Second-hand dog equipment: smart move or false bargain?
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
Second-hand dog equipment is an excellent idea for everything rigid and disinfectable: transport crates, playpens, gates, ramps, stainless steel bowls, where savings reach 40 to 70 % off the new price. It should on the other hand be ruled out for odour-soaked textiles (used bedding), tired safety gear (harnesses, leashes) and anything that gets chewed. The full sorting guide, with the dog accessories section as back-up.
Contents · 5 sections
Which dog equipment can you buy second-hand without hesitation?
- Rigid transport crate: 15 to 40 € instead of 40 to 120 € new, to be disinfected with rinsed diluted bleach.
- Playpen and gates: often used for only a few months during the puppy phase.
- Stainless steel bowls and stands: indestructible, a run through the dishwasher is enough.
- Steps and ramps: check the structure, savings of 30 to 60 €.
- Folding metal transport cages: inspect hinges and welds.
Which items are better bought new?
Anything involving safety: a harness or car restraint whose stitching has already absorbed impacts can fail at the worst moment, and you never know its history. Second-hand toys accumulate micro-cracks and bacteria. Fabric bedding, meanwhile, keeps the previous dog’s smell, a source of stress or marking, and can harbour flea eggs and mites: at that price, a new entry-level cushion is a better deal, as our guide to the bedding budget shows.
How do you disinfect second-hand gear?
Rigid plastics: wash with soap, disinfect with diluted bleach, rinse thoroughly, dry completely in the sun. Metal: the same, watching for rust. Wait 48 hours before presenting the item to your dog. If the previous owner mentions a sick animal (parvovirus, ringworm), walk away: some pathogens survive for months, and the saving isn’t worth an emergency trip to the vet.
Where do you find the bargains, and at what price?
Classified-ad sites, car-boot sales and local groups are full of nearly new puppy gear, resold once the growth spurt is over: logical, since half of the first year’s equipment only serves for a few months, as our puppy first-year budget details. A simple negotiating rule: 40 to 50 % of the new price for an immaculate item, 30 % at the slightest flaw. Always check the actual new price before buying.
Frequently asked questions
Can you give a dog a toy that belonged to another dog?
Between dogs of the same household, yes. From a stranger, better to avoid it: invisible wear and questionable hygiene.
Does a second-hand transport crate remain approved?
Yes if it is intact: check for cracks, latches and the door grille. At the slightest doubt about a crate destined for the car or a plane, buy new.
Does reselling your own gear work?
Very well for rigid items in good condition: it is a real lever for financing the next size up. Our other guides are on the dog hub.
In our shop, for this use: 1.5 m reflective round rope lead with padded handle, for dogs (€20.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Dogs universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.