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 YearVeterinary 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 CostsVeterinary 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
Some of those costs are redundant actually. Like, immunizations ARE veterinary care. And, puppies shouldn't have flea or heartworm prevention until 6 months, and even longer for very small dogs.
Those costs are also the MAXIMUM costs...it depends on where you are from and the veterinarian or shot clinic you go to.
Here are the costs of having my great dane:
Puppy:
Veterinary Care/Laboratory Tests/Immunizations -
$100 total before 1 year old.
Internal/External Parasite Treatment and Control -
$100 total for Advantage, from 6mo to 1year ($30 for 4 month pack), and Heartworm prevention ($40 for 6 month pack)
Food -
$170, danes don't eat puppy food...I feed lamb and rice formula with no corn or by-products, so healthy adult dog food.
Miscellaneous supplies I needed: collars, leashes, pooper scooper, dog shampoo, ear cleaner, toenail clippers, bowls -
$100, cost depends on which store you shop at, this price does not including stuff on sale.
Chewies-
$50Danes are not supposed to be spayed when they are a puppy...I waited until Betty was 14 months to spay.
Obedience is something you can do on your own, it does not require an actual class...even though it can be beneficial to get the best behavior out of your dog.
Total: Under
$600...for a great dane puppy
Adult great dane costs:
Vet care, shots, lab tests -
$100 total
Internal/External Parasite Preventatives -
$150Food -
$200-$250Miscellaneous, collar, new bowls, food bin, etc -
$100 Chewies-
$84...one new cow femur per month.
Spay/Neuter -
$75 for SNYP certificate. The cost often depends on the dog's size and age...$75 is the highest, I have a dane so that's what I paid.
License:
$18/year, or $75 for 3 years
Total:
$700...for an adult great dane, and technically I splurged...so material items like collars and bowls are almost not an expense if you make things yourself or are a bargain hunter. Also, usinging less expensive dog food drastically shifts food costs.
Also, I got a free human matress/bed for her to sleep on...she is a 110lb dog. I did buy her a mammoth dog bed that cost $150, but that was a splurge and it is not a necessity for owning a dog.
-Warning...these costs do not take into consideration of accidents or health issues that arise. Betty was a very healthy puppy and is a healthy adult dog. I have emergency funds for my dogs and consider it a necessity to have $ available.
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