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David Zachary Sidman

5 ways to save money on your dog in Israel

dogMoney

There is nothing we Israelis hate more than spending money unnecessarily. The following are five tips on saving money on your dog in Israel. Some of the following tips are exclusive to Israel, some aren’t, but they’re all applicable to every dog owner in the Jewish State.

Tip #1: Stop buying so many toys!

We realize that you want your dog to have a variety of toys to play with,  but he really only needs 2 toys; one for chewing and one to play tug (and a third if he likes to fetch).

Tip #2: Feed him less

I realize that as Jewish (or Italian) parents, it’s in our DNA to feed our “children” to the brim. However, it is well known that dog food companies will give instructions to feed your dog more food than he needs. This way you will run out of food faster and buy more. (This is also the main cause for obesity in dogs in the west.) If the bag tells you to feed him 3 cups, feed him 2.5.

Tip #3: Neuter your dog

Although neutering your dog can cost up to NIS 600, the cost to renew your dog’s license is NIS 52.5 if he is neutered. If he is not, the cost to renew the license is NIS 367! This means that if you neuter your dog in his first year and he lives to the age of ten years, you will have saved NIS 3,145!

Tip #4: Go to your municipal veterinarian to renew your dog’s license

Renewing your dog’s license requires a rabies vaccination. The fee can be anywhere from NIS 52.5-NIS 367 (depending on whether or not your dog is fixed). This mandatory cost goes directly to the municipality and the Ministry of Agriculture. It is a flat fee that you will be charged at your municipal Veterinary clinic upon renewing your dog’s license. If a private veterinarian administers the vaccination and the license, he will have to add an additional fee (since he doesn’t get to keep any of the money from the standard fee) and will often charge up to 100% more than your municipal veterinarian.

Tip #5: Hire a good trainer

Although a good trainer will cost anywhere from NIS 200-300, consider how much your couch carpet, and time spent cleaning up his mess will cost you. Your valuable items are at risk of being destroyed without professional training. Believe it or not, proper dog training isn’t necessarily common sense.

I hope these tips have helped. Please comment if you have any canine cost saving dog tips you’d like to share.

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About the Author
David Sidman is a candidate in the Zehut political party, Israel activist and contributor to Shoebat.com. He is also a professional dog trainer. You can follow him at @theIsraeliShow