Hi, Socialization was one of my worries and I wanted to get it right, get your friends over and have them wear hats and bags and anything and everything at different times, what we did at home was just getting the household socialization such as umbrellas, pots, rubbish bins etc started and if you have friends with vaccinated and friendly dogs get them around. There is a lot of socialization you can do before your pup is fully vaccinated at home, rubbish day is a good day for standing at the gate watching the big noisy trucks go by, picking up the bins and banging them down, watching the mower, hearing the motorbike being started. Just remember let your pup take it's time don't force it when it is uncomfortable. Our 6 month old boy is doing great and is quite a confident fella. At 14 weeks we did puppy class for 7 weeks and only started going to a dog park at 4 months and he automatically knew how to be a dog when he was with the other dogs. Good luck.
The annual cost of owning a Dog
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I do not know if this is a topic that has been discussed in this forum before or not but maybe it will end up as a sticky.
In consideration of the initial cost of your pooch and annual vet bills, emergency vet bills, food costs, treats, dog park membership, leashes, training, grooming,license fees, and other incidental fees, what do you estimate your annual cost of owning your dog?
Thanks
Jason
ComicDom1 -
As they say on tv
Vet bills $
chewed up remote $
food $
uncondional love and snuggles from you're b PRICELESS! -
For one dog…
Food: $550
Cookies and Toys: $200
Vet-Routine and Emergency: $500
Other Supplies: $100
License: $15
Grooming: $25 (I'm a do-it-yourself-er)
Flea and Heartworm: $300-ish (preventive)Initial cost...he was given to me. However; bowls, crate, bed, etc....$250
And this is probably a close but conservative estimate.
And Kitkat, you are absolutely right...the kisses, unconditional love and snuggies are priceless.
Cheers!
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Less than having teenagers! :eek:
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To be honest with you, I don't tally it up…with 4 dogs I rather see it as it comes...hopefully it is easier to swallow..but I like reading the estimates..
Is it worth it? You betcha....
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Can't remember the initial costs, probably under $1k.
Annually:
Food- $500
Treats- Free, he gets a few human treats every once and awhile, does not like dog treats for some reason
Preventative Care- $400ish (vaccinations, heart worm preventative, etc)
Grooming- $20 (shampoo)So about $1k/year
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Well, I try not to look at these things.
It is like buying clothes for children.
You HAVE to buy them.
Even when you know they are going to grow out of them in two months.
You NEED the remote so you don't have to get off your arse to change the change.
Even though you know it is going to get chewed up because you left it on the floor.I have had some dogs that only went to the vet for Rabies vax and health certificates when I traveled.
Then I have had the occasional few over the past ten years that broke a leg and they needed a splint or surgery.
I guess those few make up for the rest that never need additional vet care! -
Well, I try not to look at these things.
It is like buying clothes for children.
You HAVE to buy them.
Even when you know they are going to grow out of them in two months.
You NEED the remote so you don't have to get off your arse to change the change.
Even though you know it is going to get chewed up because you left it on the floor.I have had some dogs that only went to the vet for Rabies vax and health certificates when I traveled.
Then I have had the occasional few over the past ten years that broke a leg and they needed a splint or surgery.
I guess those few make up for the rest that never need additional vet care!Yeah…same here....I cringe when the news says "it takes X amount of dollars to raise a child to 18"....do I really need to know that? Is it going to matter now that I have three kids? I suppose it is too late to return them to their breeder (oh, wait...that is me)....
Dogs...well...a lot....for just the basics it would take for counting five dogs as pets, not breeding stock...
$1000/ year for vet care (including HW preventative)
$700/ year for food and treats
$100/year for collars and toys, chew materials, beds, etc
$100/year for dog licenses$1900/yr, for five currently very healthy dogs, who don't have a lot of toys
Oh, and $300-$500/year for boarding during our annual vacation.
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Hmmm let's see.
Vet-anywhere from 4-500 per year depending on year and tests done. Don't forget I have a challenged boxer.
Food - $1900-again because of the boxer.
Treats 100
Collars and such 100
Dog licenses-I have a kennel license at about $50 per year.
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Yeah…same here....I cringe when the news says "it takes X amount of dollars to raise a child to 18"....do I really need to know that? Is it going to matter now that I have three kids? I suppose it is too late to return them to their breeder (oh, wait...that is me)....
That's too funny! Can't begin to tell you how many times I thought that as my 3 kids were growing up!
Pat
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$1900/yr, for five currently very healthy dogs, who don't have a lot of toys
Oh, and $300-$500/year for boarding during our annual vacation.
okay, you just said you have 3 kids, then you say your dogs don't have a lot of toys - which is it? 3 kids seem like very expensive toys to me.
I think I spend about $1400 for food for 4 dogs (3 basenjis + 1 malinois; fed Evo and Canidae; this figure probably does not include muttloaf food)
toys - I have bunches of toys, other than a nylabone, I'm not buying any more toys. (I used to pick up Easter toys the week after Easter for 70% off. Lots of bunny toys, good for the hounds.) Well, maybe another food dispensing toy.
Vet care - no idea. my dogs have always been healthy, but I do have two dogs on thyroid meds and i have had some extra expenses like teeth pull/clean, etc. but ballpark, maybe $2000 for the 4 dogs.
Leashes, collars, entry fees, training, beds, and "others" (like the boys each got their own sheepskins last year) - I have no idea. And really, a dog needs food and they need vet care, but other items I view as luxuries at this point. Okay the dog needs a leash/collar, but they don't each need 4-5 leashes and collars. They don't have to have a rolled leather collar and a white pine collar/leash, but that's what I like. I could choose to buy something much cheaper. They need a crate, but once you have one, you're done and you can reuse it for the next dog. Same with beds. And they certainly don't have to be shown - that feeds my hobby.
Treats - I usually use human food. Meatballs, leftover chicken, some kibble thrown in, etc. Acutally, I buy Evo treats, but that's a luxury and I can get them at a bit of a discount.
Training - yes, most people need to train their dog, but you don't have to train your dog to upper level obedience/agility levels. And there are certainly enough training books/videos at my local library to make for a nice pet. Again, the money I spend on books/videos/seminars/magazines on agility training feeds my hobby.
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Andrea…. are you sure the collar/leash part is accurate?
As a puppy, Amy REGULARLY chewed Baby's collar off of her when they were crated... because I am a spendthrift, I buy them at the Dollar Tree... and because I know my dogs have the collar chewing gene [even those damned Hawaiians.. not sure how this keeps working out!]…
I'd say in Amy's two years, I have probably spent $100 alone JUST on collars! lolI NEVER add up what it costs to take care of my dogs. It is my hobby, so it does not matter how much I spend.
Luckily, I can write my travels off, as I incorporate business with each trip [gotta make it work somehow!].I have six current residents [until Hot Rod and Chrissy leave].
Our licensing is $30 a year for an intact animal. $18 for altered.Okay.. back to making HB eggs for the kids… because I HAVE to feed them something... not because I want to feed them! Of course, I know feeding them correlates to growing and then new clothes... it is a never ending cycle... just like dogs!
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The only time I had a problem with collar chewing was with Mickii's litter and Mickii chewing off each of her babies collars…ggg.... since Mickii had the collar chewing gene... I just never left collars on mine at home... not that I thought of doing doing so anyway. I don't believe in collars at home particularly when I have more then one. I have seen dogs play/fight and get caught up in a collar.. it is not pretty.. and when am not home, since I don't have to crate them, I don't put collars on them.
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About 12 months ago, my MIL decided to work out for herself EXACTLY how much we would be spending on dog food ;). Why ???…............. I have no idea...
She then told my hubby that she had worked it out and that each dog would cost us................................................................................................................................................. $9000, (Aussie Dollars...), in food alone, AND we had 6 dogs at the time, too :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
I have NO idea what she thought we were feeding them, perhaps top quality rump/scotch steak, seafood, caviar etc, all washed down with Moet Chandon :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
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The only time I had a problem with collar chewing was with Mickii's litter and Mickii chewing off each of her babies collars…ggg.... since Mickii had the collar chewing gene... I just never left collars on mine at home... not that I thought of doing doing so anyway. I don't believe in collars at home particularly when I have more then one. I have seen dogs play/fight and get caught up in a collar.. it is not pretty.. and when am not home, since I don't have to crate them, I don't put collars on them.
Ahhh Pat, you don't have children…. dogs MUST wear collars....
one shot out the door by a neighbor kid and they are running down the busiest road in the neighborhood.I lost a half-AF bitch that way...
so they all wear collars when loose.
Naked in their crates. -
Ahhh Pat, you don't have children…. dogs MUST wear collars....
one shot out the door by a neighbor kid and they are running down the busiest road in the neighborhood.I lost a half-AF bitch that way...
so they all wear collars when loose.
Naked in their crates.Exactly… if I did, I might have different ideas/thoughts... well unless you consider Ted as a "big" kid!!!!
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Exactly… if I did, I might have different ideas/thoughts... well unless you consider Ted as a "big" kid!!!!
I never had the collars on my last 2 when in the house. If they got out they stayed in front. Now I left the collar off my new guy, Buddy and he got out an open gate. I got him back because of his chip and I got a lecture from Karen at Medfly that I should never have his collar off.
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I never had the collars on my last 2 when in the house. If they got out they stayed in front. Now I left the collar off my new guy, Buddy and he got out an open gate. I got him back because of his chip and I got a lecture from Karen at Medfly that I should never have his collar off.
Again, personal choice. If I had only one then I would "maybe" consider leaving the collar on… but when I have more then one, I worry way more about them getting caught in or on something when I am not home. Again, I do not have to crate when we are at work and they have access to the dog room and the back yard.
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I had collars all the dogs at one time. Until Zest got her mouth caught on malinois #1's collar twice in the span of about 2 months. I thought it a fluke the first time, so I kept collars on dogs. Fortunately, I was right there and the mali had a quick release collar and no damage was done to anyone. Just a few days ago I found this:
http://www.breakawaycollar.com/I may be getting a few new collars afterall.
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This product looks very similar to Premier's Keepsafe Collar.
http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/collars/keepsafe/description
