The cost of owning a dog

As I am thinking of getting a dog in a few years, I have started doing some research to figure out what a dog typically costs to own. That was when I stumbled acress this site; http://dogs.about.com/od/becomingado...costofdogs.htm

So guys, what do you think - do you spend between $1100-3500 on your dog each year (initial costs not included)?

There was a thread similar to this on another forum recently, how much a dog cost over its life, my reply on it was as below

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Monthly costs
Food - £40
Treats (commercial and homemade) - ~£5
Flea treatment - 6 pack @ £32.49 + £6 prescription fee, lasts 3 months - £12.83
Petrol (dog-specific trips) - ~£10
Insurance - £40
Total - £107.83 / £53.91 each

Annual costs
Beds - ~£40
Wormers (every 6 months) - ~£25
Leads & collars - ~£20
Toys (tend to buy a stash at Christmas that has to last them) - ~£20
Poo bags (buy large packs from poundshop) - ~£5
Vaccinations x2- £100
Total - £210 / £105 each

One-off costs
Kiki spay - ~£250
Casper adoption fee - £130
Car guards - ~£320
Hatchbag, bumper guard & rubber mat - ~£100
Grooming tools - ~£20
Training workshop - ~£60
Headcollars x2 - ~£60
Total - £940 / £470 each

So assuming a lifespan of 13 years
£8409.96 + £1365 + £470 = £10244.96 each

That would be assuming costs didn't rise though - insurance is bound to increase, food costs may go up, flea treatment & wormers may go up, etc.
Also doesn't factor in that my choice of car was partly for something suitable for the dogs, so an added cost. I'm sure there are other costs in there I've forgotten about too - e.g. an emergency vet bill the other year, the contents of the first aid kit I have "just incase", cleaning products for accidents/doggy sick, and so on. Plus I'm looking to do the KC Good Citizen scheme - about £50 a level (3 levels) so that'd be £300 to put both dogs through the whole thing, might join up fun agility with Kiki, etc.
Worth every penny though!

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So excluding the initial costs, about £750 a year each - about £1190 US dollars. I'd say I'm quite frugal with the dogs too, making my own treats, buying practical items when needed rather than fancy collars for each day of the week, etc. so I can see how others could creep up to the higher end of that range! I also don't use dog sitters or walkers, don't have to have mine professionally groomed and thankfully neither are in need of any medication, so that's more potential costs you need to budget for.

I probably spend more. Really it depends on the dog. Costs will vary on size etc.

I spend around
£25 a month on food
£30 a month pet insurance

These are the basic costs. In addition, for my specific dog I spend
£10 a month on a calming pheramone collar
£150 a month on my dog walker
£40 a month on dog socialisation classes
£32 a month on agility classes
£15 a month on random extras, such as treats and toys.

Total: £302 a month (not including petrol to drive him all of these places), so about £3,600 a year And fortunately he hasn't had any mojor vet bills yet.

But then my dog has higher requirements than many other dogs so does cost a lot (big so eats more, needs extra training classes, I work so need a dog walker etc).

If you had a smaller dog, it would be cheaper to feed and insure. Cross breeds are cheaper to insure. If you were home all day and could do all of your own walking etc, then your only really outlays would be food and insurance, plus whatever extras you chose to buy (treats, toys, collars, leads etc). Of course you can not buy these frequently, or make your own cheap alternatives of treats and toys. If you already know how to train dogs then that's free, but you might need to factor in £5 or so a week for training classes.

Basically, dog owning can be as cheap or as expensive as you want sometimes. I tend to be of the opinion that as long as you can provide food and cover the vet bills, everything else is most optional. Just add love and walkies (which are free!). But owning dogs can be expensive

ETA: Just seen Krylr's post. I haven't even factored in the intial layout of all the equipment, plus extras like poo bags, wormers and vaccinations. I'm starting to wish I hadn't added this up!

I'm going to have a guess at what I spend each year.

£600+ on food.
Maybe £100 on treats (hard to tell as I mostly use left overs or bits of what I have in for myself but do buy bones and some pre-made dog treats)
£200 on toys.
£200-300 on routine vet care.
£300 insurance.

So yup, I easily spend over £1000 on my dog each year. And that's without collars, leashes, harness, new bed, training, clickers etc.

I don't think I spend that much on Jake...

He only costs about £20 a month on food, although depending on what I can get, that can be quite a bit cheaper. I don't spend a great deal on treats, I use a kibble for treats and that bag lasts for months so it works out really cheap (£8 a bag)... I get him other treats too, but that will be a couple pounds a month, maximum.

He destroys toys (with the exception on balls) within minutes so I get him toys from the £1 shop, so I don't spend much on those either. I also get poo bags from the pound shop, but as Jake usually poos in difficult places, I go through them slowly and I also get some free from the council when I can.

I don't get him a bed every year... I spent about £15 on his 'first' bed, which he still uses. And I got him another bed at christmas, that cost £25... he doesn't like the bed though, so it will be kept and used for my next dog. He has numerous collars and leads, and so I rarely get him any now. He also has a harness and headcollar, and so I won't be getting either of those for a good while.

I also do not routinely medicate him, he only gets wormers, flea treatment etc when he has them. So, I don't have the cost for them either. He also do not have annual vaccinations, and rarely visits the vet. The first year of his life, he cost a lot a the vet due to his allergies. He also had an accident nearly two years ago, and the cost was over £1,000. The insurance paid though, so I only paid £70. His insurance is £14 a month.

I don't use a dog walker, and if I go away anywhere then my parents will look after Jake, so I don't need a pet sitter or kennels for him either (I can't anyway since most of them require the dogs to be vaccinated).

So, in a year, I would estimate I spend...

Food - £240
Treats - £40
Toys - £50
Collars and leads - £20
Insurance - £168
Vets, if needed, say - £100.

Total - £618

is it awful i have no idea? eek.

Going to add this up later. Then get a stiff drink to cry into.

Lozzi.....trade dogs with me!

Emmi, I'll join you in a stiff drink and a sob!

haha, I can't think sweep costs that much? He's a tiny 14 year old cavvie, who eats a tiny amount and sleeps! Waking up for 2x 20 min walks and occasionally a wee!

Robbie on the other hand is based with the best greyhound trainer in the country haha! Though my OH pays for him and i'm not allowed to know how much. He costs me whatever it costs me in buying him little bits and bobs and personal touches for his time in kennels. He may well end up paying for himself, trainer is pretty keen about him, we'll see. Superstar or awful he'll be living with me at the end, and then i'll have to pay for him

No wonder cavs were top of the list on the "easy dogs" thread!

Much like Lozzibear, I don't routinely medicate Lola - I've become a bit vet-phobic.

On the plus side she's cheaper than therapy!

Cor blimey. Let's see...

This is for three dogs.

I spend around £60 a month on food and treats, so that is £720 a year.

Insurance is £804 a year.

Flea treatments: around £120 a year (the joys of having a dog with a flea allergy!).

Grooming fees for Tilly: £90 a year, roughly.

Random vet fees: £200 a year?

Miscellaneous: toys, collars, poo bags, etc. Roughly £100 a year.

Petrol for dog related trips (I don't really drive anywhere apart from to work and to take the dogs places): £200 a year.

One off costs: spaying, neutering, crates, training classes, dog beds (I use Tuffies which last a lifetime), fence for area in garden: £700.

Total costs of dogs themselves: £1650.

So total cost for a year (not including one off costs and cost of the dogs) = £2234. Divided by three, that works out £744 a year per dog.

If I take the amount I spend on all three of them per year, assuming they live until they are 13 and taking into account one off costs, the total = £31,392 for a lifetime. Ouch.