Dog Ownership: Expenses And Expectations

by Michelle at Vet Organics December 12, 2017 Dogs Dogs-Misc

Dog guardianship is a wonderful and rewarding relationship worth cultivating. It can be a beautiful gift to a homeless pup and lifelong friendship where we find joy we didn’t know was possible. Guardianship does carry some expenses and expectations. We’re going to discuss them here so would-be guardians can budget accordingly.

We all need to have to foresight to plan our budget and time for expenses and expectations, and to understand whether we can afford a new pet before we bring our furry friend home.
There’s no such thing as a free adoption. Even when we take in a dog with no required up front fees, remember there are basics like food, pet beds and other comforts, treats, veterinary costs, and more.

Pet Insurance is an expense of dog guardianship that is often put off, even though it minimizes expenses over the lifetime of our fur babies. Check out this article on the Most Common Pet Insurance Myths. And be sure to visit our list of pre-vetted pet insurance companies where we discuss Everything You Need to Know About Pet Insurance.

The average expenses of the first year of dog guardianship are over $1,000 for a medium-sized dog.
Larger dogs are consistently more expensive than smaller dogs. They eat larger servings of food and require larger doses of medication when they are sick.
Spaying and neutering our dogs are less costly in the long-run. Many try to avoid the expense of surgery to save money, but these procedures significantly reduce the risk of some cancers and diseases.
Aside from spaying and neutering, plan on standard dog care expenses, such as standard vaccinations, teeth cleaning, and pest prevention (e.g., fleas and ticks).

It’s more costly to treat the irritation, infections, and diseases associated with common pests. EcoBug protects your dog, your family, and the entire household from bugs and the dangerous diseases they carry. Protect your loved ones, furry and otherwise, with a simple daily spray on your dog. EcoBug is powerful enough to fend off the trifecta (i.e., fleas, ticks, and mosquitos), but gentle enough to avoid irritation.

Pet proofing our home and yard are worth the investment. It not only prevents lost pets, but it helps prevent poisonings, intestinal blockages, and other illnesses that can occur because we didn’t consider proper storage of dangerous items.

A healthful diet with proper nutrition can prevent the overwhelming expenses that can occur from common diseases that develop from a bad diet.

EcoEats is the closest we can get to a whole foods diet without the expense and hassle of lengthy food preparation. EcoEats is an all natural, hypoallergenic, dehydrated dog food that’s as close as we can get to a whole foods diet. It’s grain-free, preservative-free, gluten-free, free of by-products, vet-approved, and great for all life stages!

Remember to think about long days at work so we can plan on a dog walker or someone to give our pup some loving care. Isolation isn’t healthy. Trips, whether overnight, a weekend, or longer, will also require a pet sitter. Look into those costs now because assuming a neighbor, relative, or friend will always be available isn’t a sound budgeting strategy.

Figuring out a monthly budget based on the average cost of dog guardianship and also keeping money in our emergency fund that is earmarked for pet care, can significantly reduce the stress of dog expenses.

The time investment of daily exercise, socialization, and quality time should also always be taken into account. It may not be part of a monetary expense, but it’s an investment in the relationship and the responsibility we assume by becoming a dog guardian.

As dog people, we know that life is better with a Fido in our lives than without their companionship. But nothing is worse than taking on more than we can handle. So, get to know expenses and expectations by planning ahead. That way, we can enjoy a long, healthy, happy, rewarding life with our puppy-mate.

Michelle Lievense

Michelle is a writer and ghostwriter, specializing in wellness, sustainability, and global social change. She is particularly fond of serving ethical organizations who contribute to a better life for people and animals through humane and environmentally responsible missions. At Vet Organics, Michelle uses her time as a vet tech, her academic studies in animal science and behavior, and nearly a decade working on a ranch teaching animal husbandry to write on a variety of cat and canine health topics. When she isn't writing, Michelle can be found hiking in the mountains of Colorado with her dogs or snuggled up with a good book and her cats.