Dog expenses can rack up quickly - in addition to food, vet bills, and license fees, there are bowls, collars, leashes, crates, beds, treats, and of course, all the toys, toys, toys, toys, toys.  (For my dog, squeaky tennis balls are on the primary tier of Maslow's hierarchy of needs).  In this economy, it can be a major commitment to have a dog, which is why it's great to hear that two local resources are offering doggie thrift stores:

• Bad Dog Frida offers Re-Dog, a re-sale "store-within-a-store" of gently used dog items that are available for sale the first and third Sunday of each month.
    
• The Dane County Humane Society recently opened Barkins, a thrift store with gently used (and sometimes new) pet-related items, open on Mondays from 12 to 4.

Another great aspect of these programs?  If you have things that your dog no longer needs, and they're still in good shape, you can donate them so another dog can get some use out of them.

If you know of any other source of used dog-related items, please post it in the comments section below.