How much does it cost you dog owners to care of your dog?

We are looking into adopting a small dog from the shelter here in town, but before we do so I want to make sure that we will have enough money to budget in taking care of it. I know shots are expensive, but they are up-to-date on the shelter dogs so we wouldnt have to worry about that until next year...also we know the cost of getting the dog spayed/neutered...so I was just wondering how much it would cost to feed a small dog per month...treats, food, etc. I really appreciate your imput, thanks.

 

You'll want to feed a high quality food but even at that little dogs don't eat much. This article talks about finding a quality food but if you click on Canned Food or Dry Food it will take you to a list of quality food brands. From there you can go to any number of websites which sell pet food and get some prices.

Often you can take your dog to a clinic for shots check and see if there are any in your area. The major concern of course is that you'd have money to care for the dog if the dog became ill or there was an emergency. Those things are usually the most expensive parts of owning a dog. Depending on where you are office calls alone at an emergency clinic usually range from $90.00 to over $200.00. And that is just to LOOK at your dog - if they need to do anything it adds up real quick. Our vet is very reasonably priced as he is an old man who has been in practice for years. Even so when one of my dogs broke her toe the surgery for that was $300 I believe.

 

I don't know the costs overseas, but one tip for saving money is feeding your dogs pretty much what you eat and not buying canned products or pellets for them. I buy my dogs chicken necks which I cook up with leftover veggies and other stuff we've had, such as rice, pasta, etc and they eat that. Apparently chicken necks are low in fat and high in protein and very good for hounds. My hounds' coats shine and they've never been sick in the three years I have had them.

 

I have 2 big dogs, and Ive never added it up, but I can tell you that they see the doctor better than I do, they have regular check ups..I dont..they eat better than I do,..thats a good question you asked..now I want to know how much I really spend on my 2 ladies !!!

 

Yes, feeding high quality premium food is really important and it doesn't have to be really expensive. Infact Iams and Science diet are way more expensive then what I feed my dogs and those two brands are crap.....infused with byproducts. I get my dogs' food from the internet as I like to buy free range organic but if I run out of food and need something to hold them over I buy NutroMax......good brand. Just over $1.00 per can. Small dogs don't eat that much, really.

I have 3 dogs and 5 cats (all rescues....that's why theres so many) and I spend an average of $50 per week on their food and toys and treats. Once a month heartworm preventative (which i think for one dogs costs about $8-10 per month) and frontline flea prevention which averages about $20 per month per animal. Vet care around here is not very expensive...a spay/neuter is under $50 and MOST shelters and rescues either have the dog already fixed before adoption or the spay/neuter fee is included in the adoption fee as shelters and rescues require dogs to be fixed before being adopted out. Then there is the always present odd things that happen such as my cat just had an eye abrasion......vet treatment was $100. My dog just had a torn ligament in his leg which was about the same. Plus yearly check ups and vaccines which are about $50 per year per dog. Seems like alot of money......it is. I have alot of animals so it does add up. I'm not rich by any means and most of my extra money that is supposed to be put away ends up going to vet care or something alike. But knowing that I rescues these babies and that they are safe and happy makes it worth the spending. You only having one dog should not be very expensive at all. But you have to consider the possibilites of future health problems and make sure that if something were to come up that you would be able to try to work something out to afford it. So many dogs end up back in rescue or shelters because people don't consider this and then don't want to spend the moeny when an issue does arise. Good luck!