The True Amount a Dog Costs, Initially and Yearly
Dog Costs by Janice Jones Updated 11-15-2023
I have to admit I was shocked when I found out what the real sum a dog costs over his lifespan. At the risk of dating myself, I got my first dog about 50 years ago...
When
it was time to pick up the dog, my mother dutifully took me to the store to
purchase what she believed we would need for the dog:
- Leash
- Collar
- Ball
- Dry dog food
- Box of dog biscuits
End of story. No need for bowls—we had a couple mis-matched ones the dog could use; a bed? No problem, he could sleep on the foot of my bed. Wee-wee pads, cleaning solutions—what’s wrong with newspaper. Toys?
No need, he’ll have fun following you around? Clothes? Are you kidding me? Grooming? Don’t you have a brush you could use?
To make a long story short, there was no interest in or availability of products for dogs back then. Few people prepared for a puppy, it just happened.
In 2023, According to the American Pet Products Association, sixty-six percent (66%) of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 86.9 million households. Those pet owners pay $136.8 billion in total sales, a 10.8% increase compared to 2021.
Increases in all areas of dog care was noted:
- $136.8 billion in total sales, a 10.8% increase compared to 2021.
- $58.1 billion was spent on pet foods and treats, the highest spend category and the category with the biggest increase at 16.2%.
- Vet care and product sales landed as the second highest spend category at $35.9 billion, a 4.7% increase.
- Supplies, live animals and OTC meds saw an increase of 5.7% and a total spend of $31.5 billion.
- Other services (including grooming, dog walking and boarding) totaled $11.4 billion spent, a 20% increase.
American Pet Products Association
Dog Costs for a New Puppy or Adult Dog
Average Cost of a Purebred Puppy: $ 500-$2000
Average Cost of Adoptions: $ 50 - $ 500
Purchasing from a Breeder or Pet Shop
If you want a show potential puppy, expect to pay top
dollars.
Even if you are buy a companion or pet quality dog from a good breeder expect to pay a little more. In the end, you will save money on veterinary costs with a breeder’s guarantee of a healthy puppy.
Adopting from a Rescue or Shelter
If you choose to adopt either a pure breed or mixed breed dog, the actual dog costs are less.
These figures vary depending on where you adopt your dog. Public shelters are least expensive and private rescue organizations are most expensive.
Even if you don’t spend top dollars on the purchase of your loyal fury friend, you will need to budget for all those other dog costs that creep up. Consider some of these other costs of owning a dog.
What does it Cost to Own a Dog?
According to Pettable, the cost of owning a dog in the US varies by state. The most expensive state to own a dog is Deleware with an average yearly cost of $2864. The least expensive state is Idaho, where citizens pay $1,232 per year. The biggest difference is in the cost of food.
Dog Costs for Veterinary Services and Medications
$ 200--$800 per Year
Your puppy will need vaccinations, worm checks, and medications for heartworm and possibly other medications such as for intestinal worms and external parasites (fleas).
Regular care is essential if you want to keep your puppy healthy. Costs for office visits or checkups are generally additional.
Routine spay/neuter costs can average $200-800. Neutering a male dog is less than the cost to spay a female dog. If other procedures must be done such as reducing an umbilical hernia, or removing a baby tooth that hasn’t fallen out, the cost can go up.
If there are low cost spay/neuter clinics in your area you will be able to save money here. The same is true for routine vaccinations. Veterinary care goes up as the pet ages.
Pet insurance can help reduce costs in this area, but will not eliminate them altogether. Some folks believe that pet insurance is not a cost effective way to supplement veterinary fees.
Some people are able to develop good practices early in the puppy's life to help reduce dog costs in this area over the lifespan of their dog. Daily dental cleaning will reduce the number of times your dog will need to have professional cleaning.
My veterinarian estimated that daily brushing will reduce professional cleanings to perhaps 2 or 3 over the life of the dog, as opposed to every year. Keep your dog safe and secure will prevent accidents and the fees associated with costly emergency clinic visits.
Grooming
$30-$500 and up
Grooming costs vary widely among owners of small breed dogs. Grooming for first year can range from $ 30 to $500 and more depending on the length of the dog’s coat and whether you are a DIYer or take your dog to the groomers. For short haired dogs, you may be able to get away with much less. Remember, though that you will need to assume the tasks of clipping nails and bathing. My vet charges $30 for a nail clip.
According to Home Guide, the average price of dog grooming is between $40 and $75 for professional grooming at a salon with additional fees for extras such as nail polish, dematting or deshedding, or a flea and tick treatment. You can even opt for a blueberry facial!
Prices vary by breed, your location, services needed and even the temperament of the breed.
Rover estimates that grooming can run between $50 and $125 per visit.
A standard groom normally includes a bath, brush, dry, haircut, nail trim, ear clean, paw trim and sometimes teeth brushing.
These prices do not include tips which normally run 15-20% even for the owner of the shop.
The initial outlay may be more for you DIYers who own long haired breeds, because you are likely to purchase equipment such as clippers, which would not be necessary when using a professional groomer. Expect to pay about $500 for the initial kit that includes, clippers, scissors, brushes, combs, nail clippers and a dryer.
Expect to pay premium prices on premium products.
More about D.I.Y. Dog Grooming
Toys and Supplies
$150 and Up
If you are a toy fanatic yourself, it is hard to resist purchasing your fur baby the newest, cutest, most stimulating thingamajig on the market.
This area of expenses is very difficult to estimate for this reason.
At the very least, you will need food bowls, a leash and collar, a few toys, treats and chews.
We estimated that you could get by with $150 for the first year, but your expenses are likely to much higher than this.
Really, the sky’s the limit here.
There is so much that you can purchase for your dog, but the essentials include:
- Dog bowls
- Collar, harness, leash
- Toys and chew bones, treats
- Crate
- Bed
- Odor neutralizers, stain removals
- Clean up supplies (poop bags, pooper-scooper)
- Sweater or coat if your dog lives in colder climates
- Supplements, vitamins
- First aid supplies
- Supplies such as shampoo, conditioner, detangler
- Grooming supplies such as comb, brush, nail clippers, nail grinder, deshedding tool, de-tangler tool, scissors, hemostat, etc, etc, etc.
Dog Food
Dog food can be a huge expensive for dog owners. As I mentioned earlier, Pettable broke down food costs by state. If you are curious about your state if you live in the US, check out their page.
Dry kibble is cheaper than other forms of commercial dog foods.
Premium brands are more expensive that cheap supermarket brands and raw or home-cooked can be the most expensive, depending on the ingredients.
This is probably the one area that you should not try too hard to economize costs.
What you save in money for cheap food, you will spend in vet bills.
Training
$15 to 500/yearly
The $15 represents buying a book or DVD. You can also save this by looking online for advice. This is really no substitute for a puppy socialization and training class especially if you want a well-mannered dog who you can take anywhere.
Most DIYers cannot accomplish the type of training experience that comes with group lessons but it is not impossible.
The cost of training can exceed the $500 limit if you are interested in specialized training such as is needed for conformation, agility, field trials or other competition events.
Other Dog Costs
Pet Sitters $ 25 - 35per day
Pet Walkers $15 - $20 per ½ hour walk
Doggie Daycare $ 20-25 per day
Excrement Removal $ 8 - 15 per week per dog
Boarding $30 - $ 40 per night
Home Repairs due to Pets $ 100 - $200 Plus
Yard Repairs due to Pets $ 100 - 200 Plus
Pet Health Insurance $ Varies with plans
Emergency Medical Care $2000 - 4000
Apartment Pet Deposit $200 to $500
Need a Little Help Setting Up Your Budget?
Here is a free download that you can fill in with your own costs to see how you should budget for the first year and beyond.
Last Words
Owning a dog can be expensive, so it makes sense to create a budget before bring that cute furball home. There are ways to save on some expensives and it makes sense to shop for the best price and bargins where available.
About Janice (author and voice behind this site)
Having lived with dogs and cats most of her life, Janice served as a veterinary technician for ten years in Maryland and twelve years as a Shih Tzu dog breeder in Ohio.
Her education includes undergraduate degrees in Psychology with a minor in biology, Early Childhood Education, and Nursing, and a master's in Mental Health Counseling.
She is a lifelong learner, a dog lover, and passionate about the welfare of animals. Her favorite breed for over 50 years has been the Shih Tzu, but she has also lived with Poodles, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Beagles, English Bulldogs, Carin Terriers, and a Cocker Spaniel.
When not writing, reading, and researching dog-related topics, she likes to spend time with her eight Shih Tzu dogs, husband, and family, as well as knitting and crocheting. She is also the voice behind Miracle Shih Tzu and Smart-Knit-Crocheting
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