Many people underestimate the responsibility of pet ownership and the cost of proper pet care. Sure you can have a pet with low funds, but, in my opinion, that pet would likely not get what it needs. They’d probably get the worst food, be left in the yard, be a terror around the house due to no training, have poor health, and probably have a shorter life span due to the high cost of vet care that one may not be able to afford. Yes many people’s answer to a vet bill is, “I can’t afford it so put the dog down.” That is terrible, right?
Even though many may not have the funds to offer the absolute best care there are ways to still provide great care for the pets that need homes, it just may require a bit of creative effort. For example, if you can’t afford top quality pet food, there are natural ingredients you may have around your home that you can add to your pets food to enhance it and make healthier contributions for a healthier pet. 
When you make the decision to get a new pet, I encourage you to think about why you are getting the pet and whether you fully understand the responsibility and kind of care this pet will require. While many choose pets for the wrong reasons, we, of course, take on pets because we love animals, we want companionship, and we want something furry and cute in our home that connects us to nature. However, one important reason should be that we want to enjoy providing a lifetime of love and care for a deserving animal. We enjoy seeing the fulfillment this animal gets by being a part of our family.
Here is a list of expenses to consider when shoosing a new pet:
Vet Care: Annual checkups and necessary vaccines or titer testing. $30- $100
Emergency Vet Care: Create a savings. (These things happen, so it’s best to prepared.)
Grooming: Some dogs need professional monthly grooming in order to stay healthy. This can run from $30-$100.
Pet Sitter/Dog Walker: When you are away for the day or on long vacations, who watches over the dog? This could cost $20-$100 a day.
Training: Every dog needs at least the basics, but most dogs need to overcome naughty, even dangerous behaviors. Professional good training can cost $500- $4,000.
Food: If you want a healthy dog and avoid vet care as much as possible, stick to the best diet you can afford; the more natural, the better. Kibble isn’t necessarily the best, but even high quality kibble can cost $50-$80 a bag.
Accessories: Dog crates, collars and leashes, pet toys, beds, brushes, medications, etc. are all items you will want to have and replace as time goes on.
Pet Fee: While you may adopt a pet for $100-$300, a breeder may charge upwards of $3,000.
Licensing: Yearly charges can cost on average $30.
While this is a very thorough list of pet expenses, things may vary depending on the breed type or the individuals needs. I must also mention that if you are only considering the initial cost of acquiring a pet, I recommend that you reconsider. As noted above, there is much more involved than the acquisition cost.
In addition, I encourage you to make this a family decision. Be sure that all are on board to care for this new family member. As a family, determine whose responsibility it will be to look after the pet and its associated daily tasks. Save yourself some heartache and come to an agreement beforehand that this will be a family effort. Leaving the responsibility to one person can likely cause stress to the family. A pet is part of the entire family.
I hope this article has been helpful in allowing you to understand the expenses and overall responsibility that comes with getting your new pet.
For any comments or questions please reach out! We are here to help make your pets life the best life!
Email: chloe@rooteddogtraining.com or rdtteam@rooteddogtraining.com
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