bree_1384
My boyfriend and I are really considering adopting a puppy in a few weeks. I was wondering what the monthly costs would average. I know there are vet fees, food, snacks, toys ect. I just wanted some advice from a dog owner that could tell us alittle but more what to expect finacially. And if there are any breeds that we should or shouldn't look at it. Thanks :)
Thanks for the great answers so far... I keep getting more and more excited!
Some more details... we do live in an apartment but do have a nice grassy yard to play with the puppy. We do not want a pure breed high maintance dog... we want a cute furry family pet... again a medium sized dog is what we will be looking at. Thanks for all your information...
more details... we want a puppy so that we can train "it" the way we want, we both do work but only 8 miles from where we live so checking on the puppy throughout the day is not biggy. I work 8 to 4 and my boyfriend works either 9 to 6 or 12:30 to 9... so the puppy would be alone sometimes but again we would check on it during the day. It will defnitly get plenty of attention.
Answer
Well you have the cost of the dog. From a rescue, expect anywhere from $50 to $500 (generally not this high but some purebred rare breeds may be). From a reputable breeder, $500-$1500 depending on breed and quality of pups, parents, titles earned by parents, and health tests done. They may have a returned dog or retired one for less but I'll stick with new puppy price. Skip the pet shops. Some do have healthy puppies but many of those pups come from puppy mills. You'll get better quality for the same price or less from a reputable breeder anyway.
Food can be as low at $10 a month for low-quality food for a small dog (please use good food) up to $200 a month for quality food for a giant breed dog. Let's assume you have a medium sized breed with high quality food and $75.
Toys initially would probably be $30 at least. Make sure the toys are breed apropriate. A tiny ball is not a dane toy and a giant one is no good to a chihuahua. Avoid toys that can fit to the back of the mouth as these are choking hazzards.
The essentials: leash, collar, bowls, and a license. $35
Shots and well-puppy check can REALLY vary but let's say $100. GET THE WELL PUPPY CHECK! It isn't much if you do it when you get shots and can save you alot of heartache later. If your puppy is not healthy, your breeder's contract should cover that (this is why I recommend contracts that allow you the choice of keeping the pup with a partial refund or returning the pup for a replacement). If it came from a rescue, you will need to ask them what they do about that. All shelters are different. Some say oh well, some require the pup returned, some return the adoption fee...
Obedience classes if you choose to go can also vary but let's go with $150. Look up my other answers and you will find a list of questions to ask a trainer before trusting him/her with your puppy's future.
Spay/neuter if you choose to can also vary. A shelter pup will already be altered. $150
Crate if you crate train (I highly recommend crate training but remember that your puppy's place is with YOU, not living in his/her crate). This will depend on dog size again ($30-$250 for a standard type crate) but I'll assume medium sized dog. $100
Adding up the essentials - $740 (assuming a $500 dog so you can adjust from there)
With the extras - $1140 (subtract any of the last three if you will not be using it)
Monthly maintainence can be figured out using the numbers given. Less than $100 more than likely unless you have a giant breed.
Remember that this is just a rough estimate and it can easily be higher or lower. This does not include any meds you may choose to use monthly (I choose not to but this choice is for owner and is very much determined by the area you live in). Don't forget to keep emergency vet care in mind. BTW I DID NOT add in grooming supplies as those will depend on the breed you select.
Well that makes things easier. Look for an aussie (Austrailian Shepherd) or aussie mix. Mature between 45 and 60 lbs (females smaller than males). Energy level is moderate to high depending on the dog. Medium length double coat, variety of colors (DO NOT GET A LETHAL WHITE/DOUBLE MERLE), and very friendly personality though they WILL defend their family. Not too high maintainence though they will have a major shed once or twice a year. You can find a purebred at a breed rescue or just look on petfinder. The purebreds are no more high maintainence than the mixes but the adoption fee may be higher.
Well you have the cost of the dog. From a rescue, expect anywhere from $50 to $500 (generally not this high but some purebred rare breeds may be). From a reputable breeder, $500-$1500 depending on breed and quality of pups, parents, titles earned by parents, and health tests done. They may have a returned dog or retired one for less but I'll stick with new puppy price. Skip the pet shops. Some do have healthy puppies but many of those pups come from puppy mills. You'll get better quality for the same price or less from a reputable breeder anyway.
Food can be as low at $10 a month for low-quality food for a small dog (please use good food) up to $200 a month for quality food for a giant breed dog. Let's assume you have a medium sized breed with high quality food and $75.
Toys initially would probably be $30 at least. Make sure the toys are breed apropriate. A tiny ball is not a dane toy and a giant one is no good to a chihuahua. Avoid toys that can fit to the back of the mouth as these are choking hazzards.
The essentials: leash, collar, bowls, and a license. $35
Shots and well-puppy check can REALLY vary but let's say $100. GET THE WELL PUPPY CHECK! It isn't much if you do it when you get shots and can save you alot of heartache later. If your puppy is not healthy, your breeder's contract should cover that (this is why I recommend contracts that allow you the choice of keeping the pup with a partial refund or returning the pup for a replacement). If it came from a rescue, you will need to ask them what they do about that. All shelters are different. Some say oh well, some require the pup returned, some return the adoption fee...
Obedience classes if you choose to go can also vary but let's go with $150. Look up my other answers and you will find a list of questions to ask a trainer before trusting him/her with your puppy's future.
Spay/neuter if you choose to can also vary. A shelter pup will already be altered. $150
Crate if you crate train (I highly recommend crate training but remember that your puppy's place is with YOU, not living in his/her crate). This will depend on dog size again ($30-$250 for a standard type crate) but I'll assume medium sized dog. $100
Adding up the essentials - $740 (assuming a $500 dog so you can adjust from there)
With the extras - $1140 (subtract any of the last three if you will not be using it)
Monthly maintainence can be figured out using the numbers given. Less than $100 more than likely unless you have a giant breed.
Remember that this is just a rough estimate and it can easily be higher or lower. This does not include any meds you may choose to use monthly (I choose not to but this choice is for owner and is very much determined by the area you live in). Don't forget to keep emergency vet care in mind. BTW I DID NOT add in grooming supplies as those will depend on the breed you select.
Well that makes things easier. Look for an aussie (Austrailian Shepherd) or aussie mix. Mature between 45 and 60 lbs (females smaller than males). Energy level is moderate to high depending on the dog. Medium length double coat, variety of colors (DO NOT GET A LETHAL WHITE/DOUBLE MERLE), and very friendly personality though they WILL defend their family. Not too high maintainence though they will have a major shed once or twice a year. You can find a purebred at a breed rescue or just look on petfinder. The purebreds are no more high maintainence than the mixes but the adoption fee may be higher.
Cost of owning a large dog breed?
laughing
I understand the first year is much more expensive than the rest, and I'm asking the annual cost after the first year. If you could break it down on what you spend it on, (food, toys, etc.), and could tell me your breed that'd be great!
I know it's expensive, and the only reason I'm asking is because I've seen so many different costs, but I would like to know from actual large dog breed owners.
Thanks!
Answer
I have an English Mastiff named Grimm. (Okay, technically a giant breed, but hey, giants are large. ;) He's only sixteen months old, so I don't have much info to offer beyond the first year.
He's definitely cost quite a pretty penny so far, but I haven't kept very good track, to be honest.
His initial price was $1200.
He's gotten two beds so far. I believe his pillow bed cost about $50 and his orthopedic mat about $80, but don't quote me on that.
We've bought two crates for him. (He unexpectedly outgrew the first one.) Both crates cost over $100.
He's had a total of four leashes. I think each one was about $14. (The first leash was too thin for our liking. When we lost the second leash, we replaced it with a different color. We didn't like that color, though, so we replaced it again, and then we ended up finding the second one again.)
He's had three collars, possibly four, but I think three. Each cost about $5, maybe? (One was when he was a little puppy, and I accidentally shrunk one in the dryer..)
His prong collar cost about $20.
Both of his Easy Walk Harnesses cost about $20. (The first one, he outgrew.)
He's only been to two training classes, but each one cost over $100.
We probably spent about $40-$75 a month on his food, Canidae All Life Stages. (Okay, that's a rough estimate, I'm pretty unsure!) He gets Fromm now, which costs about 30% more per bag.
His glucosamine chondroitin supplement cost about $60.
His puppy shampoo cost about $17.
His dry shampoo cost maybe $10.
His current shampoo cost about $6.
The Kwik Stop styptic powder for his nails cost about $10.
He has two bottles of scented spray (vanilla and banana), each cost $9.
His nail clippers cost maybe $10.
The Dremel for his nails cost about $20.
His brush cost $13.
He's had four food bowls, each one cost about $10-$12.
His baby wipes cost maybe $10.
He has three Kong toys. Two cost maybe $20 each and one cost maybe $10.
He's had maybe two small Petsmart Loofa toys and four giant Loofas. The small cost about $6 each and the giant ones cost about $10 each.
He's had two stuffed squirrel toys that cost $12 each.
He's had four weird stuffed animals that cost about $5 each.
He's had three rope tug toys at about $12 each.
He's had so many bones. He's had two durable Nylabones at $17 each. He's had like fifteen, maybe more, edible Nylabones at $17 each. He's had maybe six or more three-packs of Booda Bimple Bones at maybe $9 per pack.
I imagine the rest of his toys amounts to another $40 or so.
He's had two full boxes of Milk-Bones at about $12 each, three boxes of Scooby Snacks for $5 each, and two bags of Pup-Peroni at about $20 each. The rest of his treats have probably amounted to about $40.
When he was very small, he stayed at the Animal Hospital for several days because we thought he ate rocks. That stay cost us several thousand dollars.
He's had at least ten visits to the vet in his life; we're paranoid. We have spent hundreds and hundreds there. I don't know how much all of his vaccinations and tests have cost. He's had two bottles of medicated ear wash, treatment for an urinary tract infection and treatment for a yeast infection in his ear. It's cost a LOT by now, thousands, I'm sure.
He's also the reason for two store-bought baby gates (probably about $50 each) and one homemade gate (I don't know how much the materials cost). He's partly the reason for spending over a thousand dollars putting up six-foot fencing.
I'm guessing this first sixteen months of his life has cost us about $16,000. Pretty impressive.
I have an English Mastiff named Grimm. (Okay, technically a giant breed, but hey, giants are large. ;) He's only sixteen months old, so I don't have much info to offer beyond the first year.
He's definitely cost quite a pretty penny so far, but I haven't kept very good track, to be honest.
His initial price was $1200.
He's gotten two beds so far. I believe his pillow bed cost about $50 and his orthopedic mat about $80, but don't quote me on that.
We've bought two crates for him. (He unexpectedly outgrew the first one.) Both crates cost over $100.
He's had a total of four leashes. I think each one was about $14. (The first leash was too thin for our liking. When we lost the second leash, we replaced it with a different color. We didn't like that color, though, so we replaced it again, and then we ended up finding the second one again.)
He's had three collars, possibly four, but I think three. Each cost about $5, maybe? (One was when he was a little puppy, and I accidentally shrunk one in the dryer..)
His prong collar cost about $20.
Both of his Easy Walk Harnesses cost about $20. (The first one, he outgrew.)
He's only been to two training classes, but each one cost over $100.
We probably spent about $40-$75 a month on his food, Canidae All Life Stages. (Okay, that's a rough estimate, I'm pretty unsure!) He gets Fromm now, which costs about 30% more per bag.
His glucosamine chondroitin supplement cost about $60.
His puppy shampoo cost about $17.
His dry shampoo cost maybe $10.
His current shampoo cost about $6.
The Kwik Stop styptic powder for his nails cost about $10.
He has two bottles of scented spray (vanilla and banana), each cost $9.
His nail clippers cost maybe $10.
The Dremel for his nails cost about $20.
His brush cost $13.
He's had four food bowls, each one cost about $10-$12.
His baby wipes cost maybe $10.
He has three Kong toys. Two cost maybe $20 each and one cost maybe $10.
He's had maybe two small Petsmart Loofa toys and four giant Loofas. The small cost about $6 each and the giant ones cost about $10 each.
He's had two stuffed squirrel toys that cost $12 each.
He's had four weird stuffed animals that cost about $5 each.
He's had three rope tug toys at about $12 each.
He's had so many bones. He's had two durable Nylabones at $17 each. He's had like fifteen, maybe more, edible Nylabones at $17 each. He's had maybe six or more three-packs of Booda Bimple Bones at maybe $9 per pack.
I imagine the rest of his toys amounts to another $40 or so.
He's had two full boxes of Milk-Bones at about $12 each, three boxes of Scooby Snacks for $5 each, and two bags of Pup-Peroni at about $20 each. The rest of his treats have probably amounted to about $40.
When he was very small, he stayed at the Animal Hospital for several days because we thought he ate rocks. That stay cost us several thousand dollars.
He's had at least ten visits to the vet in his life; we're paranoid. We have spent hundreds and hundreds there. I don't know how much all of his vaccinations and tests have cost. He's had two bottles of medicated ear wash, treatment for an urinary tract infection and treatment for a yeast infection in his ear. It's cost a LOT by now, thousands, I'm sure.
He's also the reason for two store-bought baby gates (probably about $50 each) and one homemade gate (I don't know how much the materials cost). He's partly the reason for spending over a thousand dollars putting up six-foot fencing.
I'm guessing this first sixteen months of his life has cost us about $16,000. Pretty impressive.
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Title Post: Dog costs?
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