Dog Health Insurance: Pros and Cons

Something a couple of people have written in to ask me is whether or not dog health insurance is worthwhile. While it can be a cost-effective way to prepare for potential emergencies, there are some things you need to consider before signing up for a policy.

First, know that if your dog is of a breed that’s predisposed to certain problems (like hip dysplasia in German shepherds, for example), those problems are usually not covered with a dog health insurance policy.

Second, policies vary in what they cover. You want to protect the dog’s health. Insurance policy regulations can be different by state, and so just because a friend loves their company, you’ll still want to read the policy you’ve been offered very carefully.

Third, while dog health insurance is very affordable, the hope is you’re buying insurance you’ll never need (just like any insurance policy). This means that if you’re really good at saving, you could certainly open a savings account and sock away a few thousand dollars for any potential dog health expenses.

Now, for the reasons you probably want to take out a dog health insurance policy. Before I go on, you should know that I’m not affiliated with any particular company and I’m not going to try to sell you one policy over another. I just know that having insurance helps us all sleep a lot better at night.

First, dog health insurance is really, really affordable. Policies usually run a few hundred dollars a year. This is definitely easier than keeping that savings account I mentioned, and like all insurance, it will probably ease your mind about your dog’s health.

Second, vets sometimes offer discounts on your dog’s care if you have a dog health insurance policy. Ask first, but I’ve yet to use a vet that didn’t offer a discount.

Third, veterinary care can be unexpected and expensive and it really never hurts to be protected with a dog health insurance policy. If something were to happen and your dog needed emergency care, having the policy in place lets you make those decisions much more quickly than if you needed to consider the cost before saying yes.

So, I highly recommend you just check into policies, see what’s available for your dog, and consider it. I think you’ll be glad you did! Do you have a dog health insurance policy that you’re especially glad you got? Please feel free to share.

Good Dog Health: It’s What Your Dog Deserves

If you want to keep your dog healthy (and who doesn’t?), there are three areas to consider:

• Physical Health
• Emotional Health
• Mental Health

When it comes to the physical health of your dog, it’s really important to feed top quality dog food, exercise your dog frequently, and work with a good vet to keep your dog healthy. It’s also important to groom your dog regularly–teeth brushing, coat brushing, ear cleaning, toenail clipping… It’s all part of keeping your dog healthy and happy.

For your dog’s emotional and mental health, lots of positive dog training is important. That’s because the training keeps your dog’s brain active and healthy (just like keeping *your* brain active keeps it healthy) PLUS regular training sessions help your dog not to worry and fret. (That’s a whole article in and of itself, but for now let’s just say that when you engage your dog in positive training sessions, it establishes you as the pack leader and that’s really good for your dog’s health.)

It’s also important to give your dog something to do. Kongs stuffed with peanut butter (try freezing it so it’ll last longer), Buster Cubes, and agility training and games can all help your dog feel like he’s got something fun on the agenda.

When you take great care of your dog, you’ll be making it more likely your dog will have a long, healthy life as a member of your family. You’ll also be helping your dog to be a better family member (by preventing common, destructive habits). It’s well worth your time and energy to take great care of your dog’s health.