First Time Dog Owner Needs Advice Please!

Bubbles911

Hi

Sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place, wasn't sure whether to do my own thread or add it to the insurance one but it does ask a couple of other things too. Mods feel free to move if necessary.

I’m hoping you can all offer me some advice. I’ve just recently got my first pet and was given 6 weeks free insurance by the kennel club when I bought him. This has now came to an end and I really don’t know where to start with getting a new quote. The kennel club quoted £22.00 a month but think that is really high! I have shopped around a bit and got quotes from Tesco, Halifax, Sainsburys, Pet partners and loads more but all the policies are so different I just don’t know what to do.

Some want you to pay £50.00 excess but after they are 8 years old 20% of the costs of vet treatment as well as the excess, some only offer so much cover for a condition and I’m just not sure what is best. I don’t want to get hit with a huge vet bill when he is older! I have read Martin’s article but still not sure what is best. I was hoping you guys could help advise me what I should be looking for?

To aid this here is some information. I have a male Chihuahua called Bobby. He is nearly 5 months old and is going to be neutered and micro chipped at 6 months (they keep asking this when I apply for insurance, don’t know whether to say yes when its not happening until 28th July incase anything goes wrong before then and it invalidates the claim although I know anything going wrong is unlikely). Chihuahua’s are prone to a couple of health problems, especially with their hips due to them being so little so although I don’t expect anything to go wrong for a few years there is a good chance something will when he is older so not sure if paying 20% when he is over 8 or having a limit for a condition is going to work out really expensive.

Basically this is the first time I have done this and want to do what’s best by him and my purse at the same time but just not sure where to start! The RSPCA are giving vouchers towards neutering and micro chipping out at a local community centre n 2 weeks so that is going to help (although have no idea how much it costs if I’m honest!) with the expense for now but I like to be covered for every eventuality really!

Can anyone offer advice? Also if anyone knows how I can find out about dog obedience classes in the Durham/Newcastle area that would be great too, did a search online and it just comes up with private dog trainers. And just cos I’m a proud Mum here is a picture of my Baby!

happytails

Hi.
You want to go with an insurer that will cover your pet for life and also will continue to pay for a condition for as long as the dog suffers from it. Some insurers will only pay out for the first 3 visits to the vet regarding the same issue or only for a year or something. I hear petplan are good. £22 sounds reasonable only if it includes the above.
Neutering decreases the risk of certain diseases/illnesses so the quote should be cheaper if getting your dog microchipped.
Have you tried looking in the Yellow pages for a dog trainer or asking for a recommendation from your vets? The earlier you start training the easier it will be for your dog not to mention the socialisation benefit

Hope you get something sorted out x

marlot

Chihuahuas can try to rule the roost despite their size, and its important to socialise him with other dogs on an ongoing basis - the easiest way to start is probably at some training classes - a good vet will be able to guide you to them.

On the insurance, I went with M&S but haven't had to claim yet so don't really know how good they'll be in practice.

He's adorable - hope you have some wonderful times out together!

lemontart

ooohher soooooooooooooo cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeee....................

that aside go to one of the insurance comparison sites listed on this site and get a price on like for like cover and do not forget to use either topcashback or quido to get some money back on it.

Liz

Bromley86

(1) Lifetime insurance. Make sure that the claim limit renews each year (i.e. £4k/yr is usually better than £6k per condition).

(2) Condition limits. Make sure that there isn't a punative condition limit. i.e. NFU's condition limit is fine as it's £4k per condition per year, whereas [someone else's] isn't as they have a £4k per year limit, but within that only £1k per condition per year.

(3) Excess. IMO don't pay too much attention to excess, at least not until you have a shortlist. If you've got a serious problem, there's no real difference between £50 or £70 excess. You do not want a percentage excess.

(4) Fluff. Don't be distracted by liabilty, travel, etc. clauses. Unless you have a specific requirement these can usually be ignored.

(5) Companies. People with the good kind of policy include PetPlan, NFU, Halifax, AXA, HSBC. Get quotes from them all (you've got some already) as it's worth geting right first time. Once you claim you're stuck with that insurer.

EDIT: Just remembered, you don't want a policy underwritten by E&L. None of those above do. Also last time I checked Martin's article was out of date by over a year.

JennyW_2

Bromley86 wrote: »

(1) Lifetime insurance. Make sure that the claim limit renews each year (i.e. £4k/yr is usually better than £6k per condition).

(2) Condition limits. Make sure that there isn't a punative condition limit. i.e. NFU's condition limit is fine as it's £4k per condition per year, whereas [someone else's] isn't as they have a £4k per year limit, but within that only £1k per condition per year.

(3) Excess. IMO don't pay too much attention to excess, at least not until you have a shortlist. If you've got a serious problem, there's no real difference between £50 or £70 excess. You do not want a percentage excess.

(4) Fluff. Don't be distracted by liabilty, travel, etc. clauses. Unless you have a specific requirement these can usually be ignored.

(5) Companies. People with the good kind of policy include PetPlan, NFU, Halifax, AXA, HSBC. Get quotes from them all (you've got some already) as it's worth geting right first time. Once you claim you're stuck with that insurer.

EDIT: Just remembered, you don't want a policy underwritten by E&L. None of those above do. Also last time I checked Martin's article was out of date by over a year.

Good advice here :T Stay away from anything to do with E&L

Bubbles911

Thanks so much for your help guys. Just about to get quotes from the ones Bromley86 mentioned that I haven't got quotes from already. There is so much choice and I found the comparison sites were too confusing! Its a lot easier for car insurance! I love him so much I just want to do whats right by him.

As for the puppy training, someone told me he cant go to obediance classes until he has been neutered next month is that right? He is already really good with other dogs and cats and I have been training him at home from books and stuff but think obedience classes are important but the neutered thing made me think I had to wait, is that right? I'm lucky in we have a big park 2 minutes walk away so the minute he was able after his injections he got a walk there everyday and its a nice little town when everyone knows each other so all the dogs do to! He is quite popular down there!

Thanks again for your advice.

SAMHP_2

A vet once told me that the best thing to do is open a savings account and pay the £15 - £20 per month into that instead of to an insurance company!
Very often the amount of your bill is just fractionally short of what the insurance will pay out on and of course things like jabs aren't covered anyway.
Having said that, when my pony was very ill and we ended up with over £2,000 worth of vets bills, not having to worry about how were going to pay them, whilst worrying about getting her better, was a godsend!

I've just done a quick calculation and my dog's insurance company have taken over £1,000 off me in four years, but I've never claimed - just depends how much of a 'risk -taker' you are I suppose!
Sam

ms.prong

My 2 cats and my Boxer are insured with Pet Plan and we have been really impressed.
It's approx £50 a month for all 3 of them which may seem like a lot of money but we recently had to claim as one of the cats was run over. Our claim was for £1500. So if you think about it, £50 a month for a year is £600 so we have saved quite a bit in the long run.

marybishop

Another one to try is PetProtect (PetPals) underwritten by Domestic & General. I pay £20/month for their Gold cover (think it's called that, the top one anyway). Had only been with them for a few months and had to claim over £1,000 for treatment and an op for my choc labrador. They paid out no problem and were happy to pay the vet direct so I didn't have to come up with the money which I couldn't have done anyway so that really helped. Renewal is due fairly soon so it will be interesting to see if it suddenly shoots up because of the claim although it's not an on-going condition so hopefully that might help.

Anyway worth a try - I clicked on a link on PetSupermarket (not sure if it's still there as this was last August) and got the first 2 months free.

pboae

Don't know if she will be too far from you, but Jo Corney http://www.paws2play.net/index.html is an excellent trainer. If it's too far, it might be worth contacting her anyway and asking if she knows anyone further North.

She wouldn't require your pup to be neutered before joining classes either, but she does get booked up in advance.