You’ve done your homework, you’ve read the books, scoured the internet, spoke to owners and scrolled through Pinterest for those weird and wonderful fashion accessories for furry friends!
Taking on a new dog is a hugely exciting time that deserves celebrating. However, now that you’ve made this decision before you choose your forever pet, it’s worth ensuring that you start as you mean to go on financially.
Initial Cost of Purchasing Your Dog
There’s no denying that purchasing a dog from a breeder can be extremely costly. However, if you’re planning on getting a healthy dog, and of course a specific breed, you will most likely be looking to make your purchase from a reputable breeder.
For the more designer of dogs or crossbreeds, figures can run into almost four figures! For example, a Labradoodle cost is more than likely going to be more, than say, a mixed breed dog.
More so, if the dog you’re after has been overwhelmingly popular in recent years, this will affect the prices at the time you shop for that specific breed.
Vital Early Day Costs:
Once you have that new bundle of fluff in your arms, you will need to look at essential additional costs such as:
- Microchipping – This should be done before you walk away from your breeder as it registers you as its legal owner.
- Vaccinations – Your dog will need several injections at different stages during its first weeks alone.
- Worming Treatments – Puppies will need to be wormed at regular intervals in the first few weeks, and then all dogs should be routinely wormed afterward.
- Flea treatments – Unfortunately, there’s no getting away from this one, particularly if you don’t want a flea infested home!
It is strongly recommended that you consider these costs alongside the initial purchase of your dog. This is because they are the most vital services which though add up in the very early stages, they offer the highest levels of protection to ensure you get your relationship off to the best start.
Pet Insurance Plans:
Though many a dog owner has a different view on pet plans, there’s no doubt that having some form of backup plan, should your pet fall ill or become involved in an accident, gives you peace of mind.
Many pet plans will also protect you legally should your dog ever bite another person or cause destruction to other people’s property.
Pet insurance is all determined by varying factors including breed, whether it’s spayed or neutered, if your pet has a microchip and how old and what the state of their medical condition currently is. Therefore, all insurance plans vary significantly.
Food:
A good responsible dog owner will know that a dog cannot just get by on a cheap tin of meat each day! In fact, when you spend so much money bringing a furry friend into your home, you’ll want to make sure they have the best you can buy them – and this certainly applies to their food choices!
Most dogs prefer a combination of meat and biscuits with some getting through 3 meals a day! Some of the best brands aren’t cheap when it comes to purchasing from their product ranges, but the best food that you can feed them ensures they remain healthier and active for the long-term, meaning reduced costly trips to the vets!
Grooming:
Though it’s possible to groom some breeds yourself, if you have a particular breed, you may need to have it professionally groomed every few weeks.
Again, dependent entirely on your breed, grooming can become a considerable expense, especially if you’ve a breed that is more prone to matting and needs the whole works to keep it in tip-top condition.
It’s worth remembering that almost all dogs will need their nails clipping from time to time as well, and this should always be done by a professional or someone who can perform such a task with confidence.
Vacationing:
Finally, it’s not always top of people’s lists when they begin looking for a dog, but it’s certainly worth stopping to think ahead of what will happen to your pet during vacation time.
If you’re planning on taking them with you, you’ll need to look at transportation fees, mainly if it involves flying or traveling to another country.
Additionally, if you know that where you vacation will not be suitable for your dog, you will need to get an idea of what boarding kennels or perhaps dog sitting services will cost you each time you holiday.