how much does it cost to care for a dog?

9 responses to “how much does it cost to care for a dog?”

1. 
   Tink

   March 20, 2011 at 10:47 pm | Permalink

   I have a maltipoo who is not quite a year and she is a lot of money.
   her food is about 30 bucks a month
   treats about 21 bucks a month
   clothes for when its cold and she is so tiny cost about $100 so far
   vet bills:thousands! she had to get nutered all her shots was injured once
   40 mucks for hairuts which she has had several
   all the little extras ccollar,bowls,leash,cage,bed,toys,travel carrier, brush,et
   i would wait until you had a better job but you wouldnt probally spoil your like i do mine.

2. 
   Livvy

   March 20, 2011 at 10:53 pm | Permalink

   I’d suggest getting insurance for it. We didn’t get insurance for my dog (he’s now 9) and he turned out to have a collapsed trachea, kidney stones, he broke his leg, is allergic to fleas, and might have cancer. We’ve spent over $10,000 on him. And even if nothing like that happens to your dog, it’s still a good idea to have it just in case.

   Grooming is expensive too. Each time costs $60-$70 plus tip. Also, food and such can be pricey.

3. 
   DiscoDisco

   March 20, 2011 at 11:31 pm | Permalink

   I have a wiener dog, you may not want to get one if you live in an apartment… wiener dogs often have a bad case of ‘little man syndrome’ lol in which they are very protective and have to let everyone know who they are. Before my dog was trained he would run to our front door and bark whenever he heard someone walking by, wiener dogs can also be stubborn so be prepared for all of this. I do have pet insurance, just basic coverage, and it knocks my vet bill to about half every time.. so it’s deffinately worth it. As for the cost of taking care of your dog, it all depends, but I’d think of it this way, are you financially stable enough to take care of a baby? If yes, then you will have more then enough money to care for your dog, if not, write out a list and think of everything you’d plan to do for your dog each month (things like food, toys, a doggy bed, probably obedience school, possibly insurence and/or a vet trip) with the idea of the cost next to it and see if you have that in your budget.

4. 
   Dinah D

   March 21, 2011 at 12:11 am | Permalink

   First of all I would like to thank you for waiting until you feel you are financially ready to take care of a dog. The price of caring for a dog can differ from what type of food you are going to feed them to the cost of your vet care, and that can depend on where you live. I live in hawaii and it is a lot more expensive out here. Just for shots for our dog it costs and average of $240 each time he goes to the vet, but once you have their puppy shots taken care of they should only need a vet visit once a year. Unless of course if an emergency comes up. The vet visits within the first 6 months of owning a dog can become quite expensive. If you buy a puppy they need to have their puppy shots taken care of which usually come in either a 3 or 4 series of shots. And than when they are about 5-6 months old (depending on your vet) than your puppy will need to be spayed/neutered. Which can become quite expensive. Anywhere from $200-$400. Again, that depends on your vet. As far as food goes. I buy a 25lb bag of dog food for our dog every other week at about $30/bag. But we feed a holistic brand of dog food that consists of chicken, lamb, bison and other natural ingredients. So, I guess the ultimate answer to your question is…if you think you are financially stable and can provide for this dog financially than yes you do make enough money. As far as pet insurance. Just make sure you can find a vet that accepts the pet insurance you choose to go with and yes it does help. I would recommend getting it as soon as you get your dog. As it does not cover pre-existing conditions that your dog may have prior to getting him/her pet insurance. Sorry this answer is so long; however, there are a lot of other things to take into consideration before bringing a dog into your life…are you going to have enough time to exercise/train/care for this animal…etc…I hope this helps and again sorry its so long…take care and good luck!!!

5. 
   Amy

   March 21, 2011 at 1:02 am | Permalink

   First of all, I commend you for waiting and saving up money to care for your dog versus getting one on a whim. It’s sad to see irresponsible owners who can’t take good care of their pet because they didnt think it through first.

   There are so many things to consider financially. I have two large breed dogs, and it’s important to me that they eat well and healthy. So, I go through about 55 lbs every week and a half – which costs about $60 a bag.

   Are you at home a lot? I work, and keep my boys in separate kennels when I am away. Each kennel (basic, wire kennel large enough so they are comfortable) costs $80 – at the least.

   Do you own your own place? If not, you must keep in mind that you are responsible for ANY damage they may cause. My dogs used to chew on the walls when they got nervous, and I had to fix it myself because they sure as heck couldn’t!

   I don’t have pet insurance, so each vet visit is an easy $45 a pop PLUS whatever the doc tacks onto that for medicine, special procedures, etc. Shots can be a pain in the butt to pay for, but they’re necessary.
   My friend has insurance on her dog, and I think its about $50 a year and they pay for 80% of the vet bills. It pays off if you take your dog to the vet often.

   Anti flea/tick and heartworm medication is also important – I live in the north, so I usually don’t worry as much about fleas and ticks in the winter. But this medicine is not too cheap either.

   Lastly, the obvious things like collars, leashes, seatbelts (which are often underestimated but SO important), food dishes and toys. These prices are subjective – you can get most of these supplies at the dollar store but they probably wont last as long as pet store ones.

   I hope I didn’t forget anything.. please excuse me if I did.
   Good luck!

6. 
   chapina2701

   March 21, 2011 at 1:54 am | Permalink

   First off, i’m glad you’re thinking about adopting! That’s an awesome decision on your part! There are many pets at Humane Societies that frankly, just need a second chance!
   I work part-time, so I don’t make a lot during the year, but I still have money left over for my baby!
   The first set of vaccines was the most expensive, but if you keep up to date with them and with the physical exams every year (including a fecal exam to test for internal parasites) your pet should be healthy! I would say my bill at the vet this year totaled, including exams, medication (she was diagnosed with whipworm!) spay, and vaccines, around $300-$400.
   I don’t have pet insurance on my dog, but it’s a good idea in case anything should happen. You have to pay the bill up front first though, and then they re-imburse you.

7. 
   Synthia W

   March 21, 2011 at 2:51 am | Permalink

   I have a spaniel mix and he doesnt cost much.
   I’m a college student and that means little money seriously lol.
   It all depends on the breed, maintenece and your choice of food for him.
   Also depends on the health problems.
   I feed him iams (yes I know I will get bashed for that but oh well hes healthy and vibrant)
   The food costs like 30-35$ a month
   treats are like 10-20 bucks a month
   food dishes collars and leashes can be bought inexpensively.
   You will only run into problems with accidents and health issues.
   I would advise maybe adopting from a humane society or spca they vet check all dogs, administer vaccines, and neuter/spay and it is all included in the cost (75-200$) to adopt them!
   Even though you only make 20 grand a year, I think you will be able to easily afford a dog if you pick the right breed (honestly I like mutts better, less chance of health problems because there isnt as much inbreeding)
   And make sure the animal is fully vetted before you get him.
   And pet insurance is a good idea always with any breed of animal but is not required.

8. 
   happy2luvk9s

   March 21, 2011 at 3:03 am | Permalink

   no but it does cost you about $1000 or so a year, counting food, vet care, grooming (if you have a dog like a poodle or a schnauzer) and the food costs and vet costs increase with the size of the dog. I don’t have insurance on my boy because he’s a mommy’s boy. But also the costs vary by where you live too.

9. 
   *WAS due 11/29... He's here!

   March 21, 2011 at 3:09 am | Permalink

   As far as the insurance thing, it’s like us, if you need it it’s good… vet bills can get fairly expensive so that’s a personal choice…

   We have two dogs, a lab who is about 65 pounds and a black and tan coonhound who currently weighs 50 pounds but should reach about 95 pounds when full grown… so keeping that one’s dogs weight affects cost GREATLY, heartworm meds are roughly $200 per year, food is about $40 per month, shampoo-per bottle is $10-$15 and the use varies… for a good prong collar (herm spranger) it is about $27, leashes can be anything from $1-$45… treats vary as well… toys vary-$1-$10 per toy… really there are SO many variables that it’s impossible to say a solid figure, but just plan on setting aside (NOT including the cost of the dog itself) $1,500 for the first year… bear in mind health issues can crop up creating a big expense out of nowhere, so be sure you can handle that. Our black and tan was just neutered and the neuter cost us $400 (he also had a skin tag removed and one of his testicles didn’t decend so it was a spay fee which costs more); well, he ripped his stiches so it cost us another $180 to get him “repaired”… stuff happens and can eat a ton of your money up fast. But they are SOOOO worth it!