Do people understand the costs involved in owning a dog?
Vets can run anywhere from {content}-00 a year. It seems to average about 0, regardless of the size of the dog. A standard office visit, which you should have twice a year, runs about 0, depending on your vet. There are exceptions, of course, we had vet bills of over k one year due to surgeries and various other emergencies. It can add up.
Flea and Heartworm Medication – About /month.
Dog Food – for a premium dry food, this can run about a month for a large dog (we go through a 40# bag of food in about 3 1/2 weeks at our house with two dogs). If you feed canned food, this will be higher. Remember that they will have to eat more of a lower-quality food, so the cost eventually evens out.
Other stuff – we buy a ten pound box of dog biscuits once a month, for about . We also supplement with fresh foods and other vitamin and mineral additives. The cost for this is variable.
Dog License – required in most areas. -20/year.
Toys – about /month
I don’t mind if someone doesn’t get a dog because of this. One less to end up back in a shelter to be put to sleep because it’s now too old to adopt. I just want people to understand what things are really like. You can’t leave the vet with a yearly bill of . Shots cost a lot more than that…and you need a yearly heartworm/lyme test and blood workup. If you are denying your dog these things that is wrong.
Thanks for adding the part about training. That is another 80-1000 cost. Some can get away with only puppy kindergarten, and others who develop behavioral problems cost a LOT more! Just be responsable and don’t get a pet if you may have to deny it basic needs later in life.