Tell me about owning a dog, can you do it inexpensively?

[Prairie~Phlox]

What food is the best? Is it good to give them wet food as well as dry? (Our cats get wet in the morning & dry at night.)

We are looking at Golden Retriever puppies, dh is supposed to find out how much they are, they were on a message board at work. No papers, not sure how much to expect to pay for one?

[Laura Corin]

Think hard about vet bills.  I have insurance for our dog, but I know it's not so common in the US.

 

We feed our dog dry food only.  She's fine.  The only other expenses are the vet, chewies to keep her teeth cleaner, toothpaste (ditto, she has vulnerable teeth). 

 

Do Retrievers need professional grooming?  I clip my dog myself - I bought some Wahl clippers that paid for themselves in a few months and are still going strong several years later.

[TravelingChris]

A dog without papers should be very cheap.  I feed my dog both wet and dry but you can feed only dry.  Dogs drink water unlike many cats which don't like to and need wet food to get their water content.  SOme of the more expensive things will be flea and tick medications and vet bills when your dog has a problem.

[zoobie]

Golden Retrievers are expensive and prone to health issues. We adopted one who had been a breeder dog at a puppy mill. We spent so much on her in emergency ICU and she did not survive. We also have another Golden rescue dog who seems healthy so far at 6, but she is very strange in that she doesn't need grooming or regular brushing. She was dumped at a shelter in SC after being skunked, so we don't know if she's actually purebred. We are guessing she may have some "doodle" in there somewhere because of her hair. Normally a Golden sheds like crazy and needs brushing and grooming. You can learn to DIY, but otherwise it's an extra expense.

 

Please do not buy a breeder mill puppy. Research and find out what you're supporting when you do that. A reputable breeder will have a waiting list and puppies run $2500 for show quality. They are less for puppies who will make good family pets, but that's determined after the litter is born. Most reputable breeders also will NOT time litters for "Christmas" puppies. Even if you go to a reputable breeder, Goldens can have cancer and hip issues.

 

We feed dry kibble. I think it's around $55/bag on Amazon, which lasts 3-4 weeks with our current 55lb golden and 40 lb mutt. Our 100 lb golden ate a ton! :) Vet once a year unless someone gets sick or hurt. Heart worm and flea treatment monthly. Our biggest expense is boarding when we go on vacation.

[Code Lyoko]

How inexpensive are you talking?  Puppies will need vaccinations.  Several.  After that there will be the cost of annual or at least every 3 year vaccinations (depending on what type of vaccinations your vet uses) and food.  Big dogs eat a lot of food.  It helps to provide chew toys to keep teeth clean and as a puppy they will need things to chew on while they are teething...or your shoes might do nicely.  Plus, as with any domesticated animal, there are always those unexpected emergencies (like when my black lab puppy and his brother ripped apart our wooden picnic bench in the backyard and he swallowed a piece of wood about 5 inches long...yep emergency rush to the vet).  

 

Do you have a secure fence?  Some dogs are excellent escape artists.  Goldens usually need running around room so just keeping them cooped up inside a house or apartment is often not the best course of action.  Our Golden was great at digging under the fence and running around for a few hours.  It took a lot of time, effort and money to finally get the fence mostly determined dog proof.

 

When you go out of town, if you can't take the dog with you do you have someone that will take care of them?  Dogs tend not to do well all alone for extended periods of time, especially if they are used to having family around.  Can you afford a dog kennel?

 

What is your monthly budget for a dog?

[Spryte]

Echoing what others have said above.

 

And a note about vet bills. Think about this now. I have always had dogs, from childhood to the moment I could buy my own companion and cover its care, in college. I take their care very seriously, and my first college dogs lived to 16 (impressive for huge dogs). We have two dogs now, both 7. In my mind, we had years before health issues, barring an accident. One of them has been diagnosed with an untreatable cancer. Well, we could treat but if it worked (vet feels it might not), we might only add a few months to his life. Treatment would be $4500 a month. To add a few months - vet feels we'd still lose him within 6 mos. So we are making what we think is the best choice for him now, which is loving him in the moment and keeping him as happy as possible right now. But it's hard. Part of me wants to whip out the card and try for those extra months, even though doing so isn't our vet's recommendation. DH and I have agreed that if there were a chance of adding years, we'd probably do it. But for 6 months, much of that time sick in chemo - we can't. It's hard. :(

 

The likelihood of your new dog developing health issues is probably low, but do give thought to how you'd manage huge vet bills, if they arise.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Spryte

[Garga]

We have cats.  We will not spend more than $1000 on a single medical issue per cat.  

 

This is our rule and we stick by it.  One of our cats recently had an issue that would have cost between $3k and $4k to fix.  The cat would have been helped with it.  The cat may or may not have had residual pain from the procedure, but generally the procedure is successful and the cats are fine afterwards.  The cat was under 3 years old.  

 

But we are looking at college in 4 years and life in general, and though it practically burst my heart from the pain of it, we did not do the procedure and had the cat put down.  We could have paid the money, but it would have had quite an impact on our finances.  

 

Know ahead of time your monetary limits for unexpected medical expenses.  I still cry over that cat and it's been months.  My only comfort is that I know that while the cat was ours, he had about as perfect of a life as a cat could have. It's important to know what you will spend.

 

Friends of ours did not have limits.  They spent $8000 at the vet thinking the cat (under 2 years old) had swallowed strings that were twisted in the intestines.  It wasn't strings, it was worms, but the $8000 was already spent on exploratory surgery.  This was about a year ago, and they're going to be paying off that bill for the next few years.  (Oh, and the mom is getting tired of taking care of the cats and is considering giving them away.  Giving away an $8000 cat.  Wow!)

 

Consider which way you would handle medical issues:  Limiting the treatment and facing the dog being put down, even if young?  Willing to spend whatever it takes, even if it's thousands and thousands?

Edited November 14, 2016 by Garga

[marbel]

I just checked:  in 2015 we spent $1900 on our dog. That included everything:  all well-pet visits, vaccinations, license, an x-ray for arthritis, pain meds for arthritis, anxiety meds, occasional boarding for a few short trips, food, flea/tick stuff, heartworm stuff...  everything.  Oh, $500 of that was a tooth cleaning!  

 

He was a rescue so was basically free to us.  

 

Your costs will vary depending on type of food (we used dry food from Costco), vet costs where you live, etc.  But you can't predict health problems.   His final illness, earlier this year, cost $3000.  

 

[Garga]

Echoing what others have said above.

 

And a note about vet bills. Think about this now. I have always had dogs, from childhood to the moment I could buy my own companion and cover its care, in college. I take their care very seriously, and my first college dogs lived to 16 (impressive for huge dogs). We have two dogs now, both 7. In my mind, we had years before health issues, barring an accident. One of them has been diagnosed with an untreatable cancer. Well, we could treat but if it worked (vet feels it might not), we might only add a few months to his life. Treatment would be $4500 a month. To add a few months - vet feels we'd still lose him within 6 mos. So we are making what we think is the best choice for him now, which is loving him in the moment and keeping him as happy as possible right now. But it's hard. Part of me wants to whip out the card and try for those extra months, even though doc by so isn't our vet's recommendation. DH and I have agreed that if there were a chance of adding years, we'd probably do it. But for 6 months, much of that time sick in chemo - we can't. It's hard. :(

 

The likelihood of your new dog developing health issues is probably low, but do give thought to how you'd manage huge vet bills, if they arise.

 

 

I am so, so sorry you are facing this.  I have felt that pain.  I am still feeling it.  It's very hard to walk through this and I'm sorry you are having to do so.

[Garga]

Oh yeah...dental.  You might not have to worry about that for the first couple of years, but soon you will and it's a good $400 or $500 a pop.

[Scarlett]

i think it can be as much as you want. :). There is so much marketed for pets these days it is just ridiculous. I paid $100 for my registered Brittany Spaniel almost 13 years ago. I fed her Purina dog chow, which according to the Brittany board I visit sometimes is not fit for canine consumption. She is really old now and I have recently changed her food to a something a bit more expensive that is easier for her to digest.

 

I have a house sitter who I pay $15 per night or the vet boards for $19 per night. I gather that is on the low end of what some areas charge.....we only need that a few times a year.

 

She has been to the vet three times in 3 weeks so she is expensive lately but she is probably nearing the end. Over the years a vet trip once a year ( and I usually stretched it to a year and a half). Flea and tick meds for a few months of the year...I never did the heart worm med for her.

 

She has been a lot of joy in our life. The money was hardly ever a hardship.

[Scarlett]

Oh yeah...dental. You might not have to worry about that for the first couple of years, but soon you will and it's a good $400 or $500 a pop.

I have never done this for any dog I have owned.

[Paige]

The expense can vary depending on the dog you get. I had medium sized dogs for years and now have a little one. She's much less expensive for pretty much everything except grooming. I ended up with a fluffy mop who needs more hair care than anyone in the house. She eats far less. Her toys are smaller, cheaper, and last longer. She's less destructive. Everything she needs is smaller and costs less. She can go with us places that big dogs couldn't, so boarding costs are reduced. I was really surprised how much cheaper she is to own than our previous dogs. 

 

Vet bills are about the same, but since she's a mix there's nothing specific to worry about. You can usually find a low cost vet for annual shots, but you'll have to budget for an emergency here or there. Mine was pretty expensive when she ended up in the hospital after eating mushrooms! She was a rescue, so she was cheaper to get than anything from a breeder. Her rescue's fees seemed large ($300?) but it ended up being a deal because it included her spay, all shots for the first year, microchip, and some other stuff. Vet bills would have been higher on my own. 

 

If you want a dog with as little cost as possible, I'd recommend getting a small breed rescue with a flat, short coat. My puppy was fluffy but didn't have long fur when we got her and I wasn't expecting how long her hair would get. With fluffy mixed puppies, you never know what will happen- our last medium sized dog was a fluffy puppy who turned out to have low maintenance hair! With a flat coated puppy, however, you can be pretty sure that he'll never have high maintenance grooming needs. I consider goldens to be a large, high cost breed. 

[BlsdMama]

What food is the best? Is it good to give them wet food as well as dry? (Our cats get wet in the morning & dry at night.)

We are looking at Golden Retriever puppies, dh is supposed to find out how much they are, they were on a message board at work. No papers, not sure how much to expect to pay for one?

 

 

The catch is the vet bills.  One cannot budget or plan on vet bills.  

(So sayeth the person whose dog got some kind of weird snail fluke and it almost killed him and he had to be at the vet's for a couple days on an IV.)

 

*Also, I have heard, that mutts tend to be less expensive. Apparently dog tend to inherit their parents better genetic makeup so mutts tend to have fewer inherited issues than single breed dogs?  I don't actually know if that's true or ridiculous, btw.  Maybe someone else can weigh in.  I can say, considering our past experience, if I were ever crazy enough to get another dog, I'd probably get a GS mix - a little lower intensity and not *quite* so human centered.  And I'd adopt.  I'd probably never again buy a pup from a breeder... But keep in mind it's a theory, I'm a few years off from another dog and if I were closer I'd probably be all stuck up and researching Corgi breeders like crazy.

Edited November 14, 2016 by BlsdMama

[MyLittleBears]

The short of it is no, not really. Especially if you want to feed them well and take them to the vet so that they stay healthy.

[Spy Car]

A Golden without papers is a pretty strong warning sign that the pup is coming from an irresponsible breeder.

 

Nothing would cost you more than health problems. The odds of health problems soar with irresponsible breeding. And putting money in the pockets of an irresponsible breeder exacerbates a big problem.

 

Feeding cheap food is another risk factor for poor health.

 

Bill

 

 

[Scarlett]

A Golden without papers is a pretty strong warning sign that the pup is coming from an irresponsible breeder.

 

Nothing would cost you more than health problems. The odds of health problems soar with irresponsible breeding. And putting money in the pockets of an irresponsible breeder exacerbates a big problem.

 

Feeding cheap food is another risk factor for poor health.

 

Bill

I have had two medium size dogs. One died at age 12. The other is alive at age 13. Both were fed cheap food.

[Pawz4me]

I have had two medium size dogs. One died at age 12. The other is alive at age 13. Both were fed cheap food.

 

12 and 13 are not particularly long lives for medium sized dogs but more on the lower end of average. Also, your Brittany is a breed not known for serious genetic health problems (unlike Goldens). FWIW, our Brittany lived to be 15 and was quite healthy (other than arthritis) until the last month. He was always fed high quality food.

[MedicMom]

We have two golden, ages(almost) 7 and 3. We paid somewhere around $750 each, from reputable breeders with papers. Our dogs are not show quality and were bred to be family pets. We adore our dogs...and I'm not really a dog person.

The vet bills for the older dog are starting to increase, but are still reasonable. We expect that to be more as they grow older. We also get them professionally groomed a few times a year and they shed like crazy. I vacuum twice a day. Goldens are also big dogs and eat like it, so factor in food bills as well.

[Lanny]

We feed DRY food, exclusively, to our dogs and to our cats.  There are many good brands of food available, and it depends upon which are available to you where you live. Always have fresh water available.  I change the water for the dogs twice  a day.  We have 5 food bowls for the dogs. When they are empty, I put one full cup of dry food into them. 

 

Inexpensively? Normally, yes, unless there is a catastrophic medical problem.

 

 

[Scarlett]

12 and 13 are not particularly long lives for medium sized dogs but more on the lower end of average. Also, your Brittany is a breed not known for serious genetic health problems (unlike Goldens). FWIW, our Brittany lived to be 15 and was quite healthy (other than arthritis) until the last month. He was always fed high quality food.

Yes my 13 year old is pretty healthy but the vet says they live to about 14. She does have some arthritis.

 

My point is people can really go overboard in spending money on animals. Which is their business. But not everyone does it that way which is their right.

[hornblower]

I know people don't like anthropomorphism but still...... I think this questions is exactly the same as "can you raise a child inexpensively?" 

of course you can. You can even do it in outright poverty. I know homeless people with dogs.  (but there are a bunch of organizations here which run food banks for pets owned by the homeless & a group which fundraises like crazy and puts on a free vet clinic once a year for homeless & very low income people).  

 

The thing is, we have social safety nets for people.  They vary in how good they are & how big the netting holes are but they're there.   There is next to nothing for pets. 


So I think this is one of those things that you need to be careful of  if you're already financially tight. It's a responsibility and it's a responsibility for life - but given the numbers of animals dumped in shelters and killed each year, it's one many people really don't take seriously.  Rescues here get frequent surrenders because people can't pay for vet bills, and often it's very simple, basic vet bills.  

Good food, veterinary care, spaying/neutering surgery, training classes, fencing, maybe having to buy a different car so you can take your dog to parks and on vacations, boarding if you're going on a trip without your dog. 



Oh & please don't buy from a backyard breeder with no papers.   Adopt from a shelter or rescue, or buy from a reputable breeder. http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/tips/finding_responsible_dog_breeder.html?credit=web_id80597225


Goldens have major issues with cancer.  Reputable breeders do lots of genetic testing to breed healthy dogs.  All large dogs pretty inevitably have issues with arthritis eventually. 


I have two senior large dogs (3rd died last year).  The costs have changed - when they were young we spent more on learning (I believe in lifelong training so tracking, agility, obedience, club membership fees, seminars etc); now we're more puttering around on our own though I still participate in seminars and online courses. But now we spend a lot more on their pain meds and vet bills and supplements.    YTD for 2016 I'm at $4800 & we've only had one more serious medical episode which required some testing and diagnostics. The rest is just food & meds & day to day stuff.... 
 

[Rachel]

You can spend as much as you want. There will be some unexpected health bills but they won't necessarily cost a ton of money. We had labs growing up, my in laws have a golden, they are fun dogs. They like to play and to please their owners. Ours never had any health issues and weren't fed special foods. They lived to around 13 or 14. My inlaws got their current golden as an adult and have had him 7 or 8 years he hasn't had any health issues either.

 

We had a brother and sister mutts. One was very healthy and lived to 16. We spent maybe $100 on vet bills over his lifetime outside of having him fixed and vaccinations. Most areas have low cost clinics or you can have them done at the vet (about $100 per year including a check up). His sister had mange, a secondary infection from scratching, and later got an aggressive form of throat cancer. We worked with our vet to treat her the best we could with our budget. The skin problems were treated with inexpensive medications but there were a few fees for follow up visits. The treatment for her cancer was not expected to prolong her life more than a few months and the treatment was more than we could afford so we opted to give her pain meds and then put her to sleep when she could no longer eat. She was 9. Overall our dogs did not break our budget.

 

We currently have a beagle mix who is about 7. Our only expense with him so far is food. He will need his rabies booster next year. If we travel we either have to take him with us or get a dog sitter. Fortunately my in laws watch him for free but if that isn't an option boarding a dog can get pricey.

 

My sister in law has spent a lot on her dogs over the years, in the thousands. They have more disposable income though and a couple dogs who had a lot of health issues. One was a blue healer I don't remember what kind of dog their other one was.

 

ETA neither of our labs died of natural causes, but they were still healthy at the end of their lives.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Rach

[hornblower]

btw, most community run low cost vet clinics are run on donations.  

Volunteers spend months running garage sales, collecting bottles, tabling at craft fairs, running online auctions etc so that we can pay the vets and vet techs and buy the equipment for the clinics. 

The vets & other staff often donate their time or work for a reduced rate for the weekend etc. 

If you need this service, do use it - obviously, we want the pet to get health care. But it chafes my behind when people who have $ use these clinics.  This isn't like going to Costco instead of to a fancy store.  This is charity. Don't use it if you can pay the regular vet down the street but just want to save some money. 

[AimeeM]

Barring health issues, it isn't terribly expensive. 

Well, and assuming you won't have a need to board frequently. When we board our GSD we board with our vet and that runs us about $30/day. Add into that any additional vaccinations needed for boarding. 

 

Regarding vet care... please don't ever assume that if the dog looks and acts healthy as a new pup, things won't crop up. Please consider - now; before buying a dog - what you can, or are willing to, do if it comes down to it. Our GSD was only 2 when he had to be put down (what we know now as cancer seemed like "simply" fistulas). We put a lot of time and a lot of money into vets before making that decision... because, hey, he was only 2 and surely he couldn't have anything THAT serious. He came from a reputable breeder and none of his litter-mates had any serious issues. 

 

Our Iggy is 15 years old and still has a good quality of life. I don't feel it would be fair to put her down... but I'd be lying if I said it isn't expensive. She had a surgery a year ago and will have another after the holidays. As she's aged, there are simply things that need to be taken care of.

 

We buy Kirkland brand dog food (the lamb-based food) and our dogs seem to enjoy it (not as much as they enjoy snitching pizza from a plate, but they tolerate the dry food). I believe a large bag costs about $28.

[SweetandSimple]

In case it is helpful information, we recently acquired a Golden Retriever puppy, and we pay $35 per month for pet insurance for him-- with all the health problems that may occur down the road, it seems worth it to us. The insurance doesn't cover preventative care (immunizations, neuter, dental cleaning), only problems. 

[Incognito]

As they get older, they cost more.  For a Golden Retriever, I think if you expected a monthly cost of about $200, that'd be pretty normal.  Food, grooming, flea/tick stuff, toy or pet bed/blankets, etc.  You can do it on less, and we have, but in general that's what I'd expect.  

 

If you don't spend it all, set some aside for the vet bills.  Vaccinations.  Allergy meds (I never thought I'd be person who bought daily allergy meds for their dog, but when she needs them, you buy them!).  When they are young there are the added training costs and setup costs (crate, toys, pooper scooper or bags or what have you).  When they are old you are left wondering how much you should pay for and do to prolong their life.

 

They bring unconditional love and joy, and a golden will bring a LOT of hair. :)  Good luck with your decision! 

 

ETA: For the cost of the dog, even a paperless golden around here would be hundreds of dollars. However, it is better to go with a reputable breeder, and that is in the thousands.  And really, ultimately the initial cost is nothing compared to the regular costs.

 

Edited November 14, 2016 by Incognito

[sassenach]

Owning a large dog is conservatively an $800 a year expense. That's when things are going right. Lifetime cost is probably 10k+.

[Prairie~Phlox]

We're going to pass on these pups, they want $500 for them. Probably will check the shelters/rescue places.

[Slache]

Beagles are good family dogs with less health problems. I like beagle lab crosses if you're checking out the pound. I would put $2,000 in savings for a dog fund. You could use it for emergencies and replenish when you can.

 

Dog $80.

1st year vet care $500.

Yearly vet care after that $150.

Monthly food & flea meds $50.

 

Long hair means regular brushing.

Dry food only, we like Iams.

Absolutely no human food except baby carrots.

Brush it's teeth every week (we do Thursday) and apply flea and tic meds once a month (we do the 1st).

 

I worked with about 2,000 dogs for 4 years and saw many horrible deaths. If you take nothing else from me, please no human food, no flexy leashes, no car windows open more than dog nose width.

 

If you avoid human food and brush it's teeth you will not have to have it's teeth cleaned.

[Ali in OR]

Yeah, I would say having a dog is not a bargain proposition. As our last lab aged, everything at the vet seemed to be based on weight, so I remember thinking that a small dog would be cheaper. Cheaper for food too. Nevertheless, we recently got another lab because they're just great dogs. Dogs seem to be much more expensive than they were last time we got one--most ads I read for goldens, doodles, corgis, or other popular breeds were $1200-$1800. Labs seemed to be less expensive for some reason (ours was $800). We like our breeder's philosophy and practice, and while some of their dogs have papers, they did not have papers for our dog's mom, though she comes from good lines. We don't care about registering our dog (it never benefitted our first lab whom we did not breed or show), so we saved some money by choosing this litter. But even dogs without papers are hundreds of dollars here. The only "bargain" dog would be from a shelter, and our shelter seems to have primarily pit bulls and chihuahuas which don't interest us.

 

There are ways to cut costs by doing vaccines yourself or not doing Heartguard or flea control, but we don't think that would be in the best interest of our pet. I'm guessing we'll have put in $1500-$2000 total by the time our puppy is 6 months old, and then I expect it to go down to primarily maintenance costs.

[Lanny]

For a dog  without AKC papers, I would not pay very much. Possibly 50 or 100 dollars, to reimburse the owners for the vet. care, shots and food they paid for.  I would want to meet the parents of the puppies. I would select the  friendliest puppy, the one that comes to me, not one that walks away from me.

[JadeOrchidSong]

We have a shih tzu. I groom his hair. It has saved a lot because each cut at a groomer's is at least $40.

[IfIOnly]

In case it is helpful information, we recently acquired a Golden Retriever puppy, and we pay $35 per month for pet insurance for him-- with all the health problems that may occur down the road, it seems worth it to us. The insurance doesn't cover preventative care (immunizations, neuter, dental cleaning), only problems.

Would you share what company you went with?

[gingersmom]

Would you share what company you went with?

My furry children (2 cats, 1 dog) are insured by Petplan. www.gopetplan.com

 

I have had one $2000 claim (I paid $100) and one $500 claim (cost me $100). Both were paid in less than 2 weeks.

[Ausmumof3]

First year is going to involve vaccinations, and de sexing. Ongoing costs may be less but you will need flea and worm control. The bigger the dog the more expensive these are as well as food. Dry food is healthier than most pre prepared wet foods unless you follow a balanced raw food diet. The cheaper dry foods aren't that great though. Can you afford pet insurance? It can help with smoothing out vet bills.

 

If you don't have experience with dog training and good opportunities for puppy socialisation you might need to look at puppy school as well.

[Tanaqui]

Tell me about owning a dog, can you do it inexpensively?

 

Well, you can until you can't. Sure, you could get some stray from the country where people take their dogs to die of exposure (because that is what happens to most dogs who are "left on a farm"), and buy the cheapest pet food, and not take them to the vet. That'd be cheap.

 

Or you can go to a shelter - right away, they're going to charge you an adoption fee to cover the cost of their first vaccinations and their neutering. (If you purchase a dog, you have a higher fee, plus you have to pay for those expenses yourself.) You need to commit to flea and heartworm medicine every month. You probably don't want to buy the very cheapest pet food. If you're adopting a puppy, you may need to pay for dog training. You need to get your dog vaccinated regularly. All this adds up - and these are just regular, ongoing expenses. You also have to expect that your dog might get sick. Either you pay for medical care at this point, or you pay to have the animal put down. If you travel, you need to pay for your dog to be cared for. If you work long hours, you may need to pay for a dog walker.

 

Pets cost money.

[mamaraby]

Dogs are expensive. Golden Retrievers are expensive. Yes, they do need grooming and unless you know what you're doing they do need professional grooming. (Source: I own a Golden Retriever). Finding a groomer to do it who knows how to groom a Golden can be challenging. The wrong groomer and he looks like a doofus. Those feathers if not trimmed regularly grow quite long. And even if they are regularly groomed, they are leaf catchers. Between the dog hair and the debris from the yard he drags in from outside, my floors are a mess if I don't vacuum multiple times a day.

 

Golden Retrievers may be loveable idiots, but like all big dogs they do need training and can bite if the conditions are right. Plan on spending time training them and potentially money. Training classes are not cheap and untrained dogs are not pleasant to live with. Do you plan to travel? Do you ever leave for a weekend or so? Kennels are not cheap and pet sitters can be equally expensive.

 

Do you have space to bathe a dog? My Golden loves rolling in very smelly stuff in the yard. There have been weeks this fall where I bathed him two or three times week because all I had to do was turn my back for two minutes and he'd have rolled in something again. You can't carry a Golden to the tub and my dog doesn't particulalrly enjoy baths. And with that double coat he takes forever to dry.

 

Imo, the question is not "can you do it inexpensively." The question is, "Can I afford a dog?" Go in knowing what the dog will realistically cost and add 10% can you afford that?

[Spy Car]

De-sexing a dog (especially males) in the first year is likely to cost one a great deal of money (far beyond the cost of the surgery) and mental anguish due to the several adverse health effects of removing a dog's natural sex hormone producing organs.

 

There was a Golden Retriever (specific) study on early spay/neuter that confirmed the link between neutering and serious joint diseases found in other studies. 

 

https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/golden-retriever-study-suggests-neutering-affects-dog-health/

 

De-sexing a dog greatly increases risks of hip dysplasia, torn CCL (ligaments) that usually come in pairs and costs $3000-6000 per side to repair surgically, greatly heightened risks of obesity, and many types of cancers.

 

We have allowed a very radical "solution" to the pet over-population problem cause a health crisis in the American dog population. 

 

A "free" early-neutered puppy can turn out to be the most expensive dog a person could ever take on.

 

We need to re-think our policies and come up with population control measure that are humane and protective of the health of individual dogs. The current standard practices are too injurious to canine health.

 

Bill

 

 

[bettyandbob]

I wouldn't go into any pet ownership counting on not spending money. 

 

We have a rescue that came from a puppy mill. He's an anxious little guy. That's typical of puppies from puppy mills. 

 

You have to do basic vet care, shots, etc. That costs money. You have to buy dog food. We don't by the cheapest, but not the most expensive. If our dog had digestive issues, we would budget for special food. We have some special food procedures we follow if he has diarhea or something--a plan we got from out vet a while ago. 

 

Some people say you have grooming. You can give your dog baths. You can be good about brushing. And you can trim his coat yourself as needed. My dog hates the sound of clippers, so I cut my dog's hair with scissors. It works. It takes time. My dog has the most embarrassing hair cut at times. It works.

 

Anytime our dog has a something we don't know how to treat, we see the vet. Most recently that's been some skin issues. He would clearly become uncomfortable. I'm not going to ignore it. Seeing the vet costs money. 

 

If I agree to care for an animal, I'm going to take care of the animal. I am not going to ignore problems because I didn't envision spending money. That would not be fair to the animal. I invited the animal to be part of my family. I'm not going to be heroic in the outlay of finances to care for him, but I am going to spend money necessary to his physical well being. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SweetandSimple]

Would you share what company you went with?

 

After doing a bit of research, we ended up going with Healthy Paws. It made the most sense for us, but we haven't had to submit any claims yet-- so we will see how it goes in the future!

[The Governess]

You can do it inexpensively... until you can't. Our dogs have been very healthy overall and costs have been low, but now I have a dearly loved 15 year old dog with cancer that has had two surgeries in the past year and started chemo pills yesterday.

[Scarlett]

You can do it inexpensively... until you can't. Our dogs have been very healthy overall and costs have been low, but now I have a dearly loved 15 year old dog with cancer that has had two surgeries in the past year and started chemo pills yesterday.

 

 

I love my animals but I would not put a 15 year old dog through cancer treatments. 

[The Governess]

I love my animals but I would not put a 15 year old dog through cancer treatments.

She has mast cell tumors but is otherwise very happy and healthy (small breed so longer life span). She has had tumors removed twice ($1000 per surgery) and is now on chemotherapy pills because there are too many tumors popping up to make additional surgeries feasible. The medicine is relatively inexpensive because it is administered by weight and she is small, but it still adds up. Probably $200 a month for necessary bloodwork and medicine. If it doesn't work we have probably come to the end of the road. When she dies my kids will be devastated. It doesn't feel like the right time for her to be put down.

[Scarlett]

She has mast cell tumors but is otherwise very happy and healthy (small breed so longer life span). She has had tumors removed twice ($1000 per surgery) and is now on chemotherapy pills because there are too many tumors popping up to make additional surgeries feasible. The medicine is relatively inexpensive because it is administered by weight and she is small, but it still adds up. Probably $200 a month for necessary bloodwork and medicine. If it doesn't work we have probably come to the end of the road. When she dies my kids will be devastated. It doesn't feel like the right time for her to be put down.

 

 

Well I feel for you I really do.  My healthy Brittany suddenly developed a foot infection....all 4 feet. She is on round 3 of antiobiotic....can barely walk...has a cone one...and in the last two days isn't interested in food like  she normally is.  I never thought we might lose her to a foot infection but I can't let her go on like this indefinitely.

[HomeMum]

Dog and inexpensive cannot go in the same sentence  :lol:  -- not in my household experience!

[The Governess]

Well I feel for you I really do. My healthy Brittany suddenly developed a foot infection....all 4 feet. She is on round 3 of antiobiotic....can barely walk...has a cone one...and in the last two days isn't interested in food like she normally is. I never thought we might lose her to a foot infection but I can't let her go on like this indefinitely.

Poor girl. It's so hard. I hope the antibiotics work.

[Pawz4me]

Well I feel for you I really do.  My healthy Brittany suddenly developed a foot infection....all 4 feet. She is on round 3 of antiobiotic....can barely walk...has a cone one...and in the last two days isn't interested in food like  she normally is.  I never thought we might lose her to a foot infection but I can't let her go on like this indefinitely.

 

Have you tried Epsom salt soaks?

[Scarlett]

Have you tried Epsom salt soaks?

 

 

We have a special shampoo that is anti bacterial and anti fungal....using that and some cream.  Really nothing is helping.  Her feet are just raw and infected.  And when my son took her out to potty she just refused to walk or try to go to the bathroom.  She laid down.  He had to carry her inside.  I think we are near the end.

[Pawz4me]

We have a special shampoo that is anti bacterial and anti fungal....using that and some cream.  Really nothing is helping.  Her feet are just raw and infected.  And when my son took her out to potty she just refused to walk or try to go to the bathroom.  She laid down.  He had to carry her inside.  I think we are near the end.

 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug: