Cost of a Dog

[Kipluck]

I was just thinking about how much my pets all cost to care for (trying to budget for this next year), and TaDa, I got an email about the cost... but of dogs. Still, pretty interesting!

Quote:

Good day to you! Today I'd like to give you a little information about what it costs to care for a dog. So often pets are an impulse addition to the family and this is especially true of around the holidays.

Sure... they may seem like a simple addition but have you ever given any thought to how much it costs to keep a dog? I don't want to discourage anyone from getting a dog but think it is best to understand the associated responsibilities. If you are on a fixed income general care for a dog can really add up. And as we work harder to give our animals a better life, the cost of their care increases. This is fantastic for dogs, but maybe not so fantastic for folks who haven't given much thought to how expensive a dog can be.

Listed below are approximate costs of basic care for dogs. Costs can vary widely, depending on where you live and specifics associated with each individual pet (such as the size). The cost of the actual dog can vary from hundreds of dollars for a purebred to free.

Puppies - The First Year

Veterinary Care/Laboratory Tests - $100 to $200
Immunizations - $50 to $100
Internal/External Parasite Treatment and Control - $100 to $150
Spay/Neuter - $40 to $200. The cost often depends on the dog's size and age.
Food - $150 to $250
Miscellaneous (collars, leads, obedience training) - $200 to $225

Total: $640 to $1,125

Dogs - Annual Costs

Veterinary Care/Laboratory - $50 to $125
Immunizations - $40 to $75
Internal/External Parasite Preventatives - $100 to $150
Food - $150 to $300
Miscellaneous - $100 to $125

Total: $440 to $775

Cost will vary considerably based on factors such as growth rate and size of the adult dog, types of food and unforeseen medical conditions. Generally, puppies require more routine medical attention than adult dogs. However, statistics show that older animals (those over eight years old) will require more veterinary care than younger adults.

You should also note that costs vary between stores, veterinarians and by region. Of course, a serious illness or injury, especially one requiring hospitalization, can very easily inflate this figure by several thousands of dollars.

It is also dependent upon the level of comfort you lavish on your dog. Doggy daycare and regular grooming sessions will quickly add to the tally.

Until next time,

Dr. Jon

 

[Lady Amica]

Its not like you pay all at once, and besides, my dogs are so worth that cost ^.^ but I am happy that you posted this to give people an idea of what they're going to be paying.  

[Cowgirl-with-heart]

eek this should be a sticky so people dont alwyas have to ask how much it would be to have a dog...  

[Xx Emma x Lee xX]

Cowgirl-with-heart

eek this should be a sticky so people dont alwyas have to ask how much it would be to have a dog...

how do you make a sticky and what is one? redface sweatdrop  

[Xx Emma x Lee xX]

Also i do chores all the time adding up to about (not alot) but we only get paid like every other month because of the expens of my one and cat 2 guinea pigs.... which would add up to about 100 dollars going towards my parents in about 6 to 8 months  

[Kipluck]

Lady Amica

Its not like you pay all at once, and besides, my dogs are so worth that cost ^.^ but I am happy that you posted this to give people an idea of what they're going to be paying.

It's true, it's spread out, but some people just see the short term. They see the cost OF the animal, but do not factor in the care, leaving their pet uncared for in the case of financial difficulty. There is a saying with rescues "There's no such thing as a free pet" For instance, my tortoise, Bratanik. I GOT him free because someone left him in a box outside the local Petco and he was badly shell-rotted and such. So they gave him to me.

However, I have spent a couple hundred dollars so far getting him healthy... and I already HAD a lot of what he needed at home. So it is just smart to realize that "free puppy" is NOT free. Doesn't mean he isn't WORTH it... but it is your responsibility to him if you take him home to provide him what he needs. Of course sometimes things HAPPEN that we can never prepare for... BUT in general, it IS cruel to take home an animal you do not have the means to provide for.

Amy522

Cowgirl-with-heart

eek this should be a sticky so people dont alwyas have to ask how much it would be to have a dog...

how do you make a sticky and what is one? redface sweatdrop

That's a POSSIBILITY, (Stickies stay at the top, and only mods can make one. Therefore, I COULD, if another crew thinks it's worthwhile. I don't want to overstep my bounds! xd ) I will see if another Mod agrees first.  

[kagome_elric]

Animals can be very expensive, as an example, my dog is sick with cushings( look it up, its hard to explain what it is)

So far in the last few months we have spent 3000 dollers to try and save her. She is okay for now, but she is not saved from it. But we love her and wish to give her the best life possible.

When my rabbit was a baby she got sick. we paid something like 600 dollers to save her. She is now almost 7 and is now very healthy., but one never knows when something else could go wrong.

The cat I had before, we spent lots of money trying to save her. We failed. She had a rare thing were her brain did not connect to the nerves properly, she couldn't go to the bathroom. It was very rare, and she was very young(i think somwhere between 4-6)

All animals can have health problems, so its not just the day to day care. I mean, if you care about your animal, you will care enough to pay for them and keep them in good health.

My mom kept track of how much one of our dogs was, not counting food he ended up being 1000 dollers.  

[SmoothSavage]

I tell people every day at work that there's no such thing as a free or cheap pet.

For instance, I thought I got a great deal when I adopted Riddle, my dog. I paid $200 to adopt her, and that included the first 2 sets of shots, a microchip, her spay, a month of pet insurance, and a certificate for a free vet exam.

Riddle turned out to have kennel cough and developed mange. We discovered during her third set of shots she has horrendous shot reactions. She has extreme environmental allergies and also has liver problems which require medication. She regularly develops warts which we have to remove.

All in all, she's cost me around $2,500 in a little over a year in vet costs alone, not to mention the cost of food, toys, and supplies.

I always use her as an example of how a "cheap" dog can be not-so-cheap.  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

yes, people often leave out unexpected vet bills when they consider the cost of owning a dog. To people who are not financialy stable but still want a dog or even a cat, consider this. It is a CRIME in most places to deprive a sufering animal veterinary care. It is considered animal abuse. If you plan on getting a pet regardless of your financial situation you should have some money set aside for a vet visit, if you can't afford to go ahead with treatment, you need to have enough to have the pet euthanized so they don't suffer or be prepared to give up your pet to someone who can afford treatment which I don't recomend as most people aren't looking to, or can't adopt a sick animal and it's not fair to the animal.

But on the other hand, a life with litle to no vet care beats life in a shelter or death because no one can afford to take them, for most pets. So long as, as I said, you can afford to euthanize them if something happens so they don't suffer.  

[SmoothSavage]

As a side note- I completely agree that this should be a sticky. Go ahead and sticky it if you like, Kip. smile  

[Kipluck]

Savage Destiny

As a side note- I completely agree that this should be a sticky. Go ahead and sticky it if you like, Kip. smile

Will do. It is a good reminder to those wondering if they have the means to own a pet.  

[KiwiDragon]

As the saying goes, "there is no such thing as a free puppy." I don't think some people realize how much pets really cost sometimes. Good reminder. heart  

[hartwalla]

My dog cost 800 euros.. so little over $800.. I saved money about two years, but finally I got it.. smile

I think breeders should always take money about their dogs. Even cross-breds. Then dog sure go to person who really want it.  

[vertigo_ablaze]

hartwalla

My dog cost 800 euros.. so little over $800.. I saved money about two years, but finally I got it.. smile

I think breeders should always take money about their dogs. Even cross-breds. Then dog sure go to person who really want it.

I can't agree here. Every dog deserves a good home, but the person isn't really paying for the dog when they buy a purebred, they're paying for the dog's lineage.

That and I don't really think a paying owner is a guaranteed good owner. Lots of the people who participate in dog fights have to purchase their dogs.  

[ZeeTee]

It works both ways in my family, whoever has money first, will pay for the food and what not.

I am a student until july16th, then i get a job and i'll pay for most things.

Right now i donate a little something for the animals, and then my parents donate a little something.

So it works both ways, since the tortoises, 1 cat, the fish and ferret are mostly mine.