Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Duppers

(28,094 posts)
Sat May 5, 2018, 01:42 PM May 2018

How much does your dog cost you yearly?

Hubs and I estimate our big Lab (very recently inherited another one) easily costs us ~$2800 yearly. This amt includes Vet bills , food, meds, and boarding but the area we live in is expensive...and our girl eats a lot and hates traveling so we have to board her. And now we've just doubled this amt.

(Btw, ever Google the cost of raising a child? )

I think this site low-balls the amount a bit: https://www.moneyunder30.com/the-true-cost-of-pet-ownership



20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
How much does your dog cost you yearly? (Original Post) Duppers May 2018 OP
You're right blue cat May 2018 #1
Our Lab is addicted to rawhide chewies! Duppers May 2018 #2
Be careful. Too much of the rawhide chews can cause gastrointestinal problems tblue37 May 2018 #19
Thank you... Duppers May 2018 #20
You can't measure the value of a pet by its "cost." PSPS May 2018 #3
NOPE! get the red out May 2018 #18
$120 a year for dog food? Runningdawg May 2018 #4
Right. catrose May 2018 #9
Never added it up. Yonnie3 May 2018 #5
Indeed. Duppers May 2018 #8
Thanks Yonnie3 May 2018 #10
Far less than the love I get in return..... Glamrock May 2018 #6
My feelings too! Duppers May 2018 #7
Yep yep! Glamrock May 2018 #11
It's my fav that you've posted. Duppers May 2018 #12
Ha ha ! I wish!! LakeArenal May 2018 #13
That's cool Duppers May 2018 #14
A 12 year old Weimaraner named Ace... LakeArenal May 2018 #15
I'd do the same. Duppers May 2018 #16
I don't dare add it all up Boomer May 2018 #17

blue cat

(2,415 posts)
1. You're right
Sat May 5, 2018, 01:46 PM
May 2018

They always seem to low-ball yearly costs of pets.
Nobody told me how much chews would cost.
And now they can do so much more at the vet office, like dental X-rays $160!?!?

Duppers

(28,094 posts)
2. Our Lab is addicted to rawhide chewies!
Sat May 5, 2018, 01:53 PM
May 2018

Goes thru them too quickly and yep, they are costly.

But she's worth it to us. Less costly and easier to deal with than our son.

Dental xrays, wow. Glad we've not run into that problem....yet.

Thanks!


tblue37

(64,982 posts)
19. Be careful. Too much of the rawhide chews can cause gastrointestinal problems
Wed May 9, 2018, 12:39 AM
May 2018

in some dogs, and if the dog swallows a too large piece, he can choke.

https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/rawhide-good-or-bad-for-your-dog#1

Duppers

(28,094 posts)
20. Thank you...
Wed May 9, 2018, 02:19 AM
May 2018

I read about that yrs ago and try to limit our big girl to just so many a day.

Some dogs chew everything, like people smoking or chewing gum a lot; she's one of those. Chewed up everything she could find when she was a kid. Our other Lab can take the chewies or leave them...and he's not a food hog either. However, if we let Missy eat everything she wanted, she'd be up to 140lbs and so fat she couldn't move. Ogee will eat the amt he wants and walk away from his dish. Not her. I have to put his food away to keep her from cleaning his plate. But she's the sweetest "piggy."


get the red out

(13,459 posts)
18. NOPE!
Mon May 7, 2018, 10:17 AM
May 2018

Never. It would probably cost quite a bit to bury my depression suffering ass if I didn't have my dogs.

Runningdawg

(4,496 posts)
4. $120 a year for dog food?
Sat May 5, 2018, 02:17 PM
May 2018

Must be one tiny dog....
We have always used the SPCA spay and neuter clinic. Prices are based on income. Together with immunizations the cat cost $14, the male dog cost $32 and the female $50. Both weigh @ 50lbs. Chips are $25 extra. Everybody got one.
Now I know a lot of people are going to go OMG I would never use a clinic like that. I used to think that too, until a friend became a Vet student. He assured us the care was just as good as a $$$ vet the only difference being the time it took to perform the procedures. I have used the service for 25 years and never once had an issue.
Our biggest expenditure is chew toys. Both our dogs are pits and can destroy a Kong in less than an hour. We finally discovered Nylabone X-tra toys and they last @ 1 month and cost 15-25$ each.

Yonnie3

(17,376 posts)
5. Never added it up.
Sat May 5, 2018, 02:25 PM
May 2018

I was just thinking about how to pay for the 2 to 3 thousand dollar surgery our little man needs to relieve his pain and get him on all fours again. I happy to say that I have it figured it out. Without good credit I would not be able to help him right away.

Some will say it is wrong to think of the costs, but you need to be able to take good care of them.

Duppers

(28,094 posts)
8. Indeed.
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:12 PM
May 2018

A good friend (another DUer) is facing $3500 operation for one of her 3 GPs.

But they are sooo worth it.

Good luck with your kid's operation.

Yonnie3

(17,376 posts)
10. Thanks
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:37 PM
May 2018

It's been stressful. Two years ago vet makes diagnosis and says knee not bad enough for surgery. Surgeon now says it would have been much better to fix it back then. Surgeon then says significant heart murmur so got to do cardiologist first. Two weeks waiting and find out heart is good. We have yet to schedule operation and still need labs done before.

ETA His 6.6 pounds are ready for most anything. It's his humans who worry.

Duppers

(28,094 posts)
7. My feelings too!
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:07 PM
May 2018

Perfectly said.

When we applied to rescue our Lab, this was a question on the application: how much do you expect your dog to cost you yearly? Guess they'd had dogs returned because they couldn't afford them.

And when I read Le Gaucher's post about wanting a dog, I wondered if he had to factor in costs and if other folks' pups are nearly as expensive our kid - and she is our KID.

You cannot put a price on such love.

Thanks, Glam rock.

Glamrock

(11,781 posts)
11. Yep yep!
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:48 PM
May 2018

You can see the love in that photo. From both sides. One of my favorite pics of the mighty Zeppelin ( and not just because I'm in it! LOL!)

LakeArenal

(28,729 posts)
13. Ha ha ! I wish!!
Sat May 5, 2018, 05:15 PM
May 2018

Maybe food..maybe.
My bestie has a floor bed, a car bed, a porch bed, He sleeps on the couch or the regular beds. Here’s his newest bed.


LakeArenal

(28,729 posts)
15. A 12 year old Weimaraner named Ace...
Sat May 5, 2018, 05:50 PM
May 2018

Arthritic.. Can't go down steps anymore, can never find a comfortable spot either..

But, he's our bestie. Whatever gives his sore bones some rest.. I'll try.

Boomer

(4,159 posts)
17. I don't dare add it all up
Sun May 6, 2018, 09:06 AM
May 2018

Food and vet bills are just the most visible expenses. There's grooming sessions, paper towels (so many paper towels), torn sheets and blankets, laundry soap for the stuff that survives, durable toys and not-so-durable toys that need to be replaced again, and then there is general breakage.

Just this year we replaced every single rug in the house. Because dogs.

There are huge pits in the backyard that constantly have to be filled in. Because dogs.

There are vacations we never take. Because dogs.

Oddly enough, we're still quite happy. Because dogs.


Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Pets»How much does your dog co...