As I read various forums, and speak with new puppy owners it has become apparent that many people have no idea what they are getting into when they bring a puppy into their home. This article is going to focus on the “real” expense of getting a puppy, and I hope it will serve to prepare would-be owners for all of the expenses involved in caring for this new family member. Costs are going to be similar whether you decide on  a dog or puppy, so for the sake of convenience I will use “puppy” to mean any new dog you are looking to get.

        The first expense of course is the actual cost of the puppy. Whether you buy from a store, a breeder, or adopt a puppy, there is usually some type of cost. In an upcoming article I will discuss these various avenues of puppy acquisition, and the pros and cons of each, but for now, I am only going to focus on cost.

1. Adoption: If you have chosen to adopt a puppy, the rescue group or shelter will probably ask for an adoption fee. This fee goes toward the medical care that the organization has provided for your pet. The benefit of a formal shelter or rescue group is that the puppy will often be given shots, and maybe even altered (spayed/neutered) at no extra cost to you. A responsible owner will still take this new puppy to the vet within the first couple of days just have a wellness exam. Many shelters and rescues have many dogs who need attention, and sometimes the warning signs of small illnesses go unnoticed, plus its good to develop a relationship with your vet right from the beginning to make sure you are a good match, you don’t want your first vet visit to be in an emergency situation. If you adopt your puppy from a private home, you most likely will not have an adoption fee to worry about, but you will have to pay for your pup’s shots, and sterilization.

2. Buying your puppy from a reputable breeder: Buying from a reputable breeder will lower your chances of receiving a sick puppy, and your pup will most like come with several vaccinations under his belt. However this will also come with a higher price tag. My bulldog cost $2575.00, but his breeder paid for many expensive tests prior to even breeding his parents, in order to produce healthy puppies. Most Breeders will test their dogs for genetic illnesses and weaknesses, they will take their pregnant mom-to-be to the vet several times during the pregnancy, and may have expensive procedures done such as C-Sections to ensure safe delivery for mom and pups. These costs will be figured into the costs of the puppy, and will you save you A LOT of money down the road. You will still need to take your puppy to the vet soon after buying him, for a general checkup. Most reputable breeders will guarantee the health of their puppies for a particular period of time, as long as they see a vet when you get them, and are given all the routine care that they need.  Just like human children, puppies are given vaccinations in stages, your puppy will go to the vet every few weeks for shots until he is about 4 months old. Most reputable breeders will also require you to have your pet sterilized by 6 months of age.

3. Buying from a Backyard Breeder (BYB): These breeders will try to pass themselves off as reputable breeders, but will not put the care and money into producing the same quality of puppies. These puppies may cost less initially, but are often more prone to illnesses and genetic defects. Many BYBs do not vaccinate their dogs at all, and you may even receive a puppy with parasites or a serious illness. If the breeder cannot provide you with a vaccination record, you will have to start from scratch.  Puppies from BYBs often need medical care for various ailments right off the bat, so be prepared to dig into your wallet.

4. Buying from a pet store: I like to call this “the worst of both worlds.” Pet stores often charge much more than reputable breeders, but provide lower quality puppies than BYBs. The pet store will most likely spin some nonsense about getting their puppies from reputable breeders, and providing the best medical care etc. It is all LIES. These puppies start at puppy mills, where they are given NO medical care at all, they are wormed (maybe), and sold to a broker, who sells them to a pet store, many die at various stages of this process, and the elevated fees are due to the parties involved trying to recoup their losses, not due to providing excellent medical care. Once the puppy arrives at the store, some part-time teenage worker will be responsible for his care. The vet that sees the puppies will come once a week to vaccinate them, and put down the ones who are too sick or old to sell. This vet is in the store pocket, he does not care about you, and you cannot trust him. If the store offers free vet care for a certain period, don’t fall for it, if your puppy dies, the store’s vet will say it was your fault. My cousin fell for this nonsense, and spent nearly a year nursing her sick “designer dog” (mutt) back to health. She was lucky, many of these puppies are left with permanent damage or may even die.

For the sake of argument, I will divide cost based on 2 breeds I am familiar with: the Bulldog, and the Pug. All prices are merely estimations, and can vary greatly by area (I am from NY).

Bulldog:
Reputable breeder-$2000-$3000
BYB-$1500-$4000
Rescue/shelter-$150.00-$500.00
Pet store-$3000-$5000

Pug:
Reputable breeder-$700-$1000
BYB-$400-$1000
Rescue-$$150.00-$500.00
Pet store-$900-$2000

        The next expense is vet care. The cost of keeping your pet healthy varies depending on where you live. NY is generally more expensive than Baltimore, as I have learned since I moved to Maryland recently. I will give you an “average” view of vet care costs, but it may cost slightly more or less where you live.
Shots/wellness exam- $75-$100 per visit, may need up to 4 visits to complete              vaccinations.
Spaying/neutering- $60-$400. Males generally cost less than females to sterilize, and often have a faster recovery, and less complications. There are often organizations that offer low cost spaying and neutering. I took 2 of my cats to a low cost spay/neuter center, and it was wonderful-very inexpensive, no complications, very small incisions. I adopted one cat from a shelter, and the shelter provided the spaying, and it was a nightmare, she had a HUGE incision, she got an infection, and I had to take her to my regular vet, and paid more than I would have to have her spayed there. I have taken my dogs to their regular vet for sterilization, and had no problem, but I am sure that the low cost spay/neuter center would have done a terrific job, keep in mind, that’s pretty much all they do, so they have it down.
Microchip-$20-$100. When I got my bulldog, I took him to a local vet in NJ, and I paid $400 for his first vet visit, and he was completely healthy. One of the costs was his microchip. It cost me $90, then I had to pay $20 to register it. Many vets will have promotions where they give a special price. I waited for a promotion when I got my pug, and paid $40, and they paid the registration fee. Many pet shop puppies will come with a chip, but you still need to register the chip, and possibly pay a transfer fee as well.
Heartworm prevention- $90-$100 per year. The heartworm pills come in 6 month supplies, and are given once a month, there are several brands, different strengths depending on your dog’s size.

        Flea/Tick prevention-$60-$150 per year. Flea and tick prevention has many forms. Some people choose to buy flea collars, some people bathe their dog regularly with medicated shampoo, and some people apply a flea gel once a month. I opt for the gel, as it is the easiest. I do not medicate for fleas in the winter, as the fleas are dead in the cold. Many people do medicate in the winter, as a precaution, but I don’t, its personal preference, and you should speak with your vet before starting a flea prevention regimen.
Pet insurance-$300-$1500 per year. I buy pet insurance for my dogs incase of severe illness or accidents. If my dog gets cancer, or is hit by a car, I don’t want the cost of treatment to determine my course of action. Costs vary depending on breed, age, coverage level, and location. I pay about $55/month for my bulldog, and about $30/month for my pug. If one of them ever needs a $3000 surgery I will not have to worry. It gives me peace of mind. Remember that puppies love to eat what I call “floor candy”, and they can easily choke, give themselves a blockage, or poison themselves, insurance makes sure you can get the puppy well and still pay the mortgage.

Now we move onto puppy supplies. Once you buy your puppy, he is going to need a lot of supplies. Here is a list of what I recommend at the least.

*Crate-$30-$150 (unless you want him pottying all over your house when you are sleeping or at work) the cost of a crate varies by size and style.

*Food-$15-$50 per bag. I choose a high quality food, at first glance, $40/bag seems expensive, but the better quality the food is, the less you need to feed because they get more nutrition from each bite, read the feeding instructions on the bag to get a better idea. Also, high quality food keeps your dog healthier, they are less likely to have allergies to the higher quality ingredients.

*Collar/leash-$15-$65. The cost will vary depending on style and size. I start with a large leash, because the dog can grow into it, and I buy sturdy, yet inexpensive collars until they are full grown, and I buy high quality collars once they have reach full size.

*Puppy pads-$40 per package. These will also vary by size, amount, and brand. I buy the cheapest I can find. Puppy pads are indispensible for house breaking. I also use them under the water bowl to catch dribbles.

*Misc-$100-$1000. I like to have baby wipes in the house for cleaning messy faces and butts. I also keep a bottle of bitter apple around to spray everything I don’t want to be chewed or shredded (this includes the puppy pads I put down). You will need lots of toys to occupy the puppy, think sturdy. I buy mostly chew toys, teething puppies need something to chew, and if you don’t want it to be your shoes and furniture, you have to provide them with an alternative. Brushes and combs are particularly important for long haired dogs, but short coats should be routinely brushed as well. Puppy shampoo is a must, people shampoo will dry out their skin. Many people like to provide a dog house in the yard so the dog can be left out for longer periods in the nice weather. I DO NOT advocate chaining your dog, or leaving him out for hours every day, but dogs like to enjoy the nice weather, so being out on a warm spring day is often a welcome adventure. Each of my dogs have a dog bed, plus there is a community bed in the living room (however, they prefer the couch lol). To save money, I sew my own beds, but most people buy them at the pet store. I have a sweater for each of my dogs to wear outdoors in the cold, since they have short fur, not all dogs welcome or need a sweater though. I bought a pooper scooper to clean up my yard, many people just use a shovel, I find the scooper to be easier to maneuver.

        Another expense I don’t want to leave out is obedience training. Some people are experienced enough with dogs that they do their own obedience training, but for the first time owner, classes are a must if you want to peacefully coexist with your dog. There are all types and levels of classes from basic manners all the way up to Canine Good Citizen training. I chose a trainer for my bulldog that came to the house once a week for 6 weeks, and then offered group classes of various levels for free for the rest of the dog’s life. I paid $1200 in 4 installments. For what my goals were, and because he was my first dog, I found this to be a good choice. I have used the techniques from those classes on my other 2 dogs. The personalized home visits offered a faster way of achieving results than the group classes often do. But I wanted to be able to attend group classes in order to socialize my dog. The local pet stores often offer classes for as low as $50 per 8 week period. These classes are generally excellent if you want your dog to learn basic commands and manners.

        Keep in mind, there are many other costs that I haven’t touched on but still might be applicable in your case. Many apartment/condo dwellers hire dog walkers, log haired dogs need regular grooming, and many people choose to enroll their puppy in doggy day care. So cover all your bases before you pick up your puppy. Adding a new member to your family should never be an impulse decision. You are taking responsibility for the life of a living creature, and you need to make sure that neither the puppy, nor yourself suffer because of poor planning. When you get a puppy, I recommend having at least $700-$1000 that you can spend above and beyond the initial purchase cost, or adoption fee. You may not need to use all of this money, but your dogs particular needs might not become fully apparent until you have had him for several months.