How much is that doggie in the window?

[dainerra]

a friend of mine sent me this, a little note of advice for anyone who is considering buying a puppy for christmas

http://voices.yahoo.com/expect-spend-1800-christmas-puppy-10682243.html?cat=53

of course, in some areas a spay for a medium-size female is $400-$600 so the numbers will vary greatly depending on where you live. A real eye-opener for anyone who thinks that a puppy from a breeder is too expensive. As I said before, the initial purchase price is actually the cheapest part of owning a dog!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Same as with a horse!

Many times a large animal vet that has a combined practice will be much less expensive, but still as valuable as a companion animal only vet. Love ours!

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

some items on that list are really not as necessary as they make it out to be. you do not have to shell out $40 for a pet bed that they puppy/dog will probably destroy in 5 minutes flat! a nice soft blanket with your scent on it will work perfectly fine and get them used to you being there. i would recommend adding a harness on there too for when you have to teach them to not pull on their lead or to help keep better control over them when traveling.

i guess i saved ourselves some money by having a corgi that is good about me giving him baths. and my dh is home out of work so no need for doggie daycare for him!!!

i think my first year was really cheap getting my dog! he came with his carrier and then friends of ours gave us one of their large dog pens to help crate train him. he also learned very quickly commands. it also helps i had dog training during my animal science class in high school almost 16 years ago.

 

[dainerra]

let's see for my dog:

$1200 purchase price

$45 a month for food
$75 for 2 vet visits for initial shots
$30 for injectable Ivertemicin (spelling?) I do my own heartworm meds. Otherwise, $10 a month plus $30 for heartworm test and $50 for a vet visit
$10 membership to the kennel club, my training classes so far have been free. Otherwise, it would have been $100 for a basic obedience class. We have done basic obedience, conformation classes, and seminars in agility, obedience, and rally. As well as our regular prep classes for rally. So that has been a HUGE savings right there.
$60 in entry fees to competitions
$175 emergency vet visit
$40+ in collars since he keeps outgrowing them
$25 for rabies plus the vet visit fee.
So $865, just in the major stuff. I don't keep track of how much I spend on treats, toys, leashes, things he has destroyed - I'd rather not know!

I already had a crate. I use carpet remnants for crate bedding. I have GSDs so there isn't much to do in way of grooming.

for "wash and wear" dogs! I also dremel nails, so I guess I should have added in $50 for the dremel lol My husband said he didn't want me using his anymore

I think the list is really to get people to think about all the expenses BEFORE getting a dog. Those things that for some reason, people never consider. Even if they do, they don't stop to think how much it all adds up. I think it just lists the most common things that people buy. Not everyone will get everything and a lot of people will get extra.

The main reason for classes is to train the owner.

It is also good to know that your dog will obey even when there are other dogs, people, loud noises, ?? around. It's amazing how differently the average dog behaves (or doesn't!) when he is out in public.

Today there were 3 different people selling puppies in the Wal-Mart parking lot. $40 for lab/akita mixes and $100 for pit bulls. The others didn't have a sign, so I don't know what they were. I can tell you that all of them were doing a fairly steady business though. I saw a woman I used to work with who I *KNOW* can barely afford to feed her kids. They were buying a puppy. "Oh, it's only $40. We have rope at home, don't even need to buy a collar. He'll eat table scraps." No shots, no bed, no food, not even a dog house. "He'll sleep under the porch."

ETA: I don't need to buy toys. I just take out the chainsaw...

 

[Joz]

I found two approx. 4 month old puppies wandering a friend's neighborhood. They were cute, reasonably friendly, and I couldn't leave them out on the streets (catchable strays and craigslisted free dogs are often collected and used as bait dogs for dogfighting). So, we took them home. Fencing supplies, food, collars, leashes, vet visits (vaccinations and treatment for worms and sarcoptic mange) totalled $1000. That's before neutering ($350 apiece), crates, monthly flea goop, etc. Free puppies are NEVER free, and I'll never think that adoption fees for rescue dogs are excessive ever again.

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
very true Joz! for every healthy dog that is ready to go to a new home quickly there are 2 that have serious issues that need to be nursed back to health. Even if it's not a severe injury, just bringing an underweight dog up to par isn't cheap!

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

These were my costs associated with my GSD, Foenix. Some of these costs were monthly, some were a one time purchse or fee. He lived to be 4.5 years old.

Puppy cost: 1200.00
Food : 46.00/month
Training Club dues: 100.00-125.00/month
Regular training: Free
Training equipment: 300.00+
Total Vet Care (lifetime): 2600.00+
Crate: 110.00
Grooming costs: 35.00

I could add more things but these are just what comes to mind now.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Wanted to add: I wish the training costs on that list were more emphasized.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Amen to that!

 

[Haviris2]

Many of the things listed are not necessary. A bed depends on how you keep your dog, I do think they need a soft spot to sleep (and I am assuming indoor dog), but some, especially small dogs are allow on furniture, my little dog has never had her own bed. I don't use a pet carrier for my dog, and cost is going to depend greatly on the size of dog, the last pet carrier I bought (for my cat) was $15. No need for a covered food container, I have things I can use to store food if I need to. Dito for bowls, I can buy them if I want to, but I have things I can use.

All puppies would benefit from some obedience training, but unless there is a problem may not be necessary for every puppy. Some people are better off taking their puppies to a class so the 'owner' can learn how to train their puppy. And most the training gemics are unnecessary, a simple collar and leash should be fine.

Doggie daycare, boarding, etc. are going to be more individual based, in all my years I've only boarded one dog, one time.

I've come up with around $1370 for my next dog in the first year, guesstimating on the high side. Series of 4 puppy shots, at approximately $65 each. Our clinic charges not quite that much, and in moxt cases the breeder will have already given them the first ones, so it likely won't add up to quite that much. I can also make it cheaper by just getting the shots, no exam. Typically 1st puppy includes fecal, vacc., microchip, engraved tag, and puppy pack. Next is ear cropping $300ish, of course most puppies won't need this. And neuter, large dog so $200ish. Flea, tick, and heartworm meds, $180ish annually. Then I'd guess around 4 collars as he grows at $15 each (give or take), and a $10 leash. And lastly dog food, guessing, not sure how much we'd go through, but maybe $360 annually.

I didn't list the extras, things I will most likely get, but can live without. I will likely take an obedience class or two, I like to train at home, but take a class for extra socialization and proofing, probably run around $100. Possibly a crate, I have one that will do fine til around 6 months (and if I got a smaller dog I would be set), the one I'd need will run around $250. And of course toys and treats, and other misc. things I want him to have. I also plan to do doggie daycare, but only because we do it at the clinic I work at and that way I can bring him to work with me.

However I do think you should prepare for emergencies, either health or training.