Talk to me about having a dog

[ssd]

We're on low wages and I'm worried about the costs involved
Dh says if we get one it'll be a rescue dog
Please can anyone advise me of costs including food, insurance , vets bills, anything else
Thanks

Costs : Dog insurance, food, nail clipping, anything done by vets under £100 is not normally paid by insurance, dog walker if you both work or go out, kennels or dog sitter if you go away.

Also if you rent it is incredibly difficult to find a landlord who will accept you. If you do you need to pay a bigger bond and often a deep cleaning fee on exit

I love dogs, and we've had much-loved dogs, but....

Aside from the considerable costs, please don't underestimate the restrictions they can place on you. You can't go out for the day to places where dogs are not welcome, which is a lot. You can't leave the dog in a car on anything but a cold or cool day.

If you go on holiday and can't take the dog (many UK beaches don't allow dogs in the summer) who is going to look after it? Kennels are bloody expensive, and in some areas you need to book well in advance, which means no last- minute going away, even if you can well afford kennels.

Dogs need company. If you're working anything like full time and can't afford someone to come and walk it during the day, it's very unfair to have one IMO.

And of course there's the exercise, whatever the weather, and however tired and grotty you're feeling.

I do think dogs can be a wonderful addition to a family, but you need to go into it with your eyes very wide open, and never underestimate either costs or level of commitment. Too many people don't.

I have a 10 year old medium size dog and due to her allergies and eye problem she is costing me £125 per month on insurance.
I don't even have my own private medical insurance! It's ridiculous.

steppedog is a rescue, he came chipped and vaccinated, aged 3.

he cost £180 adoption fee, plus monthly insurance, plus food.

We buy food online in a big sack, he eats and mix of kibble and wet. The online order means we can afford a better quality of food.

vet's bills for vaccinations (boosters) are not covered by insurance, and there is quite a high excess, which helped our monthly fee, but means we pay if it is small issue (steppedog gets ear infections, so about £50 every time)

set up costs don't have to be pricey. I bought loads of stuff from The Range or B&M bargains, including he nice collar and lead. I used second hand fleeces and a second hand bean bag (from a friend) as his bed, and I found some things much cheaper on-line - his harness is really good and cost £3.99 (and has been through the wash very, very often as he rolls in fox poo) and is still good.

Our old dog cost hardly anything on a monthly basis. She could have cheaper supermarket-bought food and didn't need a harness, just a basic lead and only cared for one particular toy. Costs grow as they get older and she need some treatment (insurance is a must!).

New dog is a bottomless financial pit. I love him dearly but fuck me he's cost a fortune. Digestive issues means he has to have specialist food costing £100 a month. The vet bill, where he nearly died, cost about £300 for an over night stay and not even fancy meds. And as he was new to us, the insurance hadn't kicked in yet so had to pay the full lot.

Insurance is a bit more because of his breed, harness set up was costly because he's a puller, we live in a tick-prone area so he has to have decent stuff for this, several leads and about £500 in damages to the house and shoes and hats and carpet...... even though there a thousand lovely specially sourced and bought puppy toys! I feel it would be tempting fate to say he's grown out of it at 15 months old.

You can't be precious about your house or your life style when you have dogs.

My lab costs about £100 per month for food,insurance,boosters,flea/worming treatment etc.
We don’t need to ever pay for walkers as there is always someone at home but that is a major cost to add in if needed.
The joy he brings is worth every penny but that’s only because we can afford it and don’t need to worry about that side.
It’s also a pain when you want to go out for the day etc so don’t underestimate how much of a tie a dog is. They just can’t be left.

We have two dogs. One recently rescued and an expensive, health prone breed. Big insurance bill!

We're high earners, but we have to make a lot of financial sacrifices for them. We're very lucky that we have a sitter who will come in and stay with them if we're away and doesn't charge the earth, but quite honestly, if it weren't for her, we'd really struggle, as we go away a lot. Well, we just wouldn't be able to go away actually.

Also, our first ddog had behavioural problems and we forked out quite a lot for a behaviourist in the beginning.

So for us, it's not the cost of food, toys, bed, initial cost of dog, it's all the ongoing, fluctuating payments.

Honestly, if you don't currently have a decent amount of disposable income, I don't think it's the most sensible idea.

That said, the fact you want to rescue is fantastic and if you can make sacrifices, i.e, things you could easily live without, then do it!

40 a month insurance
50 a month food / treats / toys / bedreplacements etc.
about 200 a month on walkers and day care as i work and they can't be left more than 4 hours.

going on holiday for 12 days this year and that's costing us 450 pounds in boarding fees

Please, please do not get a dog unless you 100% know what you are getting into. Quite apart from the costs involved a dog needs to be walked at least an hour every day, whatever the weather and irrespective of how you are feeling (ill, knackered, depressed etc). You must pick up all the shit every time. Sometimes your dog will make a mess in the house through illness (vomit, shit, wee). Dogs fart and it really stinks.
Most Dogs are not happy to be left home alone for more than a couple of hours - if that.

Getting a dog requires total commitment and responsibility for their physical and emotional welfare, for their entire life. In return your dog will give unconditional love and bring joy to your life, heartbreak when they die.