Cost of Having a Dog | Year 1
Are you wanting
to get a dog and wondering if you can afford one financially? I hope a look
into how much I have spent on my dog during his first year will give you an
idea of how much it may cost you and how you can save money.
Before I got
my puppy, I estimated that I would spend about $3,000 his first year. I set my
budget higher for the first year to account for one-time expenses. I blew my budget
and made mistakes along the way, but I learned from them. Here is a break-down
of how much I spent on my puppy.
Breeder:
$900
I got my puppy from a breeder when he was 8 weeks old
for $900. The cost of getting a dog can vary depending on where you get your
dog from (breeder vs. animal shelter vs. family/friend) and its breed.
Since I got my dog when he was a puppy, I paid for 4
rounds of puppy vaccinations up until he was 16 weeks old. This totaled to $387.
If you get an older puppy or dog, your vet expenses will ideally be less.
$343 was spent on monthly heartworm, flea, and tick
medicine. I live in the South, so this is a necessity. Unfortunately, I spent much
more than needed here. My dog’s weight was changing as he was growing, so I
wasn’t able to buy in bulk. I also made the mistake of buying the medicine from
my vet where 1 tablet would cost $20 vs. $6 to $10 online. Chewy.com has had the
best prices for my dog’s monthly heartworm, flea and tick medicine and they
often have $15 off coupons!
One of my largest expenses has been pet health insurance.
This may be something you don’t need or want. The pet health insurance
companies I looked into do not cover pre-existing conditions, so if you want
to sign up, I was told to get it as soon as possible. Goldendoodles can be mischievous at times and are prone to hip dysplasia and cancer as they get
older. Boy were people right. Mine loves stealing socks, underwear, and money
and chewing parts off of his toys. I currently have insurance through Healthy Paws and my plan
covers 80% of expenses once I meet a $250 deductible. Through the first year, I
have paid $431 in premiums. I learned to get a new quote every quarter and
request a lower premium, so my dog’s 2nd year’s expenses should be $155
lower.
The remaining $54 was spent on one-time miscellaneous items
for when I was training him to go to the bathroom outside.
Food: $727
I spent $408 on puppy kibble. My dog is a medium size
dog and eats Fromm dog food, which is a bit more expensive. I pray that it’ll
help him live longer, but who honestly knows. I get his food from PetFlow. They
currently do not collect sales tax, have cheaper prices than the pet stores in
my town, and email coupons out weekly. You’re dog food expense will differ
depending on the size of your dog and what brand of food you give your pet.
I spent $298 on treats and chews. I can’t even be mad
at this expense, because those puppy teeth are sharp. I bought bulk bags Best Bully Sticks (here is the link to receive a $10 off coupon) and Himalayan Yak Chews. They have
lasted into his second year of life! They
helped keep my puppy occupied as I got things done around the house.
Grooming: $260
This $260 spent at the groomers is money well spent!
The groomer I take my dog to cares for him so much and he loves them. Doodles’ hair/fur (I should
know which one it is, but it’s all fur to me) can get matted and tangled easily
if they aren’t brushed frequently. And their hairs grow so fast. I started
taking my puppy to the groomers when he was 5 months old and he now goes every
other month. I have the groomers cut my dog’s hair really short so that I can
extend the time between his haircuts. His haircut is around $65 and I tip the
dog groomers, because Lord know they deserve tips for cleaning my dog’s butt.
Fun: $438
Those cute BarkShop dog toys got me. I spent $173 on toys.
I have learned to shop for dog toys only when BarkShop has a sale where each one is
only $3 and to buy durable toys over cutesy toys. If you have a dog who is a pro
at destroying toys, I highly recommend ChuckIt! and Outward Hound toys. Those are the only ones
that I have yet to throw away or sew back together.
The absolute best item I spent money on in my dog’s
first year was obedience training classes for $165. I found a local dog trainer
that offered 2 private training lessons and 6 group classes. She did an amazing
job of teaching me and my dog, not only basic commands, but also helped me with
other behavioral issues like scratching the bottom of my couch and bed.
$99 was spent on one-time miscellaneous items like
crates, leashes, collars, etc. If you planning to get a dog, I would check out
the upcoming holiday sales to money on basic dog items.
$3,450 gone and I’m happier than I ever was! He’s worth it, but I expect to decrease my spending on him during his
second year by at least half. I would love to hear about how much you spend on
your pet! Do you have pet health insurance or do you think it’s worth it? What
tips do you have to save money when it comes to pets? Leave your comments
below! In August, I'll post about how year 2 of having dog looked like financially.
No comments: