are many places to get a dog; adoption via shelter/rescue, breeder, pet store, or even picking up a stray yourself. This all depends on your level of knowledge of dogs and the amount of effort you can put in. The SMART Paws recommendation is that first-time owners adopt or go through our SMART Match program. Experienced owners can go through any option and if you’re in between, you can as well but it’s recommended that you adopt.

Can SMART Paws help me rehome a pet?

We are sorry to hear that you need to rehome a pet. At the moment SMART Paws cannot do the rehoming ourselves, however, we are willing to assist through our SMART Match program!