help~ Thinking of getting a dog

[Masas]

Thinking of getting a dog, and have a couple selected (will only get 1)

and was wondering, since I want to do this right, how much maintaining a dog will cost...

if I get a medium sized dog ~40 pounds, how much should I expect to spend on food?

and how much do vet visits generally cost? (check ups, shots, etc)

 

[So]

Get a cat.

 

[DT4K]

Our dog is a 35 lb aussie/border collie/??? mix.
Food is cheap. We spend about $15 on a 50 lb bag of Pedigree dog food and it lasts at least 3-4 months.
But our dog doesn't have a big appetite, so your costs may be a little higher.
I'll take a guess at our yearly costs.

Food: $60
Vaccinations(parvo, distemper, rabies, bordetella, heartworm): $100
Flea and tick prevention: $80
Yearly exam: $75

So the routine stuff isn't too bad, but if your dog gets sick or injured, your vet bills could get expensive. So make sure you think about how you will handle that situation.

EDIT: Forgot about the $20 license fee we have to pay as well.

 

[x RiSE x]

get a kitten and raise it like a dog. Thats what we did and now we have a cat that is 22 pounds and loves wendys hamburgers and lunch meat.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: Masas
Thinking of getting a dog, and have a couple selected (will only get 1)

and was wondering, since I want to do this right, how much maintaining a dog will cost...

if I get a medium sized dog ~40 pounds, how much should I expect to spend on food?

and how much do vet visits generally cost? (check ups, shots, etc)

It's difficult to say, but if money is consideration, then you might not want to get a dog. Ours, admittedly larger (85 lb), has had some significant vet costs -- one illness resulted in a $1400 vet bill for emergency care (fortunately paid by the in-laws who were taking care of her at the time!). Initial costs were substantial with immunizations, bowls/food, toys, bed, and travel crate, but again, size is a consideration for some of that.

Make sure you have the time and means to properly take care of a dog before getting one. Too many people don't.

 

[HappyPuppy]

Do not, I repeat, do not get a dog unless you plan on spending a lot of time with it. A dog is a part of your family, not a goldfish in a bowl that you throw food at once a day. Dogs need love and as much human contact as possible.

A dog will give you back ten times the love ou give it, even if you treat it badly.

Dogs also, like all pets, sometimes require vetererinary services which can be quite expensive. If you can't afford it or are not ready to forgo your next toy in order to pay the price then do not get a dog.

 

[0roo0roo]

do you have the time? puppy training is vital, and the window of "indoctrination" is short. you are going to let it live inside right? dogs are pack animals, ones left outside tend to go mental. if you really are getting a dog, go to the book store or library and read up. don't guess. and pay for neuter/spaying early. you don't want the hormones making the pet mental unless your a breeder.

 

[onebeeer2many]

i have 3 dogs (2 miniture shi tty zus (wont allow the real name censored) and a lab austrailian shep mix) I can tell you if you are going to by healthy food ( natural stuff not the chemical made stuff from the store) it can get a little expensive. I have found that the all natural is better for me because i allow my kids ( dogs ) to stay inside and you can smell the difference in there breath and their odor(and yes the occasional accident their is a differece in smell). The site I go to for pet food is flint river ranch you also need to get their shots. The most important thing is play time with them. TOYS and YOU. you will also need to decide if the dog will stay inside or out??? If you choose inside then be prepared to have damage. Example : Maggie my lab mix will tear up any paper she can find in front of the front door if i dont come home when SHE wants me to, and the same @ my bedroom door if I dont wake up when SHE wants me to. It s not a big deal cause I know she just want attn but to some people thats an inconvience. Some dogs shed and it gets every where are you going to have the patience to deal with this??? There is alot more to being a dog owner then just the $$$. Its like having a child THEY WILL want all of you attn and they will give 10 fold back just like a child you need to b sure b 4 you decide becauce if you get a dog they know whats going on and if you decide its 2 much and give it away or take it to the pound it trumatizes the dog ( sometimes for life). I know this cause my inlaws have a dog from the shelter and she has always stayed in corners and under desks so on and so forth. Granite is a lil extreme but dogs r a huge responsibility and r worth every bit of it. Good luck with what ever choice you make and if you get one post a pic. If you want my wife did all kinds of research on dogs i can help with decisions if you are trying to decide. (there are truly dogs for every lifestyle) once again good luck :beer:

 

[Xionide]

One or' dem's breeds er' goodn's.

-Xionide

 

[0roo0roo]

well i dunno about the damaging stuff bit about living inside. depends on training and the dog. mine being small sleeps on couches and goes wherever, but doesn't damage anything. only bad habit is occasional shredding of paper out of the waste basket, but well..thats garbage

 

[flot]

Er, I think you should budget on being able to spend at least $500-1000 a year on a dog.

I adopted a golden retriver a few months back, and here is what I have spent:

- First vet's visit - $250
- magic anti-flea stuff - $50 / 3 months
- dog food - $25 / month
- grooming - $40 / every 6 weeks
- heartworm medication - $20/month (not sure on that)
- random dog toys - $10 / month (she obliterates them)

So it's looking like steady costs of almost $100 a month for the dog, assuming no emergency trips to the vet, etc. I'm sure you can look at the list above and say "well I don't need X" but you'd be surprised.

If cost is a serious consideration, don't get a dog.

If you don't have plenty of time to spend with it - don't get a dog.

I adopted a 6 yr old dog because I work 9-6(7? 8?) and couldn't be home to deal with a younger dog... even so, while she gets plenty of attention, I do feel bad sometimes about not being around during the day.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: DT4K
Our dog is a 35 lb aussie/border collie/??? mix.
Food is cheap. We spend about $15 on a 50 lb bag of Pedigree dog food and it lasts at least 3-4 months.
But our dog doesn't have a big appetite, so your costs may be a little higher.
I'll take a guess at our yearly costs.

Food: $60
Vaccinations(parvo, distemper, rabies, bordetella, heartworm): $100
Flea and tick prevention: $80
Yearly exam: $75

So the routine stuff isn't too bad, but if your dog gets sick or injured, your vet bills could get expensive. So make sure you think about how you will handle that situation.

EDIT: Forgot about the $20 license fee we have to pay as well.

Our dog won't eat dry dog food. She's a Lhasa Apso (12 lbs) and we end up spending $7 a week in canned food for her. Also, vaccinations are $100 a piece and have to be done 3 times, so make that $300. The other expenses are about right, but don't forget the dog license ($50- varies by location), and accessories- leash, collar, bedding (?), toys, brush, shampoo, grooming kit, etc- $100-$200

Dogs is 'spensive!!!

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
Do not, I repeat, do not get a dog unless you plan on spending a lot of time with it. A dog is a part of your family, not a goldfish in a bowl that you throw food at once a day. Dogs need love and as much human contact as possible.

A dog will give you back ten times the love ou give it, even if you treat it badly.

I'd like this quote, because so few people think about it. The number one reason dog ownership fails is behavior problems (most likely potty training). If you do get a puppy, check to see if there's a training course you can sign up for (most cost $75-$90). They're WELL worth it and they teach you how to train your particular dog. It takes a good 6-9 months to fully potty train a dog, so be prepared for lots of accidents.