Average Monthly Cost Of A Dog

Introduction

Every year, millions of Americans adopt dogs and take them into their homes. In fact, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), about 44% of households in the United States own at least one dog. However, many people don’t realize just how much money they will have to spend on a new pet. According to PetPlace.com, initial costs for adopting a dog can range from $30-300 with purebreds costing significantly more than this depending on their age and breed. These initial costs are just the tip of the iceberg for expenses that come with owning a dog; other expenses such as food, supplies, vet bills and insurance all add up over time. Below is an infographic from PetCareRX that lists some of the most common costs associated with owning a dog over the course of its lifetime:

Initial purchase or adoption costs

Adoption fees. The cost of bringing home a new dog will vary depending on the breed, age and gender of your pet.
Veterinary fees. If you choose to adopt from a shelter or rescue, you’ll want to budget for any initial veterinary care your new friend might need to receive, including vaccines, deworming and microchipping.
Spaying or neutering costs (spaying is typically more expensive than neutering). Again: meet your local rescue groups! They can help with these costs as well as any adoption fee you may pay upfront at the shelter or rescue group where you choose to adopt from.
Food bowls & toys – You may be ready for this but if not yet have some extra funds set aside just in case; it’s better than being unprepared later down the road when they might break something unexpectedly!

Licensing, vaccinations and other preventative care

The average cost of licensing your pup varies by state, city and breed. So if you want to know how much it will cost you to license your dog in the city where you live, skip down below. Otherwise:

The American Kennel Club recommends that all dogs be vaccinated before leaving their puppyhood home and being adopted or purchased as a companion animal. Your local veterinarian may recommend additional vaccinations based on his or her knowledge of the area’s need for certain types of vaccines (for example, Lyme disease) as well as geographical location (as some diseases are more common in different parts of the country).
There are other preventative care measures that should be considered when adopting a new pet—such as flea prevention treatment—which can add up over time if not handled properly from day one.

Microchipping

Microchipping is a fantastic way to keep track of your dog. If you’re not already familiar with microchipping, it’s a form of permanent identification that uses radio waves to transmit an ID number into the chip implanted in your pet’s skin. Most veterinarians will perform this procedure during spay or neuter surgery; if you’ve adopted an older pet who hasn’t yet been altered, many shelters and rescue groups will offer microchipping as part of the adoption process.

Microchipping is required by law in some states—and becoming more common as more people realize how effective it can be at reuniting lost pets with their owners—but even if you live in one of those states where it isn’t strictly compulsory, we strongly recommend getting yourself or your canine companion chipped anyway. This simple procedure involves inserting a needle into your pet’s shoulder blade (the same spot used for vaccinations) and injecting an electronic chip about the size of a grain of rice underneath his skin; once implanted, it becomes impossible for anyone trying to steal or adopt said animal without authorization from its rightful owner—which means fewer instances where dogs are sent off to new homes without proper consent from either party involved!

Spaying/neutering

Spaying and neutering is important for the health and well-being of your dog. It can also help reduce the number of homeless dogs in the world, but that’s not all: spaying and neutering will save you money in the long run.

Spaying a female dog (a “spay”) involves removing her uterus and ovaries, while neutering a male dog (a “neuter”) simply removes his testicles. Both procedures are usually done while they’re still young puppies; they’re quick procedures with minimal risk, but they do require anesthesia so you’ll need to make sure that your pup is healthy enough for them before scheduling an appointment at your veterinarian’s office.

While these surgeries may seem like an expensive one-time expense on their own, there are several other costs associated with owning a pet that will add up over time—and spaying/neutering is one way to minimize those costs since it can help prevent some diseases from developing later on down the road!

Food, bowls, bed and collar

While the price of food varies by brand and location, you can expect to spend about $30 per month for a decent-quality dry dog food. This is good news for your wallet—after all, it’s not like you have to buy a new bag every day! Collars are another easy expense to keep track of because they typically last around six months (or until your pup chews through his leash).

Once you’ve purchased the basics like collars and bowls, consider investing in a bed or two for extra comfort. Most beds range anywhere between $30-$50 depending on size and quality. You may also want to invest in a few chew toys so your dog doesn’t start chewing on everything else in your house out of boredom.

Toys and treats

Treats are another important part of a dog’s diet, but they can be expensive. There are many options available in supermarkets and pet stores, but you can also make your own treats at home with ingredients such as organic peanut butter or rolled oats.
Toys are necessary for dogs’ mental stimulation. Without toys, they become bored and will find other ways to entertain themselves—sometimes not so great ways like chewing on furniture or digging up your yard! There are lots of different types of toys out there that encourage different skills for dogs to practice; since these skills vary from breed to breed, it’s important to research which kinds will be best suited for your fur baby before purchasing any new ones.

Crate, dog house/dog room in house and dog bed

Your dog will need a place to sleep and stay warm, so you’ll need to invest in a crate for this. A dog bed is also good if your pet spends time indoors. You may have heard of the benefits of having a crate and using it as an alternative to letting your dog roam around without supervision: they’re convenient and easy-to-clean, they help with potty training, they can keep dogs from chewing furniture and other objects, etc. Dog beds are essential for pups who spend lots of time indoors; they keep them warm during cold winter months (or any other season), which means less risk of getting sick!

Grooming supplies (shampoo, brushes and nail clippers)

Grooming supplies:

Dog shampoo — about $5 for 16 oz.
Dog brushes — about $5 for 5-6 brushes (for medium-sized dogs) or $8 for 2 brushes (for small dogs).
Dog nail clippers and trimmers. Clippers are around $9, while a quality set of clippers and grinders costs closer to $20. For those who want to go all out on their dog’s paws, the most expensive option is buying a nail grinder ($50+) that uses sandpaper instead of blades, since this will be gentler on your dog’s nails. The average price per pair of pet owners spends on grooming supplies each month comes in at about $10 – 15 if you’re buying all of your supplies at once from a pet store or online store like Amazon or Chewy. However, if you only need one item at a time then expect it to cost more than this figure because you’ll have shipping costs added onto your purchase as well as sales tax depending on where you live!

Obedience training classes or private sessions with a trainer

Not only do obedience classes help you and your dog bond, but they also teach him or her to be a good citizen. When you go to class, your dog will learn things like sit, stay and come when called. This will make it easier for everyone in the family to get out the door on time without worrying about whether or not the dog is going to bolt out of the house if he sees another dog outside. In addition to being safer, these skills also make sure that your pet stays healthy by preventing many potential health issues caused by stress.

If you don’t want to do classes because they cost too much money or don’t fit into your schedule, private training sessions may be another option for getting some personal attention from a professional trainer without having too much monetary commitment upfront (though this option does cost more than group lessons). Private sessions allow owners who live far away from other people who train their dogs together (like at an obedience school) access a professional trainer’s expertise any time they need it without having to commit themselves fully beforehand; this way if anything goes wrong between them two during their first session together there won’t be any awkwardness afterwards like with group lessons where everyone knows what went wrong because they were all watching how things went down together at once!

Although there are many expenses associated with getting a new pup, your main concern should be caring for your dog well.

It is important to note that there are a number of factors that affect the cost of owning a dog. For instance, if you live in New York City or San Francisco, the average monthly cost of your pup will be higher than it would be if you lived in less expensive areas like Kansas or West Virginia. Additionally, if you have a large breed dog like an English Mastiff or Great Dane, then they will require more food and space than smaller dogs such as Chihuahuas; this means that caring for these larger breeds will cost more money each month.

If your budget allows for it and if you think having a pet is right for your lifestyle, then consider adopting from an animal shelter instead of purchasing from a breeder or pet store (unless they’re reputable). Adoption fees often include spaying/neutering costs as well as shots so there are no hidden surprises when bringing home Fido!

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article will help you to make an informed decision about the type of dog you would like to purchase and how much it is going to cost. There are many expenses associated with getting a new pup but the most important thing is that your dog is loved, cared for and well-looked after.