Dog Maintenance Costs
Dog Maintenance Costs
I've been involved in some interesting conversations this week regarding the pro's and con's of purchasing and starting a puppy verses purchasing a started or finished dog. Looking just at the financial aspects of the question one must consider the cost of the pup, the cost of feed,vet, facility/utilities, etc. and of course putting a fair value on training.
My question is how many of you serious dog folks have calculated your annual dog ownership costs, ie. feed, vet, facility/utilities, etc.? Just curious what you come up with for your operation and how it might vary across the country.
All input appreciated.
Mike
My question is how many of you serious dog folks have calculated your annual dog ownership costs, ie. feed, vet, facility/utilities, etc.? Just curious what you come up with for your operation and how it might vary across the country.
All input appreciated.
Mike
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
Are you asking about the economics of owning one dog or a commercial or hobby kennel?
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
Either way, I'm interested in what one dog costs you to maintain for a year.
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
Hmmm,
Care Items:
$400 for food, or roughly $4.25 per lb of body weight
$40 for fleas, ticks, heartworms. That is one 3 vial pack of Frontline and one tube of Ivermectin gel (this i just started recently, saves at least $75 a year, assuming 12 month Heartguard)
$165 for normal Vet, that would include annual hearworm test and check-up. I haven't vaccinated him since the round ending at age 1. I also pro-rated rabies in that. So far no other Vet bills over the past 3 years of bliss.
$250 for boarding, 10 days @ $25.
So direct-care expenses are $850 roughly.
As for other stuff, like collars, beds, brushes, nail clippers, etc. I tend to spend more upfront for something that is high quality or can be returned. I have one Kuranda bed that is 13 years old, as an example. I would also never buy and OTC product like ear or eye cleaner that I can make myself. Items like this are pretty substantial hidden costs. I take the same approach with other related supplies like boots, jackets, etc. I like to buy things once and milk it. "Value" to me is more important than cost.
Care Items:
$400 for food, or roughly $4.25 per lb of body weight
$40 for fleas, ticks, heartworms. That is one 3 vial pack of Frontline and one tube of Ivermectin gel (this i just started recently, saves at least $75 a year, assuming 12 month Heartguard)
$165 for normal Vet, that would include annual hearworm test and check-up. I haven't vaccinated him since the round ending at age 1. I also pro-rated rabies in that. So far no other Vet bills over the past 3 years of bliss.
$250 for boarding, 10 days @ $25.
So direct-care expenses are $850 roughly.
As for other stuff, like collars, beds, brushes, nail clippers, etc. I tend to spend more upfront for something that is high quality or can be returned. I have one Kuranda bed that is 13 years old, as an example. I would also never buy and OTC product like ear or eye cleaner that I can make myself. Items like this are pretty substantial hidden costs. I take the same approach with other related supplies like boots, jackets, etc. I like to buy things once and milk it. "Value" to me is more important than cost.
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
mcbosco,
Thanks for the response. I'm sure the numbers vary for every owner/kennel, but I find it interesting to see what others are doing.
My wife is a vet tech here in our local clinic so I get all of my vet work at cost. Vet work really varies across the country. I think vet and feed are fairly easy numbers to get a handle on but the facilities and other misc. costs are a little more tricky.
Other opinions?
Mike
Thanks for the response. I'm sure the numbers vary for every owner/kennel, but I find it interesting to see what others are doing.
My wife is a vet tech here in our local clinic so I get all of my vet work at cost. Vet work really varies across the country. I think vet and feed are fairly easy numbers to get a handle on but the facilities and other misc. costs are a little more tricky.
Other opinions?
Mike
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Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
Basic care:Other opinions?
$525 for food
$140 Dasuquin joint supp
$45 for annual vet exam.
$25 I do my own vacs except rabies. Get DHLPP free but buy Lymes and Lepto
$30 for 8 months of Iverhart. I get this at cost. (I go longer then normal because it is cheaper then blood test)
T= $765
I am not adding in the treats, raw bones, dog show entries/gas, obedience private and group lessons, private bird training lesson, NAVHDA membership fees, and items that were bought once like e collar, coats, crates, etc.
Now that total would be a whole other story!
Jen
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
Food $150 per year
Vets $25 1 trip every three years
Ivomec$ $5 small bottle of 1%
Rawhide$30 bones to chew on
Collars, Combs, Brushes, and E-collar $25
Misc. $25
Total $260 Per year.
Vets $25 1 trip every three years
Ivomec$ $5 small bottle of 1%
Rawhide$30 bones to chew on
Collars, Combs, Brushes, and E-collar $25
Misc. $25
Total $260 Per year.
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=144
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
ezzy,
Just curious, what are you feeding that you can get by for 41 cents a day? Do you do annual vaccination boosters?
Thanks
Mike
Just curious, what are you feeding that you can get by for 41 cents a day? Do you do annual vaccination boosters?
Thanks
Mike
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
Feeding Diamonds Hi Energy Right now but used the Premium for a couple of years. I only feed a cup or a little over to two of the dogs and about two and a quarter to the other one I am guessing. A bag lasts for about a month for the three of them. I have never done boosters as a regular practice and I use Ivomec for heart worm and don't do annual checks for those either since I can use the Ivomec the year round. Also have never had a worm problem since I started using it so have had practically no expense there. I did have to treat for fleas this year for the first time in many years. Think my son's dog had them that we kept for him for a few weeks. Unless some emergency comes up the only trip I make to the vets is to get the rabies shots every three years and I do make one trip with new puppies when they are 5 or 6 weeks old. The rest of the shots or procedures I do myself. The one dog that got hit by a car made a few trips at that time but the 4 year old has been twice I think and the 2 year old has been twice counting his puppy visit. All three had to get their rabies this year so we made the trip for the first time in a couple of years.
Ezzy
Ezzy
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=144
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
This makes buying a finished dog sound pretty cheap, because hopefully you know what you are buying. Depending on what your requirements are , you could go through a couple of puppies and waste 3 or 4 years looking.It is also sometimes hard to let a pup go after the family has become attached. That is how small kennels start
FC Diamond - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=9
FC Mac - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=949
Dillion - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=950
Chrome - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=951
Alex - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=946
Cher - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=952
FC Mac - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=949
Dillion - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=950
Chrome - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=951
Alex - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=946
Cher - http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=952
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
brittguy,
I think you hit the nail on the head. I sell started and finished dogs and I believe anyone that does their homework (and the math) will see that dogs are an investment and are not without expense. A completely finished 3-4 year old dog at $4000 that does everything the average owner/hunter could want and more is really quite a bargin. Couple that with the fact that many prospective owners lack the ability to ever finish a dog properly and it makes the older dog even more appealing.
Thanks to all for the input.
Mike.
I think you hit the nail on the head. I sell started and finished dogs and I believe anyone that does their homework (and the math) will see that dogs are an investment and are not without expense. A completely finished 3-4 year old dog at $4000 that does everything the average owner/hunter could want and more is really quite a bargin. Couple that with the fact that many prospective owners lack the ability to ever finish a dog properly and it makes the older dog even more appealing.
Thanks to all for the input.
Mike.
Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
dang! who knew! That's a Great Price for an "out of the Box" Gun dog!mike2766 wrote:brittguy,
I think you hit the nail on the head. I sell started and finished dogs and I believe anyone that does their homework (and the math) will see that dogs are an investment and are not without expense. A completely finished 3-4 year old dog at $4000 that does everything the average owner/hunter could want and more is really quite a bargin. Couple that with the fact that many prospective owners lack the ability to ever finish a dog properly and it makes the older dog even more appealing.
Thanks to all for the input.
Mike.
The fact that I have paid over $5000 and still don't have "your type of dog" is a telling clue. My dog's are not some "investment" But I don't intend to field trial like you suggest. I am just the "average ownr/hunter"
A dog that that gives you goosebumps, takes your breath away when you watch it work, cuddles with you at night but is a machine in the field, has a point that makes your heart soar.......= Priceless!
Money should be no object when you walk the walk with a Great Gun Dog!
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Re: Dog Maintenance Costs
Never have done so.....I've had dogs arrive as pups, 4 year-olds and 8 year-olds.mike2766 wrote:....My question is how many of you serious dog folks have calculated your annual dog ownership costs, ie. feed, vet, facility/utilities, etc.? Just curious what you come up with for your operation and how it might vary across the country.
All input appreciated.
"Serious", of course, could just as easily be in a one-dog kennel but I expect you mostly mean the question to those who make, or want to make, or think they make, a business of their pleasure.
Kinda like figuring out what I paid per pound for that first wild turkey...I don't really want to know or, more exactly, I don't have to know because the return has been worth every cent of the initial investment and maintainence.
Everyone wants to save a shekel here and there but bean-counting a birddog is not for me.