Nas wrote:
You all have given me a lot of great information and the last half of this page has even made me question if this is something that I want to do.
The things I do for money give me a lot of flexibility. I'm home for the majority of most days but a few times during the year I'm gone for about a week. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be providing 99.9% of the care for this dog for at least the first 6 months. When I am away can a puppy be left outside for a long period of time? If I go the adoption route at what point is it not possible to give the dog a name? Is pet insurance something that I should get from Day 1? How hard is it to house train a dog so they aren't crapping all over the place or chewing up things that you paid a lot of money for? I'm not willing to pay nearly $1k a month to own a dog like Kirkwood does to please his wife but what is the typical monthly/annual cost of ownership?
This depends on what type of a dog owner you want to be. A lot of the other people on this board are tremendous dog owners and providing a great and enriching life for their animals. It's just fun as a pet owner to read that there are other owners out there who find it worthwhile and fulfilling to indulge their animals. But your costs depend on what type of owner you want to be.
1. A shitty owner. Vet bills = $0, Food (shitty low grade crap) 20 bucks a month, treats - $0 a month, grooming = $0, extras = $0 a month. You'll end up with an under stimulated, under exercised, destructive, wild, disease ridden dog. Please do not get a dog if this will be you.
2. Competent/regular dog owner (assuming a lab - 70 pounds) here are the minimums you'll invest in to be considered a passable dog owner:
- 2 vet exams a year - $400
- Not embarrassing quality of dog food - $400
- Heartworm medication - $200
- Flea/Tick preventative - $200
- Vaccines - $150
- Professional grooming 2x - $150
So just to do the above, which honestly is the minimum required to not be a scumbag owner you're looking at about $1,500 a year for a 70lb dog. You'll be doing a lot of the exercise, training, interaction/enrichment yourself, but hey, dogs are fun and awesome, so it will be fun and awesome for you.
3. Super owner - A lot of the great things that you have read from other people on this site who are awesome owners. But other things to consider. Dogs are alive, they get sick. When your dog shits his brains out for 2 days and barfs all the time are you going to take it to the vet? Anyone with a heart would, so that's $200-$700 depending on what the issue is. When your dog gets old and has serious medical issues how far are you willing to take treatment. It's a tough question depending on the illness and the treatment options. Travel, boarding, accidental or intentional destruction of stuff in your house all are variable costs that can add up depending on your level of investment.
If you put the time and effort into a dog, you'll reap much more than you invest in time, energy, and finances. There is never a "good" time to get a dog, but you're educating yourself about the time and financial commitment. If you are OK with what it takes to own a dog, you'll be glad you decided to get one.
Two quickies:
1. When my wife and I first got married and had a lot less money than we do now, our dog was the best marriage therapist we could ask for and afford. We'd walk that dog together every night, and a lot of the time the first 30 minutes of the walk was silence, or one person would be 20 feet in front of or behind the other, but god damn if we weren't side by side by the time we got home, and maybe the problem wasn't worked out, but we were a lot closer.
2. Basically every night after I put the kids to bed, I take my two dogs on a walk and I pretty regularly have a beer or a mixed drink in hand. It's a tremendously relaxing experience and I can enjoy the companionship of these great animals, an adult beverage, and a peaceful walk at the end of the day. It's honestly great therapy and a lot of times the best 30-60 minutes of the day.
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