How Much Does it Cost to Have a Dog? - Guide to a Strict Budget

At some point, we all wanted a furry friend to whom we could offer our love and enter into the family. If you want to get a puppy but don't know the costs, we hope this article will help you. We'll give you all the information you need about how much it costs to care for a dog and what it means to raise it. The budget for a dog's maintenance varies depending on certain factors, such as breed, area, or lifestyle. You need to know that a puppy involves certain expenses for maintenance, needs, love and food, and other things to stay healthy.

The actual purchase

When you decide to take a puppy, you have several options. The cheapest of these is adoption, a relatively simple procedure. You go to a shelter, choose a puppy, do all the formalities on the same day, and it's done.

Another option is to search among the ads for sale posted on the dog ad sites. Either go to the "dogs" category and look at the ads posted by breeders or sellers or enter keywords in the search bar. Keywords may include race, waist, locality, etc. You will find the puppy you want.

The third option is to contact an authorized breeder of the breed you want or to visit the pet shop. This option is usually the most expensive but the safest.

How much does it cost to care for a dog, and what expenses should be considered?

Puppy food

It's the first thing you think about when it comes to costing a dog. It is very important to provide your dog with the best quality food. The amount of food differs mainly depending on the size of the dog, but also on the lifestyle or daily physical activity. Thus, in the case of small dogs, the annual cost is 100-200 dollars. Medium-sized dogs will consume 200-250 dollars of food annually, while the cost of feeding large dogs amounts to 300-400 dollars per year.

On the vet's recommendation, there may be expenses with special food to combat certain diseases, which can generate additional costs of up to 100 dollars per month.

Visits to the vet

Among the most important things to consider when considering how much it costs to maintain a dog are visits to the vet. They fall into two categories: regular visits and unannounced visits. In the case of regular visits, a complete package will take out of your pocket between $500 and $1,500 per year. These come from expenses for medical check-ups, vaccinations, dental health, or other more thorough investigations. To these are added the medicines needed to treat various ailments and those for prevention, antiparasitics, vitamins, and food supplements.

In the event of an emergency and the puppy requires specialized surgery, the costs start at $500 and can even reach $5,000, depending on the severity.

Toys for dogs

When you ask yourself how much it costs to care for a dog, you should consider buying puppy toys to stimulate your dog's attention and skills. Toys usually cost between $20 and $200 a year but may increase depending on the complexity of the toys. You can find out from our blog what toys dogs like.

Leash and collar

You may not have thought about such details when you wondered how much it costs to keep a dog, but these accessories come at a cost. They can cost between 20 and 50 dollars a year, including parasitic collars. However, with a little care, you can use the same collar and leash for a longer time.

Beauty sessions

Beauty salons for dogs have become increasingly popular. The cost of cosmetics depends on the type of fur and its length, the wishes of the owner, and the comfort of the puppy. If you plan to visit beauty salons frequently, keep in mind that you will have to spend between $50 and $500 a year. Now you can get an idea of how much it costs to keep a dog. However, these values are indicative and may differ depending on several factors. The quadruped needs to have everything he needs for a healthy and comfortable lifestyle. If you want to share other information with us, we look forward to writing to you in the comments section.