[theBCnut]

A dollar per pound for good foods is about impossible, but you sure have found a real bargain in Victor.

[cmeeks]

I agree, very difficult. I went ahead and bought the 40 pound bag of Victor, i’m not sure if that type of deal will always be available, but i’m crossing my fingers.

[BlackandBlue]

PetCo’s main page on the bottom has a tab called “Brand Spotlight”. If you click on the Purina ProPlan one you can print out a coupon for $5.00 off any sized bag of dog or cat food (valid until 12/31/13). Right now at PetCo ProPlan is on sale for $9.99 for the 6lb. bags, use the coupon, get a bag for $4.99 plus tax. Ok, ProPlan is not the most nutritious food, but the Chicken and Brown Rice is rated 3.5 stars here and you could mix it with a better food. I always check PetCo’s website every month because they have a coupon for a free can of cat food (it’s Friskies this month).

[Akari_32]

I’m always on PetCo’s coupon page. They put out some really good ones, but their coupon policy sucks, so I take them to PetSmart LOL I may take up that deal, actually. Anything is better than having to rehome your pets because of money issues. $1 per pound is hard, but match coupons with sales, and you can most certainly make it. Shop around and plan, plan, plan!

[Molzy]

I will suggest – you should try to do a “price per day” comparison rather than per pound. I have found that certain brands differ a lot on how much you have to feed to maintain weight. Also, most dogs I have owned I have had to feed less than the recommended amount (not so anymore with two 1.5 year old cattledog mixes, who I have trouble keeping weight ON). A 30lb bag isn’t necessarily comparable to another 30lb bag in how long they will last your dog(s). That being said, of course, it will probably still be more expensive to feed the expensive food. I really like the idea of mixing a mid-level food with a more expensive one (or rotating) to keep things affordable. I might actually have to try that with some of the Honest Kitchen mixes I am starting to try.

Another suggestion – right now, Wag.com has 25% off your first order for new customers, with up to $20 off!! I plan on purchasing something tonight, and probably making my boyfriend and mom both order some for me as well (it says 1 per household). Also, I have been looking at the Petango store, which has an awesome 15% off recurring orders. You can choose how often they ship something to you, so I am considering eventually having things spaced a few months apart, to get a rotation going (shipped to my door too!). I live in a smallish town, where the only dog food available is grocery store/walmart brands (the local farm and fleet does carry Taste of the Wild if I am ever in a pinch), so online shopping is very convenient for me.

Other suggestions – for Minnesota/Colorado, Chuck and Don’s Pet Food Outlet has quarterly sales (usually something like $15 off a $75 purchase) as well as quarterly newsletters with a TON of coupons. I highly recommend their stores! For those in Iowa, Theisens (a farm store, but with high quality food including frozen raw) has a twice-yearly 18% off anything you can fit in a bag sale. We have successfully fit 35# bags of Nutrisource/PureVita/Merrick in their brown bag for the discount before. Also, a LOT of brands have “Buy X number of bags, get the Xth bag free” programs at participating stores. Honest Kitchen just started one actually (buy 12 get one free), I just picked up an envelope last week.

Good luck!

[Akari_32]

My $1 per pound isn’t applied toward cheaper foods (such as Purina, etc). It’s applied to 3 star rated foods and up. For example, tonights shopping trip…

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/securedownload_zpsceedb94d.jpeg

Less than $10 for these four bags! If this was a lesser brand, I’d have not gotten it unless I was either getting paid for it, or paying less than 1/2 of what I just paid for this. So, I have a standard of quality when it comes to what I pay vs what I’m getting. Thats just me, though. Can’t vouch for other people 😉

I will fully admit to gratefully taking advantage of the free whatever-size-bag coupons Pedigree and Purina have sent me. I plan on mixing these lower quality foods with something much better, like this Wellness. I can’t bring my self to feed JUST one of those yucky corn filled foods (if they can even be called food!)… But right now I’m in a do what you have to position. We’ve all been there!

[theBCnut]

YAY!! What a score! I envy you coupon goddesses.

[Akari_32]

Thanks! You should try it! It’s fun 🙂 A little too much math for my liking, but it’s worth it LOL

These are going to be stored until my Rachael Ray mix runs out. I’m down to about 75/25 Rachael Ray to Purnia One 🙁 Then I’ve got about 40 pounds (maybe a little less) more of the Purina One, and about 20 pounds of Pedigree (Sensitive Systems and Puppy Complete or whatever it is), so I need to stock up on more good food so that they don’t get all cheaper food… lol

I did go to PetCo to get the ProPlan, but they were out of the three I narrowed it down to (Select Sensitive Skin and Stomach, Lamb and Rice Puppy, and Grain Free– all 6 pounds and rated at 3 stars), so I went to PetSmart and got the Wellness instead. Got to break in a cute new cashier, too 😉

[Naturella]

Oh my goodness, Akari, your couponing rocks! Great job!!!

[Akari_32]

Thanks! I did the same thing I told you, only I have $2 off $10 Pet SuperMarket coupons and happened to find the $5 off PetCo Wellness ones lol In total, I got $12 off each bag, as well as them being on sale for $3 less than PetSmarts usual price 🙂 Sale ends this weekend, so if you want it, you better hurry! PetCo also has the 4 and 6 pound bags of ProPlan for $9.99, with the $5 off any size coupon 🙂

[Naturella]

Is all of this online (the coupons)? I need help on where to even look…. :/

[Akari_32]

Gotta got on google and just search every way possible. I have several sites I frequent for my manufacturer coupons. For the petco coupons, you just go to petco.com/coupons, and also just search around the site. Petsmart has good coupons every now and then, and you get those by being a PetPerks member. If you have a Pet Supermarket, sign up for their VIP program to get $4 off $20 coupons, and get mailed $5 off $25 coupons. The $2 off $10 are found in the Sunday paper, and occationally through the Internet. Like someone else said above, the ProPlan coupon this month is not on the coupon page, but on the featured brands thing at the bottom of the main page. When I’m on my computer again, I’ll post links to the sites I use 🙂

[Akari_32]

Oh and go to Wellness’ web site and do the check your bag thing for their coupons. These are reset monthly, and you can only click print ONCE. Luckily, it comes up and asks how many you want to print. I usually do 10.

[Naturella]

Akari,

Great!!! Thank you, coupon guru! 🙂

[Akari_32]

Coupons.com and printablecouponsanddeals.com (maybe net? Something like that… It’s a grey and blue blog style website) are good places to start. If you don’t mind Purina products, projectslimdownpets.com has good ProPlan coupons too. They reset every so often. Some of the coupons on their are currently unavailable, but check them often any ways.

You can also just look right on the retailers websites. If don’t mind it, Pedigree is doing an adoption drive event, and of you print out a form, fill it out, and send them a copy of a vaccine receipt (among other options), they will send you a coupon for a free bag up to $10 (I opted to get the sensative systems one, the better of their craptasic foods– paid like 2 bucks for it after the coupon) and free any four cans up to $5 (for the best value, get the big cans! ;)).

[Naturella]

*stares in awe* Yay, so much knowledge about coupons, thank you! 🙂

[Akari_32]

You’re welcome 🙂 You may even be able to solicit coupons or samples from companies. Doesn’t hurt to try! Email any company you may want to try, and see what you can get! 😉

[Naturella]

Will certainly do! 🙂 🙂 🙂

THANK YOU!

[Akari_32]

You’re welcome! Happy couponing! 😀

[InkedMarie]

Wow, Akari, you got all that for $10? I have one dog that can eat anything (I do draw the line at anything Purina, no offense) so I’d take those Wellness bags in a heartbeat!

[Akari_32]

Yeppers! 😀

I don’t blame you on the Purina. I stick with the One and better if I have to. The ProPlan I don’t feel *so* bad about, but the One I don’t like at all. But I have to get what I can, at the moment. I’d rather not resort to like Kibbles and bits or some off brand from Dollar General or Ol’ Roy or something @.@ So, I get the cheap brands really cheap/free/paid to take, and I mix in the better brands, like the Wellness. This is only when I don’t have money for all better brands of course. Though, because I made $7 for every 3 bags of Purina One I bought, I have a lot of it! So I need to stock up on something better before the RR runs out. I’ve got about 3 weeks of the RR mix left as it stands, but I do plan on diluting it down to 50/50 before I open the Core, simply because I ain’t made of money lol

[cmeeks]

Another good option for coupons online is retailmenot.com Before I checkout on any site I check there to ser if there a promo code or coupon.

[Jamie08]

I went food shopping last night and happened to find a 5lb bag of Merrick Classic Beef, Barley & Carrot for 50% off- so under $10. I think it was because the “Sell By” date was coming up in just a few weeks. But- my dogs will go through it in plenty of time for it to still be good. I was excited! I also got some of the Merrick Grain Free (Buffalo), which is not as budget friendly, but IS 10% off right now at PetCo… and I’ll probably mix with the Whole Earth Farms for awhile and see how they do.

[Akari_32]

I always look for bags nearing their expiration date when couponing. Even torn bags. PetSmart gives me 20% off torn bags if I just ask.

[Akari_32]

Here are my frequented coupon sites. Target because Publix takes their coupons too lol

http://printablecouponsanddeals.com/Category/pet-products

http://coupons.target.com/pets-coupons

http://www.couponnetwork.com/

http://www.projectpetslimdown.com/Home/Offers

http://www.coupons.com/coupons/Pet-Care-Coupons-102/

Here are some PetCo ones– these can be used at any pet store that accepts competitor coupons (provided theres a PetCo near buy)

http://www.petco.com/petco_Page_PC_proplancoupon1113.aspx

http://www.petco.com/petco_Page_PC_benefulcoupon1013.aspx

http://www.petco.com/petco_Page_PC_petco-coupons.aspx

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Akari_32.

[Naturella]

Akari….

THANK YOU!!! I am in awe of your skills!!! Can we be roommates? Please? Maybe? Move to GA, we have great schools!!!! 🙂

[Akari_32]

I come with 365 gallons worth of aquariums and ponds, 3 leopard geckos, a Mali Uromastyx (google it!), and two very large dogs LOL

My brother and his family live in Kingsland, btw!

[Naturella]

OOOH, more pets!!! My boyfriend and our roommate are moving into a house in December, so we should have enough space! Do consider! 😉

[Naturella]

Btw, Kingsland, GA is the total diagonal point from Kennesaw, GA, which is where I live, lol… But I’ve been to Cumberland Island, GA, and it seems like a nice area! 🙂

[theBCnut]

My brother lived in the Northwest Atlanta area for many years. I love Kennesaw!!!

[Naturella]

Patty, this is neat! Does he still live there? If not, is his house up for rent by any chance, lol? We are looking for a house to move into this December. But yes, the area is nice, close to KSU where a lot of my mental efforts are directed to, lol!

[theBCnut]

No, he moved up to Northern Chicago quite a number of years ago.

[Naturella]

I see. Chicago is neat too, it is one of the places my boyfriend and I have thought about moving to.

[Akari_32]

So I think I’m going to go through my list and narrow my options down to foods that have me feeding Dweezle less than 4 cups. I don’t envy myself AT ALL, but I think it will, over all, help me cut down my feeding costs even more. I’ll post my updated list later… If I never come back, its because the task killed me @.@

[theBCnut]

Be strong Akari, be strong!

[Akari_32]

I’ve actually got two lists going. One for definite yes’s (up to 4.5 cups for Dweezle), and one for maybe’s (4.5-5 cups for Dweezle). Only have 7 foods total. I’ve sure got a long way to go! >.<

[Naturella]

Akari,

This is exciting – are you looking at calories in order to determine the number of cups you will feed him (I assume Dweezle is a boy)?

Bruno is almost done with his Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy-Vets Choice Holistic Health Extension Original, he should be done by the end of next week. I will start mixing in his new batch of Dr. Tim’s Kinesis GF-Nutrisca-Vets Choice Holistic Health Extension GF starting tomorrow, and see how he likes it. I’m excited to get him on it! 🙂

I also checked Wellness Core prices at Pet Smart, but they don’t have it on sale now, so I will wait. I have at least 3 months to go before I have to worry about more food for Bruno.

[Akari_32]

Yes, I’m using a combination of PetFlow, manufacturer websites, and DFA’s Dog Food Calculator to determine whats available, how many calories per cup it is, and how many cups it’d take to feed 130 pound, fixed, senior, lazy bones Dweedle-weedle. Him and Haley have the same activity level (almost negative :p) and Bentley’s one-ish cup a day doesn’t really add up to much compared to them, and I barely even notice any extra in the food bills (taking into account my couponing, as well).

The Wellness sale ended about a week ago, I think. The ProPlan sale at PetCo ended on the 23rd.

Good luck with your new food mix 🙂 My guys tend to not care, as long as its just a tiny bit eatable LOL

[Naturella]

Akari,

I see. I will keep an eye out for other sales, but please feel free to fill us (me) in on any that you notice since I know you are often on the hunt for good deals!

Thank you and I will be sure to let you all know how Bruno does on his new food. He is a pretty good eater (not picky at all), so I think he should like it, I HOPE! 🙂

[Akari_32]

Will do! Wellness goes on sale quite often. Also, PetSmart will price match any competitor non-sale price (for example, Pet Supermarkets small bags of Original Core are $13.99, where PetSmart’s are $16.99. Bring in your smart phone or printed web page, and PetSmart will match it at the register).

Just a little update– I’m absolutely head over heals for Nutrisource right now. Like, you have no idea. Especially the Super Performance and Grain Free’s. I’ve started a new system where I bold anything that keeps me under 4 cups :p Gotta go back and do it with the top part of my list, though. OMG kill me -_- LOL

[Akari_32]

YES (those on this list are definite options)
California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice Puppy
California Natural Lamb Meal and Rice Puppy
*Canidae Life Stages All Life Stages
Dr. Tim’s Kinesis All Life Stages
Dr. Tim’s Pursuit Active
Eagle Pack Puppy (yellow bag)
Eagle Pack Pork Meal and Chicken Meal (large and small bites)
Eagle Pack Power
Earthborn Puppy Vantage
Earthborn Small Breed
Earthborn Costal Catch
Earthborn Great Plains Feast
Earthborn Primitive Natural
Fromm Gold Small Breed Adult
Fromm Gold Puppy
Holist Select Radiant Adult Health Lamb Meal
Horizon Pulsar Grain Free Fish
Merrick Classic Real Chicken, Brown Rice and Pea Adult
Merrick Classic Real Lamb, Brown Rice and Apple Adult
*Merrick Classic Puppy Real Chicken, Brown Rice and Green Apple
Merrick Classic Real Chicken, Brown Rice and Pea Large Breed
Healthwise Chicken Meal and Oatmeal
Nature’s Variety Prairie Kibble Chicken and Brown Rice
Nature’s Variety Prairie Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Puppy
**Nutrisource Performance
**Nutrisource Super Performance
Nutrisource Adult Large Breed Chicken and Rice
Nutrisource Small and Medium Breed Puppy Chicken and Rice
Nutrisource Grain Free Heartland Select w/ Bison
Nutrisource Grain Free Seafood Select w/ Salmon
**Nutrisource Grain Free Chicken
**Nutrisource Grain Free Lamb
**Nutrisource Grain Free Chicken Large Breed
Nutrisource Grain Free Lamb Large Breed
Precise Endurance Formula
Precise Natural Grain Free Chicken
Vets Choice Health Extension Little Bites
Vets Choice Health Extension Original

MAYBE (foods on this list are more for sale watches or when I have a bit more money to spend)
By Nature—Pork
Castor and Pollux Beef and Barley
Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers Soul—Large Breed Puppy
Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers Soul—Puppy
Eagle Pack Original Lamb Meal
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Adult
Earth Born Vantage Adult
Earthborn Ocean Fusion
Earthborn Meadow Feast
Fromm Gold Adult
Holistic Select Radiant Adult Chicken Meal and Rice
Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed Adult
Merrick Whole Earth Farms Puppy
Merrick Classics Beef, Whole Barley and Carrot Adult
Natural Balance Ultra
Nutricource Adult Chicken and Rice
Nutrisource Large Breed Puppy Chicken and Rice
Nutrisource Large Breed Adult Lamb and Rice
Precise Sensicare Lamb Meal and Rice
Precise Chicken Meal and Rice Foundation
Premium Edge Weight Reduction
Wellness Complete Health Chicken
Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato

NEED MORE INFO (these need more digging to find calorie counts)
Nature’s Recipe Easy to Digest Fish Meal and Potato
Nature’s Recipe Large Breed
Nature’s Recipe Easy to Digest Chicken Meal, Rice, and Barley
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison Meal and Rice
PetGuard LifeSpan

* Just over 4 cups for Dweezle
** Less than 4 cups for Dweezle

[Naturella]

Good job, Akari! I have also started looking into that (not that it would make much of a difference for my 11-pounder, who is also still a puppy), but it would be a good thing to keep in mind for the future, so thanks for using this technique too and compiling those lists! 🙂

[Akari_32]

Sure thing!

I think if I were to pick three foods off this list, I’d pick

Canidae Life Stages All Life Stages
Merrick Classic Puppy Real Chicken, Brown Rice and Green Apple
Nutrisource Super Performance
Nutrisource Grain Free Lamb

Ok thats four, but whatever LOL

For your guy, I think I’d aim for less than 3/4 of a cup. I don’t really know how much a dog that size is actually supposed to eat, though, because less face it, my Bentley eats like a freaking pig. Stupid dog and his crazy eating habits >.<

[Naturella]

Akari,

I see, those foods sound good! I really want to try Canidae GF, Wellness Core, Back to Basics, Victor, Earthborn Holistic, Wysong 60 or 90, sometime soon, lol! But small dogs take a bunch of time to eat through big batches. I have introduced him to Nutrisca today and he seems to enjoy it quite well. I will bring in Vet’s Choice Holistic Health Extension GF tomorrow, and Dr. Tim’s on Wednesday. Then mix them all in a small batch and feed him that for 1-2 weeks to make sure he is good on it, and then mix the rest of the bags together.

I actually took Bruno to the vet today and they said he is in tip-top shape. He is at a good weight, which may just be his ideal weight, with maybe a pound, 2 max in growth potential, so when I used the Dog Food Advisor Dog Food Calculator for his ideal weight for 11/12/13 lbs, for an Active dog, the discrepancy was between 1.03 of a cup to 1.10 of a cup, for a 404 kcal/cup for his upcoming food mix. He is a fairly active little guy and goes to the dog park at least 3 times a week or more, and runs around the house and goes on walks/jogs on the days he doesn’t go to the dog park. He usually doesn’t always finish his full cup anyway, but sometimes he does, so I think about a cup for him should be ok… I will keep watching his weight and development, though, and adjust as necessary.

[Akari_32]

I love Core, quite honestly. It’s just sooooo expensive! The other Wellness foods are crap compared to Core, IMO. I don’t know why I think that, but I do! Lol I’m really liking the Nutrisource Super Preformance. It has 500-something calories per cup!! I about flipped a lid when I saw that LOL We’ll see how it makes the list after I’ve tried the dogs on it. I’m still kinda weird about Canidae, but I’ll give it a try. I’ll treat it like I do TOTW, and go at it carefully. With out much digging, I’m still unsure which of the Canidae foods are made by Diamond and which aren’t.

Bentley went through a state of eating less than a cup one day, more than a cup the next. Just over all really all over the place in how much he would eat. We seem to have finally settled, now that he’s done growing, on 3/4-1 cup, depending on his treat intake and activity for the day. See if you can find a mix that gets you under a cup. It’s a pretty fun challenge LOL

[Akari_32]

So I figured out why Haley is loosing weight after switching off the Wellness. The RR Zero Grain is only 313 calories per cup. Wholy cow!! I can’t possibly shove any more food down this poor dogs throat, she just can’t eat that much. The fish oil, doggy vitamins, and probiotic (expired in July, but I figure they can’t hurt) mix seems to be helping though. At least the Purina One and Pedigree are in the mid to high 400’s calorie per cup. Maybe I should get over myself and get a higher concentration of them into that RR. They’ve been on much worse when my parents were in charge of their food…

Side note, 4 pound bags of Vets Choice on sale on PetFlow for 3.99 right now! I was tempted, but I’d rather make a large order and get the free shipping. I’m in a financially tight spot at the moment– food and gas only! No play money :/ As much as I love jumping on deals, I don’t need dog food. And mom would probably murder me if I ordered crap tons of dog food online right now anyways LOL

[Naturella]

Akari,

Thank you, yeah, I will see what will get Bruno under a cup calorie-wise, but I will have to play with foods and mixes.

Also, OMG, thanks for the heads-up on the Vets Choice sale! Wish I had some money and needed dog food, but I won’t be shopping for that till like February, lol! 🙂

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it! 🙂

[Melissaandcrew]

LOl. I try to buy food for the upcoming month to be at least 30 days ahead. I counted food bags yesterday and realized that except for a bag or two of “new try” products, I really don’t need to look until mid Jan or so. Especially now since I switched from premade raw topper to 50% homemade raw.

[theBCnut]

I have 3 25 lb bags and a few 5 lb bags, so I shouldn’t have to shop for a while, but 2 of those 25 lb bags are foods that Micah can’t have, so I still have to buy more.

[Akari_32]

I’ve got about 20 pounds out for use right now (hurray for garbage cans!) and twice that or more in the garage. Safe to say we’ve got plenty for a while LOL

[Author]

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