Costs Of Owning An Adult Dog
While the cost of owning a dog for the first year is fairly expensive, the list includes a lot of one-time expenditures like adoption fees, crates and sterilization surgery. What will your dog budget look like after that first year?
In general, providing your dog with the basics costs between $50 to $300 a month and averages around $800 a year when you factor in veterinary services. But there’s a lot of variability in these expenses, and the costs go up as your dog ages from an adult to senior. Let’s breakdown and explain these costs:
How much is dog food and how much can you expect your dog to eat every month? It’s hard to generalize about dog food and feeding regimens, because:
Since most owners opt for kibble, let’s make some rough estimates on how much food different sized dogs typically eat daily and over the course of a month. A pound of kibble works out to roughly 4 cups of food (highly variable!), so you can see why the annual cost of food has such a wide range:
Adult Dog Size and Weight
Amount of Kibble per day
Total Monthly Consumption
Adult Dog Size and Weight
Amount of Kibble per day
Total Monthly Consumption
Adult Dog Size and Weight
Amount of Kibble per day
Total Monthly Consumption
Adult Dog Size and Weight
Amount of Kibble per day
Total Monthly Consumption
Adult Dog Size and Weight
Amount of Kibble per day
Total Monthly Consumption
How much you need to spend on things like dog toys, clothes and bedding will really just depend on your dog and how destructive they are with their possessions. You’ll likely need to replace your old dog beds every few years and older, arthritic dogs may need therapeutic mattresses.
Very short-haired breeds often wear jackets or sweaters to stay warm in the wintertime, so clothing can be an essential need for some dogs. I also recommend replacing your dog’s collar once a year, so budget at least $15 to $30 a year for that.
Expect to spend around $500 to $800 a year on preventive veterinary care for the typical adult dog, which usually includes an exam, bloodwork (including heartworm test and a fecal exam) and any needed vaccinations. Senior dogs 7 years and older usually need twice-yearly exams, so you’ll want to budget for that, too.
To avoid problems with parasites, you’ll want to use a good flea/tick/heartworm preventative or a combination of meds, which usually costs around $15 to $30 a month or $180 to $360 a year. Don’t skip the flea control! You could easily end up spending twice the money to treat a skin infection if your dog starts scratching.
Most cost calculators skip budgeting for any kind of dental care, so don’t make this mistake. The single best way to prevent expensive extractions and the health problems related to dental diseases, like heart and kidney problems, is to care for your dog’s teeth at home AND pay for annual dental cleanings!
Brushing your dog’s teeth and using water additives/dental treats really does reduce plaque build-up, gum disease and tooth loss. Dental care costs around $15 to $30 a month depending on the products you use. Routine dental cleanings run between $350 and $500 a year if no problems are found.
Your costs for baths, grooming and nail trims depends on your dog’s breed and how comfortable you are doing them at home or at your local dog wash station. At a minimum, dogs need their nails trimmed back every 2 to 4 weeks, so if you aren’t into DIY be sure to budget for that monthly expense.
For professional grooming services, you can expect to spend from $30 to over $100 per session depending on your dog’s size and breed, and most need it every 4 to 6 weeks. You can always invest in a pair of clippers and watch YouTube tutorials to learn how to groom your dog at home.
There’s plenty of things to do with your dog once they’ve mastered basic obedience, so consider spending $30 to $100 a month for advanced obedience or to have your dog become a Canine Good Citizen. You could start your active puppy in flyball or tracking classes, or learn to run an obstacle course!
The average family travels away from home at least two weekends a year, so you may need to hire a pet sitter or send your dog to a boarding kennel at times. Pet sitters usually charge around $25 to $50 a day, while kennels run $50 to $75 a day on average.
It can be hard to manage an active dog at times, so many owners rely on dog walkers and doggy daycare for exercise and socialization. These costs can quickly add up and get very expensive if you use them daily. Expect to spend around $1 per minute for walks and up to $40 a day for daycare.
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Can You Afford To Own A Dog?
There’s nothing as exciting as adding a new dog to your family, but before you start browsing adoption sites you need to be sure you’ve got the financial side covered.
As a veterinary technician, I’ve found that there are essentially three types of expenses you’ll need to prepare for if you want to properly care for a dog:
Let’s take a detailed look at the essential and miscellaneous canine care expenses and estimate how much it costs to have a dog per year. I’ll also pass on some tips for emergency planning, so you’ll be prepared for whatever happens down the line!
Caring For Your Senior Dog
Canine companionship may be a priceless gift, but the actual cost of owning a dog is higher than you might suspect. Whether you’re looking to get your first puppy or plan on adding another dog to your pack, let’s take a look at the common and overlooked expenses and break down the average cost of a dog per year!