Cost of a Dog

[XxDinosaurzxX1000]

MY DOG WAS FREE BECAUSE HES MY CUSINS DOGS PUPPIES heart heart heart heart heart heart heart heart 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin smile smile smile smile smile exclaim exclaim exclaim exclaim  

[swordcrossxx]

Need tips on dog care? i know a lot. So let me know!  

[swordcrossxx]

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[swordcrossxx]

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[puniou~]

Let's see what our dog (got it as a puppy) has cost so far (estimation) in two years:


Puppies - The First Year

Veterinary Care/Laboratory Tests - €0
Immunizations - €50 to €100
Internal/External Parasite Treatment and Control - €50 to €100
Spay/Neuter - €0
Food - Quite hard since I don't pay for them and we always buy for three.. But I'm guessing quite a lot.
Miscellaneous: We train them at home, gos so many collars, brushes etc. that we haven't had to buy any for a looooooooooong time.. I'd say about €50, for agility training, nail clippers (old ones broke) and some random stuff.

Total: Around €600, with the food. Could be more, could be less.

Dogs - Annual Costs

Veterinary Care/Laboratory - €0
Immunizations - €50
Internal/External Parasite Preventatives - €150
Food - Again, don't know.
Miscellaneous - €50 (agility, for example)

Total: €500 to €600 (with the food again).

Now people are thinking that I don't care about my dogs cos they cost so little.. But first of all, everything cheaper when you buy for three in stead of one. My mother knows the vet we use, whom we also buy parasite preventatives from, so we get all sorts of discounts... And that sort of things. And perhaps it's cheaper here in Finland?
(Our other dogs have had a lot more veterinary costs.)

Btw, we got all our dogs free. My moms used to run a sort of animal protecting-thing, and people used to call us if they had problems with animals, so two of the dogs were sort of "saved".. And the third one we got as a pay (our male dog had some action with their female, if you know what I mean wink ). But I would've payed for all of them heart heart  

[JustAnotherFallenAngel]

One thing people always forget to figure in is emergencies and non-genetic or genetic conditions that need constant care.

I got our first pup from a breeder. A good breeder, despite the fact she breeds hybrids all of the pups are in good health and she runs a pretty tight operation. Our pup still managed to have Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, which is typically a condition of large and giant breeds of dogs. My pup is a Pomeranian/American Eskimo mix that isn't even 12 pounds. It cost us over $1,500 in veterinary care to figure out what the problem is and get it under control with medications.

Anything can happen when you're talking about a living being. They get sick like people, no matter how good their pedigree is and that's just a simple fact of life that people neglect to think about when they get themselves a dog.

 

[morbidmistake]

Don't forget about grooming costs if it's a breed that requires grooming. Most dogs that require haircuts need them at least every two months. At our salon it's $36 for a small dog and $56 for a large dog. More for poodles, though.. and if they're naughty.  

[ravioli ravioli]

Osheana

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:

Dogs - Annual Costs

Veterinary 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

That 'veterinary care' section is a laugh. I spend $100 or more pretty much at every vet visit for my dogs and cats. In fact at my Golden's last "annual vet visit" the total would have been $500+ for the titers, annual bloodwork, and flea/heartworm preventives except that I had won a gift certificate for a free annual visit with all extras included so it was free.

I have spent over $5500 in the last year on my two dogs' vet bills. That is JUST the vet bills, not counting their food ($50 per bag) or any other expenses.

Its not a laugh at all. Its either because you are at a more spendy vet, your dogs are a breed that can cost more at vets, or you didnt get "insurance" more or less. Now adays many pounds and such have benifits where if you go to a certian vet you can get discounts, because you are helping a nice wet thats less known. I really think many owners freak out about costs because they havent researched how much it can cost. Also if you choose the right vet, and even look into healing your vets and not having to take them in with every worry about them being sick then you save alot...if you take them in alot thats why, and its usually the owners fault. I dont know if its just you...or what but most dont pay that much even over their dogs lifetime. [Im not trying to sound mean, I can be harsh and im sorry, but this is the truth of vets and such. Many reseraches and things show that more people pay that much because they are worrywarts, and dont try thing before they take their pet in a ton of times for little problems]  

[ravioli ravioli]

Tasty Crayons

That letter you received reminds me of an article I read in my city's newspaper about "holiday impulse pet purchasing".

Basically, because people don't realize how much pets really cost, including dollars and your time, a lot of pet shelters fill up after the holidays due to abandonment. The article was trying to get people to think twice before deciding on a pet.

I feel so bad, though. Our city already has so many pets in the pounds that they are actually having to turn away pets that people bring in. It's so sad. I wish I could help somehow. I'd donate, but I don't even have a job yet. >_<;

I have two cats at home in the U.S., but when I came to Canada, I got a teddy-bear hamster. She's relatively cheap to take care of. I'm just using my Christmas money to keep her fed and whatnot. x3 It's not a huge concern.

Yes it is really sad about all the abandoning on the holidays.

Even easter a ton of bunnies and chicks were left out to die D: I hate parents who just impulse buy and then when they dont want it they dump it.

Its also very sad because in this economy most shelters owned by the state and such are full because in the economy many have to get rid of pets and most take them to shelters. The big problem with shelters that arent special privately owned ones is that they are kill shelters, and after a few weeks even becaus the need for space they kill off the dogs who have been there longer than they can keep them. I tend to only get dogs and tell people to take their dogs they cant handle to no kill shelters. I just find it horrid that they can so easily kill dogs and make it like theres no hope for them when they havent given the dog a chance to be loved D:

I just hope people will figure it out... I am not betting on it, I just really hope.  

[GideonGidgidoni]

carmenco1000

MY DOG WAS FREE BECAUSE HES MY CUSINS DOGS PUPPIES heart heart heart heart heart heart heart heart 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh 4laugh biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin smile smile smile smile smile exclaim exclaim exclaim exclaim

You missed the point. NO dog is "free" because the COST of the dog may be free but there is food and care over it's whole life. Your attitude is the reason we even have this stickied. rolleyes

Kool Boy210

::bump::

Bumping is illegal in this guild and can get you kicked out. Just FYI.  

[Azusanga]

Kool Boy210

bump

This is a sticky. That was a waste =/

Thanks lots for posting this. One big thing that varies is the food- holistics will be more expensive and Iams is cheapppp  

[Azusanga]

Tasty Crayons

city already has so many pets in the pounds that they are actually having to turn away pets that people bring in.

That's how it is at the shelter I volunteer at. They just got a huge wave of cats and kittens- 80 in the shelter right now. Some are fostered, but most are on the property in the barn. The dogs are all fostered out, but they actually have a waiting list, and other shelters dump dogs on them that they think are too great to kill yet. We've gotten some from all the way over in Minnesota. It's crazy being part of a no-kill.  

[Oosamiij]

My pets food only cost a $1 and I'm not sure about the litter, but we only take them to the vet unless they are injured.  

[Wyrdfayth]

My husband works full time. ... Me, not so much. 'x3;  

[emo_cupcake001]

well my parent pay 4 everyting my dog needs xd $. it roxs!!