Estimated Annual Cost Of Owning A Dog

Many people love dogs and they want one as a pet as soon as possible. If you are one of those people, you need to know that owning a dog is not free. This does cost, and in this article we are going to breakdown the estimated annual cost of owning a dog.

The estimated annual cost of owning a dog here will help you get a better idea of what to expect and even deduce whether you can afford a dog. As you shall see, there are a lot of things you will need to pay for and there is no way you can skip these.

Getting A Dog Can Cost You A Lot

There are a few options you can consider in this case scenario and each one has pros and cons. The estimated annual cost of owning a dog starts with you getting a dog, so this has to be the first thing we have to explain. Getting a dog from a reputable breeder will cost you between $500 and $2500.

Of course, this refers to a purebred dog. Mixed breeds can be far more affordable or extremely expensive, depending on numerous factors. This is still a safer option than getting a dog from an unknown breeder. That dog may be sick, has sick parents, or something else. This means that you will have to pay far more money to a vet later on.

The second option is to adopt a dog. If you still want a purebred dog, you can find them in shelters. It is not an easy task but it is possible. You can use other methods to adopt a dog. In general, if you are adopting one from a shelter, you will pay between $50 and $250. In this scenario, look at medical history or any possible diseases and conditions that can be expensive to treat. 

Regardless of how you get a dog, you will need to take him to a vet as soon as possible. The first visit will cost you between $50 and $300. A vet check of a puppy will be more expensive, between $100 and $300. Don’t forget that you will need to take a puppy to a vet on a regular basis up to 16 weeks of age. Every single time you visit a vet you will have to pay between $100 and $300. 

Food And treats For Your Dog

You obviously need food for your dog. This will cost you around $20-$70 per month. If you have a big dog, he will eat more hence you need more food. It is important to add that your pet deserves high-quality food all the time so don’t try to save money here. In addition, you may have a dog who needs a special diet that can cost up to $100 per month. This is $1200 per year. 

The situation with treats is different. You can make your own treats that will cost you $10 per month or even less. You can get him special treats that will cost you $100 per month. It is up to you. The most important thing here is to use treats that are low in sugar and healthy for your dog. This usually means using fruits and vegetables. Try a lot of different things and use the ones your pet likes the most.

Grooming Can Be Expensive

You do need to take a dog to a groomer. He will make sure the coat is in pristine condition, the nails are perfect and your dog is clean. There are a lot more things a groomer will do for your dog so you may want to consider this as one of the first investments. It is possible to do all of that at home, for free but it is not something most people can perform.

First, it does take a lot of time. Most people don’t have the necessary skills to do it and some are even scared. In other words, you will probably take your pet to a groomer a few times per year. Learn all about dog grooming here.

Each session will cost you. In one year, you will pay anywhere between $50 and $600 for grooming only. Once again, there is no way you can skip this, and dogs with a long coat will need even more money to keep that coat in great condition. 

Beds For Your Dog

You need to get a proper bed for your pet. These vary in size, shape, cost, and quality. But, expect to pay anywhere between $50 and $200 per year. This is not much considering a high-quality bed can last for years. Actually, this is the best thing you can choose. A cheap and low-quality bed will last a couple of months only which is not a smart decision to make.

Once again, a bigger dog will need a bigger bed which is more expensive. In general, bigger dogs are more expensive to keep so many people opt for small even toy breeds. 

Collar And A Leash

These two (yes, you need one of each) will cost you anywhere between $20 and $50 per year. Some people can make these two last for several years which is great. Others have to replace them every couple of months. As usual, consider only comfortable and high-quality products that will be effective, comfortable, and durable. 

Yes, you do need ID tags and there is no other way. You never know when your dog may disappear and needs help. Most people believe that this will never happen, especially if they have a well-trained dog. Sadly, this does happen and it can happen more often than you may believe. 

Toys For Your Dog

Your dog needs toys. These are important or better said-mandatory for proper mental and physical stimulation. If you leave your pet home alone every single day, you will need more toys. In general, toys can cost between $50 and $300 per year.

Of course, if you are one of many people who want to get the best and most toys for the dog, this cost will quickly rise up. In addition, some dogs love to chew and destroy toys hence you will need to replace them. If this is an issue with your dog, the overall cost can go up fast. The estimated annual cost of owning a dog who loves to chew toys and other things will be much higher. 

Vets Are Expensive As Well

If you have a healthy dog, you will still need to take him to a vet on a regular basis. This will cost you around $200-$300 per year. All work may be mandatory in many cases which will add $100-$300 to the overall cost. We are referring to a healthy dog who has checks only. 

If your vet recommends dental cleaning, which is possible, add $300-$800 to the sum. Keep in consideration that this is mandatory once per year which is good. We can add that this will likely happen, especially if you adopt an older dog. A dog who has severe dental issues will cost you far more. Some of the treatments can cost up to $3000. 

Supplements And Medications For Prevention 

All dogs need these. They include medications for preventing fleas, parasites, and more. Supplements may be mandatory for your dog and the best example is omega 3 fatty acids. If we add all of these, we are looking at an annual cost of $100-$500. 

Your vet will give you specifics. He will also tell you that a proper and well-balanced diet is sufficient but not always hence these medications and supplements may be important. There is no need to add that there is no way you can skip these. Just imagine a dog with fleas. On the other hand, some dog owners can use natural ingredients and solutions that are usually far more affordable or even free. 

Training Of A Dog

There is nothing better than being able to issue a command and your dog obeying it. But, this will cost you. Obedience training and other pieces of training are expensive and are generally around $200-$300 per year. Here we can see that some dogs are much harder to train. They need more time which increases the cost. Others are easier to train and this makes training far more affordable. 

Dog Walking And Pet Sitter Are Very Expensive

What if you spend a lot of time at work and you need someone to walk your dog. You will have to hire a person and you will have to pay him. A single walk can be around $20. This means that you will pay over $400 per month. This also means that you will need $4800 per year to invest in dog walks only. It is far more affordable to walk your dog by yourself. 

A pet sitter is something you may need once or twice per year. They will charge you around $100-$300 per year. If you travel a lot, you pay this amount far more often. We would like to add that if you use a pet sitter, you need to choose one that has great reviews and more than just positive ratings. You are leaving your dog to that person, hence you need to be positive that your pet is 100% safe and happy with the service. 

Emergencies can Soon Become very Expensive 

One thing that nobody wants to talk about is emergencies. These can become very expensive very quickly. If you have to take your pet to a vet for an emergency, one visit can be between $500 and $1000. Sadly, in many cases, you are looking at a $2000-$5000 cost. If your pet needs surgery, this will cost you as well. An advanced one will be $2000-$5000 or much more depending on the complexity.

In some cases, a dog must spend time in the ICU. This can become very expensive. One day at ICU will cost you between $200 and $500. Just imagine if your pet must stay there for 10 days which is not uncommon. 

You will need to prepare for this. The best method is to have some money left aside so you can use it in case of emergency. If this is not possible or you don’t want to do this, you can use third-party healthcare financing. In rare cases the zero interest plan is available and you can use it.

Sadly, there is no simple and very effective way you can prepare for this. These are two things you can do and you should know about them as soon as possible. There is no way you can know when or what will happen and preparation is the only solution. 

A Simple Answer

If you are in a rush and you want to know the answer as soon as possible here it is. The annual cost of owning a dog will be anywhere between $2000 and $10.000 per year. This will depend on numerous factors such as dog bred, food, where you live, health condition and so much more.

But, keep in mind that if a dog gets sick, this number will quickly go up. That’s why it is important to consider getting a healthy dog and one that has less risk of developing an expensive condition.

In the cost above we didn’t include the actual dog. If you get a dog, the first year you will pay an additional $500-$2500! Once again, there are countless variations so we cannot generalize the matter. 

The Final Word

All we can add here is obvious. The estimated annual cost of owning a dog can be up to $11.000 if you are looking at a healthy and average dog.

A big and sick dog will be the most expensive option and there is no way we can tell you the annual cost. A small and healthy dog will cost you less, around $2000 per year (if you already have a dog). Don’t forget that adopting a dog will cost you up to $2500. As you can see, owning a dog is not free and can be expensive.