Veterinarian Expenses
One of the largest expenses to budget for when purchasing a new puppy is veterinary costs. When you first bring home your puppy, you will most likely need multiple appointments in the first year. After the initial year, you can expect annual visits for shots and other medication as well as other visits for illness or accidents. Veterinary costs that you will need to budget for include:
- Appointments - $50-$300 per year
- Cost to spay or neuter - $90-$200
- First year and then annual shots - $180-$240
- Dewormer - $10-$30
- Flea and heartworm preventative - $300-$480
- Emergency appointment for illness or accidents - $150-$1000
Most of these expenses will not be on a per year basis, but it is still important to plan for each expense so that you know your new family member is well taken care of.
Pet Food
You will need to budget for the cost of food and treats that you will be purchasing for your pet. The cost of pet food can also be a deciding factor when choosing your breed as large dogs will require a significantly more food compared to smaller breeds. Make sure to budget enough for a moderately priced brand as you may find out your dog has dietary accommodations that will need to be met. For smaller breed dogs you should budget around $100 to $120 annually while larger breeds average $240 to $350 annually.
Purchase or Adoption Cost
Whether you buy from a breeder or adopt, there will be initial expenses to purchasing your puppy. When finding out the cost ask if spaying/neutering, first shots, and first veterinary visit is included. This can often be the case in both purchasing and adopting and can save a significant amount on your first vet bills. Adoption costs run between $60 and $110 and buying from a breeder averages $350 to $1500 depending on the breed.
Toys
Your puppy will need to be kept occupied to prevent them from turning your home into their chew toy. Budget for some good toys that can survive the dog's sharp puppy teeth and keep them interested especially if they will be left alone for periods of time. You should budget about $50 per year for your pup's toys.
Potty Training
While maybe not your favorite thing to think about when acquiring a new puppy, you will want to make sure to budget for your pet's potty training needs. This might include puppy pads or puppy patch areas for those who may live in an apartment. Puppy patches can cost anywhere from $70 to $120 and the cost of puppy pads will be $60 to $100 for 3 to 6 months of training.
Bedding and Sleep Area
Budgeting for your new puppy's bedding will largely depend on the size of the dog and where they will be staying in the house. You will need to budget for a dog bed, about $20 to $40, and possibly a crate or kennel, approximately $90 to $200, if they will be crate trained for sleeping.
Training
Training is an important part of raising a puppy into the dog you expect it to become. You may want to budget some of your money to invest in a trainer or obedience classes or save for some online tutorials or guides. Don't forget to budget some money for leashes, collars, and other training devices such as electric fences that you may decide to use. Depending on the training option you choose you can expect to budget anywhere from $150 to $800.
Grooming
Whether you choose to do it yourself or pay to have grooming services done, you will need to budget for the coat maintenance for your pet. You will want to invest in a good brush that can reduce shedding and shampoo that will best fit your dog's skin type. If you plan on grooming your dog at home, you may want to invest in a pair of dog shears, a scissor set, and head control to make grooming easier. When grooming your pet yourself, you will have a higher upfront cost to get supplies, approximately $150 to $200, but the annual cost of grooming at a shop can range from $240 to $500 per year.
If you want more information on how to save money to budget for upcoming expenses, contact the financial professionals at Rocky Mountain Credit Union today.
