That's it. I need to get a dog.

sososo said:
If possible, please save 7000 to 10000 into a "pet fund" before purchasing a dog. Trust me it will save you lots in the long run.
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Do you realize just how many people that excludes.
Asking people to save $10,000 before getting a pet to me sounds like the epitome of elitism, or in the very least a lack of awareness about the state of economy for the working class.
While owning a dog is undoubtedly expensive and will likely accrue costs in the thousands, so is having children. But can you imagine how it would sound if you told a couple that wanted kids, to hold off until you can save up $300,000 first?

About 80% of the US lives paycheck to paycheck.

I guess we should just exclude everybody for animal companionship if they were dealt a worse lot in life. Wonderful
 
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sososo said:
If possible, please save 7000 to 10000 into a "pet fund" before purchasing a dog. Trust me it will save you lots in the long run.
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Can respect this but that's impossible for most. I have mine set to 1000 and in a savings account, when I can I'll add a bit here and there is the plan. I respect such a high number I do but is unfortunately impossible for most in my country at least
 
Imknotgay said:
Do you realize just how many people that excludes.
Asking people to save $10,000 before getting a pet to me sounds like the epitome of elitism, or in the very least a lack of awareness about the state of economy for the working class.
While owning a dog is undoubtedly expensive and will likely accrue costs in the thousands, so is having children. But can you imagine how it would sound if you told a couple that wanted kids, to hold off until you can save up $300,000 first?

About 80% of the US lives paycheck to paycheck.

I guess we should just exclude everybody for animal companionship if they were dealt a worse lot in life. Wonderful
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Theres nothing wrong with securing your pets safety. And considering most americans make 40 to 50 grand a year, it shouldnt be too problematic to save up wothin a year (assuming you have a stable job in something like engineering, or buisiness, or anything that pays 30+ an hour really)
 
Mammal-lover said:
I
Can respect this but that's impossible for most. I have mine set to 1000 and in a savings account, when I can I'll add a bit here and there is the plan. I respect such a high number I do but is unfortunately impossible for most in my country at least
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Fair enough, if your country limits you then try securing the best deal for your pet possible, good sir/mam
 
sososo said:
Fair enough, if your country limits you then try securing the best deal for your pet possible, good sir/mam
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Mam haha. And yea anything less is just reckless if you ask me. Itll cover most emergency expenses at a vet but nothing 2 serious. Your high number covers pretty much everything. Wish I could have that set aside truly do.
 
Mammal-lover said:
Mam haha. And yea anything less is just reckless if you ask me. Itll cover most emergency expenses at a vet but nothing 2 serious. Your high number covers pretty much everything. Wish I could have that set aside truly do.
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Yeah no just go for what you can muster and see the average cost of puppy care in your country and you should be good to go
 
Mammal-lover said:
look if you cant afford a pet store you shouldnt be buying a animal. I was that person once and my family is that person still. I have seen to many beloved critters pass on or suffer needlessly because they(and sometimes i) had no money for that emergency pet bill. My last cat who was my best friend I lost that way and I vowed to never bring a 4 legged into my life unless I could afford it. Loosing someone you love and knowing its your fault is heart breaking. Despite your loneliness be patient. Itll be worth it.

once you are financially ready look for whatever breed of of whichever animal you desire most and look there. You may meet that special someone on the search and they may even be of a diffrent breed. Just dont bring th ed m into your life if if you cant afford it.
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I have to totally agree with this. I cannot begin to tell you how many times my family had to drop $500 at the vet for one of our dogs or cat's emergencies. If it is ever serious, like heartworms, then look to spend $2000 - $4000. You should not own a pet unless you can come up with $500 on a moment's notice in cash and you have a credit card. Given that your dog was to live to 15 years, then your chances of a $500 or more vet visit is 100% going to happen to you at least once.
 
DannyWotan said:
I have to totally agree with this. I cannot begin to tell you how many times my family had to drop $500 at the vet for one of our dogs or cat's emergencies. If it is ever serious, like heartworms, then look to spend $2000 - $4000. You should not own a pet unless you can come up with $500 on a moment's notice in cash and you have a credit card. Given that your dog was to live to 15 years, then your chances of a $500 or more vet visit is 100% going to happen to you at least once.
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Agreed. If you can't support a pet you best not get one until you can. You don't need to save several thousands of dollars, but just have a way that you can scramble cash fast if something does happen. Credit cards are the easiest for this, but savings can also work if you have a "safety net."

This also doesn't include routine check-ups, vaccinations, food and hygiene care. A dog is a big responsibility; but a really joyful life experience.
 
Shepherd1919 said:
Didn’t mean just you. I mean people in general. Some people literally think owning a dog is like raising a human child. In some ways yes, but not really. I had someone tell me i shouldn’t get a puppy because I have a job. Yes taking care of a puppy isn’t the easiest thing in the world. But it’s rewarding, and you’re literally shaping and creating a bond and relationship with an animal. It never feels like work to me and certainly not difficult. But of course, if it’s your first dog, it won’t be all fun right off the bat. You’re gonna have a lot of questions and make a lot of mistakes. But that’s all part of the fun
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Is it hard? It depends. However that’s not really what’s hard about dog ownership. It’s the quality food that should be given and the vet bills that wipe the minds of dog owners. I know. 5k later
 
The basic costs for mine are 200UKP per calendar month. On top of that might be toys, replacement bedding, crates for travel etc. Early months usually are more expensive while settling in.
 
DangerManger said:
Agreed. If you can't support a pet you best not get one until you can. You don't need to save several thousands of dollars, but just have a way that you can scramble cash fast if something does happen. Credit cards are the easiest for this, but savings can also work if you have a "safety net."

This also doesn't include routine check-ups, vaccinations, food, and hygiene care. A dog is a big responsibility, but a really joyful life experience.
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True, but there are some tricks to make life easier. In the south, it gets extremely hot. We have a huge mosquito problem which leads to us having the worst heartworm problems in the country. It is for this reason that many look for dogs that they can keep inside. This drops the chances of parasites to .01% This saves a lot of money. Second, keeping a dog inside allows the dog to socialize more with the owners which means mentally healthy dogs. It is not uncommon for many owners to let their dogs sleep in bed with them. Crate training allows one to train a dog to go outside.

Spending more money on higher quality kibble actually saves money in the long run. My pets would eat a 50lb bag in two weeks of the cheap stuff, but a 20lb bag of Science Diet can last up to a month. You can get an unneutered dog for $50-$200 from a backyard breeder. A litter of mutt puppies is sometimes free to a good home. *BEWARE* Backyard breeders are notorious for selling pups with worms. Dogs that are "Free to a good home," often have worms and the breeder knows it; that is why the dog is free. Look for those cheap trade magazines that they sell at gas stations. Where I live we have a publication called the Iwanta; it's a weekly publication for used cars, motorcycles, boats, and they sell dogs and guitar gear in the back.
Basic parasite treating at a Vet's office. Cheapest. "$70 for the initial parasite test. + $70 for the dewormer pill. First-time shots, $40. = $180 SPCA will often offer deals on shots. First-time vet visit $180 + Dog $50 = $230. Set up; Walmart dog food Ol'Roy 15 lb bag $11. Leash $15. Collar $10. Two food bowls $30. = $66.00 Dog $50 + First-Time Vet $180 + setup $66 = $296.

If you can come up with $300 then you can become a dog owner. I did not include a crate, toys, or bedding. I did not factor in obedience training. Anyone is more than welcome to contribute. I say it is roughly $300 to get a dog in the front door as a pet. Does anyone agree or disagree?
 
Was just thinking... all this advice warning people off from having pets until they have thousands saved up for it.

Wondering if maybe someone should tell prospective parents not to have kids until they can afford them.

LOL! (People would never have kids!)

(So maybe what we *need* is a welfare and something like a child services system for pets?).
 
Pets don’t cost that much. My lab female and my male Shepard put us way in the green. We sold the babydogs for $275 - $325. It came along just about when we needed tires, plane tickets, new tile, new pool pump, taxes. We would not have been burdened without the windfall of the litters. Just something that happens when you have a pair of dogs that you are active with.

enjoy!
 
I would recommend a boxer or a pitbull or bulldog. Their stature allows them to mount much easier than other dogs. And dogs aren't going to be very aggressive with a mate. Expect enthusiasm and bossiness from any breed you go for. A male dog will be persistent, pushy and my bark alot of you refuse him. He might accidentally pull you down if he's big enough and he might grab your arm(grab not bite).
 
Just ask around; everyone knows someone who knows someone who is having pups. More than likely it will be a mutt of some kind. Most women seem content with a 70lb dog.
 
Everything I would’ve suggested has already been said only thing I haven’t seen is I would stay away from the really active range. Good luck with your search and hope you find something
 
breedmeplease said:
Thank you! <3

Def not looking for a neutered pup, but also know that can make apartment hunting harder (I rent). I of course have a LOT of learning to do in terms of what it takes to take care of a pup, but especially feel like i have a lot to learn re: taking care of an un-neutered pup. I'm sure there are lots of resources out there for both.
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Watch classified sometimes there are dogs that need rehoming
 
I’d start looking at Craig’s list and grocery store bulletin boards. Craigs list often has rehome dogs listed due to moving, job, inability to care for etc. Some are even free. Grocery store boards often have puppies listed. Good luck in your search.
 
Humane society will require that you spay or neuter, at least every one I have heard of. Craigslist is my favorite option, have had lots of luck there in the past. Shelters and the likes ask a lot of questions, most people on Craigslist don’t usually which alleviates any nervousness.

After years of experience I can’t justify spending more than $300 on a dog, and that’s if I’m looking for a specific breed. Known many who spent more at breeders inisiting the bloodline mattered, only for it to end up having serious health issues and a shorter life than any of my mutts that came from Craigslist
 
knotme0820 said:
Humane society will require that you spay or neuter, at least every one I have heard of. Craigslist is my favorite option, have had lots of luck there in the past. Shelters and the likes ask a lot of questions, most people on Craigslist don’t usually which alleviates any nervousness.

After years of experience I can’t justify spending more than $300 on a dog, and that’s if I’m looking for a specific breed. Known many who spent more at breeders inisiting the bloodline mattered, only for it to end up having serious health issues and a shorter life than any of my mutts that came from Craigslist
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It's required by most state/municipality laws/codes. Any city you go around you'll find stray dogs and cats of all kinds.

But yes, I have never seen a shelter that does not require spaying or neutering. You can only really get an unspayed/unneutered dog through backyard breeders, even reputable breeders require them, although I've heard sometimes you can make a special request not to, but most will decline it.

On top of that something else to pay attention to is your laws... my municipality, for example, requires that all dogs be licensed. This is for crowd control reasons above all else. My city allows dogs that are not spayed/neutered and refers to them as "unaltered". As such, if you wish to license and keep an unaltered female specifically there are additional rules that you must abide by as to the "whelping" of pups. The licensing fee is also slightly over 4 times higher than with a dog that was altered.

But I mean, if you breed your girl, not like you're gonna knock her up with pups as much as that'd be amazing right?
 
Eagerbeaver said:
If you can't afford the hundred bucks to adopt a dog how do you think you're going to manage feeding it? heaven forbid it swallows a twist tie and you're stuck with a 3000 dollar surgery bill. Gotta think long term. Not just something fluffy to cuddle up to that's all cute while you're bored.
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a dog is more than a $100 at a pet store....
 
sososo said:
Theres nothing wrong with securing your pets safety. And considering most americans make 40 to 50 grand a year, it shouldnt be too problematic to save up wothin a year (assuming you have a stable job in something like engineering, or buisiness, or anything that pays 30+ an hour really)
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average income in the us is $31,133 not 40 not 50 $31,133 now add in rent the average for rent in the us is 1,000 per month so 12 months thats $12,000 so that leaves us with $19,133, then you figure in food, insurance, car payments (if they have one), gas, car insurance, does the person smoke?, do they have debt they are trying to pay off? 31k a year is $15 an hour which is basically minimum wage right now as everyone seems to be paying that amount like walmart, mcdonalds and other fast food places. so in short saving money isnt easy for most Americans so people shouldnt berate someone thats looking for a companion because they cant afford to go to a pet store and pay an ungodly amount for one
 
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