What is the Average Monthly Cost of Owning a Dog?
Are you trying to learn about the average monthly cost of owning a dog? How about pet statistics that you need to know? If yes, you should check out our guide by scrolling below.
According to the 2019-2020 National Pet Owners Survey, 85 million families own a pet, with 63.4 million households owning a dog.
Having a pet of any kind can be beneficial for your health. But many people believe that dogs can help with all manners of improving your physical and mental health. But pets cost money to keep, and dogs are no exception to this.
Keep reading to discover how much have a furry friend will cost you, including the monthly cost of owning a dog.
Can I Afford a Dog?
When thinking about getting a dog, many people forget to consider the costs involved. The cost of keeping a dog is more than just buying him/her food and paying the initial cost for the puppy or rescue dog.
There are various estimations about the overall cost of a dog during its lifetime. Some people believe that smaller dogs cost around $15,000 and have an average life expectancy of 15 years. Medium-sized dogs cost around $15,500 and have an average life expectancy of 13 years. While larger dogs have an average life expectancy of 10 years and could cost you around $14,500.
Let’s look at the potential costs involved in owning a dog to help you see if getting a dog is right for you.
1. Cost of the Dog
The first cost of getting a dog is paying for him or her. You might be looking at getting a puppy and wondering why are dogs so expensive. If this is the case then you might want to consider getting a rescue dog from your local area and giving him or her a new home.
Puppies can be very expensive, depending on their breed and how popular that breed currently is. Other things that might drive up the cost of your new dog is the dog’s breeding history and how rare the dog’s breed is.
Buying a puppy could cost you anywhere between $500 to $3,000. While rehoming a dog from a rescue shelter could cost you between $50 and $150.
If you do choose to get a puppy, you also need to think about the costs of vaccinations and veterinary appointments that he/she will need. These could cost anywhere between $50 to $300 on the first vet visit. Your puppy will also need to have regular trips to the vet until around 16 weeks for vaccinations and each visit can cost anywhere between $50 to $300.
2. Food and Treats
Another important cost is the food and treats that you get for your dog. You’ll want to make sure that your furry friend has high-quality food to eat, as this will be most beneficial to their health.
Monthly this could cost anywhere between $10 to $250 each month. You might also need to get special foods for your dog if they have dietary restrictions and these can cost a lot more.
3. Dog Accessories
Then you also need to think about the cost of dog accessories such as dog beds, toys, and leashes and collars. Dog beds can cost between $50 and $200, the better quality the bed the more durable it will be and this will help to reduce your costs.
Toys are essential for your dog as they help him/her exercise and engage with mental stimulation. During the course of a year, you could expect to spend anywhere between $25 and $150 on pet toys.
Then you have to buy leashes and collars for your dog. These can cost between $20 to $50 a year. However, they should last for several years, so long as your dog isn’t still growing and doesn’t try to chew them apart.
4. Vet Bills
How much does a vet visit cost is a very important question to ask before getting a dog. Vet bills can be costly but they are absolutely necessary to ensure your dog is healthy and happy.
A routine appointment should be made at least once, or twice, a year. These typically cost between $50 and $100 annually. Your dog might need to also go in for dental cleanings, these can cost anywhere between $300 and $800. However, teeth extractions and more complicated teeth cleaning can cost up to $3,000.
If your dog experiences health problems then you also need to think about how much this might cost you. For example, as dogs get older they sometimes develop problems with their joints and arthritis.
Vet bills can be costly and sometimes unexpected, which is why people choose to get insurance or pet plans for their dogs. To help spread out your dog’s monthly healthcare, have a look at the premier pet care plan.
5. Other Expenses
There are also several other expenses that can influence how much it will cost you to have a dog. For example, some dogs need to be regularly groomed and cleaned. Another example of a dog expense is the dog walking or doggy daycare costs. If you aren’t at home all the time then you’ll need to have someone who can walk and look after your dog for you, while you work.
You also might encounter emergency veterinary appointments, these can be very costly and start from around $500+. Chronic illness might be an unexpected cost that requires you to get your dog regular medicine.
Follow Our Guide on the Monthly Cost of Owning a Dog and See If You Can Afford a Furry Friend
Use our handy guide on the monthly cost of owning a dog and work out your own estimates as to whether you can afford a dog right now. Owning a dog can be very rewarding and the money you put into owning one will definitely pay off. However, make sure you work out other things about owning a dog too, such as can you give her or him enough time and exercise?
Have a look at some of our other articles for more informative and insightful articles.
