How Much MY Basenji Cost is His First Year:

[agilebasenji]

@LindaH:

Yikes!!!

It only cost us ~$384 when we had Blaze neutered…and that INCLUDED having him microchipped, his rabies vaccination, repair his umbilical hernia, pre-anethestic blood work, and the after-surgery medication.

I know prices around the country vary, but $800 for a neuter in KY seems really high to me too. Z's spay was significantly less than 1/2 that cost (including pre-op blood work, pain meds and the surgery). And often spays are more $. I would bet the cost of living in co is about the same or slightly more in co compared to ky.

[tanza]

In Northern Ca, average spay/neuter is around 400 to 800.00. There are cheaper, however as they say, you get what you pay for.

[sharronhurlbut]

I don't want to count the shoes I have had to repair/replace…our fault for leaving them where the b's can get them.

[Kipawa]

@LindaH:

Yikes!!!

It only cost us ~$384 when we had Blaze neutered…and that INCLUDED having him microchipped, his rabies vaccination, repair his umbilical hernia, pre-anethestic blood work, and the after-surgery medication.

Wow… you did not too bad compared to our costs on the west coast of Canada (we are basically in a suburb of Vancouver). Along with pre-surgery blood work and urinalysis, our bill was almost $700.00. And that was with nothing additional done. Rabies had already been done, no hernias to repair and Kipawa was already microchipped by his breeders.

I know I could find a less costly vet, but I have built up a very good relationship with them and trust them totally. They were so wonderful when my angel cat Barney got cancer, arranging for us to see a specialist two days later. Everything they do provides peace of mind for me and my animalsis, and I just can't put a price on that.

[sharronhurlbut]

A good vet is worth the price of their services, IMO.

[curlytails]

Wow, I must confess that I'm often shocked by how much spay/neuters cost on this side of the world, since I never had to do one. Bowpi was already spayed when we got her, and Bowdu was neutered when we were living in Taiwan – for the oh so exorbitant cost of about $60USD. S/Ns are actually subsidized there so the gov't will PAY vets for every spay/neuter they perform, and so vets stand to make a decent chunk of change even when they charge clients such a small amount.

Anyway, I do think it's important to keep track of expenses like this, and it'll probably help others who want a more realistic idea of the expenses incurred in raising a dog. There's always more than that cute face to worry about, especially for the first year!

[Voodoo]

I have Voodoo now for 3 months, and he is 9 months old now, but here it has been a lot cheaper. Had most of the stuff he needed allready from my other dogs, so only expenses I had was food and getting him ready to enter Sweden (rabi?s-titer, de-worming…). Over here his food is free, vet is free, so now he doesn't cost me anything. With some quick calculations, I spend a total of 140 dollar on him so far.

[tanza]

It is important to be able to explain to people the cost of proper care… Many are so hung up on the price of a pup, they do not realize that proper care way out spend the cost to purchase. And when they understand those costs, they can more understand why the price might seem high to them.

So many people question the price saying "I only want a pet", but the cost to breed that pet is no different then a show/performance puppy if you do it right.

[Kipawa]

@tanza:

It is important to be able to explain to people the cost of proper care… Many are so hung up on the price of a pup, they do not realize that proper care way out spend the cost to purchase. And when they understand those costs, they can more understand why the price might seem high to them.

So many people question the price saying "I only want a pet", but the cost to breed that pet is no different then a show/performance puppy if you do it right.

Excellent comments, Pat!

[Kenji24]

@tanza:

It is important to be able to explain to people the cost of proper care… Many are so hung up on the price of a pup, they do not realize that proper care way out spend the cost to purchase...

My thoughts exactly, this is one of the reasons why I posted this.

@LindaH:

Yikes!!!

It only cost us ~$384 when we had Blaze neutered…and that INCLUDED having him microchipped, his rabies vaccination, repair his umbilical hernia, pre-anethestic blood work, and the after-surgery medication.

Yeah, yikes is right. I did some digging and found that around 800 is on the high end and 200 - 400 is a good number for this area. Thankfully I could do the wellness plan. Since this was my first dog and first S/N, I kinda went overboard on the post op stuff. Meds (which he didnt need), the halo so he didnt lick himself, the laser up-charge and there was another up-charge that i choose. The laser, they said, would heal quicker and is less painful after the op. Apparently they were correct, Kenji was only lethargic that day. the next day he was close to normal. he ate well, slept all day and went for a nice long walk. Everyday after that he was back to his old self.

@MacPack:

Good post. It's very for anyone to have an idea how much this 'extra mouth' will cost. You didn't have a couch or expensive shoe replacement so you are actually doing really well, haha!
And best of all, you have Kenji, and that's priceless!

Thanks, I really do hope this post help future and even current owners. So far Kenji really doesn't like chewing on shoes. he used to chew on shoe laces but hasn't done that in a while. BUT he does like underwear and socks… and still shews on my chairs, :mad: GRRRR :mad:!! But I'd rather replace those then 50 - 100 pair of shoes.

Like everyone else said he is priceless. I cant put a price on him.

[agilebasenji]

@Kenji24:

Thanks, I really do hope this post help future and even current owners. So far Kenji really doesn't like chewing on shoes.

Don't believe I'd have said (typed) that outloud. Just sayin.

[Kenji24]

@agilebasenji:

Don't believe I'd have said (typed) that outloud. Just sayin.

I knocked on wood right after :p

[KenjiOkina24]

And we are learning of better ways to save money on Kenji. After several destroyed plastic frisbees I got him a durable fabric frisbee that he hasn't been able to damage yet. $6 well spent for that birthday present!!

[agilebasenji]

I go my local Joann's and buy fleece. There are plenty of free plans for a no-sew fleece blankets. Fleece is nice - you don't have to finish the edges b/c it won't unravel like other fabrics. it also washes/wears well. In addition to a blanket, i've braided strips and made it into a nice dog toy.

I also buy toys on sale and put them in the xmas box. All the basenjis have already gotten 2 new coats for the upcoming winter. One for the house and one for outside. Fetchdog.com was having a sale, plus I found an online coupon so for less than $100, I bought 6 coats. The down coat is now on sale for $12 and the fleece jacket (the one being advertised by a basenji) is also on sale.

[Lysh]

hehe never thought to total up expenses. but this was Hope's expenses for a year. (just for a different view?)

Out total cost for our first year: $2,454 …. oh my.. wow!

My cost to buy Hope: $700
Crate: $50
Monthly worming $22 (Total $154)
Vaccinations total:$100 (only had to pay for 2 as first one was free through the breeder along with the microchipping)
Treats roughly $100
Toys (shop bought/ebay etc) $100
Emergency vets due to hip dislocation + care $700
Collars: $70
Dog Agility $45 ($20 to join and every time we went until the break over christmas and then Hopes accident)
Registration with the Townsville City Council (yearly) $75
Food -for a year: $360 ($30 a month)

Dont even think twice

[KenjiOkina24]

Thanks for the website!! I've been looking for a coat for Kenji and the prices are unbeatable.

[mustBcrazy]

i kinda figure its your child, what ever it takes, i got a just in case credit card ,cause one never knows,never really tallied up a yearly cost,hard to figure with a big lab to lol, its like my car thing..if i added it up..id be in trouble.. lets not go there

[Hana]

Late to this thread

Have not tracked the costs ? Will be curious but worth it

Things we did not plan on
our well chewed massage chair
our now chewed leather couch
the other chewed chair and carpet near the door
My pressure washer that was sitting outside
Numerous kids toys our 3 year old now has a buzz light year that has no fingers
Our two large cushions are fluff pulling heaven or addiction for Hana
two baby gates we had that were net ( had them before our pup)

But the love she gives back and the joy are priceless

I think the food and vets will be the cheap part

[Schouiffy]

I love this game - just to freak new people out. No not really, but I do think it's important to explain to people the cost of the dog is always the cheapest cost you will have.

1st Year in US dollars:

Pup: about $1300
Return flight to Prague plus puppy on board = $300
Vaccinations and first check ups= $193
Food (for the year) = $536
Collars and leashes (went through a few!) = $130
Toys and accessories (including flight carrier) = $300
Puppy Damages = $300
Adult sized crate = $130
Microchip Registration (like Home Again) = $50
Emergency Care when she became septic and was hospitalized for over a week, antibiotics, scans, plus a biopsy and evaluation for a mass found = $10,000

First year owning Lycia : $13,239

But of course my time with her has been priceless - saying that - that's definitely a few months rent eh ?

[tanza]

I got my first two Basenjis in November of 1991. One was 10wks the other 8wks. Maggii was the 10wk old bitch, cost 450.00 (remember we are talking about back in 1991). OJ, 8wk old boy, cost 500.00. No travel since they were both from local breeders. Vet vists for regular shots 200.00 (for both). At 4 1/2 months Maggii climbed over a baby gate, got caught in the wire, fell and broke her front leg. ER visit 400.00. Specialist and TWO surgeries later 7500.00. She needed the first surgery to set the leg with a plate screwed on and the second because her growth plate closed too soon and had to be reopened. OJ, caught the "dog show crud" from Maggii when she was spending the days with her breeder when I was at work due to the cast on her leg. Too many Vet visits to count and we almost lost him… cost 1500.00. All before they were 6 months old. So not even counting things like food, crates, toys, etc the 1st 6 month cost was $10,150.00. Take off the price of the puppies and the total was $9,200.00. So the puppy price was a bargin!!!

Would I have changed it? Not for all the tea in China!!!