The Real Cost of Owning A Dog...

The Real Cost of Owing a Dog

This topic has popped up for me today with reading yet again another, 'I can not afford to fix my dog, I need to rehome him. Can someone help me with a good home?'. This cues me usually to want to post a mad emoji onto someones online post but I will go an informative route instead.

Lets cue the music shall well, as this topic is open to interpretation but I will give you the information as I know it with owing pets myself. Keep in mind that if you have a large breed dog, the numbers will go up, especially in the food department! I am doing this based on small/medium sized pooches so.....Fasten your seat belts fokes cause dog ownership is not cheap in that first year, I know shocker right - but it does get better, sorta - and then get worse again later, surprise surprise. I keep hearing, "oh the dog is free to a good home", "or adoption is cheaper", "pets are not expensive", "Im looking for the cheapest vet in the city, suggestions?", "I cant afford to fix her"... all of which make me roll my eyes, and not always the internal eye roll either. So lets get to the green about dog ownership shall we....Keep in mind these are estimated figures....

Now lets work though some basic costs and things you need, as well as some differences.

Small Breed Dog:
Food: $15 (small bag Acana Puppy Food - small dog) - 3 months
Bed, Bowls (Water and food), Mat, Toys, Kennel and Pen = $300
Puppy Cost:Varies $250-$5000+
Initial Vet Appointment: $150
Shots/Worm medication: $250
Spay: $800 including Chip (a male will be less here)
Vet Visit (sick): $80 (visit) + $50 (medication) est mininum
Grooming: $40/2 months
Pet Insurance: $90/month

Initial Cost (not including cost of dog, grooming, insurance): $1515
Add Insurance: $1605
Monthly Cost: $112
Annual Cost: $1680 (includes vet visits shots etc)

Medium Breed Dog: (older dog)
Food: $50 (med bag)/monthly
Bed, Bowls (Water and food), Mat, Toys: $250
Dog Cost: $250-5000+
Initial Vet Appointment: $150
Shots/Worm medication: $300
Spay: $800 + chip (a male will be less here)
Teeth Surgery : $1500 one time
Annual Vet: $300
Grooming: $100/2 months

Initial Cost (not including cost of dog): $1550
Monthly Cost: $100
Annual Cost: $1500 (not including another potential dental surgery)

So annual cost for a small/med dog is about the same, lets say about $1500, and monthly you are about $100 set costs, for food & grooming, more if you add pet insurance to the mix. If you do not have pet insurance, that would come out of monthly budget but your annual costs could increase in case there was an emergency. Grooming depends on the breed and how you want to do that, as well as how often.  The initial up front costs of the dog are about the same $1500 when you take into account all the initial things you have to do, vet, food, bed, bowls etc etc....  This is not including the cost of the dog itself, which the dollar amount has a huge swing. Really even with a "free" dog, the costs do not change, except no dog cost in the mix. I have not even added in things like puppy training, emergency vet appointments (and these do happen!). Its why pet insurance is a good idea as I have had friends and family tell me about vet surgeries that are $10,000+ in total. Things like spaying or neutering your dog should not be "options" in your head if you are not planning on breeding your pet - just look up all the cancers that are potentially caused this way, if you do not believe me. In quite a few of the other articles I found online, the totally annually was more like $3000 if you take in account, daycare, boarding, insurance, training etc etc - so you see where I am going here right?

Bottom line is pets cost money! It does not matter if it is a shelter dog, or a breeder obtained puppy - it is all going to cost money. There a also more upfront costs with a puppy in that 1st year, and same in the last years of your dogs life as well. If you can not afford all the costs (not just the cost of the dog), or you are not even thinking about the dollar amounts, then please do not get a puppy! I know they are cute and amazing - but they are living things that require care and attention. That care costs money on a continual basis. I can not count the times I have seen posts on Facebook for rehoming an animal because they have become to expensive, or reading that they have been dropped off at a shelter for the same reasons.

Making a purchase, any purchase, needs to be done with your eyes open to down the road possibilities. That cute little doggie in the window, will be your best friend, love you unconditionally, be amazing beyond belief - make sure that you can give them the same in return. And that means, a good home, regular vet visits, good food, spay/neuter, for their Entire Life - A little forward thinking and planning goes a long way. "How Much is That Doggie in the Window?".... a lot!