Welcoming a canine friend into your life can be one of the most enjoyable events. There is nothing like seeing them running towards you, wagging their tail as soon as you get in from work. Or curling up with them by your side on the sofa while you watch your favorite show. But being responsible for a dog can be a pricey affair. That is why you should read on to find out all of the costs involved to make sure that you can take care of your pupper and give him the best life you can.
Purchasing your pooch
Of course, the first thing that you need to do is to find a dog that you connect with, and you want as a part of your family. There is two main way to do this.
The first is to decide on a breed of dog and then look around for one of that pedigree that is available. However buying a pedigree dog is usually pretty expensive and can cost anything up to several thousand dollars! You also need to ensure that you look at the breeder’s documents to make sure that your dog is the pedigree that they claim it to be, as they will be charging accordingly.
Of course, there is another way to find that perfect pooch too, and that is to adopt him from your local shelter. Shelter dogs are most often mongrels that have been abandoned or separated from their original owners.
Getting a shelter dog is definitely a cheaper way of bringing a canine into your life as shelters often only ask for a donation, as long as you pass the background checks.
Also, a word to the wise here, there are other ways of acquiring a dog such as buying one direct from their owner, or from a puppy farm. However, neither of these options is very sensible or cost effective.
Firstly buying directly from an owner can be a big gamble as they are likely to say anything to ensure they make a sale. So you could be getting a dog with severe behavioral problems that will cost you a lot to rectify, or in damage to your home.
Puppy farms are also out, as they are more concerned with producing pups for profit, rather than the well-being of the dogs themselves. This means that they are generally frowned upon in the dog world, and are best avoided. It is also quite common for puppies that come from such farms to have health and behavioral issues, which you will also want to avoid.
Essential items
Now before you bring Fido home and introduce him to the rest of the family, there are a few items that you will need to invest in to make him as comfortable as possible. Firstly you will need the correct size water and food bowls, a sturdy collar and lead, as well as some toys for when you exercise him.
But these are just the basic need for a fully grown and trained dog. If you are getting a puppy or untrained pooch, then you will also need to factor in the cost of toilet training pads as well as behavior classes. The cost of which tend to differ from state to state, but you can find out more about them here.
Monthly costs
But owning a dog isn't just a one-off cost, there are regular monthly and yearly cost that you will need to factor into your budget as well.
Picture source
In term of monthly costs, you will, of course, have food and treats to pay for, but you may also need to consider the amount you will have to pay for grooming. Especially if you have a long-haired dog whose quality of life can be severely affected if they are not kept neat and tidy.
Another monthly amount you need to be sure that you can afford is the cost of a dog walker if your schedule doesn't allow you to walk them at least twice a day. Although now with the help of websites like these you can arrange for a fellow dog lover that you have vetted beforehand to come and walk him for free. Which is a great way of having some money on the upkeep of your hound!
Yearly costs
Then there are yearly costs that you need to account for. These tend to be regular checkups and a booster vaccination at the vets. As well as paying for boarding kennels when you go away on holiday.
Unfortunately, a lot of folks forget to factor this into the overall cost of their holiday leaving them in the difficult position of either finding the money to pay for the kennels or having to cancel their vacations. Some people solve this by asking a friend or family member to dog sit while they are out of town, while others choose to borrow the money to pay for the kennels so they can go on their vacation. Luckily if you need to borrow money these days, you can easily get a small personal loan online. Which should be more than enough to pay for your dog’s boarding costs.
Unexpected costs
Lastly, another cost that is rarely considered at the time if getting a dog are the unexpected ones. These can be anything from having to replace a family member's favorite pair of shoes that Fido has taken a liking to chewing, to finding the money to pay for an urgent medical treatment for Fido himself.
While the smaller unexpected costs might not feel that stressful to deal with, the larger more serious one definitely are.
Some folks deal with them by using crowd funding sites, asking everyone they know to donate to them a small amount and share their story on social media. Raising the total cost of the treatment needed that way.
Whereas others realize that it can be a great idea to invest in vet insurance. So you know that if these worst did happen to your beloved pupper, you could do everything in your power to get them well and back up on their paws again.
No comments:
Post a Comment