Talk to me about expenses involved in owning a small dog

[BlueTaelon]

I put down the deposit on an apt in the city today (yay! No more 1hr 15min commute each way!) and im thinking ahead, I want to get dd14 with ASD a companion animal which we know from past history she does really well with and it really helps her anxiety. We more or less babysat a dog for a month in the past and it taught me NO GSDs, especially with severe seperation anxiety. We will probably adopt from a shelter which means they come fixed, chipped, vaxed and their 1st vet visit with you. I will only agree to a small poodle type creature with real hair.

 

How often do dogs need to see the vet for check ups? Avg cost? Im assume dogs can get shots at a clinic type event like we did for our cats growing up. What about dog food? Anyone know if the costco stuff is gluten free? This dog will be in inside dog and totted all over with us when possible. Outside of leash, collar, harness, tags, bed, toys, boots and coat (gets sub zero in winter here with lots of snow) what else do they need?

 

 

I do plan to research breeds and such but just trying to get an inital feel if we can even afford a pet. My mom says we cant afford the vet bills but she also runs her animals to the vet for every little thing who is happy to run expensive tests. I mean she got our beloved male cat Bugsy a sex change when he kept having urinary issues, it was well over $1k 20 years ago. I dont think most pets need to visit as often as hers seem to.

[zoobie]

Pet deposits are often non-refundable. We were renting while selling a house in another area before we bought again, and our dog made it difficult to find rental properties even with excellent credit and offering to pay an extra month's rent.

 

-Crate

-Flea/tick/heartworm meds (IME, the stuff that is now OTC doesn't work well at all. I believe the Trifexis that ours are on runs around $225/year, not including vet visit for prescription or annual bloodwork.)

 

Vet costs vary widely by area. We just spent $300 last week getting one dog's leg x-rayed when she was limping badly. Last year it was $750+ on the visits for our new rescue's pneumonia after spending over $5000 on our 4 year old golden's sudden illness, hospitalization, and ultimate euthanasia.

 

I would take your mom's advice given she's familiar with costs in the area.

[Danestress]

It is a bit of a risk. Some dogs end up not costing much until they get older. I have my dog on heart worm and flea tick medication. Other than that, (and food) my only expenses really have been vaccinations and boardng fees. He has been very healthy for 7 year. My prior dog also had no medical costs to speak of until she was an older girl. We spent about $800 the last month of her life - vet fees, meds, testing and sadly, euthanasia.

 

But you sort of need some basic financial slush just in case. You never know of a dog will have a problem that requires some expenses and you need to be able to handle that. It would not feel good to forego treatment for an eye infection, for example, because you can't afford the medicatin or vet visit.

 

My adult son has an adorable puppy, and has already had some big unexpected expenses - a skin problem, an eye problem. None of it is stuff you would put a dog down over or want to get rid of a dog over, but he has ready spent several hundred on this that he did not foresee. So I would not get a dog without some room financially.

[QueenCat]

Minimum of once a year to the vet for required shots. That usually costs me around $250. Heartworm medicine and flea/tic is also a necessity, at about $300/year. Grooming will depend on exact breed. I spend $50, 4 times per year. Plus dog food. And unexpected injuries/illnesses. We usually have one per year.

[Ellie]

I put down the deposit on an apt in the city today (yay! No more 1hr 15min commute each way!) and im thinking ahead, I want to get dd14 with ASD a companion animal which we know from past history she does really well with and it really helps her anxiety. We more or less babysat a dog for a month in the past and it taught me NO GSDs, especially with severe separation anxiety. We will probably adopt from a shelter which means they come fixed, chipped, vaxed and their 1st vet visit with you. I will only agree to a small poodle type creature with real hair.

 

How often do dogs need to see the vet for check ups? Avg cost? Im assume dogs can get shots at a clinic type event like we did for our cats growing up. What about dog food? Anyone know if the costco stuff is gluten free? This dog will be in inside dog and totted all over with us when possible. Outside of leash, collar, harness, tags, bed, toys, boots and coat (gets sub zero in winter here with lots of snow) what else do they need?

 

 

I do plan to research breeds and such but just trying to get an initial feel if we can even afford a pet. My mom says we cant afford the vet bills but she also runs her animals to the vet for every little thing who is happy to run expensive tests. I mean she got our beloved male cat Bugsy a sex change when he kept having urinary issues, it was well over $1k 20 years ago. I don't think most pets need to visit as often as hers seem to.

 

I would not feed my dogs food from Costco. Nope. No way. I feed my pets premium pet food, which for us means Innova or Evo. It isn't available everywhere, but I will drive a long way to buy it.

 

A local veterinarian does a clinic every year: $5 per immunization.  You might be able to find something like that locally.

 

If you get a dog with coat, expect to either learn to groom it yourself or be able to pay to have it groomed. I don't know what the cost will be where you live.

 

You won't need both a collar and a harness. I prefer collars. :-) 

[BlueTaelon]

I would not feed my dogs food from Costco. Nope. No way. I feed my pets premium pet food, which for us means Innova or Evo. It isn't available everywhere, but I will drive a long way to buy it.

 

A local veterinarian does a clinic every year: $5 per immunization. You might be able to find something like that locally.

 

If you get a dog with coat, expect to either learn to groom it yourself or be able to pay to have it groomed. I don't know what the cost will be where you live.

 

You won't need both a collar and a harness. I prefer collars. :-)

Id heard that the costco stuff was good. Guess I better read more. I would expect to groom my own dog, my mom has always done hers and it does not seem difficult.

 

I am shocked by the cost of heart worm medicine.

[kroe1]

The cost of ours first year:

 

Crate, toys, stuff. $1000

Trainer to come to home 6 visits $300

Vet and vaccination $250

Grain free $20 per month

We do not do flea and heart worm protection anymore because it lowers her seizure threshold, but it was $25/ mo.

Emergency vet visit after first seizure $250.

We also do not have grooming costs for a northern breed, but we had to get a new vacuum to handle all the hair $500.

 

HTH

 

Edited to add: do not forget damage costs for rug cleaning, sock and shoe replacement, floor scratch repair.

[Melissa in Australia]

The thing to remember with dog food is you want the type with higher protein. Often cheaper dog food has a lot of fillers and not as much protein, resulting in the dog consuming more to get their required level of protein. Whereas the more expensive dog foods have a higher protein level and the dog eats less.

[Liz CA]

I have a large breed dog and vet visits are around $75 for exam, then a few shots, some shots are $30 - $50 around here. If shots are significantly more in your area, do you now someone who can do injections? It is less expensive to get the vax and do it yourself. Vax (except rabies) are often available at feed stores.

 

You need a collar and leash. Go to a second hand store, Goodwill etc. to get two bowls - food and water.

 

If you are concerned about dog food, feed ground beef with a little rice. See if the dog will accept some carrots and celery as well. This what mine is living off and he has no health problems. If it's a small dog, they usually eat 1.5 -2% of their body weight in meat per day. It depends on metabolism and exercise level, some dogs gain at 1.5 lbs, others need 2.5lbs to maintain their weight. Portions are easy to adjust.

 

Got to library to borrow a dog training book if you need advice. Unless you will face major medical bills, it need not cost you a fortune.

Spend time with the animal. Most dogs are grateful to have a human to attach to and want to please. Enjoy your new companion!

[OneStepAtATime]

The thing to remember with dog food is you want the type with higher protein. Often cheaper dog food has a lot of fillers and not as much protein, resulting in the dog consuming more to get their required level of protein. Whereas the more expensive dog foods have a higher protein level and the dog eats less.

Yes.  And with consuming a lot more dog food, they poop a lot more, too.  The other thing to consider is that some studies have shown cheaper dog food over time can cause some health issues.  

 

Do shelters test for heart worms where you are?  Heart worms are an epidemic down here.   It is almost guaranteed that if you have a dog that goes outside at all it will get heart worms through the mosquitoes.   At least up until recently the shelter didn't test for heart worms.  They just started administering the medication and adopted the animals out.  My BIL knew that his shelter dog was fairly listless but did not realize he was dying because of heart worms until it was too late.  Our own dog already had heart worms when we got her.  To save her we had to spend huge amounts of money but by the time we found out we were already attached and just couldn't put her down.   And we certainly weren't going to let her suffer for months or years before finally dying from the heart worms.  So we bit the bullet.  She is a great dog.  But an expensive one....

[BlueTaelon]

I will have to ask if they check for heart worms but its just a summer thing up here. We have short cold summers so we dont have huge blood sucker problem.

[Dory]

I would not feed my dogs food from Costco. Nope. No way. I feed my pets premium pet food, which for us means Innova or Evo. It isn't available everywhere, but I will drive a long way to buy it.

 

A local veterinarian does a clinic every year: $5 per immunization.  You might be able to find something like that locally.

 

If you get a dog with coat, expect to either learn to groom it yourself or be able to pay to have it groomed. I don't know what the cost will be where you live.

 

You won't need both a collar and a harness. I prefer collars. :-) 

 

 

Id heard that the costco stuff was good. Guess I better read more. I would expect to groom my own dog, my mom has always done hers and it does not seem difficult.

 

I am shocked by the cost of heart worm medicine.

I won't do food from Costco either. I have yet to have a dog not have either less then healthy hair, irritated skin, or ear infections from allergies on that stuff, and I've had a couple hundred dogs come through this place. Good dog food will lower your bills in other ways and will make for less poop to clean up. Heart worm preventative treatment makes more sense then treating afterwards if you can. We deworm once a year and do heartworm at the same time in the spring. In the fall we powder the dogs down with DE.

 

I agree that you don't need both a collar and a harness. I prefer a collar but if a young child will be handling the leash on a smaller dog sometimes a harness is easier on the dog. By small dog I'm talking around 10lbs. If you are getting something larger then that I wouldn't be too worried about ever needing a harness.

 

With the ground beef and rice you will be missing some necessary nutrients necessary to their diet, also, many dogs can't handle ground beef. Rice is a great additive if you have a dog with an upset tummy though.

 

If you haven't had a dog before I'd recommend taking in one short puppy training class just to get you started with the basics. You don't have to commit to some long term thing, but it you help you figure out how to give her commands properly and consistently.

[BlsdMama]

FYI, Costco has a grain free food in three choices that is not comparable to Evo but is comparable (IMO) to Taste of the Wild. Our GS is sensitive to food and can handle it just fine.

You could also feed raw which is more work but actually less expensive and by far the healthiest but depends on your area.

 

Dogs are a mixed bag. Our GS got very sick a couple years ago and the expense was high. But it wouldn't have mattered if he was big or small. That said, my folks rarely spent much of anything on their farm dogs and they lived forever.....

 

Mutts tend to be healthier I've heard.

 

The biggest catch here is that if the dog is for daughter's anxiety then there are some considerations specifically for that in that you would want to be able to afford to fix anything that could be fixed, kwim?

[BlsdMama]

FYI, Costco has a grain free food in three choices that is not comparable to Evo but is comparable (IMO) to Taste of the Wild. Our GS is sensitive to food and can handle it just fine.

You could also feed raw which is more work but actually less expensive and by far the healthiest but depends on your area.

 

Dogs are a mixed bag. Our GS got very sick a couple years ago and the expense was high. But it wouldn't have mattered if he was big or small. That said, my folks rarely spent much of anything on their farm dogs and they lived forever.....

 

Mutts tend to be healthier I've heard.

 

The biggest catch here is that if the dog is for daughter's anxiety then there are some considerations specifically for that in that you would want to be able to afford to fix anything that could be fixed, kwim?

[RoughCollie]

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[Night Elf]

I have two dogs, a Beagle mix, and a Dachshund. I have to have their nails filed down twice a month and that costs me $60/mo. It would only be $40 if I let them cut the nails instead.

[Carrie12345]

Annual licensing is usually cheap, but it is something to pay!

 

The biggest expense, imo, is emergencies/accidents.  Just closing a door on my *cat's tail came to $500.

 

Dental care is important.  We weren't all that great about it and now we have to decide whether to put our 9yo dog under for a serious cleaning.

 

If I hear one more thing about other people's dogs' anal glands, I might pass out.  I'll pay anyone any amount of money to handle that!

 

Small dogs tend to be easier to take everywhere, but boarding/pet-sitting expenses should still be kept in mind.  When my stepfather was ill, we were looking at boarding our dogs (two, at the time) b/c dh was going to have to juggle the kids with his parents two hours away plus work and not be able to get to the dogs regularly. (Fortunately, he snagged some vacation time.)  When human emergencies pop up, it can be hard to find someone to pet sit and boarding may be an only option.

[Pippen]

There's just no predicting what vet costs lie ahead in a pet's future. I would look around for a vet that offers a wellness package option in case you find you need it. Vet costs are pretty high in my area and with the wellness package I pay a $265 fee that covers all exams and vaccines for the year. Labs and diagnostic tests are extra, but it's been a big savings for me these past few years.

[Ann.without.an.e]

Id heard that the costco stuff was good. Guess I better read more. I would expect to groom my own dog, my mom has always done hers and it does not seem difficult.

 

I am shocked by the cost of heart worm medicine.

 

 

 

There is a rice and lamb formula from Costco that I have heard great things about.  

[Pawz4me]

IMO it's hard to guesstimate pet expenses.  Vet costs vary a LOT depending on the area of the country.

 

You can check some of the online pet supply places to get an idea of what heart worm and flea/tick preventatives cost.

 

Be very wary of pet insurance and wellness plans.  They're both very "buyer beware" types of things that require much research.

 

As others have said, a good quality food is important.  Feeding cheap junk may seem like the thing to do in the short term, but it's likely to be a bad choice long term.  Home-made food is fine if you do lots and lots of research first.  A diet of only hamburger and rice is definitely not fine.  It's lacking many of the vitamins and minerals needed for long term health.

 

I prefer a harness for smallish dogs.  I recommend investing in a good quality leather leash.  Either a six-foot leash or a four-foot leash.  Preferably one of each.  A good quality leather leash will last forever and won't hurt your hand.

 

You'll likely need/want a crate and some sort of bed for it (you can use an old towel or blanket).  A few toys -- stuffies and appropriate chew toys.  A couple of stainless steel bowls.  Don't get plastic--they can't be cleaned thoroughly and over time some dogs will have allergic type reactions to them.

 

If you get a dog with hair, then you'll have to factor in grooming expenses.  Around here basic grooms for smallish dogs start at about $35 (plus tip). But like vet costs, grooming costs vary widely depending on your location.  I groom our Shih Tzu myself, but I've invested at least $750 in quality grooming tools.  You can get by with tools that are less costly than that.  Even if you use a groomer, unless you get the dog completely shaved down you'll need a brush and comb to prevent mats between groomings. Unless you're going to the groomer every four to six weeks, you'll probably want a good pet shampoo for at least one bath in between professional groomings.  Don't attempt clipping the dog yourself unless you feel comfortable with it.  One nick that requires vet care will likely cost you a lot more than several groomings.

 

As others have said, plan for emergencies and unexpected illnesses.  They will happen, and you can rack up hundreds of dollars in vet bills very quickly.

 

It's not been my experience that mutts are in general any healthier than purebred dogs.  By far the most medically expensive dog I've had was a mutt.

[Rachel]

We had two dogs that came from the same litter. One had a variety of problems, once she got mange and then a secondary infection from scratching. It took awhile to find the right medicine and several vet visits to straighten it out. Then at 9 she got an aggressive throat cancer that the vet missed the first time. We had to put her down which was awful. If it hadn't been aggressive we couldn't have afforded to treat her at that time anyway. Again it was an expensive round of unexpected vet visits.

 

Her brother is now 14, he's going blind and deaf but otherwise has been in perfect health. Once we took him in because we thought he had injured his back, but he was constipated from neighbors giving him treats. I think it's hard to know ahead of time which animals are going to have a lot of health problems. Even though I'm not the type to run to the vet for every little thing, we still had plenty of things pop up that we couldn't ignore.

 

Our low cost clinic offers vaccinations for $9 each, we have a yearly city license too, I think it's $15. One issue with the clinic is that the hours are very limited and it's not in a convenient part of town. I'm not sure what we pay for heart-worm medication and Frontline because my husband always gets it but I'm always shocked at the price when he tells me. We usually get a 6 month supply.

[Plink]

I have an ASD DD and little poodle. The expenses are absolutely worth it! My girl got involved in dog shows/training through 4-H where she has made amazing strides in her confidence, dog knowledge, and friendships. I would pay a thousand dollars a month for therapy with fewer results. Get the dog!!!

 

That said, little poodles are often hard to come by. I tried to get ours through a rescue but it wasn't successful. Our first attempt was through a poodle rescue and she seemed like a great fit when they described her to me, but when I looked through their paperwork I realized that their policy was to place dogs sight-unseen and if it didn't work out I would be responsible for fostering the dog until another family could be found. That didn't set well with me.

 

Our second adoption (a yorkie poodle cross) attempt came through our local shelter. She died within 3 months. The shelter volunteers later suggested that possibly the former owners surrendered her because they hoped someone else could afford the staggering vet bills. Unfortunately, they didn't reveal her medical problems at time of surrender, so the staff had no idea when they placed her with us.

 

After that heartbreak I was hesitant to adopt again so soon for my DD's sake, although I'm sure we will try it again sometime. We went through a breeder for our current dog. She was a bit less expensive than the puppies because she was a breeding-failure. She still cost a lot.

 

The general costs for small dogs are fairly low. We go through one tiny bag of dogfood a month. (Taste of the Wild, only costs $12 and is grain free). Treats are leftover hot dogs or cheese cut into tiny pieces. Most everything else is a one time expense.

 

The thing to consider with poodles is grooming costs. The advantage of hair vs. fur is no shedding and fewer allergies. The disadvantage is that they need to be clipped. We pay $40 every other month.

 

Check out PoodleForum http://www.poodleforum.com/private.php for more detailed information about the breed. I know that one member there is interested in re-homing her beloved 6mo old mini and is asking $850, but she needs to move soon, so she might be willing to work with you on the price.

[Pippen]

 

 

Be very wary of pet insurance and wellness plans.  They're both very "buyer beware" types of things that require much research.

 

 

I agree to check these out thoroughly, but if I were starting over again doing a vet search, it's one of the things I'd want to know about. My cat hasn't required a load of vet visits each year, but some have been very expensive so a wellness plan that includes exams has been a big savings for me. Especially because my cat required sedation for anything beyond a quick look.

[RoughCollie]

Also, if you buy pet insurance, don't believe what the website or the helpful person tells you over the phone.  Ask them for a copy of the contract and read it first.  It is not uncommon for someone to buy pet insurance and then find out at the wrong time that it does not cover the genetic diseases their breed is known to have.

 

As far as genetic disorders are concerned:  "The researchers found that the prevalence of 13 of the 24 genetic disorders was approximately the same in purebred dogs as in their mixed-breed counterparts. Ten were found more frequently among purebred dogs, and one such disorder was more common in mixed-breeds."

 

http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10613

 

 

[Ann.without.an.e]

I will give a fair warning here, my view may not be popular.  

I have a child with a chronic illness and he loves his dog.  Dog ownership doesn't have to be outrageous.  We've never been able to stack tons of money into an animal.  Many well meaning animal lovers will give you a list of "requirements" to own a dog.  Many of those items are nice but not necessary.  The basics shouldn't require several line items in a standard budget.  If rescuing an animal from a shelter, why feel like you can't get the dog unless you can add all the bonuses to dog ownership?  I take good care of my dog, but within reasonable limit.  I can't pay for completely grain free food.  I opt for corn/wheat free food.  I buy the SAMs lamb and rice which is free of corn and wheat.  Is it the best of the best?  No, it isn't.  The alternative for my dog was the kill shelter where he would be euthanized in 48 hours.  I'm sure he is feeling pretty happy with his non-posh dog food ;)  Dog ownership does cost, but it doesn't have to require a second mortgage....unless you have the money and want to use it that way.  

 

 

Ways I save:

 

I buy ivermectin for sheep at .08%.  I administer it to my dog.  This is what dog breeders and shelters do.  They don't pay for the heartworm pills.  The simply give their dogs ivermectin once a month.  Same thing without the pretty little package.

 

I clip their own nails and bathe them myself.  A small dog is easy to bathe.  Make sure you don't get a breed that needs to be groomed unless you will either groom it yourself or be willing to pay to have it groomed.

 

I buy the best dog food that I can afford, but not more.

 

I only take my dog to the vet for basic shots.  I don't do check ups.  I would take him to the vet if I thought that he had a curable illness.  Also, price around for vets.  There is a huge price difference one from the other. Some vets will not administer shots without a check up, others will.  I think they are required to give a rabies shot without other services.  You can buy other puppy shots at a farm supply and give them yourself.

 

 

[DawnM]

We pay very little for our dogs.  We have 2 labs.  We buy Costco food ($27 for 40 pounds and lasts about 5-6 weeks).

 

Vet vist every 2-3 years.  Dog immunizations are offered for $10 per shot via the traveling Vet so the in-between years we do that.

 

Oldest dog has arthritis so we do some glucosamine for $10/mo.

 

They don't have a flea problem at all, so we don't even bother.  

 

One dog has long hair and we get groomed twice per year ($120 total for the year).  The other dog has short hair and doesn't need grooming.  We do bathe her.

 

So, for our 2 dogs, we spend about $50/mo.

 

I think our next dogs will be little dogs and short haired!

[Dory]

There is a rice and lamb formula from Costco that I have heard great things about.  

 

 

I will give a fair warning here, my view may not be popular.  

I have a child with a chronic illness and he loves his dog.  Dog ownership doesn't have to be outrageous.  We've never been able to stack tons of money into an animal.  Many well meaning animal lovers will give you a list of "requirements" to own a dog.  Many of those items are nice but not necessary.  The basics shouldn't require several line items in a standard budget.  If rescuing an animal from a shelter, why feel like you can't get the dog unless you can add all the bonuses to dog ownership?  I take good care of my dog, but within reasonable limit.  I can't pay for completely grain free food.  I opt for corn/wheat free food.  I buy the SAMs lamb and rice which is free of corn and wheat.  Is it the best of the best?  No, it isn't.  The alternative for my dog was the kill shelter where he would be euthanized in 48 hours.  I'm sure he is feeling pretty happy with his non-posh dog food ;)  Dog ownership does cost, but it doesn't have to require a second mortgage....unless you have the money and want to use it that way.  

 

 

Ways I save:

 

I buy ivermectin for sheep at .08%.  I administer it to my dog.  This is what dog breeders and shelters do.  They don't pay for the heartworm pills.  The simply give their dogs ivermectin once a month.  Same thing without the pretty little package.

 

I clip their own nails and bathe them myself.  A small dog is easy to bathe.  Make sure you don't get a breed that needs to be groomed unless you will either groom it yourself or be willing to pay to have it groomed.

 

I buy the best dog food that I can afford, but not more.

 

I only take my dog to the vet for basic shots.  I don't do check ups.  I would take him to the vet if I thought that he had a curable illness.  Also, price around for vets.  There is a huge price difference one from the other. Some vets will not administer shots without a check up, others will.  I think they are required to give a rabies shot without other services.  You can buy other puppy shots at a farm supply and give them yourself.

 

The lamb and rice has given dry skin to every cocker that's I've had, but did alright with the poodle. Try out a food and if it works That's awesome, just make sure you always read your ingredient list and make sure your first few ingredients are real food and that your protein content is relatively high. There are plenty of mid range foods out there that meet those requirements and are wheat free (avoid the beat pulp filler too if you can because it is just a filler that makes them poop lots).

Ivermectin does work, although if you find a vet that will just let you pick up the pills, doing heartworm preventative and deworming a less harsh way has never cost more then $50 anywhere I've ever been. Usually in the US I've found that to be less.

 

Once you are done the puppy shots, and the one year old booster, there is no need for yearly vet exams. They only need booster shots every 3 years and if you can pick up the dewormer without a visit, why would any sane person want to pay for a vet to look at a happy healthy dog?

 

Clipping nails can be nerve racking (cut them short enough to bleed a couple times and you'll know what I mean) but I still do it myself as it is much, much cheaper. The years that I take them to the vet is the only years I get someone else to do it for me. I figure once every 3 years I can get a break on that.

 

learning to do a basic short puppy type cut on a poodle is simple. You would have to put out the money to buy good clippers and a couple extra blades, but would save money in the end.

 

With the food again, you might pay a little bit more for a good quality food, but they will eat less, and their weight will stay within a healthy range easier. When I moved to a higher end food I was feeding 8 dogs here at the time and couldn't really afford to put out the extra money. I tracked it pretty closely for a few months and found that I was spending the same amount in the end. I also switch dog foods regularly. I have 4 different brands that I rotate through.

[Ann.without.an.e]

 

Ivermectin does work, although if you find a vet that will just let you pick up the pills, doing heartworm preventative and deworming a less harsh way has never cost more then $50 anywhere I've ever been. Usually in the US I've found that to be less.

 

 

 

The ingredient in heartworm chews is ivermectin.  Same ingredient, different package.

[gingersmom]

Some other things to think about-

 

What if you adopt a dog and find out it has hundreds of allergies? Happened to me. Dog had allergy testing and was allergic to the longest list of things. Cost major $$$$

 

I had a bichon frise growing up (ten pounds), that injured his knee and needed knee surgery.

 

He also had non-stop health issues. Little things, big things. My mother said she could have sent several kids to college for what she spent on the dog.

 

Shelter pet, purebred dog makes no difference. There is no way to know if they will live long, healthy,vet free lives. 

[Acorn]

Dog needs aside, I would be really cautious about pet ownership affecting housing opportunities.  It can be hard to find rentals that allow pets. 

[Ann.without.an.e]

Dog needs aside, I would be really cautious about pet ownership affecting housing opportunities.  It can be hard to find rentals that allow pets. 

 

 

I don't think a dog HAS to be tons of money, but this (above) I do agree with.  It can limit rental opportunities for sure.  

[Acorn]

I don't think a dog HAS to be tons of money, but this I do agree with.  It can limit rental opportunities for sure.  

 

We had to pay a pet deposit - non refundable $200 plus an extra $15/month pet rent.  This was for an animal that "came" with the property, meaning she continually howled at the door until we decided to adopt her.

[JustEm]

You can save money onflea meds if you buy the biggest dog doses put it all into a bottle and measure out the amount you small dog needs. The vet can give you the syringe to measure it out and should be able to help you come up with the correct dosage.

[Dory]

The ingredient in heartworm chews is ivermectin.  Same ingredient, different package.

 

yep, except it doesn't go on the skin in between the shoulder blades. Some breeds end up with pretty irritated skin from that. I have used it before in a pinch and will probably use it again in my future. It works, but many dogs find the pills easier to handle.

[Pawz4me]

Some other things to think about-

 

What if you adopt a dog and find out it has hundreds of allergies? Happened to me. Dog had allergy testing and was allergic to the longest list of things. Cost major $$$$

 

I had a bichon frise growing up (ten pounds), that injured his knee and needed knee surgery.

 

He also had non-stop health issues. Little things, big things. My mother said she could have sent several kids to college for what she spent on the dog.

 

Shelter pet, purebred dog makes no difference. There is no way to know if they will live long, healthy,vet free lives. 

 

It's no guarantee, but the best you can do to avoid that is to adopt a dog who is three or older.  Most dogs who are going to have serious allergies will start exhibiting symptoms by the time they're three.  Not all, of course.  But most.

[BlueTaelon]

They can not require deposits for charge extra rent by law for companion animals. Its a mood point anyway, the place just needs a drs note. No deposits. Im wondering of we can really afford it anyway, its a few months away before I even consider getting one since I know right now we have way to much going on and very little money.

[BlueTaelon]

It's no guarantee, but the best you can do to avoid that is to adopt a dog who is three or older. Most dogs who are going to have serious allergies will start exhibiting symptoms by the time they're three. Not all, of course. But most.

No puppies here, I want an adult dog.

[Ann.without.an.e]

It's no guarantee, but the best you can do to avoid that is to adopt a dog who is three or older.  Most dogs who are going to have serious allergies will start exhibiting symptoms by the time they're three.  Not all, of course.  But most.

 

 

You can squirt ivermectin on food, that is what I do.  It is a very small amount and I administer it in the oral amount.

[Erin]

My dachshunds eat about 40lbs each, every 8-10 wks ($36)

Vaccinations, worming, etc max of about $150yr. occasional boarding, $10 day.