Are Dogs ACTUALLY as Expensive as some People Say?

Hello again!

So as we enter into April, we are getting towards the end of the semester. While others are planning their summer and fall class schedules, some are getting close to graduating! Unfortunately I’m not included in that group (I have another year and a half before I get that lucky…), but good luck to those whose college years are coming to an end!

Now with summer coming up, I know a lot of people decide to get a dog either once they graduate, or once summer hits so they have more time to raise a puppy. Sure, I didn’t get Kyzer in the summer (Although I really wish I would have), but I did get him during winter break. Breaks are a great time to acclimate a new pet to the home when you have more time having a break from school.

Kyzer about a month after we got him--his first real deep snow experience.

One criticism I encountered before I got a puppy was this: “Dogs are SO expensive.” Yes. Having a dog is an extra expense you need to plan for to make sure you have enough disposable income to buy him food and take him to the vet. Yes. Dog food can range anywhere from $20-$40+ for a decent size bag that will last you a while. Yes. Dog toys (at least good quality dog toys) are pretty pricey. Yes. Some vet bills are outrageously expensive and can be hard to plan for. 

So dogs CAN be very expensive. Before we got Kyzer, my boyfriend and I knew we could afford it only because between the two of us we had enough disposable income to make it work. We planned for the worst, in financial terms.

Now, from my own personal experience…Kyzer really hasn't been as expensive as we had anticipated. He has cost us less than my boyfriend’s bearded dragon he had for a few months. That lizard needed 100+ crickets a week, costing about $20 a week while Kyzer’s bag of dog food lasted him over a month and cost about $30. Dog’s need annual check-ups and I did just drop $200 about a month ago when I took Kyzer in for his, but that also included the heart worm guard medication and plenty of shots, with some lasting him multiple years. As stated before toys can also be expensive, but after a while you’ll have a good supply and you can wait to get him another toy when you have that extra income, or you come across a sale. Maybe I don’t find him as expensive because again, I’m splitting the cost with someone. But honestly, even if my boyfriend wasn’t helping I still think I could afford him. 

So something to definitely consider before getting a dog this summer is making sure you have that disposable income. Especially when you first get a puppy it can be expensive getting him a cage, toys, food, and all the other necessary supplies. But after you have all the basic supplies built up, and have got him up to date on all his shots, other than his vet appointments we really only spend money on Kyzer buying him food, with the occasional toy. 

Regardless, dogs aren’t as cheap as a gold fish! But in different situations they may not be as expensive as some critics exaggerate. 

~Kathryn and Kyzer