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$400 of Pet Supplies, and Other Surprise Costs of Adopting a Puppy

Caila Ball for The Billfold
Posted on Aug 14, 2012

Check out another great post from our friends at The Billfold:

It is common knowledge that children are financial drains (should I sound more enthusiastic about the prospect of child rearing now that I’m knocking on 30’s door?).

For those of us who have only just graduated from “plant killing” to “at least a dog barks to remind you it needs water” level of responsibility, it’s worth an examination of the real costs of owning a puppy.

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There are a lot of bare minimum costs listed on the web when you Google (as I did), “yearly cost of dog ownership,” but having just been through the first three months, let me tell you that these costs are grossly underestimated.

Websites have the costs ranging between $500 and $1,000 for the first year. We have spent $1,756 in the first three months.

Here is a real play-by-play of the starter and maintenance costs of your brand new best friend.

The One-Off Costs

First Month Vet Bills/Shots

The first stop after getting a dog out of a dumpster is taking your lovable little flea bag directly to the vet. Our first round of shots/deworming and six-month supply of flea medicine cost $209.19 with a follow up round of booster shots three weeks later: $94.
Total: $303.19

Your First Trip to the Pet Supplies Store

I am a fairly frugal individual, and have the blessing of a PetSmart on my corner that has deals galore on the dog essentials, but that first trip to the pet store certainly adds up. Please note that I could have spent more, and probably would have if my boyfriend would admit dog galoshes are adorable. Purchases: crate, travel crate, bed, collar, harness, leash, dog tag/engraving, bowls, baby gates (2), Natures Miracle spray, dog wipes, poop bags, poop bag holder, back yard fencing, a bag of treats and a couple toys.
Total: $285.27, plus $124.47 the next day in items we, as first time dog parents, apparently forgot: $409.74

Training Class

For first time dog parents, at least, this was necessary. Sitting, staying, and not peeing on the floor do not come free.
Total: $109

If you are lucky, your rescue puppy comes pre-spayed/neutered and pre-micro chipped. If you literally took the little sucker out of a dumpster, add this (and the cone of shame) to your list of expenses.
Total: $259.36

(Note: It was not until after the $113.75 pre-neutering/microchipping appointment that we opted to invest in the monthly puppy insurance, which would have covered this cost. I’m still keeping this cost in, as most first-time dog-parents will, at some point, overlap unnecessary costs).

The “Non-Essential” Shots and Medications

With further surveying, I’m sure I could create a graph that shows the direct relationship between people who rescue puppies, and people who say “yes” to anything a vet recommends to keep said rescue puppy happy, healthy and comfortable. This includes the “non-essential” shots.

While I never get a flu shot—or anything similarly smart and preventative—the dog got all the heart worm and tick preventative shots. Even with the recently purchased pet insurance, we still added in some costs here. When you add in the “non-essential” anti-inflammatory shot that is intended to prevent the adverse reactions from the other “non-essential” shots, it adds up.
Total: $147.12

Total “Starter” Costs: $1,228.41

 

Our Recurring Monthly Costs:

Puppy Insurance (Yes, I’m Serious)

There is a very good chance that this is like that Travelocity trip insurance that no one ever gets, but the vet sold us. Once the puppy turns into a dog, the dog insurance costs the same (with just a slightly less cute name).
Cost: $39.95/month

The Food

When my doctor recommends to me that I start eating organic produce and taking a daily vitamin, I nod, file that information away, and hit up a fast food joint on my way home from my check up. When my vet recommends one of the more expensive varieties of dog food, I don’t ask questions (and when I do some research after grumbling about my doggy expenses later, I actually tend to agree with him).
Cost: $30/month

The Treats

While not bare necessities, you really do need these to train your dog to do anything (unless you are Cesar Millan).
Cost:  $20/month

The Toys

Again, not bare necessities, but spending money on chew toys does a bundle to save money on ripped up couches, clothing and shoes. These are not one-off costs because the lifespan of most toys that come into our house is about a month.
Cost: $20/month

Get Caila’s total puppy costs at The Billfold!

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  • Cc11782n

    I absolutely have to agree with you! I feel like I’m reading my own puppy stories all over again. We have an 8-month old Pembroke Welsh Corgi pup, and let me tell you, we love him, but that little monster is expensive. In addition to all the expenses you have for your dog so far, we had 2 trips to the ER vet (which will charge you an arm and a leg, but puppys always get into something they shouldnt and get sick on Sundays, don’t they?) plus, 3 or 4 follow up trips to the vet for those ER visits. Most recently, our little guy was limping around and we just found out he has a benign growth on his foot that will need to be surgically removed (if not, he’ll keep limping and it’ll keep getting infected) to the tune of close to $500. Emergency fund? Decimated. We love him, but if we were given the choice whether we would get a dog again or not, knowing all of this, and at the place we are in our lives right now trying to save, we would definitely not do it.

  • mambopoet

    Depending on the breed of the puppy, you  might do well to start getting in the habit of brushing their teeth now.  My 4 year old chihuahua just went in for a dental cleaning, and aside from the pure horror I felt worrying about her being under anesthesia, they had to remove 5 teeth. This is in addition to the 7 she had removed two years ago.  I’ve gotten into the habit of brushing her teeth a few times a week (or wiping them down with gauze as is also recommended) but now it’s going to have to become a daily thing if I want to help her keep her remaining teeth as long as possible.  All that aside, between pre-op blood work, the procedure, and extraction fees, II spent about $300 in all for this.  I go to the Humane Society in my city so that keeps costs down and I recommend that to anyone who wants to give their fur babies quality care at a reasonable costs.  Keeping up with these types of traits certain breeds carry from the start can help keep costs down. Regardless, the love you have and get from your dog is worth any amount, in my mind!  

  • Knycks1

    Go into your petsmart and join the Banfield plan, It’s about $30/mo and covers all the vets visits, vaccines and (one) blood work-up a year. It’s been quite a savings for us.

  • Yalus

    I have a new pup, and the first day I got her, she ended up eating cat food, because I didn’t have any dog food in my house.  She plays with the cat’s toys, and I think the most expensive thing I had to buy was definitely the crate.  Overall I think I have spend less than 700 dollars, including the vaccines, because I take her to the SPCA. It is very affordable and convenient. I’ve spend 97 dollars to get her spayed, and that included the pain medicine, and the E-collar.  I think it depends how much you want to spend for the puppy.  I am very drifty when it comes to my pets. They are going to grow out of it or destroy it, so I go to walmart for their toys and collars. I would say the thing I spend more money in is the food, which I am planning on cooking their own food, which it will cost less than 10 dollar to do that, and last for a long time. 

  • Heather

    I just wanted to say that heartworm prevention is NOT “non-essential!”  As a vet, if I could afford only one thing for my dog or cat it would be heartworm prevention.  These parasites are deadly, are often present without signs of illness, and many times are not diagnosed until there is irreversible damage to the heart.  Not to mention that the monthly tablet or topical liquid also prevents several intestinal parasites that can be transmitted to you (including one that is the number one cause of blindness in children in the world).  From the sound of this article, it seems like maybe you didn’t really know what you were getting or why…for example, tick prevention doesn’t come as a shot and only one type of heartworm preventions does (as opposed to almost a dozen brands of tablets/chews/topicals, meaning most people don’t get it as a shot), not to mention the fact that your vet let you leave thinking that parasite prevention is optional!  For a first time pet owner, I would highly recommend arriving at your vet’s office with a list of questions/concerns, and taking notes as he/she explains things to you so that you can be sure to remember key points.  These things are second nature to me, but it can be a lot to remember for someone who is new at it!

  • Roloff

    My pup slept in a laundry basket with old towels in it. Last time I checked a thrift store, the basket was $1 and the towels would have been about $2 for four. Dogs mostly want to sleep with YOU, in my experience. So it’s tough to make them attach to any dog bed. She certainly doesn’t need a special dog bed. If your pup grows huge, buy a used crib mattress and cover it. If you need to raise it off the ground or floor, go to Home Depot and buy a clean 4×4 (not the treated wood, it’s toxic), have it cut to make a rectangle and screw a piece of plywood to it for a platform. Towels or mattress or a few used, clean blankets in a couple of big pillow cases – all this works well and is thrifty.

    Toys are a whole other place to save BIG. My shelter dog didn’t even know what a toy was. It took a couple of months to help her develop a sense of fun. When she did begin to chase and nibble a knotted washcloth and crumpled balls of paper, I went to the thrift shop and purchased a huge BAG of small stuffed toys for $3. Roughly 120 toys. Dogs like little nibbly bits – like eyes. Watch that the pup isn’t eating anything bad but don’t hover. I give her 2-3 new toys every few days and rotate them. She began to show attachment to them, taking them to her bed and creating a couple of stashes – one under my computer desk, where she has a pillow, and out in the back yard, where she has spots marked by “her” towels. We’re doing a bit of construction out there so I want her occupied and out of the way. She had severe separation anxiety at first so a used baby playpen was a good play area. 

    Any time I want to save money on dog accessories, I check out the baby sections at thrift stores and craigslist. An X-pen that will corral a huge Dane isn’t necessary for my little terrier. A baby pen is just fine. She can see me, she has a place that’s safe and her toys are there, along with a water dish. I doubt I’ve spent $20 total on this type of thing.

    In general, my advice is to figure that medical care is a super high priority but a lot of the pup’s needs center on attention from YOU. Expensive toys and fancy dishes are for YOU too! The dog will happily drink from a puddle and play with a stick they found outside somewhere. Don’t spend hundreds on frippery. Look around for used baby gear.