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?)
