How to Budget For Your New Dog

A dog is a man’s best friend. However, that friendship can be quite costly at times. Many people cannot resist puppies and dogs at pet stores. They always look cute, cuddly and in need of a real home. It is only after you buy them that you begin to realise the enormous costs and responsibilities that come with having a dog. You might even start thinking twice about keeping the dog as soon as the expenses of taking care of the dog begin to take a toll on you and your finances.

The best and most responsible way for you to take care of your dog is to develop a good budget plan. This budget plan needs to take care of all the pet supplies the dog will need and how you will meet these supply costs over a given period. I have prepared ten easy steps to help you prepare a budget plan for your new family member.

First Step
Negotiate the price of the dog you have in mind. Remember that the price of the dog makes up the bulk of the overall budget for the dog. If you buy a dog at an exaggerated price then you may fail to meet some other expenses for the same dog. This is because an exaggerated price will start eating into the budget leaving little for other expenses.
The price of most dogs ranges from about $50-1000. The actual price depends on the dog’s breed. You should try to buy your dog at the lowest possible price, even free if it is possible.

Second Step
You should budget for a preliminary medical examination for your dog. It is highly recommended that you take your dog to the vet before taking it home. The cost of preliminary medical examinations for dogs varies but it normally costs no more than $70.
You should also be prepared to pay for your dog’s neutering or spaying if your dog has not undergone any one of them. This may cost you around $200.

 
Third Step
Find a good source of cheap pet supplies. These supplies should include a collar, a bowl, a kennel or crate and a leash among other things. You should pamper your dog as much as possible. However, the normal cost of supplies for a happy and well-pampered dog is usually $200. This amount is more than enough for the all the necessities that a dog should have.

Fourth Step
Choose a suitable kind of food for your dog. You can choose to feed your dog either moist food or dry food. Dry food is generally less expensive than moist food. You should also be prepared to buy food depending on the size of your dog. This is because large size dogs eat more food than their smaller counterparts do. With these factors in mind the cost of a dog’s food can lie anywhere between $100-500 annually.

Fifth Step
Provide your dog with enjoyable but relatively inexpensive toys. Your annual budget for a dog’s toy should be anywhere between $45 and $75 a year. You should also take note of the fact that larger dogs usually require bigger toys that are much more expensive than normal toys for dogs.
Though toys are avoidable expenses, they are nonetheless important. Providing your dog with toys makes its life more and more enjoyable each day.

Sixth Step
Prepare a budget for your dog’s ongoing medical needs. These needs include checkups for fleas, diseases and worms in addition to vaccinations when necessary. These medical needs average at around $200-250 annually.

Seventh Step
Prepare for miscellaneous expenses. Unanticipated medical costs usually account for the bulk of these miscellaneous expenses. These expenses can include as much as $2000-3000 in vet bills or as much as $5000 in vet surgery.

Eighth Step
Prepare for the necessary costs to groom your dog. This grooming should include nail trims, dental care and regular baths. Grooming at the salon can cost you anywhere from $250 to $400 annually while grooming your dog at home almost costs nothing more than a bottle of shampoo.

Ninth Step
Prepare for the expenses that come with travelling with your dog on the road. You can leave your dog with a friend anytime you travel of you can cough up about $300 to $700 annually to put up your dog in a kennel whenever you travel for an average of fourteen days in a year.

Tenth Step
Prepare for how your dog will have his leisurely walk every day. You could pay someone to walk your dog. This may cost you about $15-20 per half hour or you could do it yourselves if you have the time to do so.

About the Author: Grace is a free lance writer who is always on the look out to save money, and enjoys sharing her knowledge. She was inspired to write this article after her daughter decided she wanted a puppy, and she saw the need to budget for this next adventure. She wants to thank Lovemypet.com for helping her find cheap pet supplies for their new addition. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends.