How much do you spend on your dog(s)?

1995 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Maren Bell Jones, Aug 13, 2006

Kristen Cabe

Discussion Starter · Aug 9, 2006

I took this from an MSN board I'm on.

I know this isn't really working dog related, but I thought it might be interesting to compare what we spend on our working dogs to what the ASPCA says a pet owner spends on their dogs.

http://www.aspca.org/flash/petcarecosts/petcarecosts.swf

Here's my 'evaluation:'

I actually don't spend as much as the site says.

Dog food: I feed two dogs (both around 60+ pounds) on roughly $420 a year. It does say that it's calculating that cost based on the price of "Premium brand dry kibble," but does not say which brand. I feed Canidae.

Medical: Includes the exam, vaccinations, and heartworm medication, but I spend WAY less than $200 on those three things each year. Emergency costs can't really be estimated, though, so maybe that's where the extra $150 or so is.

Toys/Treats: I probably do spend that much in a year on toys and treats, but I only use treats for training or for keeping someone occupied while crated.

License: N/A in the county.

Misc.: Not sure what all would be in here, except for maybe bowls, brushes, food storage, etc.

Spay/Neuter: Jak is intact, but Gypsy's spay only cost $35.

Collar/Leash: Hmm, let's see. Jak's leather leash was $11. Prong collar was $10. Fur saver collar was free. Buckle collar was $13 (with a lifetime guarantee). Long line was $25. Remote collar was over $200. I've definitely spent more than $35 in that category! LoL

Carrier: How is this different than a crate? I'm confused. $80 is about what I spent on Jak's X-Large crate. The Large was around $60.

Crate: $160?!! I don't think so! I spent less than that on both of mine together!

Long hair grooming: N/A (why is that automatically included for large breed dogs?)

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Maren Bell Jones

· #10 · Aug 13, 2006

Mike Schoonbrood said:
Basically the moral of this story is that I really really don't wanna add up what I've spent on my dogs in the last 12 months LOL.

I don't want to add up how much I spend on my dogs, let alone my fosters! The shelter pays for their food (Science Diet, ick) but I try to switch them to Diamond Large Breed Adult (the best cheap food I know of) that I buy myself if they are going to be long term fosters. They don't pay for the 6 lbs jars of peanut butter I get at Sam's Club to keep the Kongs nice and filled, the packages of pig ears, the packs of chicken jerky and cheese cubes bought in bulk for training treats, the vitamins and the fish oil capsules I give them to help them get over stress, kennel cough, and poor coat condition, the training equipment, etc etc etc.

Let alone the time training them! I swear, I know fosters are really needed, but I have doubts on how much training 70% of the foster homes actually give the dogs. I've also been informed that I'm the only one that gladly takes in large breeds. And now I've got the local GSD rescue wanting me to foster for them as well. Yikes...I had to put a self-imposed 1 month moratorium on fostering before my wedding in just under 3 weeks.

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