What Does A Dog Cost?

Are you faced with the decision to take in a dog? Then you should not only consider which breed suits you best or how much space and time you have available for the animal, but also what it costs to buy a dog. 

Before you decide to buy or adopt a dog, you should consider the cost of doing so. There are ongoing costs for feed, vet, insurance and other needs that should be considered from the start. In today’s article we are looking into the question of what a dog  costs. Read on to learn more about it. 

What does a dog cost?

Are you faced with the decision to take in a dog? Then you should not only consider which breed suits you best or how much space and time you have available for the animal, but also what it costs to buy a dog  . 

If you want to give a living being a home, you have to be aware of the responsibility and plan in advance certain expenses in order to be able to meet the needs of the animal. Not everyone can actually afford a dog.

If you want to give your four-legged friend optimal conditions, you have to  expect certain expenses: food, vet, vaccinations, toys or other expenses. 

We then take a look at what exactly a dog costs so that you can take this into account before you bring an animal to your home.

Initial cost

A pedigree dog is of course more expensive than a dog from the animal shelter, but both initially have different costs for things that your four-legged friend needs to feel comfortable at home:

• You need a dog bed in which your animal friend can relax. The price varies greatly depending on the model and version. With a little skill, you can even make a comfortable dog bed yourself. The purchase of a dog basket or a dog corner costs between 30 and 80 euros.

• Collars, harnesses and leashes are also available at different prices. When you buy or adopt a puppy, you will usually need 3 different sizes before the animal reaches adulthood. In any case, you have to calculate 50 euros for this. Even when the dog is adult, the harness and leash have to be replaced from time to time.
• You can estimate about 20 euros for drinking and feeding bowls.
• Puppies from reputable providers are usually already chipped. If this is not the case, however, you have to reckon with around 30 euros.
• The veterinary visit is very important in the beginning to ensure the general health of the dog. You should have around 150 euros ready for the vet for the initial examination, initial vaccinations and deworming. You may also have to reckon with the cost of sterilization or castration.

• The dog grooming equipment, such as harrow, brush or comb, costs around 30 euros.
• You also have to calculate around 30 euros for dog toys.

What does the dog food cost?

Dog food is one of the ongoing expenses. There are no surprises here, you can calculate the costs exactly depending on the breed, age and size. The expenses will be constant every month, except when your dog needs special food due to illness.

Small dog breeds consume around 6 kg of balanced dog food per month, larger breeds around 15 kg. You have to calculate with 40 to 80 euros per month. However, there are significant price differences depending on the feed brand and quality.

Don’t forget, however, that good quality pays off,  as you will have to go to the vet less often with a healthy diet.

Veterinary costs

The expenses for the veterinarian are also part of the running costs. The vaccinations have to be renewed regularly  and minor (and with increasing age) complaints can occur.

The recommended vaccination schedule for puppies is as follows :

• Parvovirus at 5 weeks of age
• Combination vaccination (with or without leptospirosis, coronavirus) at 6 and 8 weeks
• Rabies at 12 weeks of age
• Combination vaccination (with leptospirosis, coronavirus, Lyme borreliosis) between the 12th and 16th week of life
• Adult animals: rabies and combination vaccination (with leptospirosis, coronavirus, Lyme borreliosis)

The 8-fold combination vaccination with rabies vaccination costs around 50 euros. The 7-fold combination vaccination without rabies costs around 40 euros. A rabies vaccination alone costs around 30 euros.

Annual vaccinations cost around 30 to 50 euros,  but diseases that suddenly appear and require specific treatments are very expensive. With the right preventive care you can prevent many diseases, but there can always be surprises. You should therefore consider surgery insurance, which can cost around 10 to 15 euros per month.

In addition to the vaccinations, the animal must be regularly dewormed and freed from parasites. 

• Internal deworming using special tablets
• External release from parasites by spray, pipette, collar or other products.

For deworming and protection against parasites, around 40 to 80 euros must be estimated annually. The exact cost depends not only on the methods and brands chosen, but also on the dog’s size and weight.

In total, you should definitely plan 150 to 200 euros per year for the vet.

Hygiene, hairdresser, toys

You don’t necessarily have to spend money on hygiene, hairdressing and toys, but  from time to time it is quite useful to have the dog groomed by an expert who can also properly cut the claws and clean the eyes and ears properly. A visit to the dog groomer costs between 30 and 40 euros, depending on hair length, size and service.

Other costs

• The amount of dog tax and liability insurance depends on the location and breed. You have to do some research about it first. The costs can be between 20 and 200 euros.

• If you don’t have enough time for your dog yourself, you may need a dog sitter. If you can’t take your pet with you on vacation, you’ll need to find a kennel. Here you have to charge 30 euros per day in any case.
• If you attend a dog school or a dog club, you have to expect additional monthly costs. Find out what this costs in your area.
• Possible additional costs are car accessories for the dog, dog clothes, replacements for items from the basic equipment (brushes, dog bed, etc.), care products (shampoo, eye solution, etc.), damage caused by the dog (by nibbling on furniture, damage in the garden, etc.).

As you can see, you have to expect a variety of expenses if you want to take a  dog with you. Some of these costs are just beginning, but many are monthly. Don’t forget that medical expenses will increase as you get older. The larger the breed, the higher the cost.

Keeping a pet takes a lot of responsibility, time and money. Therefore, think carefully about whether you can afford this before you take the animal in with you.

Source cover picture: NAPARAZZI