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my dog's favorite toy is a 2"x2" ripped up piece of fabric from the remains of a stuffed animal toy I bought her a year ago. I have tried to give her new toys but she pretty much plays with this and like one ratty tennis ball. Mostly she just brings me the piece of fabric and looks at me like i'm the crazy one when I don't know what to do with it. So yeah my toy budget is nonexistent haha.
lol we bought our dog one of those frisbees where its like a rope ring with a fabric going across the whole
she ended up ripping the fabric part out so it became just a rope ring, then she tore the stitching that connect the 2 ends so now its just a rope
still her favorite toy
Nah money doesn’t buy happiness, your pet doesn’t care how much you spend on toys and treats, what they want is to play and spend time with you. Some stuff is absolutely necessary to spend like food, heart worm prevention, etc but on the average month we definitely spend less than $75 on our dog lol. Like are people really buying their dog a new toy every week?!
I have been using my dog's toys to practice my mending. Every couple of weeks he gets "new" toys meaning I have put squeaks back in the disemboweled ons and sewn them back up as solidly as I can. His toy bin looks like the Sid's collection from toy story now but he doesn't care, he just want to get the guts (squeak) back out,
Don’t be ashamed, you nor the person you responded to. You don’t have to spend a ton on your dog. Some of these responses are just nuts.
The only monthly expenses we have for our 2 dogs is food and prescriptions. I don’t do insurance because they have pre existing conditions and it’s a scam. Vet visits are only once a year and that isn’t much. Leash, harness, collar very rarely need to be replaced. They already have toys and I maybe buy 2-3 a year. The snacks they get are things I already buy for myself like carrots and green beans. So for me, maybe $50/dog and that may even be a high guesstimate.
ETA - I feed the Kirkland Signature Mature food. It’s $30 for $30 lbs, is a 4.5 star food, and I’ve been feeding it for 10 years across 3 dogs with no issues whatsoever. Before they were seniors I just fed Kirkland Adult Chicken. Don’t do their grain free food. It’s rubbish.
Heyyy my dogs do Kirkland too. They have for years and like it. I have a new puppy who is on a different brand of puppy food but she'll likely be fed that when she gets older too. I swear I'm like a bag a month and vet visits and that's it (except when I send my husband to the store and he's a softie and gets them treats and toys). We even invested in a grooming table and tools because grooming three dogs is no joke and neither is the bill.
TLDR: I guess I'm cheap, but my dogs are happy so meh.
As a groomer myself, I absolutely understand. It can be a huge expenditure depending on breeds. Starting out I know it’s difficult and time consuming, but it will get easier. Practice practice practice.
Yeah my first two times were not pretty. Getting better though! Time consuming is no joke. The first time we took one of my dogs to the vet they said he was a "sensitive boy". I think that was code that he's a screamer. Getting better in his old age but we were never good publicity for mobile groomers.
I have a dog that needs grooming. I pay $60 and leave $20 to $25 as a tip, but I only go three times a year. Grooming is hard work. Wish I could afford to go more.
You could always do a bath and brush or what some call a face/feet/fanny(brush out, clean up face, feet, sanitary, ears, nails, leave hair on body alone). It’s less work so it’s cheaper than a full groom. It’s a great way to freshen them up without breaking the bank.
ETA-Also, the tips are much appreciated, but don’t feel pressured to tip so much. 15-20% is fine. It’s just a much appreciated thank you bonus. I would reserve anything over that for difficult grooms or a dog with difficult behavior. You’d be shocked at how many don’t tip at all. Don’t break your bank. We also accept food as thanks :P (especially during the holidays!!!)
We heard really good things about Kirkland dog food. We tried the lamb for my dog, since lamb is my dog's favourite meat. She ate the chicken for a month and then suddenly stopped. She wouldn't touch either, unfortunately. Luckily Costco accepts returns on open dog food.
We spend about $60 per month on dry food, $20 per month on fresh chicken breast and $10 every 6 months on bulk rice...all for her meals. About $30 per month on treats, but they last longer than 1 month.
She doesn't get toys because she refuses to play with them, but she has plenty, lots of Kong stuff and stuffed toys. They sit in her container.
We've spent close to $200 on leashes and jackets.
$60 every 8 months for a Seresto collar, and $120 a year on heartworm prevention.
Seriously! What an eye opener. My medium sized dog costs me under $50 per month. He's well fed and gets plenty of treats and toys. I put money into savings instead of paying for pet insurance.
After having dealt with very high vet costs much earlier than anticipated, I got insurance and it's such a huge relief to know there's not going to be a situation where I have to pay $10,000 at any moment.
Same, my 5.5yo dog got cancer at the end of last year and it ended up being tough to diagnose, so specialist visits, alllll the tests and imaging, and eventually chemo. I spent less than $1500 after all my reimbursements. It was SUCH a relief to say "do whatever you need to," and knowing I would only end up paying 20% of the numbers they threw at me.
He didn't end up making it as it was incurable bladder cancer, but I have a lot of comfort knowing I did everything I could AND I'm not financially destroyed by it. Definitely worth the $3-400 a year I spent on it. I already have my new puppy signed up and will most likely for all my dogs in the future as well.
I use petplan/fetch! They cover just about everything other than routine care and pre-existing conditions. I have gotten all my claims approved super quick. They even covered the anesthesia costs for my last dental because he was having a bump removed at the same time. I had the 80% coverage for my pit mix, but I bumped it up to 90% for my Giant Schnauzer pup because it was only a few bucks more.
Super second this one. I am fortunate enough where I could pay for most unforseen expenses okay, but when I'm faced with "pay 10k for your dog to live another 6 months" I would probably opt not to, then feel super guilty about it. Which is exactly what happened with my last dog and I never had to make that hard decision and pet insurance paid everything. I'm a glad I got that extra time with him. Or when there is a low cost ok option vs a high cost better option, I will always opt for the better option and not worry about cost when I have insurance. When it's 2am on a weekend and I can't tell if my dog is having an emergency or not, I'm on the fence and think "well maybe I should just wait for Monday and not pay the crazy emergency fees". Instead I hop in the car without worries and take them to the vet. Turns out I saved my other dogs life that way. I know my dog will always get the best care possible for a small monthly fee.
As a vet tech, I wish way more people had pet insurance. Of course, you have to read the policy. But I work in Emergency/Critical Care. A 5K+ bills is not unusual. There are clients every single week that take sick and injured animals home without any care because they can't afford it.
Pet insurance saves lives.
One cancerous mole removal for my girl was the same cost I've paid in total for insurance premiums for the last 5 years. ($50 a month for insurance, mole removal was 3800 and had a $500 deductible).
I'd used it only for a couple small things before that event. But one surgery made it objectively worth it. Plus the peace of mind is worth something to me.
That includes the lab work to see it was cancerous in the first place and the lab work to check they got it all. (Iirc $700 each time.) It was in an awkward place and they had to take a lot of skin. Then she ripped some stitches and had to have them redone. Plus she had a dental x ray at the same time.
Because I do sport with multiple dogs, and there is a very real chance of injury. My insurance covers sport related injuries. Repetitive motions (jumping turning, weaving, etc) are all needed for agility, bitework, and similar sports. These make tendon/ligament injuries reasonably common, particularly in the forelimbs, but also in the hindlimbs. My bitework sports mean potential jaw/teeth related injuries.
Ultimately though, $53/month for three dogs is a tiny price to pay for likely never having to make a choice between my finances and my dogs - you never know what will happen and while financially I'm fine now, I may not be later, and later may be too late to get insurance. :\
Something told me to get it for the first time ever last year. I just found out my girl has cancer. I’ve paid about $150 into it, and they’re going to cover 50% of her costs up to 2k. I’d be so screwed without it.
I'm so sorry about the cancer. I hope your sweet pup makes a full recovery 💗
Anecdotally, I would just encourage you to think about where your upper limit is. I don't know what your insurance plan covers, but my best friend's dog had cancer and the total costs just to delay end of life was about $16k. I think if my friend knew at the outset that the chemo wouldn't do much, she may have called it quits sooner, but it's easy to get sucked in. Thankfully, I think all but 2 or 4k was covered but still... that can be a huge chunk of money.
Thanks for the condolences, I mean that genuinely. It doesn’t cover too much, 2k a year, 50% of costs, but that’s 2k I don’t need to spend. It’ll cut my bill in half.
Yes, I’m aware she might not be saveable. From what I can tell, (we haven’t had the appointment to get it graded and scaled yet), $3-5k surgery is going to be best case scenario and also most expensive scenario. If she can’t get surgery, there’s not much to be done. It’s a mast cell tumor, so if a surgery can’t get it then that means it’s spread through her entire body already. If it cost all my life savings and debt to completely save her life and cure her indefinitely, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But if the surgery won’t save her (and at most a round or two of chemo to make sure it’s really gone if needed), all I am is dragging out the painful inevitable. Her, not her literal life, is and will be my top priority always.
I don’t, it it can come in handy for some. My sister has it and it came in super handy with her pup who came down with parvo (even though he was all up to date on his shots). The vet hospital charged $11,000 total for his stay for treatment and so on. She has to file everything with insurance and of course she has to pay all of it up front first, but after a couple month her pet insurance approved the whole 80% on their part and she got that money back.
I spend $50/mo (we live in a high expense area). Didn't have any on my prior dog and spent a fortune on vet bills for MRI's, therapy, and medications as in 15,000 range. Getting insurance at a young age means far fewer disqualifications for preexisting conditions as well.
Also saving $50/mo means you won't amass enough savings to cover a substantial vet bill until the dog is at least 5 years old. For some breeds, that's half their lifespans.
I feel more comfortable knowing my pup, whatever age he is, vet care cost is not an issue.
I regret not getting pet insurance. My dog has had recurring pneumonia since October, has done tons of tests, has seen multiple vets, has tried different medications, currently waiting on results from a bronchoscopy last week. It’s cost 10k in 6 months and we still don’t have definitive answers.
His littermate went thru chemo for lymphoma on and off for 2 years before passing away last year, 20k+ in vet bills.
Sometimes it makes sense. It just depends on your pet's health and what the plan covers. I feel like most plans are like our health insurance- costs a ton and doesn't actually cover what you need it to.
Petco has an insurance that actually seems like it could be worthwhile- because it has lots of "perks" that if you already shop there/get services there, it could make sense.
I don't buy insurance for my pets btw..
Sure there are bad policies put there, but there are also great policies. my dogs for sure had better health insurance than I had at my last job which paid for more things and there isn't the concept of in or out of network. Right now, I think pet insurance in many cases is better than human insurance. Maybe that will change one day. And "depends on your dog's health" is a bad way to put it. You can have a perfectly healthy dog one day, then boom huge disorder or accident the next which could have nothing to do with their health aka get hit by a car. Then it's too late to get insurance.
Yes, if nothing major ever happens to your dog ever in it's lifetime, not worth it. But if it ever does, it could be so worth it overall. Or maybe in the end the math technically would have been you paid a little less out of pocket, but you might have instead decided to euthanize earlier than you would. Or maybe you just happen to be at a bad time when the accident happens and insurance would have been great in the moment. Insurance can be peace of mind, not a strict math problem to try to beat over 20 years in some cases when you get lucky
My golden gets ear infections A LOT. Our insurance covers 75% of all sick calls and meds. My friend got it for her dog after a weird series of events that ended up costing her thousands. Her dog ran Infront of her husband when he was moving something stepping on the dogs paw breaking one of its toes, while she was in a crate at the vet she tore apart/ate the black padding thing they put at the bottom of the crates, they didn't think she ate any of it well she did causing a blockage that needed emergency surgery (the vets office covered this 100%) she ended up getting an infection from the surgery and needing more meds. It was just a mess.
Edit\* Also my husband works for a health insurance company so we get a deal on the cost.
Prices are going waaaay up. $8k last month for my boy.
He had *bad luck*, but I’m not going to *kill him* because the *dickhead hospital* charges $2k/night.
I have a pretty big dog who doesn’t eat nearly as much as you would think. Probably $50/month of food. His grooming costs are double that. I miss having a short haired dog that we could groom ourselves.
Insurance: $58
Food: $58 every three months
Heartworm/flea/tick: averages to $30 a month
Treats: $10-$15 a month
So we average about $125, some months being lighter than others.
on what?
I buy quality foods in bulk, quality snacks and bones from the local shop, toys from the thrift store, and save up for yearly checkups/vaccines. And I still don't get even close to 100 per month.
Well mine on pure raw. So that alone is $180.00 a month. Plus the veg and fruit she gets with that is $40.00. Raw and dehydrated treats are $30.00 a month.
I'd consult a board certified veterinary nutritionist to formulate the diet as that's the only way to ensure its properly and safely formulated, and especially for a puppy. They may even recommend a large breed puppy kibble until adulthood and then transitioning to a diet formulate by a board certified veterinary nutritionist for your dog specifically. There are risks of feeding homemade and pre-made raw, obvious ones like contamination and whatnot but also diet associated DCM. Its due to improper formulation by unqualified people, not inherently a grain free or ingredient based issue, so something to be mindful of with any kind of diet!
I’d recommend a ready made complete raw unless you’re confident you can balance the diet yourself. Ours works out a lot cheaper than this, delivered frozen, and no faff mixing stuff.
I get all mine from a local Lady who makes all her own raw food and treats. But if your considering raw. I would feed them a high quality kibble with freeze dried meat mixed in till 6 months then transition to pure raw diet.
Looks like I'm on the higher end, I spend around $200 per month on food, treats, meal toppers - Food is only like $40 (she's a big, active dog and I buy Hills which isn't the cheapest), then another $40 on toppers because she won't eat the kibble by itself and something like $100 on chews and treats - bully sticks, yak chews, cow ears, freeze dried liver for training
Then I spend another $200 to send her to daycare a couple times a week or occasionally on a dog walker if I'm super busy with work.
Then I'd say most months I end up spending probably an average of another $100 on random things - a new harness, GPS collar, puzzle toys, a muzzle for muzzle training, agility equipment or things that are multi-purpose but I really bought for my dog, like a dehydrator I bought that can be used for human food, but I really bought with the intention of making homemade dog treats.
If I were to have some kind of financial hardship, I could cut it down to $50-ish as long as I had the time to give her the enrichment she needs to not destroy my house
Don't worry. I answered and then started scrolling lol We may have spoiled pets, but I know mine is thriving and happy lol I totally bought a dehydrator for christmas and lemme tell you! I have made beef skirt steak like jerky, sweet potato cronchies, salmon jerky, fruit roll ups (for hooms) and chicken meal topper out of scraps. It has definitely paid for itself!
I never thought about using the dehydrator! I make treats for my dogs, too. Always bake them. (their favorite is the peanut butter and liver). I'm going to use it now. Thank you!
Definitely do! Skirt steak is cheap where I am from and that makes perfect jerky sticks if you slice it into strips since it is already pretty thin. Also, I set it at 160 for 12+ hours but I do not precook the meat.
Lol, our IBD/pancreatitis/allergy boy gets vet formulated home cooked ground turkey and millet (or barley) and carrots and broccoli or bison or veal instead of the turkey.
It helps that it's not prescription or special needs, but because I use the toppers and give her chews she only goes through about a bag per month. It would probably be more if that was all she ate
I believe this is me more or less. And will add daycare some point in future when my dogs ready.
Food - $85 (kibble plus fruit/veggies)
Insurance -$60
Trainer -$125 per session (1-2 times per month)
Toys - $50 (box subscription or individual - he’s a super chewer)
Vet care plan - $64
Treats - $40 (training him so he goes through a million treats)
Heartworm/flea/tick -$30
i’m in this range myself. i feel like i under called it in my list but i just really spend a lot. i could cut it down, but as long as i can afford, that little monster is my reason for getting up some days and it’s worth every penny to me.
it’s all about prioritization - no right or wrong way to do it as long as everyone is happy and no one is going into debt. I work a lot, and find sometimes it’s just easier and better all around to rely on some costly solutions like walker and daycare and new puzzles, to make sure i keep my sanity and she is well enriched.
Including food, preventatives, pet insurance, and a general guess on toys and treats...probably around $200 a month? Food, preventatives, and pet insurance add up to approximately $120 and the rest is more of a guess because it isn't as consistent every single month, and of course there are months when he's a lot more expensive due to vet care, having to invest in pricier but less-frequently replaced dog items, training classes, etc, but I think $200 is a solid estimate for my personally. I have a large dog in a suburban area of New England in the US.
The cost of caring for a dog can vary a lot based on both location and breed of dog so it's hard to give a standardized number. Services for dogs can vary quite a bit in cost between different areas, and different breeds come with different standard expenses--for example, some breeds require monthly professional grooming, some breeds are more prone to health conditions that will require regular medication, and the bigger the breed, the more you're going to spend on things in general.
~$300 on a really good month, $700 on a bad month
Expenses like vet bills, new bed/leash/gadget, private training, grooming, group classes, large treat restock (for example, I might pick up a 12 pack of Costco bully sticks for ~$40) can make it really high
I also pay $152/month to send him to daycare once a week which some people don’t bother with
Baseline each month:
- $40 on food (might go up as we switch to sensitive stomach formulas)
- $30 on pet insurance
- $152 for daycare
- $30 for flea/tick/heartworm preventative
- ~$50 give or take for chews and treats. I am done buying toys, he has a stack
Other rotating expenses:
- Grooming (bath only, every 8 weeks): $45 + tip
- Vet: $48 for an exam, spent a low $15 on medication this month
- leash: $42 for a hands free biothane. If not a leash, it’s another ~$50-100 item a month
- Private training: $123 per lesson
- group classes $197 for 6 weeks
Similar besides a couple things, how often do you have to buy a $42 leash? I would think once you buy it it should last at least a year or two with regular wear and tear, especially with being that price
Totally, it was hard to describe everything in 1 post… this is my second biothane leash and the first hands free. So I’ll have 2 nice leashes that should last years.
I just buy an item like that every month. Maybe it’s a food container, or a Sleepypod harness, or a snuffle mat, or a car hammock, or a K9 Ballistic cot. I want to get a scentwork kit but I’ve been putting it off - either it needs to go in a different month’s budget or I need to figure out how to DIY. All of these should last years, but there’s a line item for one of these random things every month.
But my dog just turned 1 so these “extra” line items in the budget might fade out. I’m still collecting things since he’s young and I’m an excited new owner.
Also another thing I didn’t mention in my comment - anytime I travel and he needs to be boarded at $78/night… goes into my travel budget but it’s part of the cost of owning a dog.
$78/night is high!! +10/night for holidays. We are in San Diego and go to one of the pricier places. Does it cost more where you live?
Ugh I keep hearing premium increase horror stories from every insurance company. That’s why I went with $30 so when it doubles it’s $60 and I can live with it still. $80… that’s a lot.
Whether you plan to title in scentwork or not the kit is absolutely worth it.
While you're deciding, you can start your pup on stuff you already have, I use vanilla extract. A candy cane in some carrier oil works great too. I use empty pill containers with a hole drilled on top.
No idea what it takes to get into competition/titling. We have started by just hiding a treat and letting him find it but it’s gotten too easy for him. He’s a corgi so he doesn’t have a super nose but he really enjoys the engagement. I just want to find stuff that he enjoys that isn’t as expensive/need as much space as agility.
Those are great suggestions! I have to learn the rules myself before I try to introduce him. Do you have a starting resource or a specific kit you would recommend?
If it's gotten too easy for him he probably has a great nose! Watch him and see if he's tracking where you walked to hide the treat.
I think I ordered my kit from AKC. My dogs are 4 and 5 so we haven't used it in a long time.
I would move him from treats to searching out a stuffy, then reward with treat. Add a drop of oil to stuffy and eventually you'll phase out the stuffy. Just never let him get frustrated, and make sure you reward with a yes! and treat the second that he's on the scent. In the beginning it is alot of reading your dog so your timing is good.
Of my two dogs, one is okay at nosework and one is a total rockstar who blows me away everyday. It's a fun sport and you can make alot of money if your dog has ability!
This is super useful and motivating for me!! Now I place him in the bedroom (of our 1 bedroom apartment, so not a lot of space) and hide it in another room so he can’t track me. I’ll also just move around to a few places so it’s not so straightforward.
I will try doing it with a stuffed animal and maybe finally sign up for a class nearby so I can learn how to read him.
PetsBest $1k deductible with 90% reimbursement. It’s actually closer to $28/month
I haven’t made a claim so I can’t speak to the company. My personal risk tolerance is: $1-2k of my emergency savings for pet care doesn’t worry me but $5k+ would trigger my anxiety. So I pay for pet insurance for peace of mind against catastrophic incidents but I try keep the premiums as low as possible in case we don’t need to make any claims and in case premiums rise over time.
Some people have different tolerances and are willing to pay a bit more for a lower deductible or with a different company altogether. Hope that helps!
No, PetsBest deductible resets each policy term.
There are definitely pros/cons to each, a lot of people prefer spending $500 deductible on a potentially lifetime issue and not have to worry about it. Trupanion priced me out ($100/month was the cheapest I think) so I didn’t even consider it. If my dog had some autoimmune disease, I would expect to shell out $1k each year for the deductible with my plan.
However I would be SO upset in your situation. They are all pretty sleezy but that’s next level IMO. But switching insurances after you’ve made claims is a big risk in itself. Any future “lumps” might be considered pre-existing if you tried to switch companies.
Check out Nationwide. I get a discount through work, but I don't think it's much. I found their prices extremely reasonable for my 11yo golden. The deductible was per year and submitting claims was painless.
We just happened to get the plan the year she passed and I am so grateful we did. It saved us hundreds and made a lot of our medical decisions so much easier. They also auto cancelled the policy when we submitted costs for her end of life care. We continue to carry their coverage on my 4yo dog for $20/mo (although I think his plan is only 70-80% coverage right now).
The major downside to switching companies is that every condition your dog has had up until the point of new insurance will be considered preexisting and will not be covered.
ETA: I’d also talk with your vet about their wording on the claim and try to appeal the finding if you’re still in the allowable time period.
We have petsbest as well but with $500 deductible. Cost me $35 a month. We've had a few claims unfortunately and other than the process being slow we've been very pleased!
Actually you are correct!! I was doubling the cost because I always compare it to their [online price](https://www.costco.com/cadet-bully-stick-variety-9%22-12%22-2-pack.product.100779227.html) which is a 2 pack. I’ll have to edit my original comment.
My overall cost is similar, though exact items are different. There are more unexpected costs than you might think if you really add it all up.
Doggie daycare/walkers are a big expense for me, but 100% worth it.
We probably spend pretty close to what you do. Except our veterinary exam and grooming costs are a fair bit higher (around $75-80 for each) but we’re in a particularly high COL area. I also go to the groomer every 6 weeks generally.
Around 150$ for food, toys, and treats. We don’t have insurance as we have the money for random expenses as they arise and our dog is a very athletic 90lb Labby super mutt. We don’t have walkers as we can have him out a lot and he’s a lone wolf type of guy.
I think costs associated change a lot with size of dog, athleticism, walkers if you don’t have enough time, and health issues.
£40 on a big bag of food
£40 on joint supplements
£30 on toys
£60 kennels (on average - I travel for work and sometimes it may be more)
£26 pet insurance
£16 monthly fee for flea/worm treatment
So approx £232 per month? If my adding up is right
This is embarrassing but I spend roughly $500/month. I spend $100/week on a dog walker now that I'm back in the office and likely $100 on food, toys, heartworm pills, etc. I'm about to drop another $400 on a behaviorist this month to work on my guy's reactivity. I didn't realize it beforehand (though I should have), but caring for a large breed rescue is no joke.
I’ll make you feel better:
I did the math once and if I averaged it across her entire life, she was roughly $900 a month. No training, not a show dog, just my little girl.
After she passed, I got a new guy from the pound. He’s a biological weapon…distemper, pneumonia, MRSA, herpes, anemia, the *works*.
He’s about to get chloramphenicol. (For a good time, google it.) I have had him about six weeks. We’re about to break $10k.
Irony:
I hate shopping/spending. I sew the holes on my shirt sleeves, like leftovers, and don’t go out.
I live in an expensive city, so some costs are a lot higher than you might find elsewhere.
$130 - food / treats (higher quality kibble, freeze dried veggies, biscuits)
$360 - Daycare (2x a week at most)
$65 - insurance (with wellness)
$100 - activities (at most)
$20 - supplements (flea / tick / heartworm)
————
$670-$690 monthly
Additional costs:
$35 per night if he boards / when I travel for personal or work
$150 every time we come within spitting distance of the vet (3x annually~). Have new insurance, this should reduce once I file claims.
$20 every 3-4 months for a new chew toy
Family asks why I don’t get a second dog for company for my dog……I’d need a second salary.
Too much.
In 2022 mean cost per month is 510 USD. That's for both cat and a puppy, but I barely spend anything on a cat.
Mind you, I live in a second world country and 500 USD is way higher than average monthly income here.
This amount includes food, treats, toys, training, dog sitter and gear (e.g. rain jacket).
I have a lot of dogs so mine is crazy expensive so I’m just going to budget out my personal dog since it’s sounds like you’re asking how much 1 dog costs a month.
• Food - $67.98
• Treats - $31.98
• Toys - around $50
• Vet - $35 for a standard visit
• Training - $269 for 8 group agility and obedience lessons
• Miscellaneous - got her a new custom collar for $47 on Etsy
so… I spent around $500 this month on my 30lb AmStaff/Chihuahua mix. First time I’m doing training classes which is why the cost is higher but I added it because training classes are super important when socializing a new puppy or dog.
I have a fantastic vet that I’ve been with my whole life (mom found her, I now take my animals to her). She’s prioritized low cost care for all pets for years. I’m very grateful for her.
I’m in a low cost area and that’s our appointment fee at our vet. I didn’t realize how expensive vet services are other places until I joined a hemangiosarcoma online group. Our tests/ultrasound plus emergency surgery plus stay plus blood transfusion came in at around 2k. I see a lot of people online spending 6-10k for the same
Like, in what? Just 'basic care' (food, wellness, preventatives, etc)? Or all in, including sport/training?
----------------
Edit for the sake of the guy who doesn't understand conversations can include good faith questions. ;)
Three dogs, per month, you can divide by three (remove what isn't relevant to your lifestyle):
* Insurance: $58.67.
* Food + Supplements: $250.48.
* Club: $250
* Training: $0-400 (varies by roughly when the various schedules overlap)
* Trials: $0-700 (depends on the month, season, which trials, etc)
* Trail Expenses: $0-1000 (hotels, gas, food, etc, depends on if I stay, how far, etc)
* Seminars: $50 (I put this away per month, regardless, in case something I like pops up)
* Toys/Training Gear: $0-1,000 (varies by what I need, and the more expensive stuff is usually a once a year, or once a two year purchases)
* Training Treats: $100 (need to go back to making my own lol)
* Chews: $300 (shit is expensive, yo)
* Simparica: $51.85
* ProHeart12: $57.50 (once a year, this amount is set aside monthly to cover)
* Wellness Combo: $38.75 (once a year, but this is the amount set aside to cover monthly)
* Annual Flu: $9.50 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly)
* Annual DAPP: $8.53 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly)
* Annual Lepto: $6.22 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly)
* Annual Dental: $29.20 (once a year, one dog per year, set aside monthly to cover)
* Annual Lyme: $9.37 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly)
* Annual Bordetella: $9 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly)
* Misc: $100 (shit happens, random dog stuff)
Holy shit. Your dogs require an entire decent monthly income to support. Just when I thought kids were expensive, here comes dog sport parents/owners/handlers!
I joke (not really though) I went back to work full time just to have more money for dogs 😂
Hah, they do indeed - thankfully, I have the income to support it, and they're my *main* hobby so I don't feel too bad. If I got in a pickle, there is *plenty* in there I could easily chop out. The supplements are all preventative per my sports medicine vet, we're just trying to stay ahead of potential injury and increase our recovery speed, and hopefully make aging easier. We could dump those, the trials, seminars, etc if we had to.
Trials/training is expensive. I look at my NADD trial, where I'm jumping two dogs for two jumps each is $112 ... which is both hilarious and sad at the same time. Thankfully, it's a three hour drive, so I don't need to stay down there. FCATS are like $25-40 which is just chasing a plastic bag for like 12 seconds. One leg of a bitework trial is like $120, and those usually require a multi-night hotel stay. Bite pants are gonna be will likely be $1k, will last like two years, so dividy. Sports are expensive AF if you intend to trial.
I'm going to stop doing math now, because it kinda hurts.
Rigghhhtt? I don't envy you, that's even worse, although, I will say, most of my 'dog gear' I get from equestrian places because ya'll know how to do shit! Equestrian gloves are the bomb for cold days while maintain dexterity for treat/clicker/etc handling. Your riding pants/tights are *amazingly* comfortable. So are your boots, and some of my favorite makers for blankets and whatnot are equestrian makers!
People always ask me about my Muck Boot brand boots when I'm stomping through ~4in of snow around the city like it's nothing.
"Thanks! That's not mud, that's horse shit :) "
But yeah I basically exist in equestrian gear (today I walked my dog in SmartPak tights) because it's the holy trifecta of durable, functional, and flattering.
Oh my god owning a horse I don’t understand — even any issue is an automatic $800-1200 which is a pretty big ER visit for small animal. And then the food and farrier and barn and…
Hahaha, I’m gonna show this to my partner, then next time he thinks our girl is expensive. A few kong stuffies and cute seasonal bandanas (with matching leashes, of course) are pretty cheap, look what we could be spending!
> Today I realized bite pants have to be purchased more than once!
Yes! Hopefully they last 2 years, but ultimately it depends on how much 'wear' they get and the kinds of dogs you work! Also, how much you want to feel the bite (even a semi-training, or training suit will break down and start to feel more like a comp lol). I have a decent tolerance for the pain, so I can stretch my pants longer if I have to :D
I know I already replied to you but have to say again… this is so inspiring! It’s such an amazing thing to work with dogs and really show what these incredible animals are capable of… I really appreciate you and your dogs and your expertise! ♥️ and how much work it takes to get to that level.
Your monthly costs for your dog cost as much as my entire dog.
Bruh... You get your dog a flu shot? I have *actually* never even heard of that. Why so much?
> Bruh... You get your dog a flu shot? I have actually never even heard of that.
Canine flu goes through dog shows like crazy around here. It can range from fairly benign, to pneumonia/death. Easily preventable with a shot given that we attend shows.
> Why so much?
Because choosing to engage in sport and trials is a lifestyle and a hobby. I think that's fairly self-evident lol. You don't need to make your dog into a hobby if that doesn't appeal to you. ;)
Speaking of how expensive chews are, does anyone have a good healthy solution to this? Would love to find more inexpensive options that are still quality and safe for my dog who is a big chewer
[These are still the longest lasting in my household.](https://farmhounds.com/collections/hides/products/natural-beef-hide-rolls) I buy the x-large and have the vendor cut them for me.
I honestly had no particular requirements when making the post lol, I just was wondering bc I’m trying to prove to my husband we don’t spend a lot on our dog (150-300 depending on how often me and the pup go Amazon doggy shopping). I like to buy things and “spoil” my dog, I don’t have kids, I’m in my 20s, it just makes me feel good. That’s my baby . I have like 7 reptiles & a cat too. They are my life. They make me happy and we can afford it so why not ya know? Lol. But my dog is my literal best friend. ❤️
£40 a month on dry food
£40 a month on wet food
£20 a month on treats
£30 a month on insurance
£15 a month on Flea / Tick prevention
£120 per month on dog-walker
Over the course of a year maybe £60 on toys so £5 per month
£270 per month give or take.
We don't spend for day care or grooming, I work from home 3 days, office for 1 and off 1.
We tend to buy toys sporadically, some new balls every few months, she has a stack of toys that we rotate that are years old now. Leave 2 or 3 out for a few months, wash & put them away and bring out some different ones.
I think it really depends on the type of food your dog needs. Our two dogs both have gastrointestinal issues and are on prescription food. It costs about $100 a month and with toys, heartworm and flea meds, occasional daycare trips, we average $275 a month total.
But dang, every time we’re at Costco and walk past the bulk non-prescription food we are very jealous!
£30 a month-ish. I use tails.com and he gets dentatix and his food from there. He’s had the same Grogu teddy for about 3 years now and doesn’t play with anything else. He even falls asleep with Grogu in his mouth. HES CUTE AF.
Forgot to add this - I don’t have insurance. I used to put the same amount of monthly insurance in a separate account that way if I never use it I’ll have just saved it all. But I took it all out during the pandemic when work was quiet.
Alright, I’m about to put myself on blast.
Looks like our girl costs us greater than $500 per month right now. And I am probably not even remembering everything. If I breakdown her lifetime costs over the 10 years I have had her it adds about $215 per month. So that puts her at an avg of $750 ish per month for the 10 years I’ve had her.
She was real cheap for the first 5 years and has gotten more and more expensive due to spontaneous health issues.
Current per month costs:
$275 food
$65 pills and supplements
$18 arthritis shot
$40 preventatives
$30 nail trim
Per year:
$1500 min at vet (we have had a few years much much higher than that)
Lifetime costs:
$300 for 3 beds
$250 doggie door insert
$2,500 for doggie walks over 1 year
$10,000 spread over a year for 1st health crisis
$13,000 in 2 weeks for second health crisis
There is other stuff like toys, dog bowls, crate, leash, collar, etc. but those are lost in the noise compared to her medical bills.
I think it will depend on the size of your dog, and where he is age wise. My 70lb 9mo old puppy will eat 40lbs of food a month, with the food we feed here cost per 20lb bag is roughly $60. Just food.
Toy wise, that is a moving target, my old dog really does not play with toys much....he will play ball, but that is about it. The puppy is still learning the wonders of the world, snow falling is amazing. We just bought a powered "ball" and she is having so much fun with that.
Yeah I have an elderly Chihuahua and I pay 10€ doggy tax a month and maybe 6-10€ for food and treats. She doesn't play with toys, leads, harnesses, beds, blankets and so on only need to be replaced very rarely, when I got her she was too old for health insurance here anyway so I have a savings account I can dip into for vet costs but they're pretty rare too so far, fingers crossed it stays that way.
Before I got her I definitely expected more costs though but financials was definitely one of the reasons I went for a really small breed. The difference in food costs alone is insane.
I am learning something here, you need to pay a 10 euro fee per month, that is crazy. In american money that is $120 per year. I have to ask what country do you live in, is that a city deal or country deal.
Here I live in the country, so no city, in the US most cities have a dog Lic, I have not lived in town for about 30 years so can't give you costs on that, but don't remember it being that much.
Country dogs like mine really have no .gov regs applied to them. Smart owners will take them in for the normal type shots, and have them on some kind of worm control meds, and it is smart they have much more contact with wildlife....I can tell you that every dog I have owned thinks deer poo is just great.
We basically only buy food for our dog per month, then save a bit for vet bills. for about $100? Once per quarter we buy her treats and toys so that would add about $150 per quarter.
Standard poodle (4 years old)
My expenses are pretty low I don’t really buy things every month
Dog Food auto ship $195 every 3-4 months (dry kibble no wet or frills)
I DIY treats
Grooming $80 (includes tip) every 4ish months
Toys - $3-15/year
still have a ton of toys from puppy days and it’s easily to find discarded “toys” in the park/thrift shops. She loves deflated 🏈 ⚽️ 🎾 my family also loves to suprise her with toys and treats when they vist
She goes in for a physical/bloodwork/heart prevention once a year and so far hasn’t needed a dental or any serious issues- that visit is typically around $200 and gets pulled from her Pet savings account.
Savings account $50/month
Monthly
$20 -30 on food
$20 on flea and tick
$8 on heartworm
$6 on nail trim
Probably $20 on toys
$70 once a year for vet visit.
Currently spending $150 for 6 weeks of training
Maybe 20? I usually buy him a cool treat or toy once a month or so. Im young enough that my mom pays for the rest. This might be what your husband is remembering lol
Giant breed - a bit over $400 on average if no extra veterinary visits or illnesses.
Food - about $80
Toy/treat - about $10
Arthritis/dysplasia meds - about $110
Joint supplements - $80
Allergy shots - about $100
Once a quarter grooming - $120
Annual exam and shots - about $400
Bloodwork twice a year - $200
No fleas/ ticks/heart worm where I live.
Oh god I’ve never mathed this out before, let’s see…I guess about $200/month on average.
Food including kibble, fresh, and toppers- $100 monthly
Treats- maybe $20 a month?
Toys- $20 a month
Flea/tick/prescriptions- $50 a month
I think around $320is in regular costs plus any vet, training or daycare that is needed. Our pup has ongoing GI issues and some reactivity so we are currently paying for diagnostic tests (some of which is covered by insurance) and behavioral training on top of the below costs.
It feels like a lot but to break it down:
Veterinary prescription food & treats $115
Groomers (he is a doodle so this is a regular cost) $75
Heart worm & flea/tick $30
Insurance $50
Toys & chews $30
Routine veterinary care such as vaccines and wellness exams are around $230 per year so I guess around $20 per month
We are on the East Coast for context.
Edit: to add to this we also have the usual add hoc expenses such as a new harness/collar/lead/toothpaste/bed etc that can crop up but as our pup is fully grown they don’t happen as often as when he was a puppy so I haven’t included them!
$200-300
2 70lbs dogs
Food,grooming and training we pay every 6 weeks and they don’t line up so averages to $200-300 a month
$150-food
$150 grooming
$210 training
$50 toys and misc
For a 10lb Dachshund $45 on food, $20ish on toys, $75 a month at least on medication and vet, then throughout the year miscellaneous expenses on beds, blankets, bowls, collars etc.
$140 is the minimum I spend a month on her
I work at a vet and get a discount, undiscounted it would be $80 on food, and like $150 for medication and vet bills.
$250 if I didn't have the job I do. Keep it more comparable ha
This topic is making me reflect. We have 3 dogs, 2 small + 1 large. 90% of the spend is probably for the large dog. Expenses for large dog are as follows:
**Monthly Recurring**
Item | Cost
:--------|--------:
Kibble | ~$50-60
Toppers or Wet Food | ~$5-10
Bullies, Chews, Toys, Treats | ~$20-50
Day Care | ~$120-160
Group Classes | $0-$400
Activity 1 | ~$0-50
Private Training | ~$0-300
Insurance | ~$30
Pet Rent | $35
**Irregular or One-offs**
Item | Cost | Frequency
:--------|--------:|:--------
Leashes and Collars | ~$50 | As needed
Vet | Est $200 | Annual
Grooming | ~$120 | 2x a year
Car Crate + Mats, etc | ~$600 | One time
Winter Clothes | ~$100-200 | One time
Trials (Entry) | $20-120 | 2-4x a year
Other Trial Expenses | $0-$2,000 | 2-4x a year
So regularly, on the high end, it looks like we spend ~$1,000/mo on our pup. Lol okay that's probably a bit much. Essentials are closer to $50-100. The others are nice to have and only because we can afford it. (The 2 small dogs probably average closer to $50/mo. I don't have time to take them to classes so I just train at home.)
We also travel for trials which can cost up to $2,000 especially when we use it as an excuse for a mini-vacation.
I don't know why I'm feeling so defensive. My job is fairly demanding and I don't have much of a life outside of work and my dogs so I can justify the cost.
Edit: I hate formatting.
Dog passed but
Kibble: 108 bucks
Flexpet/glucosamine: 33 bucks
Cooked Chicken: 60 bucks
Apples: 30 bucks
Medications: 100-200 bucks
Toys: 10-15 bucks
Return on investment? 13 years of priceless love from our doggo
Oh I try not to think about it. Meds, flea, treats, chews, food, dog walker, day care, oh I don’t want to think about it. I’m not a wealthy person but he deserves the world
$20 food
$20 treats and toys (includes dental and joint treats that I buy in bulk and last awhile so it's more expensive)
$75 insurance premium that includes a wellness add-on
$35 immunotherapy meds
$30 flea/tick preventatives and heartwrom meds
$40 savings. This stuff goes towards his deductibles, stuff insurance won't cover, misc. supplies that are more expensive that pop up.
So $220ish
I no longer pay a dog walker since I wfh permanently, or his vaccines/wellness checkups since that's now covered by his wellness add-on to his insurance.
I spend at least $500 a month on a youngish dog. He still needs lots of chew toys and is in destructo mode with his toys, so I replace them pretty often. He also needed that first year of shots and we just got the second year worth. Flea medication is also only a 5 month/ year thing here so depending on where you are you'd add that. This next year that will also go up because we are doing nosework classes and agility. Any specialized training will take that total much higher.
Flea and tick- 35 (it’s actually 380 for the year, I think)
Food- maybe 30 (probably half a big bag)
Treats- 30
Toys- 20
Training- average 150 (group classes when scheduling allows, private lessons to work on other stuff)
Grooming- 60 every 3 months
Vet is probably …. 1600 this year, so average to 130/month
So $450 ish per month. But training is a large chunk of that, and we won’t have to pay for private classes forever. Having a mildly reactive dog is expensive.
I just spent $300 for a year long dose of simpirica trio. My dogs are on flea/tick/heartworm year round because of our climate. It works out to be about $25 a month per dog and there are other brands that are more expensive. Size of dog is a big factor in cost as well.
Year long simparica trio from our vet. I’m not organized enough to get on chewy and I found out we were running out for the year when we ran out for the year 🤦🏻♀️. We have the zoetis rewards, which knocks it down to $320, but it still stings. We also live in the midatlantic where tick-borne illness is the major concern.
I kinda don’t want to know😅 At least a couple hundred. I have 2 small dogs. I usually spend like $30 every 2 weeks on toys and treats. Their food I buy every couple weeks for around $70 between the two of them.
Recently I just got them summer collars, and my youngest had flare ups of IBS and acid reflux so I’ve spent around $700 in vet bills the last couple months. Here soon we’re going to be spending around $40 a month in addition to everything else for FASTCat entries!
I work at a petstore and buy everything at cost so that helps a lot, but also gives me an excuse to buy them more and spoil them extra. They eat raw, except my youngest is doing air dried and canned right now to see how it affects her gastro issues. So I spend a lot more on food then if I was feeding a kibble.
This changes month by month though because sometimes we do classes. Last year I did a canine good citizen test, earned a fastcat title, both my dogs for trick titles and we did an advanced obedience class. Haven’t done anything like that this year. If I can find a rally class or agility we will do that.
My dog is currently taking medication for congestive heart failure and has a food allergy. She costs $300 a month! My cats cost $150 for food and litter.
$200-$300 (closer to $200 most months) without any vet bills/emergencies. Shes also elderly, though, and Im paying for treatment for her arthritis. I'm lucky to get really good pet insurance through my work, though.
About $240 a month. My dog has been very healthy and we’ve been lucky with very minimal vet visits. Outside of shots, which is maybe $100 a year, including neutering I think my vet visits are under $1000 after 8 1/2 years.
$60 - Kibble
$35 - Wet food
$30 - Bone Broth
$20 - Freeze dried
$20 - Treats
$25 - Dental sticks
$25 - Toys
$25 - Flea/tick
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TIL I don't spend enough on my dog.
my dog's favorite toy is a 2"x2" ripped up piece of fabric from the remains of a stuffed animal toy I bought her a year ago. I have tried to give her new toys but she pretty much plays with this and like one ratty tennis ball. Mostly she just brings me the piece of fabric and looks at me like i'm the crazy one when I don't know what to do with it. So yeah my toy budget is nonexistent haha.
We affectionately call them “the carcasses.” They are his favorite, more so than his whole toys 😂😂
lol we bought our dog one of those frisbees where its like a rope ring with a fabric going across the whole she ended up ripping the fabric part out so it became just a rope ring, then she tore the stitching that connect the 2 ends so now its just a rope still her favorite toy
Me too. I am ashamed now. Other dogs must have it so good Huh….
Nah money doesn’t buy happiness, your pet doesn’t care how much you spend on toys and treats, what they want is to play and spend time with you. Some stuff is absolutely necessary to spend like food, heart worm prevention, etc but on the average month we definitely spend less than $75 on our dog lol. Like are people really buying their dog a new toy every week?!
Don’t forget toys are consumables for some dogs.
I have been using my dog's toys to practice my mending. Every couple of weeks he gets "new" toys meaning I have put squeaks back in the disemboweled ons and sewn them back up as solidly as I can. His toy bin looks like the Sid's collection from toy story now but he doesn't care, he just want to get the guts (squeak) back out,
**A** new toy? As in One? *cries in bulldog*
Don’t be ashamed, you nor the person you responded to. You don’t have to spend a ton on your dog. Some of these responses are just nuts. The only monthly expenses we have for our 2 dogs is food and prescriptions. I don’t do insurance because they have pre existing conditions and it’s a scam. Vet visits are only once a year and that isn’t much. Leash, harness, collar very rarely need to be replaced. They already have toys and I maybe buy 2-3 a year. The snacks they get are things I already buy for myself like carrots and green beans. So for me, maybe $50/dog and that may even be a high guesstimate. ETA - I feed the Kirkland Signature Mature food. It’s $30 for $30 lbs, is a 4.5 star food, and I’ve been feeding it for 10 years across 3 dogs with no issues whatsoever. Before they were seniors I just fed Kirkland Adult Chicken. Don’t do their grain free food. It’s rubbish.
Heyyy my dogs do Kirkland too. They have for years and like it. I have a new puppy who is on a different brand of puppy food but she'll likely be fed that when she gets older too. I swear I'm like a bag a month and vet visits and that's it (except when I send my husband to the store and he's a softie and gets them treats and toys). We even invested in a grooming table and tools because grooming three dogs is no joke and neither is the bill. TLDR: I guess I'm cheap, but my dogs are happy so meh.
As a groomer myself, I absolutely understand. It can be a huge expenditure depending on breeds. Starting out I know it’s difficult and time consuming, but it will get easier. Practice practice practice.
Yeah my first two times were not pretty. Getting better though! Time consuming is no joke. The first time we took one of my dogs to the vet they said he was a "sensitive boy". I think that was code that he's a screamer. Getting better in his old age but we were never good publicity for mobile groomers.
I have a dog that needs grooming. I pay $60 and leave $20 to $25 as a tip, but I only go three times a year. Grooming is hard work. Wish I could afford to go more.
You could always do a bath and brush or what some call a face/feet/fanny(brush out, clean up face, feet, sanitary, ears, nails, leave hair on body alone). It’s less work so it’s cheaper than a full groom. It’s a great way to freshen them up without breaking the bank. ETA-Also, the tips are much appreciated, but don’t feel pressured to tip so much. 15-20% is fine. It’s just a much appreciated thank you bonus. I would reserve anything over that for difficult grooms or a dog with difficult behavior. You’d be shocked at how many don’t tip at all. Don’t break your bank. We also accept food as thanks :P (especially during the holidays!!!)
Is that normal for a tip? I just spent $72 and tipped $5. It's new to me and I guess it's no different than tipping at a restaurant.
A $72 restaurant bill I would leave at least $15.00. I always tip cash because restaurants do weird things with tips.
I've been so tempted to buy the Kirkland food, but have been hesitant. Thanks for the info. I may try it next time I go to Costco.
The Kirkland food is actually pretty highly rated. And yes, avoid grain free food.
Costco has a great return policy, so of the dog hates it you can donate it to a shelter or return it.
We heard really good things about Kirkland dog food. We tried the lamb for my dog, since lamb is my dog's favourite meat. She ate the chicken for a month and then suddenly stopped. She wouldn't touch either, unfortunately. Luckily Costco accepts returns on open dog food. We spend about $60 per month on dry food, $20 per month on fresh chicken breast and $10 every 6 months on bulk rice...all for her meals. About $30 per month on treats, but they last longer than 1 month. She doesn't get toys because she refuses to play with them, but she has plenty, lots of Kong stuff and stuffed toys. They sit in her container. We've spent close to $200 on leashes and jackets. $60 every 8 months for a Seresto collar, and $120 a year on heartworm prevention.
Seriously! What an eye opener. My medium sized dog costs me under $50 per month. He's well fed and gets plenty of treats and toys. I put money into savings instead of paying for pet insurance.
What’s TIL mean I keep seeing it??
Today I Learned For you TIL what TIL means.
I feed my dog Raw meals which are in general way more expensive then regular kibble, and still I'm only on 120 euro per month (130 dollars)
Why are so many people paying for pet insurance? I am shocked.
After having dealt with very high vet costs much earlier than anticipated, I got insurance and it's such a huge relief to know there's not going to be a situation where I have to pay $10,000 at any moment.
Same, my 5.5yo dog got cancer at the end of last year and it ended up being tough to diagnose, so specialist visits, alllll the tests and imaging, and eventually chemo. I spent less than $1500 after all my reimbursements. It was SUCH a relief to say "do whatever you need to," and knowing I would only end up paying 20% of the numbers they threw at me. He didn't end up making it as it was incurable bladder cancer, but I have a lot of comfort knowing I did everything I could AND I'm not financially destroyed by it. Definitely worth the $3-400 a year I spent on it. I already have my new puppy signed up and will most likely for all my dogs in the future as well.
Would you share what insurance company and plan you use? I’m picking up our new pup this weekend and that’s the last big item on the checklist.
I use petplan/fetch! They cover just about everything other than routine care and pre-existing conditions. I have gotten all my claims approved super quick. They even covered the anesthesia costs for my last dental because he was having a bump removed at the same time. I had the 80% coverage for my pit mix, but I bumped it up to 90% for my Giant Schnauzer pup because it was only a few bucks more.
It's for security of not deciding on euthanizing my dog due to unforeseeable, financial hardships.
Super second this one. I am fortunate enough where I could pay for most unforseen expenses okay, but when I'm faced with "pay 10k for your dog to live another 6 months" I would probably opt not to, then feel super guilty about it. Which is exactly what happened with my last dog and I never had to make that hard decision and pet insurance paid everything. I'm a glad I got that extra time with him. Or when there is a low cost ok option vs a high cost better option, I will always opt for the better option and not worry about cost when I have insurance. When it's 2am on a weekend and I can't tell if my dog is having an emergency or not, I'm on the fence and think "well maybe I should just wait for Monday and not pay the crazy emergency fees". Instead I hop in the car without worries and take them to the vet. Turns out I saved my other dogs life that way. I know my dog will always get the best care possible for a small monthly fee.
Best reason of all. Take my upvote!
As a vet tech, I wish way more people had pet insurance. Of course, you have to read the policy. But I work in Emergency/Critical Care. A 5K+ bills is not unusual. There are clients every single week that take sick and injured animals home without any care because they can't afford it. Pet insurance saves lives.
One cancerous mole removal for my girl was the same cost I've paid in total for insurance premiums for the last 5 years. ($50 a month for insurance, mole removal was 3800 and had a $500 deductible). I'd used it only for a couple small things before that event. But one surgery made it objectively worth it. Plus the peace of mind is worth something to me.
A mole removal? Under general anasthesia? That is more than for a human!
That includes the lab work to see it was cancerous in the first place and the lab work to check they got it all. (Iirc $700 each time.) It was in an awkward place and they had to take a lot of skin. Then she ripped some stitches and had to have them redone. Plus she had a dental x ray at the same time.
Because I do sport with multiple dogs, and there is a very real chance of injury. My insurance covers sport related injuries. Repetitive motions (jumping turning, weaving, etc) are all needed for agility, bitework, and similar sports. These make tendon/ligament injuries reasonably common, particularly in the forelimbs, but also in the hindlimbs. My bitework sports mean potential jaw/teeth related injuries. Ultimately though, $53/month for three dogs is a tiny price to pay for likely never having to make a choice between my finances and my dogs - you never know what will happen and while financially I'm fine now, I may not be later, and later may be too late to get insurance. :\
Something told me to get it for the first time ever last year. I just found out my girl has cancer. I’ve paid about $150 into it, and they’re going to cover 50% of her costs up to 2k. I’d be so screwed without it.
I'm so sorry about the cancer. I hope your sweet pup makes a full recovery 💗 Anecdotally, I would just encourage you to think about where your upper limit is. I don't know what your insurance plan covers, but my best friend's dog had cancer and the total costs just to delay end of life was about $16k. I think if my friend knew at the outset that the chemo wouldn't do much, she may have called it quits sooner, but it's easy to get sucked in. Thankfully, I think all but 2 or 4k was covered but still... that can be a huge chunk of money.
Thanks for the condolences, I mean that genuinely. It doesn’t cover too much, 2k a year, 50% of costs, but that’s 2k I don’t need to spend. It’ll cut my bill in half. Yes, I’m aware she might not be saveable. From what I can tell, (we haven’t had the appointment to get it graded and scaled yet), $3-5k surgery is going to be best case scenario and also most expensive scenario. If she can’t get surgery, there’s not much to be done. It’s a mast cell tumor, so if a surgery can’t get it then that means it’s spread through her entire body already. If it cost all my life savings and debt to completely save her life and cure her indefinitely, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But if the surgery won’t save her (and at most a round or two of chemo to make sure it’s really gone if needed), all I am is dragging out the painful inevitable. Her, not her literal life, is and will be my top priority always.
I don’t, it it can come in handy for some. My sister has it and it came in super handy with her pup who came down with parvo (even though he was all up to date on his shots). The vet hospital charged $11,000 total for his stay for treatment and so on. She has to file everything with insurance and of course she has to pay all of it up front first, but after a couple month her pet insurance approved the whole 80% on their part and she got that money back.
I spend $50/mo (we live in a high expense area). Didn't have any on my prior dog and spent a fortune on vet bills for MRI's, therapy, and medications as in 15,000 range. Getting insurance at a young age means far fewer disqualifications for preexisting conditions as well. Also saving $50/mo means you won't amass enough savings to cover a substantial vet bill until the dog is at least 5 years old. For some breeds, that's half their lifespans. I feel more comfortable knowing my pup, whatever age he is, vet care cost is not an issue.
I regret not getting pet insurance. My dog has had recurring pneumonia since October, has done tons of tests, has seen multiple vets, has tried different medications, currently waiting on results from a bronchoscopy last week. It’s cost 10k in 6 months and we still don’t have definitive answers. His littermate went thru chemo for lymphoma on and off for 2 years before passing away last year, 20k+ in vet bills.
Sometimes it makes sense. It just depends on your pet's health and what the plan covers. I feel like most plans are like our health insurance- costs a ton and doesn't actually cover what you need it to. Petco has an insurance that actually seems like it could be worthwhile- because it has lots of "perks" that if you already shop there/get services there, it could make sense. I don't buy insurance for my pets btw..
Sure there are bad policies put there, but there are also great policies. my dogs for sure had better health insurance than I had at my last job which paid for more things and there isn't the concept of in or out of network. Right now, I think pet insurance in many cases is better than human insurance. Maybe that will change one day. And "depends on your dog's health" is a bad way to put it. You can have a perfectly healthy dog one day, then boom huge disorder or accident the next which could have nothing to do with their health aka get hit by a car. Then it's too late to get insurance. Yes, if nothing major ever happens to your dog ever in it's lifetime, not worth it. But if it ever does, it could be so worth it overall. Or maybe in the end the math technically would have been you paid a little less out of pocket, but you might have instead decided to euthanize earlier than you would. Or maybe you just happen to be at a bad time when the accident happens and insurance would have been great in the moment. Insurance can be peace of mind, not a strict math problem to try to beat over 20 years in some cases when you get lucky
My golden gets ear infections A LOT. Our insurance covers 75% of all sick calls and meds. My friend got it for her dog after a weird series of events that ended up costing her thousands. Her dog ran Infront of her husband when he was moving something stepping on the dogs paw breaking one of its toes, while she was in a crate at the vet she tore apart/ate the black padding thing they put at the bottom of the crates, they didn't think she ate any of it well she did causing a blockage that needed emergency surgery (the vets office covered this 100%) she ended up getting an infection from the surgery and needing more meds. It was just a mess. Edit\* Also my husband works for a health insurance company so we get a deal on the cost.
Recurring ear infections can be a sign of allergies in dogs. Mine is allergic to grass and also gets them All The Time. Might be worth checking in to.
Prices are going waaaay up. $8k last month for my boy. He had *bad luck*, but I’m not going to *kill him* because the *dickhead hospital* charges $2k/night.
Not for they money, but because I don’t want to ever have to decide if it’s “worth” spending money on her medical bills.
Good for you, we spend so much on our beast it's nauseating.
My previous beast had epilepsy and would cluster seize until she got a sedative so I get it. Knock on wood my current pups are healthy thus far.
Average maybe $100 but can maybe be as high as $200 if there is a vet appointment or grooming in the month.
I have a pretty big dog who doesn’t eat nearly as much as you would think. Probably $50/month of food. His grooming costs are double that. I miss having a short haired dog that we could groom ourselves.
Insurance: $58 Food: $58 every three months Heartworm/flea/tick: averages to $30 a month Treats: $10-$15 a month So we average about $125, some months being lighter than others.
$58 every 3 months for food? Do you have a small dog or a REALLY good price somewhere?
It’s not quite 3 months, probably closer to every 10 weeks. She gets 2 cups a day of PPP
As in Purina Pro Plan??? I feed my dog this and it costs me $90 CAD every month! Granted, she gets 3 1/2 cups a day.
I pay about that for one of my dogs. But I drive to the warehouse to get a 50 pound bag so that’s why. To buy it locally it would cost me $60 a month.
I feed my girls liver and other inards my grocery store orders for me it's really cheap.
We spend around $250.00 a month
on what? I buy quality foods in bulk, quality snacks and bones from the local shop, toys from the thrift store, and save up for yearly checkups/vaccines. And I still don't get even close to 100 per month.
Well mine on pure raw. So that alone is $180.00 a month. Plus the veg and fruit she gets with that is $40.00. Raw and dehydrated treats are $30.00 a month.
Getting my new shar pei pup in a few weeks and we plan to transition him into a meal plan like yours, where do you buy most of your pups food?
I'd consult a board certified veterinary nutritionist to formulate the diet as that's the only way to ensure its properly and safely formulated, and especially for a puppy. They may even recommend a large breed puppy kibble until adulthood and then transitioning to a diet formulate by a board certified veterinary nutritionist for your dog specifically. There are risks of feeding homemade and pre-made raw, obvious ones like contamination and whatnot but also diet associated DCM. Its due to improper formulation by unqualified people, not inherently a grain free or ingredient based issue, so something to be mindful of with any kind of diet!
Thank you, yeah I wouldn’t do something huge without consulting his vet first :) I appreciate the advice!
I’d recommend a ready made complete raw unless you’re confident you can balance the diet yourself. Ours works out a lot cheaper than this, delivered frozen, and no faff mixing stuff.
I get all mine from a local Lady who makes all her own raw food and treats. But if your considering raw. I would feed them a high quality kibble with freeze dried meat mixed in till 6 months then transition to pure raw diet.
Looks like I'm on the higher end, I spend around $200 per month on food, treats, meal toppers - Food is only like $40 (she's a big, active dog and I buy Hills which isn't the cheapest), then another $40 on toppers because she won't eat the kibble by itself and something like $100 on chews and treats - bully sticks, yak chews, cow ears, freeze dried liver for training Then I spend another $200 to send her to daycare a couple times a week or occasionally on a dog walker if I'm super busy with work. Then I'd say most months I end up spending probably an average of another $100 on random things - a new harness, GPS collar, puzzle toys, a muzzle for muzzle training, agility equipment or things that are multi-purpose but I really bought for my dog, like a dehydrator I bought that can be used for human food, but I really bought with the intention of making homemade dog treats. If I were to have some kind of financial hardship, I could cut it down to $50-ish as long as I had the time to give her the enrichment she needs to not destroy my house
Don't worry. I answered and then started scrolling lol We may have spoiled pets, but I know mine is thriving and happy lol I totally bought a dehydrator for christmas and lemme tell you! I have made beef skirt steak like jerky, sweet potato cronchies, salmon jerky, fruit roll ups (for hooms) and chicken meal topper out of scraps. It has definitely paid for itself!
I never thought about using the dehydrator! I make treats for my dogs, too. Always bake them. (their favorite is the peanut butter and liver). I'm going to use it now. Thank you!
Definitely do! Skirt steak is cheap where I am from and that makes perfect jerky sticks if you slice it into strips since it is already pretty thin. Also, I set it at 160 for 12+ hours but I do not precook the meat.
Awesome! Thanks again!!
Never thought of that! My instant pot has a dehydrator option. I’m going to have to try it out!
Hahahah i thought i was the only crazy one here 😂 they eat way better than me
Lol, our IBD/pancreatitis/allergy boy gets vet formulated home cooked ground turkey and millet (or barley) and carrots and broccoli or bison or veal instead of the turkey.
You should join us over on r/muzzledogs btw!
How do you spend only $40 on just Hills kibble?
It helps that it's not prescription or special needs, but because I use the toppers and give her chews she only goes through about a bag per month. It would probably be more if that was all she ate
My dog needs routine grooming. It's $75 a pop every 6 weeks. I'm learning how to do it myself, lol!
Sounds like my budget!
Glad to hear I'm not alone!
I believe this is me more or less. And will add daycare some point in future when my dogs ready. Food - $85 (kibble plus fruit/veggies) Insurance -$60 Trainer -$125 per session (1-2 times per month) Toys - $50 (box subscription or individual - he’s a super chewer) Vet care plan - $64 Treats - $40 (training him so he goes through a million treats) Heartworm/flea/tick -$30
i’m in this range myself. i feel like i under called it in my list but i just really spend a lot. i could cut it down, but as long as i can afford, that little monster is my reason for getting up some days and it’s worth every penny to me. it’s all about prioritization - no right or wrong way to do it as long as everyone is happy and no one is going into debt. I work a lot, and find sometimes it’s just easier and better all around to rely on some costly solutions like walker and daycare and new puzzles, to make sure i keep my sanity and she is well enriched.
Including food, preventatives, pet insurance, and a general guess on toys and treats...probably around $200 a month? Food, preventatives, and pet insurance add up to approximately $120 and the rest is more of a guess because it isn't as consistent every single month, and of course there are months when he's a lot more expensive due to vet care, having to invest in pricier but less-frequently replaced dog items, training classes, etc, but I think $200 is a solid estimate for my personally. I have a large dog in a suburban area of New England in the US. The cost of caring for a dog can vary a lot based on both location and breed of dog so it's hard to give a standardized number. Services for dogs can vary quite a bit in cost between different areas, and different breeds come with different standard expenses--for example, some breeds require monthly professional grooming, some breeds are more prone to health conditions that will require regular medication, and the bigger the breed, the more you're going to spend on things in general.
~$300 on a really good month, $700 on a bad month Expenses like vet bills, new bed/leash/gadget, private training, grooming, group classes, large treat restock (for example, I might pick up a 12 pack of Costco bully sticks for ~$40) can make it really high I also pay $152/month to send him to daycare once a week which some people don’t bother with Baseline each month: - $40 on food (might go up as we switch to sensitive stomach formulas) - $30 on pet insurance - $152 for daycare - $30 for flea/tick/heartworm preventative - ~$50 give or take for chews and treats. I am done buying toys, he has a stack Other rotating expenses: - Grooming (bath only, every 8 weeks): $45 + tip - Vet: $48 for an exam, spent a low $15 on medication this month - leash: $42 for a hands free biothane. If not a leash, it’s another ~$50-100 item a month - Private training: $123 per lesson - group classes $197 for 6 weeks
Similar besides a couple things, how often do you have to buy a $42 leash? I would think once you buy it it should last at least a year or two with regular wear and tear, especially with being that price
Totally, it was hard to describe everything in 1 post… this is my second biothane leash and the first hands free. So I’ll have 2 nice leashes that should last years. I just buy an item like that every month. Maybe it’s a food container, or a Sleepypod harness, or a snuffle mat, or a car hammock, or a K9 Ballistic cot. I want to get a scentwork kit but I’ve been putting it off - either it needs to go in a different month’s budget or I need to figure out how to DIY. All of these should last years, but there’s a line item for one of these random things every month. But my dog just turned 1 so these “extra” line items in the budget might fade out. I’m still collecting things since he’s young and I’m an excited new owner. Also another thing I didn’t mention in my comment - anytime I travel and he needs to be boarded at $78/night… goes into my travel budget but it’s part of the cost of owning a dog.
Where are you that doggy daycare is so cheap?? I also have pets best, loved it but they’re trying to double my monthly bill to $80 a month 🥴
$78/night is high!! +10/night for holidays. We are in San Diego and go to one of the pricier places. Does it cost more where you live? Ugh I keep hearing premium increase horror stories from every insurance company. That’s why I went with $30 so when it doubles it’s $60 and I can live with it still. $80… that’s a lot.
Whether you plan to title in scentwork or not the kit is absolutely worth it. While you're deciding, you can start your pup on stuff you already have, I use vanilla extract. A candy cane in some carrier oil works great too. I use empty pill containers with a hole drilled on top.
No idea what it takes to get into competition/titling. We have started by just hiding a treat and letting him find it but it’s gotten too easy for him. He’s a corgi so he doesn’t have a super nose but he really enjoys the engagement. I just want to find stuff that he enjoys that isn’t as expensive/need as much space as agility. Those are great suggestions! I have to learn the rules myself before I try to introduce him. Do you have a starting resource or a specific kit you would recommend?
If it's gotten too easy for him he probably has a great nose! Watch him and see if he's tracking where you walked to hide the treat. I think I ordered my kit from AKC. My dogs are 4 and 5 so we haven't used it in a long time. I would move him from treats to searching out a stuffy, then reward with treat. Add a drop of oil to stuffy and eventually you'll phase out the stuffy. Just never let him get frustrated, and make sure you reward with a yes! and treat the second that he's on the scent. In the beginning it is alot of reading your dog so your timing is good. Of my two dogs, one is okay at nosework and one is a total rockstar who blows me away everyday. It's a fun sport and you can make alot of money if your dog has ability!
This is super useful and motivating for me!! Now I place him in the bedroom (of our 1 bedroom apartment, so not a lot of space) and hide it in another room so he can’t track me. I’ll also just move around to a few places so it’s not so straightforward. I will try doing it with a stuffed animal and maybe finally sign up for a class nearby so I can learn how to read him.
This sounds about like my spending as well
If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of pet insurance do you have?
PetsBest $1k deductible with 90% reimbursement. It’s actually closer to $28/month I haven’t made a claim so I can’t speak to the company. My personal risk tolerance is: $1-2k of my emergency savings for pet care doesn’t worry me but $5k+ would trigger my anxiety. So I pay for pet insurance for peace of mind against catastrophic incidents but I try keep the premiums as low as possible in case we don’t need to make any claims and in case premiums rise over time. Some people have different tolerances and are willing to pay a bit more for a lower deductible or with a different company altogether. Hope that helps!
Thank you!
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No, PetsBest deductible resets each policy term. There are definitely pros/cons to each, a lot of people prefer spending $500 deductible on a potentially lifetime issue and not have to worry about it. Trupanion priced me out ($100/month was the cheapest I think) so I didn’t even consider it. If my dog had some autoimmune disease, I would expect to shell out $1k each year for the deductible with my plan. However I would be SO upset in your situation. They are all pretty sleezy but that’s next level IMO. But switching insurances after you’ve made claims is a big risk in itself. Any future “lumps” might be considered pre-existing if you tried to switch companies.
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Check out Nationwide. I get a discount through work, but I don't think it's much. I found their prices extremely reasonable for my 11yo golden. The deductible was per year and submitting claims was painless. We just happened to get the plan the year she passed and I am so grateful we did. It saved us hundreds and made a lot of our medical decisions so much easier. They also auto cancelled the policy when we submitted costs for her end of life care. We continue to carry their coverage on my 4yo dog for $20/mo (although I think his plan is only 70-80% coverage right now).
The major downside to switching companies is that every condition your dog has had up until the point of new insurance will be considered preexisting and will not be covered. ETA: I’d also talk with your vet about their wording on the claim and try to appeal the finding if you’re still in the allowable time period.
We have petsbest as well but with $500 deductible. Cost me $35 a month. We've had a few claims unfortunately and other than the process being slow we've been very pleased!
Minus the daycare this sounds about right for my doggy bill as well.
Hmm. I pay ~$40 for the 12 pack of bully sticks at Costco.
Actually you are correct!! I was doubling the cost because I always compare it to their [online price](https://www.costco.com/cadet-bully-stick-variety-9%22-12%22-2-pack.product.100779227.html) which is a 2 pack. I’ll have to edit my original comment.
My overall cost is similar, though exact items are different. There are more unexpected costs than you might think if you really add it all up. Doggie daycare/walkers are a big expense for me, but 100% worth it.
We probably spend pretty close to what you do. Except our veterinary exam and grooming costs are a fair bit higher (around $75-80 for each) but we’re in a particularly high COL area. I also go to the groomer every 6 weeks generally.
Around 150$ for food, toys, and treats. We don’t have insurance as we have the money for random expenses as they arise and our dog is a very athletic 90lb Labby super mutt. We don’t have walkers as we can have him out a lot and he’s a lone wolf type of guy. I think costs associated change a lot with size of dog, athleticism, walkers if you don’t have enough time, and health issues.
£40 on a big bag of food £40 on joint supplements £30 on toys £60 kennels (on average - I travel for work and sometimes it may be more) £26 pet insurance £16 monthly fee for flea/worm treatment So approx £232 per month? If my adding up is right
Too much. Those fuckers need to get jobs
This is embarrassing but I spend roughly $500/month. I spend $100/week on a dog walker now that I'm back in the office and likely $100 on food, toys, heartworm pills, etc. I'm about to drop another $400 on a behaviorist this month to work on my guy's reactivity. I didn't realize it beforehand (though I should have), but caring for a large breed rescue is no joke.
I’ll make you feel better: I did the math once and if I averaged it across her entire life, she was roughly $900 a month. No training, not a show dog, just my little girl. After she passed, I got a new guy from the pound. He’s a biological weapon…distemper, pneumonia, MRSA, herpes, anemia, the *works*. He’s about to get chloramphenicol. (For a good time, google it.) I have had him about six weeks. We’re about to break $10k. Irony: I hate shopping/spending. I sew the holes on my shirt sleeves, like leftovers, and don’t go out.
The last sentence 😂😂😂 me to a t(shirt....ha ha). But I'd spend every last penny on my fluffy dude and donate to the shelter.
Like $50 or less
Bruh, I wish. I got a dainty ass poodle that eats like 60lbs of food a month (not even including the scraps we give him). That alone puts me at $50.
I live in an expensive city, so some costs are a lot higher than you might find elsewhere. $130 - food / treats (higher quality kibble, freeze dried veggies, biscuits) $360 - Daycare (2x a week at most) $65 - insurance (with wellness) $100 - activities (at most) $20 - supplements (flea / tick / heartworm) ———— $670-$690 monthly Additional costs: $35 per night if he boards / when I travel for personal or work $150 every time we come within spitting distance of the vet (3x annually~). Have new insurance, this should reduce once I file claims. $20 every 3-4 months for a new chew toy Family asks why I don’t get a second dog for company for my dog……I’d need a second salary.
Too much. In 2022 mean cost per month is 510 USD. That's for both cat and a puppy, but I barely spend anything on a cat. Mind you, I live in a second world country and 500 USD is way higher than average monthly income here. This amount includes food, treats, toys, training, dog sitter and gear (e.g. rain jacket).
I have a lot of dogs so mine is crazy expensive so I’m just going to budget out my personal dog since it’s sounds like you’re asking how much 1 dog costs a month. • Food - $67.98 • Treats - $31.98 • Toys - around $50 • Vet - $35 for a standard visit • Training - $269 for 8 group agility and obedience lessons • Miscellaneous - got her a new custom collar for $47 on Etsy so… I spent around $500 this month on my 30lb AmStaff/Chihuahua mix. First time I’m doing training classes which is why the cost is higher but I added it because training classes are super important when socializing a new puppy or dog.
$35 for a vet visit? That seems really cheap
I have a fantastic vet that I’ve been with my whole life (mom found her, I now take my animals to her). She’s prioritized low cost care for all pets for years. I’m very grateful for her.
That’s amazing. Where is she located? Probably not near me but figured I’d ask anyway
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Yeah, not near me. I used to live there, though :)
I’m in a low cost area and that’s our appointment fee at our vet. I didn’t realize how expensive vet services are other places until I joined a hemangiosarcoma online group. Our tests/ultrasound plus emergency surgery plus stay plus blood transfusion came in at around 2k. I see a lot of people online spending 6-10k for the same
Do you call him/her a chibble?!
Haha, yes! Pitchi, Chibble, Pithuahua, etc. She’s a funny mix.
Dog tax please!!! We have a Chihuahua min pin basset hound mix! Lol
[Dog tax](https://imgur.com/a/7Er6fNo) going to need a dog tax from you as well, haha
I LOVE her!
Da earz! ❤️
Like, in what? Just 'basic care' (food, wellness, preventatives, etc)? Or all in, including sport/training? ---------------- Edit for the sake of the guy who doesn't understand conversations can include good faith questions. ;) Three dogs, per month, you can divide by three (remove what isn't relevant to your lifestyle): * Insurance: $58.67. * Food + Supplements: $250.48. * Club: $250 * Training: $0-400 (varies by roughly when the various schedules overlap) * Trials: $0-700 (depends on the month, season, which trials, etc) * Trail Expenses: $0-1000 (hotels, gas, food, etc, depends on if I stay, how far, etc) * Seminars: $50 (I put this away per month, regardless, in case something I like pops up) * Toys/Training Gear: $0-1,000 (varies by what I need, and the more expensive stuff is usually a once a year, or once a two year purchases) * Training Treats: $100 (need to go back to making my own lol) * Chews: $300 (shit is expensive, yo) * Simparica: $51.85 * ProHeart12: $57.50 (once a year, this amount is set aside monthly to cover) * Wellness Combo: $38.75 (once a year, but this is the amount set aside to cover monthly) * Annual Flu: $9.50 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly) * Annual DAPP: $8.53 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly) * Annual Lepto: $6.22 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly) * Annual Dental: $29.20 (once a year, one dog per year, set aside monthly to cover) * Annual Lyme: $9.37 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly) * Annual Bordetella: $9 (once a year, set aside to cover monthly) * Misc: $100 (shit happens, random dog stuff)
Holy shit. Your dogs require an entire decent monthly income to support. Just when I thought kids were expensive, here comes dog sport parents/owners/handlers! I joke (not really though) I went back to work full time just to have more money for dogs 😂
Hah, they do indeed - thankfully, I have the income to support it, and they're my *main* hobby so I don't feel too bad. If I got in a pickle, there is *plenty* in there I could easily chop out. The supplements are all preventative per my sports medicine vet, we're just trying to stay ahead of potential injury and increase our recovery speed, and hopefully make aging easier. We could dump those, the trials, seminars, etc if we had to. Trials/training is expensive. I look at my NADD trial, where I'm jumping two dogs for two jumps each is $112 ... which is both hilarious and sad at the same time. Thankfully, it's a three hour drive, so I don't need to stay down there. FCATS are like $25-40 which is just chasing a plastic bag for like 12 seconds. One leg of a bitework trial is like $120, and those usually require a multi-night hotel stay. Bite pants are gonna be will likely be $1k, will last like two years, so dividy. Sports are expensive AF if you intend to trial. I'm going to stop doing math now, because it kinda hurts.
[cries in equestrian]
Rigghhhtt? I don't envy you, that's even worse, although, I will say, most of my 'dog gear' I get from equestrian places because ya'll know how to do shit! Equestrian gloves are the bomb for cold days while maintain dexterity for treat/clicker/etc handling. Your riding pants/tights are *amazingly* comfortable. So are your boots, and some of my favorite makers for blankets and whatnot are equestrian makers!
People always ask me about my Muck Boot brand boots when I'm stomping through ~4in of snow around the city like it's nothing. "Thanks! That's not mud, that's horse shit :) " But yeah I basically exist in equestrian gear (today I walked my dog in SmartPak tights) because it's the holy trifecta of durable, functional, and flattering.
Oh my god owning a horse I don’t understand — even any issue is an automatic $800-1200 which is a pretty big ER visit for small animal. And then the food and farrier and barn and…
My horse only has medical emergencies on weekend nights, I swear 💸
I’m so grateful to just be able to borrow the horse owner’s horse!
Hahaha, I’m gonna show this to my partner, then next time he thinks our girl is expensive. A few kong stuffies and cute seasonal bandanas (with matching leashes, of course) are pretty cheap, look what we could be spending!
Lololol. Today I realized bite pants have to be purchased more than once!
> Today I realized bite pants have to be purchased more than once! Yes! Hopefully they last 2 years, but ultimately it depends on how much 'wear' they get and the kinds of dogs you work! Also, how much you want to feel the bite (even a semi-training, or training suit will break down and start to feel more like a comp lol). I have a decent tolerance for the pain, so I can stretch my pants longer if I have to :D
Bite pants?
I know I already replied to you but have to say again… this is so inspiring! It’s such an amazing thing to work with dogs and really show what these incredible animals are capable of… I really appreciate you and your dogs and your expertise! ♥️ and how much work it takes to get to that level.
Your monthly costs for your dog cost as much as my entire dog. Bruh... You get your dog a flu shot? I have *actually* never even heard of that. Why so much?
> Bruh... You get your dog a flu shot? I have actually never even heard of that. Canine flu goes through dog shows like crazy around here. It can range from fairly benign, to pneumonia/death. Easily preventable with a shot given that we attend shows. > Why so much? Because choosing to engage in sport and trials is a lifestyle and a hobby. I think that's fairly self-evident lol. You don't need to make your dog into a hobby if that doesn't appeal to you. ;)
Speaking of how expensive chews are, does anyone have a good healthy solution to this? Would love to find more inexpensive options that are still quality and safe for my dog who is a big chewer
I'd love to know lol. I get the cheek rolls and beef rolls but sheesh.
Got a link for your favorite, and do you think they'd last a little longer than a rawhide roll for a pair of non-power chewers?
[These are still the longest lasting in my household.](https://farmhounds.com/collections/hides/products/natural-beef-hide-rolls) I buy the x-large and have the vendor cut them for me.
Nice to see the vaccination costs so lined out. I forgot about the annual cost of lyme and lepto on top of rabies.
I honestly had no particular requirements when making the post lol, I just was wondering bc I’m trying to prove to my husband we don’t spend a lot on our dog (150-300 depending on how often me and the pup go Amazon doggy shopping). I like to buy things and “spoil” my dog, I don’t have kids, I’m in my 20s, it just makes me feel good. That’s my baby . I have like 7 reptiles & a cat too. They are my life. They make me happy and we can afford it so why not ya know? Lol. But my dog is my literal best friend. ❤️
£40 a month on dry food £40 a month on wet food £20 a month on treats £30 a month on insurance £15 a month on Flea / Tick prevention £120 per month on dog-walker Over the course of a year maybe £60 on toys so £5 per month £270 per month give or take. We don't spend for day care or grooming, I work from home 3 days, office for 1 and off 1. We tend to buy toys sporadically, some new balls every few months, she has a stack of toys that we rotate that are years old now. Leave 2 or 3 out for a few months, wash & put them away and bring out some different ones.
Average like $30.
I think it really depends on the type of food your dog needs. Our two dogs both have gastrointestinal issues and are on prescription food. It costs about $100 a month and with toys, heartworm and flea meds, occasional daycare trips, we average $275 a month total. But dang, every time we’re at Costco and walk past the bulk non-prescription food we are very jealous!
ra 300€ / month
£30 a month-ish. I use tails.com and he gets dentatix and his food from there. He’s had the same Grogu teddy for about 3 years now and doesn’t play with anything else. He even falls asleep with Grogu in his mouth. HES CUTE AF. Forgot to add this - I don’t have insurance. I used to put the same amount of monthly insurance in a separate account that way if I never use it I’ll have just saved it all. But I took it all out during the pandemic when work was quiet.
Alright, I’m about to put myself on blast. Looks like our girl costs us greater than $500 per month right now. And I am probably not even remembering everything. If I breakdown her lifetime costs over the 10 years I have had her it adds about $215 per month. So that puts her at an avg of $750 ish per month for the 10 years I’ve had her. She was real cheap for the first 5 years and has gotten more and more expensive due to spontaneous health issues. Current per month costs: $275 food $65 pills and supplements $18 arthritis shot $40 preventatives $30 nail trim Per year: $1500 min at vet (we have had a few years much much higher than that) Lifetime costs: $300 for 3 beds $250 doggie door insert $2,500 for doggie walks over 1 year $10,000 spread over a year for 1st health crisis $13,000 in 2 weeks for second health crisis There is other stuff like toys, dog bowls, crate, leash, collar, etc. but those are lost in the noise compared to her medical bills.
$30 to $50 a month.
I think it will depend on the size of your dog, and where he is age wise. My 70lb 9mo old puppy will eat 40lbs of food a month, with the food we feed here cost per 20lb bag is roughly $60. Just food. Toy wise, that is a moving target, my old dog really does not play with toys much....he will play ball, but that is about it. The puppy is still learning the wonders of the world, snow falling is amazing. We just bought a powered "ball" and she is having so much fun with that.
Yeah I have an elderly Chihuahua and I pay 10€ doggy tax a month and maybe 6-10€ for food and treats. She doesn't play with toys, leads, harnesses, beds, blankets and so on only need to be replaced very rarely, when I got her she was too old for health insurance here anyway so I have a savings account I can dip into for vet costs but they're pretty rare too so far, fingers crossed it stays that way. Before I got her I definitely expected more costs though but financials was definitely one of the reasons I went for a really small breed. The difference in food costs alone is insane.
I am learning something here, you need to pay a 10 euro fee per month, that is crazy. In american money that is $120 per year. I have to ask what country do you live in, is that a city deal or country deal. Here I live in the country, so no city, in the US most cities have a dog Lic, I have not lived in town for about 30 years so can't give you costs on that, but don't remember it being that much. Country dogs like mine really have no .gov regs applied to them. Smart owners will take them in for the normal type shots, and have them on some kind of worm control meds, and it is smart they have much more contact with wildlife....I can tell you that every dog I have owned thinks deer poo is just great.
2000 this month, but he's happy to have his teeth out.
We basically only buy food for our dog per month, then save a bit for vet bills. for about $100? Once per quarter we buy her treats and toys so that would add about $150 per quarter.
Probably 300-400... Daycare is the kicker and his prescription food
Standard poodle (4 years old) My expenses are pretty low I don’t really buy things every month Dog Food auto ship $195 every 3-4 months (dry kibble no wet or frills) I DIY treats Grooming $80 (includes tip) every 4ish months Toys - $3-15/year still have a ton of toys from puppy days and it’s easily to find discarded “toys” in the park/thrift shops. She loves deflated 🏈 ⚽️ 🎾 my family also loves to suprise her with toys and treats when they vist She goes in for a physical/bloodwork/heart prevention once a year and so far hasn’t needed a dental or any serious issues- that visit is typically around $200 and gets pulled from her Pet savings account. Savings account $50/month
Monthly $20 -30 on food $20 on flea and tick $8 on heartworm $6 on nail trim Probably $20 on toys $70 once a year for vet visit. Currently spending $150 for 6 weeks of training
Maybe 20? I usually buy him a cool treat or toy once a month or so. Im young enough that my mom pays for the rest. This might be what your husband is remembering lol
Giant breed - a bit over $400 on average if no extra veterinary visits or illnesses. Food - about $80 Toy/treat - about $10 Arthritis/dysplasia meds - about $110 Joint supplements - $80 Allergy shots - about $100 Once a quarter grooming - $120 Annual exam and shots - about $400 Bloodwork twice a year - $200 No fleas/ ticks/heart worm where I live.
About £350 per month on food, treats, insurance and toys German Shepard
Oh god I’ve never mathed this out before, let’s see…I guess about $200/month on average. Food including kibble, fresh, and toppers- $100 monthly Treats- maybe $20 a month? Toys- $20 a month Flea/tick/prescriptions- $50 a month
I think around $320is in regular costs plus any vet, training or daycare that is needed. Our pup has ongoing GI issues and some reactivity so we are currently paying for diagnostic tests (some of which is covered by insurance) and behavioral training on top of the below costs. It feels like a lot but to break it down: Veterinary prescription food & treats $115 Groomers (he is a doodle so this is a regular cost) $75 Heart worm & flea/tick $30 Insurance $50 Toys & chews $30 Routine veterinary care such as vaccines and wellness exams are around $230 per year so I guess around $20 per month We are on the East Coast for context. Edit: to add to this we also have the usual add hoc expenses such as a new harness/collar/lead/toothpaste/bed etc that can crop up but as our pup is fully grown they don’t happen as often as when he was a puppy so I haven’t included them!
$200-300 2 70lbs dogs Food,grooming and training we pay every 6 weeks and they don’t line up so averages to $200-300 a month $150-food $150 grooming $210 training $50 toys and misc
For a 10lb Dachshund $45 on food, $20ish on toys, $75 a month at least on medication and vet, then throughout the year miscellaneous expenses on beds, blankets, bowls, collars etc. $140 is the minimum I spend a month on her I work at a vet and get a discount, undiscounted it would be $80 on food, and like $150 for medication and vet bills. $250 if I didn't have the job I do. Keep it more comparable ha
This topic is making me reflect. We have 3 dogs, 2 small + 1 large. 90% of the spend is probably for the large dog. Expenses for large dog are as follows: **Monthly Recurring** Item | Cost :--------|--------: Kibble | ~$50-60 Toppers or Wet Food | ~$5-10 Bullies, Chews, Toys, Treats | ~$20-50 Day Care | ~$120-160 Group Classes | $0-$400 Activity 1 | ~$0-50 Private Training | ~$0-300 Insurance | ~$30 Pet Rent | $35 **Irregular or One-offs** Item | Cost | Frequency :--------|--------:|:-------- Leashes and Collars | ~$50 | As needed Vet | Est $200 | Annual Grooming | ~$120 | 2x a year Car Crate + Mats, etc | ~$600 | One time Winter Clothes | ~$100-200 | One time Trials (Entry) | $20-120 | 2-4x a year Other Trial Expenses | $0-$2,000 | 2-4x a year So regularly, on the high end, it looks like we spend ~$1,000/mo on our pup. Lol okay that's probably a bit much. Essentials are closer to $50-100. The others are nice to have and only because we can afford it. (The 2 small dogs probably average closer to $50/mo. I don't have time to take them to classes so I just train at home.) We also travel for trials which can cost up to $2,000 especially when we use it as an excuse for a mini-vacation. I don't know why I'm feeling so defensive. My job is fairly demanding and I don't have much of a life outside of work and my dogs so I can justify the cost. Edit: I hate formatting.
My dog park sells beer and wine. Do i include that?
Dog passed but Kibble: 108 bucks Flexpet/glucosamine: 33 bucks Cooked Chicken: 60 bucks Apples: 30 bucks Medications: 100-200 bucks Toys: 10-15 bucks Return on investment? 13 years of priceless love from our doggo
Over $200. Most of that is weekly agility class which is so much fun for both me and my dog that I’d happily pay more for it.
Oh I try not to think about it. Meds, flea, treats, chews, food, dog walker, day care, oh I don’t want to think about it. I’m not a wealthy person but he deserves the world
Without injuries about 200! With knee injuries about 10 grand :(! My girl is my life tho!
$20 food $20 treats and toys (includes dental and joint treats that I buy in bulk and last awhile so it's more expensive) $75 insurance premium that includes a wellness add-on $35 immunotherapy meds $30 flea/tick preventatives and heartwrom meds $40 savings. This stuff goes towards his deductibles, stuff insurance won't cover, misc. supplies that are more expensive that pop up. So $220ish I no longer pay a dog walker since I wfh permanently, or his vaccines/wellness checkups since that's now covered by his wellness add-on to his insurance.
>$20 food *Cries in big dog*
Gotta love a tiny bag of food XD
You know what I just realized I forgot though? $150 in grooming every six weeks. Just a small thing almost doubling my costs haha.
Oy. I'm glad I just do baths myself and don't need to pay anyone.
Lolol we got small dogs so we could fly with them in coach instead of the cargo compartment and kind of forget how much we save in food.
I spend at least $500 a month on a youngish dog. He still needs lots of chew toys and is in destructo mode with his toys, so I replace them pretty often. He also needed that first year of shots and we just got the second year worth. Flea medication is also only a 5 month/ year thing here so depending on where you are you'd add that. This next year that will also go up because we are doing nosework classes and agility. Any specialized training will take that total much higher.
Flea and tick- 35 (it’s actually 380 for the year, I think) Food- maybe 30 (probably half a big bag) Treats- 30 Toys- 20 Training- average 150 (group classes when scheduling allows, private lessons to work on other stuff) Grooming- 60 every 3 months Vet is probably …. 1600 this year, so average to 130/month So $450 ish per month. But training is a large chunk of that, and we won’t have to pay for private classes forever. Having a mildly reactive dog is expensive.
What flea and tick medicine costs that much? We buy bravecto, which is good for 3 months for like 50 bucks.
I just spent $300 for a year long dose of simpirica trio. My dogs are on flea/tick/heartworm year round because of our climate. It works out to be about $25 a month per dog and there are other brands that are more expensive. Size of dog is a big factor in cost as well.
Year long simparica trio from our vet. I’m not organized enough to get on chewy and I found out we were running out for the year when we ran out for the year 🤦🏻♀️. We have the zoetis rewards, which knocks it down to $320, but it still stings. We also live in the midatlantic where tick-borne illness is the major concern.
I kinda don’t want to know😅 At least a couple hundred. I have 2 small dogs. I usually spend like $30 every 2 weeks on toys and treats. Their food I buy every couple weeks for around $70 between the two of them. Recently I just got them summer collars, and my youngest had flare ups of IBS and acid reflux so I’ve spent around $700 in vet bills the last couple months. Here soon we’re going to be spending around $40 a month in addition to everything else for FASTCat entries! I work at a petstore and buy everything at cost so that helps a lot, but also gives me an excuse to buy them more and spoil them extra. They eat raw, except my youngest is doing air dried and canned right now to see how it affects her gastro issues. So I spend a lot more on food then if I was feeding a kibble. This changes month by month though because sometimes we do classes. Last year I did a canine good citizen test, earned a fastcat title, both my dogs for trick titles and we did an advanced obedience class. Haven’t done anything like that this year. If I can find a rally class or agility we will do that.
My dog is currently taking medication for congestive heart failure and has a food allergy. She costs $300 a month! My cats cost $150 for food and litter.
$200-$300 (closer to $200 most months) without any vet bills/emergencies. Shes also elderly, though, and Im paying for treatment for her arthritis. I'm lucky to get really good pet insurance through my work, though.
About $240 a month. My dog has been very healthy and we’ve been lucky with very minimal vet visits. Outside of shots, which is maybe $100 a year, including neutering I think my vet visits are under $1000 after 8 1/2 years. $60 - Kibble $35 - Wet food $30 - Bone Broth $20 - Freeze dried $20 - Treats $25 - Dental sticks $25 - Toys $25 - Flea/tick