Are Dogs Expensive?

I was thinking about getting a dog and my parents are saying no because it may be too expensive. I'v asked 2 friends and they said all you pretty much do is buy a 20 dollar bag of dog food once a month. Other than illnesses, is that true?

I am sorry to say it is very expensive to own a dog. To be a responsible pet owner you have to have enough money to be able to take you pet in for regular check ups and vaccines plus you never know when emergencies will happen. All you have to do is read all these posts to see most problems require a vet visit and bloodwork ect. ect. It is a huge and life long responsibility to own a pet and the last thing anyone or any pet wants is to suffer or be bounced around from owner to owner because they don't have the time, money or motivation to take correct care of it. The statistics are there. If a pet is given up once in its life it is probably given up at least two more times if not more after that. Needless to say if you and your family sits down and talks about all the pros and cons and you find you can't get a dog at this point,..a guinea pig is a great pet (I own 4 and 10 throughout my life) They have great personalities. But as with any animal you need to research about the pet you want and find out all it takes to keep them healthy by knowing correct diet and sticking with it and cleaning, maintenance. If you work hard and know all you need to know you and your pet will have a long and healthy relationship. Good luck!!

Dogs are similar to children. You need to feed, bathe and clean up after them and if you are not prepared to do this everyday then a dog is not for you at this time in your life. You also need to consider the size of dog you want and the available space you have for this dog. Are you willing to train it, or will you pay for this. How much are you willing to pay for a dog? Local pet shelters are wonderful if you dont want to pay alot for a dog. I have 3 dogs from shelters and am glad that I was able to save them. Heres a break down of the start up cost for your new dog. Cost of dog 0-?, shots 100, spaying or neutering(please do this if your not going to breed)150, license 30, toys/leash/soap/brush/collar/bed 50-150, food(months worth of puppy chow) 20-40. Dogs are not cheap but they are worth the money and time if you have them. If you dont thats fine, please wait til you do.