Cost of ownership of a dog

[RFDttyfat]

Never had pets before (fish dont count). Parent's house rules.

Living on my own now. Always wanted a dog. Might get one, but was wondering what is the total cost of ownership? I have no idea where to start or have any clue on the topic.

How much does a puppy cost? Do I need to pay for training so they know not to piss and crap everywhere? Insurance? Food costs? Vet costs? Injections?

Can you give me a rundown on the costs? Both fixed initial costs and long term annual 'maintenance' cost

[amz155]

-purchase price of dog (varies widely)
-insurance (not required and I don't buy it so no idea there)
-costs of initial vaccines--maybe around $65 each
-cost of spay/neuter (again varies on age/size of dog--I'd say about $500 is average for a medium size juvenile dog who has not gone through a heat; this would include bloodwork, pain meds, IV and the surgery)
-cost of annual vaccinations --maybe around $90
-cost of grooming (if required)--varies widely depending on the breed
-cost of miscellaneous things like combs, brush, leash, collar, license, food/water bowls, blankets, crate, shampoo, dog bed
-toys, chews, food
-training (if you are clueless about dog training and don't want to pay someone to do it maybe you should read up on this more as dog training isn't always straight forward)
-costs for stool sample (recommended annually)--about $50
-cost for heartworm blood test and meds (annually, cost of test might be around $45 though cost of meds depends on the size of dog)
-cost to replace any items your dog damages, chews on etc--???

A lot of the costs will depend on the size and breed of your dog and the area in which you live (ie vets in different areas charge differently). The first year will be quite expensive but then after that if your dog is healthy, the regular annual costs are not that much.

[Stock R]

It really depends. Lots of variables. However, I would say you're looking at about $1000 annually as a minimum (basic shots, food, etc) and assuming all is well. And then it goes up from there.

For example,

- any vet visit is about $100+
- kennel/boarding is about $30/night
- high end food is about 4x the cost of standard brands

We got our puppy last year and since then, I think we've been averaging about $300 a month. But that is also because we let him play at doggy daycamp regularly.

[TheRequiem]

We've had our puppy for about 6 months now.

Dog was $800, initial round of vet visits was $200-300 (after exams, stool, vaccinations). Food is about $25/mo for the Go Naturals (Now!) Puppy formula. One-time equipment about $200 (playpen, kennel, collar, leash, dishes). Toys we've probably spend about $100-$150 on. Treats are sporadic, but friggin' bully stick are expensive. Probably spent $100 on bullys alone, thankfully now switching to bulk buys. First puppy groom (face and butt only) was $25, first full groom was $60. Another vet exam and meds for diarrhea was $150. Neutering is going to be $600 or so. Revolution meds for summer season was ~$100.

I'd say estimate $2000 for the first year (most expensive time, until they are very old) and $500-$1000 per year afterwards, depending on health issues and food/treat quality.

We also lost some wages staying home to train it at first, but that was our choice.

[rob444]

First year is your most expensive.
- Cost of the dog itself (mine was $500)
- another 2 or 3 trips to the vet in the first couple months to get all the checks, stool samples, shots etc (around $300)
- cost of the basics like crate/cage, bed, leash, collar, toys, food bowl etc (prob around $150)

Then on a yearly basis you need to do annual vet visits to get heartworm medicine and checkup (around $200)

Food totally depends on dog size. I have a small breed dog so can buy a high quality bag of food (like Wellness or Blue Buffalo) for less than $20 that will last several months. Factor in doggy snacks and treats, and I'm at maybe $20-25 a month total. Big dog will eat way more and this cost could easily double, triple or more.

My dog needs grooming which is around $50 every couple of months.

Personally i would never consider pet insurance. As for training, just watch videos and read books or forums, and any puppy can be trained pretty easily with a bit of effort, determination, and lots and lots of patience.

You really need to consider what kind of breed you want though as the costs could be completely different. My main advice if you do get one, is don't cheap out on the dog food. Pay a bit extra and get the good stuff... some extra costs now with a premium dog food will save you tons in vet bills when they're older.

[Shaner]

Initial cost of dog - Anywhere from $50 to $2,000
Food - Anywhere from $20 - $100 per month (my GSD eats about $100 per month)
Toys - Mostly an upfront cost, but as toys get damaged, they need to be replaced. $10 per month averaged over the dogs life
Bones - Anywhere from $10 - $50 per month depending on how often you buy and what you buy. Antlers and bully sticks aren't cheap, rawhide is, but rawhide is NOT safe for dogs and should be avoided
Vet costs - $150 for each set of vaccinations, heart worm and tick and flea control (all necessary). 3 sets of vaccines as a puppy, then once per year after that. It might be a bit cheaper, but to be safe, I'm saying $150 per vaccination.
Leashes and collars - $100 to $200 over the life of the dog
Crates - $50 to $400 over the life of the dog
Training - This an optional expense, but you really should enroll the dog in obedience class. Classes help you learn how to train the dog so you know what to do at home. Most training is done at home, not in obedience classes. Figure about $100 per month for obedience classes.
Pet insurance - Completely optional and varies from $15 per month to $150 per month. I don't use pet insurance, although many people do.

Now, here's the kicker. Vet costs can be astronomical if your dog gets sick, which is almost guaranteed at some point in its life. For a case of bloat, which is fairly common in large dogs, you could be looking at a $5,000 vet bill. A cancer diagnosis can cost even more. Hip dysplasia can cost around that as well. There are various other ailments/diseases that can cost hundreds or even thousands. These things may never happen to your dog, but you need to prepare that they could. Some people/dogs are very unlucky and these things will occur multiple times. My one husky required surgery to repair a badly broken leg. It cost about $2,500. My other husky needed surgery to remove a large tumour from her uterus, it cost around $3,000. That same dog had bloat, which ultimately took her life, and it was a $5,000 surgery with a high chance of death anyway. It's one of those things you need to be prepared for. If you can't or wont spent that kind of money on vet bills, do NOT get a dog.

You need to also do a lot more research first. Before you get a dog, you should know how to train it to not chew, not jump, go to the bathroom outside, etc.

good luck

[jandumm]

Our dog is 3.5 years old and typical expenses have been in the $250-300/month range when averaged over the year. We do feed her a premium dog food and have done continuous training throughout her life.

The size of the dog does contribute to the costs - we have a giant breed, and everything costs more. Food, crates, anything cute like clothes and bowls as well as medications are more expensive.

Like Shaner said, you do have to prepare for the emergency dog costs. In the last 6 months, ours has had two knee surgeries for cruciate ligament issues (very common in large/giant dogs) - one cost $3250 and the second cost $1400. Now we are doing rehab at the OVC to try to minimize the chance of issues on the other knee. That's costing us some more.

Rather than getting pet insurance, I opened up a "dog" bank account and put an extra $50/paycheque into it to help out when emergencies do come up.

It's definitely not cheap - we've probably spent $10000 easy in the last 3.5 years - definitely not an investment :( But she brings a lot of joy to our lives and spending the weekends hiking and romping through the parks is a ton of fun - I wouldn't give that up for anything.

[jandumm]

Btw training will not teach you how to toilet train your dog . Althogh you'll want to start puppy training as soon as you can, you need to have your 2nd round of shots minimum which means the puppy will be at least 10-12 weeks and you might have your puppy earlier than that.

Before you get a puppy, you need to do some reading or youtubing to figure out how you're going to toilet train your puppy and do other things like bite inhibition. If you can minimize the number of "oops" your dog has in the house as a puppy by being vigilant and following a system (I recommend crate training), you'll be miles ahead.

We crate trained and constantly watched for signs that she had to "go" when she was out of the crate. Most owners will agree that if done properly, you'll never have to worry about the accidents once the puppy is trained. If the dog isn't toilet trained, it's 99.9% the owners fault for not being vigilant and ignoring the signs. The other 0.1% might be due to a medical issue the puppy has.

[cheaper_than_cheap]

+1 on crate training.

Hope everyone hasn't scared you off with the worst case scenarios :) Whatever it costs, it's worth it, IMHO. You "hope for the best but plan for the worst". It's possible you may have to cough up a few thousand bucks for emergency vet care at some point in the dog's life, but also quite likely you won't.

Some of those expenses can be reduced. Adopting a dog might run $250-$300 as opposed to 2 or 3 times that for buying a puppy, plus you get to skip the house training. My local SPCA charges $125 or $140 depending on weight to neuter a male - far less than a vet. Crates are 50% off at Canadian Tire this upcoming week. etc. etc. Some costs are unavoidable (vet visits for shots) and some are just plain worth paying (premium food, puppy classes).

Just pulling numbers out of my a$$ here (no detailed records) but I would estimate I pay $200 a month on average. $80 / bag of food, $20-$30 treats/toys, the rest to the vet.

[amz155]

I already responded but just wanted to echo some of PP comments.

-Its a great idea to set aside some money regularly in the case that an emergency or expensive vet bill comes up. For us, that makes more sense than paying for pet insurance which has a LOT of fine print that we don't agree with.

-Do NOT underestimate the power of good training. And do not underestimate how much work and consistency is involved to train a dog. You have to research, be prepared, start early and be consistent and patient. The two best recent sources for training I've found are Karen Pryor's books 'Reaching the animal Mind' and 'Don't Shoot the Dog!' I wish I would have read these 15 years ago after we got our first dog. They've helped immensely in the training of my current two dogs. I use to poo-poo clicker training but after being opening minded about it, I can honestly say its been the most effective training technique I've used.

And remember my favourite saying.....A tired dog is a good dog!!!! Dogs need lots of exercise and a lot of the trouble that dogs get themselves into (chewing, digging, fighting, damaging stuff, barking, poop eating, etc.) can be prevented if the dog gets enough exercise and stimulation.

Oh, and kijiji has been the BEST place for crates. I got a large and extra large plastic crates for $40 each and both were in mint condition.

[RFDttyfat]

Thanks for the advice guys. Ill try to ask around pet store clerks too. Should the puppy be purchased from a pet store or some 'professional breeder'? I hear some people say if you are lucky and some person's pet gave birth to a bunch of puppies they obviously cant afford to keep they may advertise locally and sell them for cheap?

Looks like dog ownership is a case of Honda Civic + Dog or BMW + no dog, given moderate income.

[amz155]

You can get a pet from a pet store, a breeder, an animal shelter, from kijiji, rescue from a puppy mill, a friend, etc. Up to you where you want to get the dog and there are benefits and disadvantages to either method. But if you are set on picking the cheapest option, then maybe a pet isn't for you as the purchase price of the pet is just a dime in the bucket of what you'll spend over its life. Also keep in mind that when buying from breeders you may get certain health guarantees that come with the pet and you will know the animal's lineage. Can you get a perfectly healthy pet from an animal shelter? Sure but you never know what you are getting ahead of time. There are some people that swear by dog pound mutts and others that will not buy anywhere but from a breeder. You have to do the research and decide what's right for you. Then comes deciding which breed....choose carefully ;) You might want to spend some time at pet stores or dog parks or even go to Woofstock this year to see how different dogs behave and interact. Of course you can't judge an entire breed based on observing just a few of its dogs but many breeds have certain behavioural characteristics that you will pick up on. There are certain breeds I'd never own based on their behaviour, temperament, grooming requirements, predispositions to certain health conditions, etc. There's a dog for everyone you just have to find what's right for you.

[Shaner]

Thanks for the advice guys. Ill try to ask around pet store clerks too. Should the puppy be purchased from a pet store or some 'professional breeder'? I hear some people say if you are lucky and some person's pet gave birth to a bunch of puppies they obviously cant afford to keep they may advertise locally and sell them for cheap?

Looks like dog ownership is a case of Honda Civic + Dog or BMW + no dog, given moderate income.

Please do NOT get a dog from a pet store. That is the worst possible thing you could do. Dogs from pet stores come from puppy mills. Do a bit of research into the deplorable conditions at puppy mills. If you purchase a dog at a pet store you're encouraging puppy mills to continue their operations. The less people that buy from pet stores, the less puppy mills there will eventually be.

Also, don't buy from a backyard breeder (some persons pet that gave birth and they can't afford to keep them). Yes, it's cheaper, but every time a backyard breeder breeds their dog(s), they are putting to death other dogs that need homes. People should not be breeding their dogs unless they are a registered breeder with the goal of advancing the breed.

Buy a puppy from a registered breeder, or get a puppy/dog from the humane society or a local rescue. If you're a first time dog owner, consider a slightly older dog (1-3 years old) from the humane society or a rescue. A puppy can be a challenge for even experienced dog owners.

Also, carefully consider what breed you're going to get. Some breeds are very challenging and aren't for everyone. I have two German Shepherds, and these dogs aren't for first time dog owners. They are a challenging breed due to their exercise requirements, their intelligence levels (which means they get bored if you don't engage them mentally), their grooming requirements, health issues, etc, etc, etc. Pick the breed carefully.

[Shaner]

Do a Google image search for puppy mills and just look at some of the pictures that pop up. That is what you're supporting if you buy from a pet store, not to mention you're getting a dog that will very likely have health and temperament issues.

[cheaper_than_cheap]

Please do NOT get a dog from a pet store. That is the worst possible thing you could do. Dogs from pet stores come from puppy mills. Do a bit of research into the deplorable conditions at puppy mills. If you purchase a dog at a pet store you're encouraging puppy mills to continue their operations. The less people that buy from pet stores, the less puppy mills there will eventually be.

Also, don't buy from a backyard breeder (some persons pet that gave birth and they can't afford to keep them). Yes, it's cheaper, but every time a backyard breeder breeds their dog(s), they are putting to death other dogs that need homes. People should not be breeding their dogs unless they are a registered breeder with the goal of advancing the breed.

Buy a puppy from a registered breeder, or get a puppy/dog from the humane society or a local rescue. If you're a first time dog owner, consider a slightly older dog (1-3 years old) from the humane society or a rescue. A puppy can be a challenge for even experienced dog owners.

Also, carefully consider what breed you're going to get. Some breeds are very challenging and aren't for everyone. I have two German Shepherds, and these dogs aren't for first time dog owners. They are a challenging breed due to their exercise requirements, their intelligence levels (which means they get bored if you don't engage them mentally), their grooming requirements, health issues, etc, etc, etc. Pick the breed carefully.
+∞. Shaner speaks the truth. Please adopt or go with a breeder. And if you're wondering how to pick a good breeder - when talking to them you should feel like you're going to a job interview. If the breeder doesn't give you the Spanish Inquisition, walk. You want someone who truly cares about their dogs, not someone just selling a commodity.

[RFDttyfat]

Just to play devil's advocate, what happens then to said puppies from pet stores? If nobody buys them those puppies get the shaft too in life? I understand not supporting the industry that leads to their exploitation part. Also how do we know pet stores dont get puppies from breeders?

But yea Ill buy from a breeder if i buy one. Where are ones around in Canada? Buy Canadian or are there such a thing as import puppies? are breeders also more expensive?

[Shaner]

Just to play devil's advocate, what happens then to said puppies from pet stores? If nobody buys them those puppies get the shaft too in life? I understand not supporting the industry that leads to their exploitation part. Also how do we know pet stores dont get puppies from breeders?

But yea Ill buy from a breeder if i buy one. Where are ones around in Canada? Buy Canadian or are there such a thing as import puppies? are breeders also more expensive?

You're right, if everyone avoided buying from pet stores, those animals would end up in a shelter and/or put to sleep. It's unfortunate, but it would be a means to an end. For every animal you see in a pet store, there's hundreds more who are suffering due to malnutrition, health problems, being locked in cages 24/7, neglect, abuse, etc.

Are breeders more expensive than pet store? Usually, yes. It varies based on the breed and the specific breeder. With that said, you get what you pay for, and that includes animals. When you buy from a breeder you receive things for your money that you wouldn't receive from a pet store. Most breeders offer a health guarantee for every puppy they sell. They also register, de-worm and microchip their puppies, as well providing them with their first set of vaccines. A breeder will explain to you the personality of the puppy and what you can expect from that puppy and that breed as it gets older. A breeder will question you to ensure that not only is the dog a good fit for you, but that you're a good fit for that dog. For this reason you are going to get a dog that suits your lifestyle and personality. If you have questions throughout the life of the dog, you can contact the breeder and they will be more than happy to help you. If something happens and you can't keep the dog, the breeder will take the dog back rather than it ending up in a shelter. There are so many reasons to buy from a breeder that make it worth the extra cost.

Yes, there are breeders all over Canada. It really depends on which breed you're looking for.

[Notme666]

There are several books by Ian Dunbar that are available for free download. 'Before You Get Your Puppy' has a great list of things you need to do to train your puppy when it first comes home.

The downloads are available here. http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads

I would highly recommend signing up for a puppy training class as well, both to train the owner and socialize the puppy.

[RFDttyfat]

Ill play the devils advocate again here.

What about the argument of doing the least evil. THeres the saying you cant change people's ways. Even if there are many who advocate against pet shop puppy purchases, the business is still there and there are always going to be some demand and thus some supply so the cycle never ends.

Thats the argument behind why health professionals advocate for contraceptive and safe sex practices, even though the religious groups will argue that is promoting promiscuity. The counter argument is human nature can hardly be changed and people will do it, and so it is better to just teach them to do it responsibly even if they wana be promiscuous. Lesser of evils. Same argument about giving free needles to drug addicts. Its not condoning the action, but it may help reduce spread of diseases. The counter argument is that there shouldnt be free needles because it promotes drug use.

So for puppy purchases, is it always better to not purchase from pet stores and rather have those select puppies live a miserable life or euthanized, or is it better to purchase them and 'rescue' them from the deplorable conditions of a pet store while they are still young and let them grow up in your loving care? Yeah I know Im stretching it. I'd like my puppy to have a clean history from the get go too and so if that means special breeders then so be it.

[dealseeker2011]

I have two dogs. Honestly, I don't compute what I had given them. I jut love dogs so much that I don't care about how much will it cost me to take care of them.

[amz155]

Ill play the devils advocate again here.

What about the argument of doing the least evil. THeres the saying you cant change people's ways. Even if there are many who advocate against pet shop puppy purchases, the business is still there and there are always going to be some demand and thus some supply so the cycle never ends.

Thats the argument behind why health professionals advocate for contraceptive and safe sex practices, even though the religious groups will argue that is promoting promiscuity. The counter argument is human nature can hardly be changed and people will do it, and so it is better to just teach them to do it responsibly even if they wana be promiscuous. Lesser of evils. Same argument about giving free needles to drug addicts. Its not condoning the action, but it may help reduce spread of diseases. The counter argument is that there shouldnt be free needles because it promotes drug use.

So for puppy purchases, is it always better to not purchase from pet stores and rather have those select puppies live a miserable life or euthanized, or is it better to purchase them and 'rescue' them from the deplorable conditions of a pet store while they are still young and let them grow up in your loving care? Yeah I know Im stretching it. I'd like my puppy to have a clean history from the get go too and so if that means special breeders then so be it.

If your interest is rescuing a dog then why not just rescue it from an animal shelter? This would also not promote pet stores to stay in business.

Getting a dog from a breeder cannot guarantee that the dog will live a long, healthy life, free of diseases. But it can increase your chances. That being said, you could also get a dog form the pound that may live until 15 years old.

[jandumm]

So for puppy purchases, is it always better to not purchase from pet stores and rather have those select puppies live a miserable life or euthanized, or is it better to purchase them and 'rescue' them from the deplorable conditions of a pet store while they are still young and let them grow up in your loving care? Yeah I know Im stretching it. I'd like my puppy to have a clean history from the get go too and so if that means special breeders then so be it.

Almost everybody I know who bought puppies from pet stores always said that they felt like they were "rescuing" the dog - and most of the time it sounded like they were trying to rationalize something that they knew was wrong. Pet stores/puppy mills don't care what your reasons are - all they look at is the $$$ which perpetuates the problem.

There was a Marketplace episode from a few years back about the genetic conditions some folks had with their pet store puppies.

The other issue I have with pet stores is the pricing. A few years back I bought a purebred dog with parents that are CKC and AKC champions from a really reputable breeder - parents fully screened for hips/elbows at the OVC, full health guarantees, etc etc - I paid $2100. A week later we saw a dog of the same breed at a PJs Pet Store @ Square One with no papers and no health clearances for $3000 from a backyard breeder. THey're ripping people off.

[Shaner]

Almost everybody I know who bought puppies from pet stores always said that they felt like they were "rescuing" the dog - and most of the time it sounded like they were trying to rationalize something that they knew was wrong. Pet stores/puppy mills don't care what your reasons are - all they look at is the $$$ which perpetuates the problem.


Exactly. It makes no sense to think of it like you're rescuing the animal, because the second you buy that animal, you are encouraging the entire operation to continue to do exactly what they've been doing all along. If people want to truly rescue a dog, they should go to a rescue org. or the humane society.

[jaxx lite]

But yea Ill buy from a breeder if i buy one. Where are ones around in Canada? Buy Canadian or are there such a thing as import puppies? are breeders also more expensive?


First
buy books about dogs
- books about dog breeds or how to take care of a dog
or go to library

there are also videos or dvds about how to take care of a dog

if you are lazy, impatient or cheap
don't bother getting a dog

you have to clean after your dog
pick up poop
mop floor
brush / comb the dog's hair

bring the dog to groomer who will cut the dog's hair and give dog bath

if you are not physically strong
you are better off getting a small or medium size dog

some people give away their dog "to give or donate"
because they can't
or don't want to take care of their dog

http://www.kijiji.ca/

http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites#CA

http://www.petfinder.com/index.html

go to a vet's office or a pet store
and you may see a bulletin board
- people post messages saying that they want to give away their dog

=

[Buggy166]

having a dog is like getting a slightly less needy child in the house imo. i love dogs, but only when i go to my friend's places.

[paradigmGT3]

I really want a dog myself, but the start-up costs and the time required are simply not possible right now given my current lifestyle. I will get one in a few years though.