Veterinary Care:
It’s important to take your puppy for their first veterinary visit shortly after bringing them home. This first visit should kick off the annual exams that occur throughout your dog’s life. The average cost of veterinary care for your puppy during their first year ranges from $100 to $500. It includes the core vaccinations they’ll need, like canine parvovirus, canine hepatitis, and rabies.
You can save a few dollars on office fees by taking advantage of the AKC Veterinary Network Certificate Program, which provides a complimentary vet visit for dogs newly registered or listed with the American Kennel Club.
What Is the Average Cost of a Puppy?
Credit: Grace Canaan
The upfront costs of bringing home a dog range from $1,050 to $4,480, according to a report by Rover.com. “Puppies are generally more expensive since they require more vet visits than adult dogs do,” says Nicole Ellis, CPDT-KA and member of the Rover.com Dog People Panel. “They may also go through toys faster and have accidents that require cleaning and washing.”
After the first year, you can expect the ongoing annual cost of having a dog to range from $480 to $3,470 per dog, states the report. The cost varies depending on a number of factors like your location and lifestyle and your pets individual needs.
For The Breeder:
Every breeder should have a working knowledge about the positives and negatives potential sires and dams bring to the breeding arena. Breeding should never be undertaken lightly or without a thorough knowledge of the Breed Standard and how each litter considered will improve the conformation, health and temperament of the subsequent puppies and therefore, the breed itself. The idea behind each and every litter a reputable breeder produces is to IMPROVE THE BREED.
That said, it should be noted that this form can be most useful for the “new breeder” who is interested in beginning a journey towards excellence, eventually establishing a reputation of note for their efforts and the quality of their dogs. It does so by outlining a range of potential expenses, giving pause for the new breeder to consider all necessary options where an intended breeding is concerned. It has the added advantage of providing, for the well established breeder, an overview they may not have considered previously. In both instances it shows breeders what kind of an investment theyre realistically looking at with any decision to breed a litter.
How To Care For a Litter of Puppies? | Dalmatian puppies
We all expect to save and set aside money for big expenses, like a new car or the down payment on a house. But, what many of us don’t consider, when we’re oohing-and-ahhhing over that adorable new puppy, is the actual cost of dog ownership.
It’s important to take into account how much of your budget will go toward caring for your dog over its lifetime. It may not be as much as college tuition, but it’s not pocket change either. A study conducted in the United Kingdom found that virtually all pet owners (98 percent) drastically underestimated the lifetime cost of owning a pet.
Of course, the companionship and bond between dog and human is priceless. But if you fail to map out the extent of the expenses you’ll incur, an unforeseen expense may have you choosing between caring for your dog and keeping the lights on. In short, owning a dog is a big investment.
Most sources calculate the cost of dog ownership by the size of the dog. According to an article in “Money,” the lifetime costs are as follows:
“Forbes” put the costs of dog ownership at quite a bit higher. Including all possible expenses, they estimate the lifetime cost of a dog to be anywhere from $17,650 a year to a staggering $93,520, depending on size, breed, and services required.
Health: Routine vet visits, once or twice a year, including wellness checkups, vaccines, lab tests, and dental care could cost between $700-$1,500 a year, depending on your dog and where you live. This doesn’t include emergencies or medications your vet may prescribe.
Grooming: This depends a great deal on the breed. A Basenji, for example, almost keeps himself clean and requires very little in the way of grooming. A Maltese, on the other hand, may require expensive, professional grooming. Grooming your dog at home can run as low as a one-time $25 brush purchase to as much as $1,400 per year for frequent professional grooming.
Food: Whether you feed supermarket dry food or a raw food diet, costs can run from about $120 per year to as much as $900 per year.
Toys and treats: For some dogs, an old tennis ball and a sock are the best toys in the world. But most pet owners don’t stop there. In fact, as of 2016, dog owners were spending between $35-$250 per year just on toys and treats.
Then there’s licensing, collars, leashes, crates, training, supplements, dog walkers, and emergency vet fees, which Forbes took into account when coming up with its heart-stopping numbers.
Move over, Baby Boomers. Millennials have more pets than you do. In fact, 57 percent of millennial households own a pet and the generation is 77 percent more likely than other generations to get a pet before they marry or have children. Millennials even tie the purchase of a home to their pets. One-third of millennials, which is the largest group of home buyers, buy a new home to have more space or a better yard for their dog. This age group also spends more on their dogs, with purchases of pet care items, toys, treats, and vet visits.
From that expensive toy you couldn’t resist to dog park licenses, a dog-sitter, limited-ingredient diets and all of the ordinary expenses, the cost of dog ownership adds up. Be prepared to forego a few treats for yourself, and sock some money away to cover any eventualities that come along with owning a dog. After all, you not only love and care for your canine BFF, you’re also responsible for him every day of his life. https://www.akc.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php Get Your Free AKC eBook
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