Financial Expenses I Was Not Expecting When I Adopted My Dog

Welcoming a furry friend into your life can be an incredibly rewarding experience, filled with unconditional love, boundless joy, and endless cuddles. However, amidst the excitement of adopting a dog, there lies a lesser-known reality: the unexpected financial expenses that often catch new pet parents off guard. As someone who embarked on the journey of dog parenthood with unbridled enthusiasm, I soon discovered that there were costs beyond the initial adoption fee and routine expenses. In this blog post, I aim to shed light on the financial surprises I encountered along the way, offering insights and tips for fellow dog enthusiasts who may find themselves in a similar situation. From unforeseen medical bills to unexpected lifestyle adjustments, join me as I navigate the uncharted waters of canine companionship and the financial responsibilities that come with it.

The Cost of Preventative Medications

I was prepared to dish money for vaccinations, and regular vet visits, but one thing that I hadn’t initially factored into the budget was monthly preventative medications. As someone who lives in one of the top 5 states for Heartworm infections, our vet made it very clear that preventative medications should be a priority for our pup. He sent me home with a sample tablet to start her on, and told me to call back for a prescription. These medications are dosed based on your dog’s weight, and much to my surprise a 6-month supply of Symparica Trio for my 55lb pup was nearly $200.

Finding an Apartment Without Breed Restrictions

This one is specific to certain breeds and mixes of those breeds. About 6 Months after adopting my pup, I had plans to move in with a friend to save some money. I notified my apartment complex that I would be breaking the lease, paid the fine, and prepared to move out. When my plan fell through three weeks before I had to leave my current apartment, I found myself on an apartment search with a very quick turn around. As I searched for other places to live, I found that many of the more reasonably priced places had breed restrictions (my pup is a German Shepard mix, and aside from her vet records clearly mentioning so, it is also clear if you see her in person that somewhere in her lineage there is German Shepard - there’s no hiding it). Breeds such as Pit bull, German Shepard, Akita, Rottweiler, Doberman, and any mix of the aforementioned breeds, commonly find themselves blacklisted on “Aggressive Breed” lists that bar them from many apartments. Unfortunately, I found myself in a predicament where all apartments that did not have breed restrictions were at least $200 more a month than apartments with breed restrictions or with “no pet” policies. Many apartment’s breed restrictions are different, so be sure to call to find out what specific breeds they do not allow. And be mindful if you are adopting one of these breeds, that finding places to rent with your pup can be more challenging, and also more costly, than alternative options.

Dog sitters (Especially on Holidays)

As someone who often has to travel for work, and lives far away from family, I was employing dog sitters to take care of my pup in my absence. I often hired Rover sitters for boarding, drop in services, house sitting, or dog walking. Based on your need, the rates range from $15 to upwards of $90 per day or service. These rates are also often per dog, and some sitters are gracious enough to offer a discount for additional pets. You can imagine how quickly those costs could add up for a week long work trip, or an unexpected visit back home for a family funeral. Rates are increased over holiday weekends, usually anywhere from 1.5x to 2x the sitters existing rate. When an emergency came up and I needed a last minute dog sitter over memorial day weekend, I almost dished out $400 for our trusted dog sitter to take care of our two pups.

Emergency Vet bills

Unfortunately, accidents happen.. and at the time, I was not prepared for how much some accidents can cost you. One night, when my boyfriend and I went out to grab a quick bite to eat, my pup escaped from her crate, snuck into the bathroom and chewed and ate tons of plastic - including one bottle of ibuprofen. With tears in my eyes, we drove my pup straight to the emergency vet, calling animal poison control (which requires a $90 fee just to talk to them) on the way. Then the vet tech hit me with the expected fees for her treatment, including two overnight stays for observation, it was almost $3,000. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was worth every cent to make sure my best friend got the best care during this time - but I do wish I had planned financially to cover this bill without having to pull out my credit card.

And for those of you who were concerned, Thankfully, my doggo has made a full recovery. She is happy and healthy till this day, and we have made adjustments to keep her safe, so we can avoid these emergencies in the future! But regardless, for any future vet expenses I will be financially prepared - between our pet insurance policies on both of our pups, and our pet emergency fund.

Advanced Training

I enrolled my pup in several basic obedience classes, that helped her learn certain tricks, and helped me to build a better bond with her. As she got a little older, my dog very unexpectedly developed reactivity to other dogs - seemingly out of nowhere. Her behavior was beyond the scope of our current trainers abilities, and we had to look elsewhere for help. Naturally, I looked for other trainers that specifically focused in dog behavior. Working with behaviorists tends to be more expensive than working with basic obedience trainers. By the time I had decided on a trainer I thought could help us, I was looking at a $2,200 bill for the in-person training sessions (which believe it or not, was one of the lower prices offered to work with a dog behaviorist in my area). The training was well worth the cost, and it did help us learn how to manage some of my dog’s reactivity, and help to lessen the reactions, but even now I find myself searching for another trainer who might be able to fill in some more of the gaps that our previous two trainers left. Training for behaviorally challenging dogs can be life long, and costly, and should be considered any time you welcome a dog into your life!

In Conclusion..

My dog has been worth every cent I’ve poured into her, from the preventative meds, to the behavioral modification training, to the dozens of toys she’s loved destroying over the years. I don’t write all of this to persuade you not to adopt a furry friend, but to bring light to some expenses associated with adopting a pup, that I was simply not expecting. Maybe this way you can be even more prepared for your little furry friend to enter into your world!