IT COSTS ALOT OF MONEY TO OWN A DOG

I posted about the cost of spaying in the Spay/Neuter forum because I was surprised at how expensive it is where I live.   It's $350 (and I'm dropping Louise off for it in 4 hours!) at my vet.   I called a bunch of other offices because $350 is a lot for me, but when you added everything up, $350 was on the low end of average.   I could have saved $50 or so by going to someone I didn't know on the other end of town, but it's not  worth it to me.

Anyway,  I don't even want to know what I've spent!  I got Louise in April and this is my list so far:

Initial exam + vaccinations + medication:   $140
Puppy kindergarten:  $140
Dog books:  $70
Food (we had to try many to get it right) & treats:  at least $250, but $84 of that was a buy one case, get one free thing on Tripett - finally, something free!
Heartworm/flea stuff:  $74 for 6 month supply
Boarding:  $225
Grooming:  $90
Toys:  $100
Dog bed:  $55 (the most stupid purchase ever  - she outgrew it in about 2 weeks)
Leash, collar, harness, tag:  $50
Grooming supplies:  $65 (brushes, eye wipes, ear cleaning solution, nail clippers, shampoo)
Potty pads:  $20
Dry cleaning bills as the result of her peeing on things:   $75
And she tore a $20 bill in half once.
And if we ever want to buy anything frozen for ourselves, we would have to buy a separate freezer since our tiny one is now filled with chicken necks and marrow bones and organ meats.

Luckily, her crate was "free" since it used to be our cat's.

She's so worth it, though.   I would eat rice and toast forever to afford having her.

LOL ok well here goes:
 
$1200.00 for Ruffian, show dog
$55.00 times 10 years for vaccinations
$150.00 a year for food times 10 years
$500.00 for emergency vet care over the lat 10 years
$2000.00 on toys, crates and chews over the 10 years
and the vet bill get higher as they get older as well (the dogs get smellier too, LOL)
 
$1500.00 for Tonka, show dog
$55.00 a year for vaccinations times 8 years
$150.00 a year for food times 8 years
$300.00 for emergency vet care over the years and blood tests at 2
$150.00 for the neuter at 2.5 due to epilepsy
$1000.00 for treats and crates he doesnt like toys
currently he is on no meds for the epilepsy but may have to latter on in life
I also didnt include the costs of showing him, or whelping her pups in there either.  And yes his breeder had a wonderful health guarentee on him, I could have a new show dog and give him back or pay pet price for him, a pet pup and keep him or 2 breedings back to my girl.  I dont have any want for 3 dogs I did try to breed her, but she didn't take and I dont want another Shiba now at all.
 
But all in all the money I spent was well worth it, and I will do it all over again, this includes the showing.

Ok, here goes:  (I don't think I have ever written it down..could be scary![])
 
Dasher - 1.5 years old
$400 purchase price (Got a deal on him as I have know his breeder for years)
$700 neuter + squamous cell carcinoma removal from gum + microchip (as others have said my vet is a bit high, but I trust him, been using him for years and he is the best)
$300 squamous cell removal take 2 (it grew back, this time they got it all)
$100 per year for shots
$120 puppy obedience
$120 agility class (every 8 weeks give or take)
$10 per month flea stuff
$5 per month heartworm meds
$45 crate
$120 soft crate
$70 car seat
$20 per month or so for food
$10 per month glucosamine
$40 ILP registration w/ AKC
$40 recording fee for JRTCA
$20 USDAA recording
 
Won't go into entry fee for shows...that's gravy! []
 
 

Wait a second, you guys are scaring me with your $5-10 a month flea/tick prevention. I spend $50 for a three month supply! I'm just getting Frontline Plus from Petco - why am I spending so much more than everyone else???

I got my Frontline Plus from dog.com this time around.  I believe I got a 6 mth. supply for $56.  Online is usually cheaper for pretty much anything the stores sell... it's just a matter of shipping costs after that!

LoveMyCassidy- you only spend $100 a year on food?

I get my flea meds online as well. I get mine from Dog.com too. $33.98 for 3 months for Dasher, so approx. $10 per month. I agree with Stacy, you can find good deals online. []

I get Frontline Plus for about 50 clams. It works, whereas the cheaper stuff, like Hartz and Zodiac, do nothing for him.
 

hi everyone, i'm new here but i do agree with the original poster. It does cost a lot to own a dog. I've had my dog for 2 years now and for a college student, I spend almost all of my extra money on her. [&o]

Dog: Got her for free. [8D]
Puppy package, shots and everything: $320
Spaying and testings: $300
Food: $40 a year (she's a small dog)
Advantage: about $150 a year.
Rabies shots, deworming ect..: $100
Shampoo and Creamrinse: $60 a year. (she has really sensitive skin so we use Hylite, it's shampoo w/o soap or something like that. The creamrinse helps condition her coat.)
Leash, bowl, and colar: $30
Poop bags: $5-10 a year (the .99 cent stores. .99 per bag of 50)
Bedding: $50
Nail clippers, antiseptic, eye wipes, etc..: $40
Treats: $40 (I bought a big box of greenies, it's cheaper when you buy alot)
Licence: $54 for 3 years.
Clothes: She's spoiled!. About $40 a year.

certainly emergency vet charges can add up quickly, and getting pups equipped, vaccinated and neutered is costly, but it's pretty cheap to just maintain an adult dog isn't it? All you really need to buy is food and heartworm tabs.

 Our philosophy is "Whatever Sammy needs, Sammy gets!".  It's since changed to "Whatever Sammy needs and WANTS, Sammy gets!". []  We've had Sampson for 1.5 months.
 
Adoption fee:  $120
1st vet checkup:  $286.11
1st visit to PetSmart:  $224.98
Grooming/Grooming supplies:  75.xx
Meds for underlying issues:  $37.00
Training (Beginner's--starts in a week, THANK GOD!):  $110
Advantage:  $63.xx
Crate, toys, misc.:  $175 (estimate)
2nd Dyson ([]):  Too Much
Kodak Gallery (a couple 5x7's and wallet sized pics of him hehehe):  $18
 
I'm sure there is more that I'm forgetting, but I just had to find the receipts for that stuff!  We don't count really.  We just do and buy.
 

Ok here it goes for me. I'm actually very scared to see what I've spent. [&:]
 
For Rupert:
 
Adoption fee- $50
Neutered- $60
First Puppy vet visit- $118.50 (shots, rabies, microchipped, dewormed, medicine for hook-worms and one month Frontline)
2nd Puppy visit- $37.00 (shots, dewormed and one month of Heartguard)
3rd Puppy visit- $43.00 (shots, ONE months of frontline and heartguard)
Emergency Visit- $257.00 (xrays, dignosed with HD, Metacam for a month)
Final Puppy visit- $33.00 (shots, ONE month of Heartguard and Frontline)
Food- $29/2 months (37lb bag)
Treats- $15/month
Metacam-$70/4 months
Joint Supplements- $15/month
Toys- $50
Crate- $80
Collars/Leashes- $45
Beds- $50
Misc stuff- $100
 
So far this year I've spent: $1128 [:-]
 
I really hope my husband doesn't see this!!!
 
 

I think this has been a great thread for lurkers who are thinking they can't afford a better dog food, or a spay/neuter.  They really need to look at what it costs to take good care of a dog - and I'm not even thinking of things that would fall into the *extras* category, like clothes, fancy collars, pricier toys, etc.

Joyce

Never counted up the cost:
Cavalier Pup including papers $600.
Final Puppy shots $50.
Crate & bedding $150.
Toys $20
Collars & obedience lead $40.
Winter coat $10.
All grooming gear & show leads 20 plus years old from previous dogs. NA

Annual NZKC registration $60.
Annual Breed Club subs $20.

Annual Council Registration $50.
Annual Vet Health Check $35.
Average over four years 1 extra vet visit per annum $50.
Heart tests $50.
Annual cost Frontline or Advantage for fleas $120.
Annual Dronsit plus worm pills $30.
Annual food $450.
Rabies NA.
Heart worm NA.
Grooming ~ I do it.
Vetadine wash $15.
Birthday toy $10.
Collar $10.

Petrol for showing added to entertainment budget, breeder pays entry fees.
Forgetting the NZKC & Breed Club costs for showing:
$870 original cost
$820 per annum = less than $16.50 per week.
Not Expensive for the fun involved in owning a dog.

All New Zealand $s. divide by 2 for US$ approx.
Best.

ORIGINAL: welovesammy

 Our philosophy is "Whatever Sammy needs, Sammy gets!".  It's since changed to "Whatever Sammy needs and WANTS, Sammy gets!". []  We've had Sampson for 1.5 months.

Adoption fee:  $120
1st vet checkup:  $286.11
1st visit to PetSmart:  $224.98
Grooming/Grooming supplies:  75.xx
Meds for underlying issues:  $37.00
Training (Beginner's--starts in a week, THANK GOD!):  $110
Advantage:  $63.xx
Crate, toys, misc.:  $175 (estimate)
2nd Dyson ([]):  Too Much
Kodak Gallery (a couple 5x7's and wallet sized pics of him hehehe):  $18

I'm sure there is more that I'm forgetting, but I just had to find the receipts for that stuff!  We don't count really.  We just do and buy.

Now if your counting that I guess I should include:

The digital camara I bought to take pics of Gizzy: $130
My cellphone that has a camara built in: $70
Non-digital camara: $60
+ film $50 or more
Developing fillm $100
My compture to see the digital pics $1200
(also used to come here to talk about my dog)

Yep there goes anouther few thousands to the dog. She's the only thing I ever take pictures of.