Costs of Owning a Dog

Ongoing Maintenance

Dog Food Costs

The cost of feeding your dog each month is highly subjective. Not only will it change based on the size and life stage of your pooch, but it will also be impacted by the type and brand of food you buy, how much you feed your dog, and even where you shop. One estimate puts the annual cost of dog food and treats between $250 and $750 per year.⁶

Here's a breakdown of what you might expect to spend each month feeding a medium-sized dog:

• Dry food: $15 - $60⁸
• Canned food: $35 - $100⁹
• Treats: $5 - $35¹⁰

Dog Grooming & Maintenance Costs

Grooming needs depend primarily on your dog's coat. Short-coated breeds usually need very little grooming beyond weekly brushing, nail trimming and an occasional bath. Other breeds may require significantly more maintenance on their coats. Depending on whether you need to see a professional groomer each month, you can expect to spend anywhere from $30 to $500 annually.¹

You'll also need to maintain your pup's teeth in order to prevent tooth and gum disease and promote overall good health. The biggest annual maintenance cost could be professional teeth cleanings performed by a veterinarian. The cost of these cleanings vary from one vet to the next, and they can go up or down depending on whether your vet conducts a blood test to make sure your pet is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia, as well as whether your dog needs to have any teeth extracted. Expect to pay between $300 and $800¹ for a basic cleaning. If an extraction or other type of dental surgery is required, that price tag could range from $800 to $3,000.¹

Dog Training Costs

Training is another highly subjective category. The costs depend largely on your dog's temperament and trainability. Some dogs only need basic obedience lessons, while others need a lot of work to learn how to be good citizens and housemates. If you have the time, energy and patience, and your dog is both good-natured and a quick learner, you can save money by training them yourself with the aid of books, videos or online training courses. Library books and YouTube videos are free, while online courses can run between $15 a month and $130 and up for a year's subscription.¹¹

Otherwise, you may need help from a professional trainer. For dogs who are especially difficult to train, or who have extreme behavioral problems, board and train programs may be an option to consider. These programs are basically like sending your dog away to boarding school for a period of time, and they can carry a hefty price tag. Here's what you can expect to spend on professional obedience training¹²:

• Professional training: $30 - $100 per session
• Group classes: $40 - $125 per class
• Board and train: $950 - $2,000

Dog Boarding & Pet Sitting Costs

As much as you might like to, you can't always take your dog with you. While some grown dogs do fine being left alone and unsupervised all day, puppies and more social breeds will need someone to look in on them if you're away from home for long hours. Doggy daycare averages from $15 to $30 per day¹³ depending on how much time your dog spends there, and usually has full or half-day options available. Another option is to hire a professional dog walker who can get your pup out of the house for about half an hour once or twice a day for around $20 per walk.¹

For longer stays away from home, you'll need to either arrange for a pet sitter or leave your dog at a boarding facility. Friends, family, or even a friendly neighbor might be recruited to watch your dog while you're away, either for free or for a token fee. Otherwise, a professional pet sitter will likely run you between $250 and $375 per week.¹⁴ If your dog will do okay without all the comforts of home, you can leave them with a pet hotel or boarding kennel for $15 to $50 a day.¹⁴

Traveling With your Dog

Of course, the best trips are the ones where Rover can tag along. Whether you're traveling for fun or moving long distance with your dog, here are the fees and extra charges you may get hit with:

• Hotel fees: $20 - $100 per night¹⁵
• Airline fees - in-cabin: $50 to $250 per one-way trip, plus baggage fees¹⁶
• Airline fees - cargo hold: $200 - $400 and up per one-way trip¹⁶

Whether you travel by car or by plane, your pup will need a sturdy crate or carrier to travel in, which will run anywhere from $30 to $250 and up for an airline-approved carrier¹⁵ depending on the size of your dog. And your dog will also need to have proof of vaccinations and a certificate of good health to enter a foreign country, as well as some domestic locations, which your vet can provide for the price of an office visit.¹⁵ Microchipping your pup is also a good idea, in case they get lost far from home.¹⁷

Your Dogs Health

Veterinary and health costs are probably the biggest expense when it comes to keeping a dog. Routine health costs like annual vet checkups , parasite prevention, licensing and vaccinations, dietary supplements and medications tend to add up quickly. Also, emergency visits to the animal hospital may increase costs as well.

Here's what you can expect to spend on routine health care for your pup. Keep in mind that the cost of routine checkups will likely increase as your dog ages and needs additional screening for common senior illnesses.

• Routine vet checkups: $45 - $55¹⁸
• Parasite prevention: $64 - $355¹
• Licensing & vaccinations: $10 - $100⁷
• Health supplements and routine medications: $200 - $600¹

Unfortunately, life happens to even the best of dogs. Illnesses, injuries and predisposed breed health conditions can all take you by surprise, so it's a good idea to budget for emergency care or have a plan for veterinary financing . An emergency vet visit can run $800 - $1500 or more,¹⁹ while major surgeries can run hundreds or thousands of dollars. A common pet surgery like ACL repair, for example, can cost between $1,000 and $2,000. ²⁰ Diagnosis and treatment of illnesses can run anywhere from $400 to $4,000 and up.¹⁸

Pet insurance can help defray the cost of both routine and emergency health care. Different policies are available that cover different types and ranges of care. Depending on the coverage you choose, monthly premiums on pet insurance policies typically run from $9 to $58 per month,²¹ a relatively small investment that could lead to big savings over the lifetime of your pup.

Miscellaneous Dog Costs

If you're a renter, don't forget to factor in the cost of pet deposits or fees, which usually run between $200 and $500.²² This is a one-time cost, unless you move, and deposits are refundable, whereas fees are not. Some landlords also charge a monthly “pet rent" to further cover the cost of pet damage, usually an additional $25 to $100²² tacked onto your regular rent.

Homeowners may also find themselves with extra expenses, such as fence installation or repairs to an existing fence to provide your pooch a safe space to run and play. Don't be surprised if you also have to replace damaged carpets or furniture at some point.

You should also consider the cost of replacing things like dog beds, collars, and toys as these items undergo a lot of wear and tear. If your pup's a heavy chewer, they'll go through these things more quickly. And if you've got a large-breed puppy on your hands, you'll likely need to buy new gear for them as they outgrow their old gear.

If you plan to include your dog in your lifestyle activities, they'll need gear for that, too. This could include things like doggy life jackets, special harnesses for hiking, dog first aid kits, portable water dishes and a number of other accessories to make activities both safe and fun for your pooch.

End of Life Care Costs for Dogs

It's not a pleasant topic to think about, but sooner or later it will be necessary to consider costs relating to the end of your pet's life. Old age ailments like severe arthritis and dementia, as well as terminal illnesses like cancer or heart disease may require palliative care, which focuses on keeping your pet as comfortable and pain-free as possible during the remainder of their life, and eventually pet hospice care, which involves easing their final days as much as you can. The cost of this can vary widely, depending on the type and amount of care your pet needs.

If you have the time and ability, you can provide these types of care at home under the supervision of your vet, who can provide pain and other necessary medications and also equip and train you to administer things like IV fluids and oxygen. Depending on where you live, some veterinarians and pet hospice clinics provide veterinary house calls to prevent the stress of bringing your pup to the vet for checkups. Of course, the more hands-on service your vet provides, the higher the cost.

Euthanasia is a difficult choice, and isn't always needed. Some dogs pass away peacefully and naturally. Sometimes, though, the kindest thing is to ease their passing with the aid of a vet. If you take your dog to a clinic, the cost to euthanize a dog starts at $25.²³ If you prefer to have your pet pass in the comfort of your home, surrounded by their family, in-home euthanasia services cost up to $225.²³

The final disposition of your pet is another cost you might incur. You may be able to save on this cost with a back yard burial. Otherwise, you can expect to pay between $100 and $150 for cremation services.²³ If you prefer to have your pet interred at a pet cemetery, a burial plot can cost up to $500, depending on the size of the grave.²⁴

Ultimately, a new puppy pal will cost around $400 in their first year with you and $300 for each following year. But the cost of unconditional love, a wagging tail, and wet-nose kisses? Priceless.

The CareCredit credit card can help you be ready for any pet-related medical emergency, and can also be used to pay for routine veterinary checkups and services. Use our online Acceptance Locator or download the CareCredit Mobile App to find a local veterinarian that accepts CareCredit.