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.

Health: $1,215

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 2^nd 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.

If you get a short-haired dog, like a Labrador Retriever, you’re grooming expenses will be minimal!

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.