Getting a dog

Burnsy2023

Burnsy2023

Burnsy2023

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Southampton, UK
About a year ago I got the idea of getting a puppy, I eneded up not going through it because I wasn't totally sure I could provide everything a dog needs, like making sure there would be someone in during the day so that the dog isn't by itself all day. I'm now thinking that those issues could be sorted, but I want to make sure I can give this dog a good home.

So, before I go any further, I need to make sure I can afford this dog financially. So what does a dog need and can people give a rough estimate of how much they spend on their dog?
  • Food - £?
  • Pet insurance - ~£10 per month
  • Microchipping - £?
  • Leads, collars, beds and other things we need to buy to start off with -£?
  • Dog shampoo - £5
  • Any Vets bills for jabs?
 
A lot of vets do a health pet plan thing. The one near me is about £45 a year or so which includes all the jabs, reminders and health checks and also get a microchipping for free so it may be something to look into.

A lot of dogs don't need shampoo'd very often as it damages their skin so I'd recommend wipes for their paws, etc after walkies.

Not sure how much anything else would be. It's been a long time since I've owned a dog. I'd recommend Burns Dog Food but I'm not sure how much it costs.
 
More importantly, what sort of dog are you thinking of getting?

I really hope it's a proper dog and not a rat like some people claim their K9's to be :)


Edit:- Haven't owned a dog in years and I never really took care of it then, so can't really help, sorry!
 
I'm looking for a medium sized dog, perhaps the size of a collie, I don't think I could give a bigger dog the exercise it needs.
 
pet insurance is a good idea if your are at all worried about money but keep in mind that you will still pay some vet costs - look into it properly.

I've no idea really what our dogs cost, we feed a dry food which is about £40 a bag but that lasts ages with two mutts. The real cost is with the vets. My dogs are uninsured.

collars etc. last a long time.

edit: a vet visit yesterday for a sore eye and a top up of stroghold ran to £70

Note: flea and worm treatments will almost certainly not be covered in your insurance
 
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Burnsy2023 said:
I'm looking for a medium sized dog, perhaps the size of a collie, I don't think I could give a bigger dog the exercise it needs.
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size and excercise requirements are by no means a straight line relationship (my jack Russell's need more excercise than many, if not most, big dogs)
 
You do realise collies are working dogs and they need to be hardcore active and entertained through intellectual stimulation? I think the best thing to do is teach them loads of tricks and practice them often, as well as the usual long walks, toys, etc.

My cousins (not hot) used to have one and when it reached maturity it basically went mental due to the fact it was only walked once a day for 30mins and not bothered with too much. They had to put it down because it went all Alpha on them and started biting people :eek:

I'd be happy with a lazy dog, as long as he was loyal and not a rat :)
 
Fox terriers are the way forward! We always get mahooosive bags of dog food (normally from Costco) at about £40 a bag which last for a long time (3 dogs)

I'd echo the advice above -see your vet, as they typically offer plans inclusive of a number of elements on your list.
 
I'll answer what I can.
Food - Will depend on size and type of food, I have a staff and he eats dry food, a big bag of that lasts him a good few months and costs £20 or something.

Pet insurance - Just renewed mine for £15, but check small print some insurance is much better than others. I could have got it for £8 from Tesco but the cover was half as good.

Microchipping - Unsure I rescued him they did it free.

Leads, collars, beds and other things we need to buy to start off with - Ag will depend on how much stuff you buy and what you buy, when we got him I spent £45 at pets world getting lead, bed, bowls, toys lots of toys, which he ate in a few weeks.

Dog shampoo - Erm no idea, have used normal on him many times with no ill effect.

His jabs are due this month think probably going to be £20 or something

I'll also say if you can resuce a dog, you can get puppies from the RSPCA or Battersea dogs home too. You will be doing a good thing for the dog, it will be cheaper for you specially if it is a pedigree dog and also they will sort out the chipping neutering and injections etc.

I want to rescue another one but can't really afford another at the moment.

hope this helps
 
stinamoo said:
Collies need ridiculous amount of exercise though, whereas greyhounds really need very little. Size is not necessarily a factor in their exercise requirements.
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I'm thinking a morning walk of about ~30mins and an evening walk of about 45mins to an hour, with more on weekends. What breeds would be best for that sort of exercise regime?
 
People get too hung up on this typecast for each bread, yes dogs will have inherit traits, but all dogs are different.

My friend had a collie who was lazy as hell.
 
Hi,

* Food - £?
Mix of wet and dry is the best for a dog. So, a huge bag of dry for a medium sized dog would be around £20 a month. Wet food (Pedigree, for example) would be about a tin a day (for two meals), so around £10-20 a month. Don't get cheap stuff, whatever you do. It is bad for the dog and they'll poo TONNES.

* Pet insurance - ~£10 per month
Pet insurance is pointless; you have to pay through the nose for policies which do not have limitations such as "We will only pay out up to 2 [2 or 3 usually] payments for bills relating to the same condition." This means that if your dog gets cancer or arthritis (which if they live to old age, they inevitably do) most of your insurance payments become worthless, because "everything" suddenly becomes related to those conditions.

The benefit of getting insurance is that Vets are very liberal with the amount of tests they run when your dog does get ill (to get as much money as they can out of the insurer). However, no vet would be negligent and not give your dog a test for something if it needs it.

You're better off paying £10 a month into a regular saver bank account.


* Microchipping - £?
Varies - between £40 and 80 depending on where you live and who your vets are.

* Leads, collars, beds and other things we need to buy to start off with -£?
Budget £50 - 80, based on Pets at Home stuff.

* Dog shampoo - £5

* Any Vets bills for jabs?
If you're getting a puppy which hasn't been vaccinated (which is VERY unusual - if you are buying a puppy with vaccinations you probably shouldn't be buying it. On this same note, if you don't get to see the puppy with its mother, don't buy it.), expect £80 - 120 on initial vaccinations and things that it will have wrong with it in the first few months of puppy(ness...).

For adulthood vet bills, budget around £40.00 -60 a year for boosters, vaccinations and whatnot.
 
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Burnsy2023 said:
I'm looking for a medium sized dog, perhaps the size of a collie, I don't think I could give a bigger dog the exercise it needs.
Click to expand...

Collies need a lot of attention and training as they are very clever.

I love GSD's (see other threads)

You food will depend on what you want to feed him, kibble (dry), wet (tins/packets) or Raw.

I have found Raw to be the best and cheapest due to the varriety of food you can feed your dog, green tripe is probably the best to start off on tho.

http://www.ukbarfclub.co.uk/

Pet insurance you should be very wary about, look at getting a lifetime policy and not a yearly one, the difference is that if you get a yearly policy and your dog has an on going problem they can cancel your policy if it deemed too expensive, a lifetime one they cant.

Dog collars/leads - Depending if your dog eats them can vary, I use a simple half check chain with Max and one of these leads http://www.ruffwear.com/Knot-a-Leash but it is down to personal preference, I only use my lead close to roads/when other dogs are around on their leads.

Microchipping - Only needed if your dog in untrained or a runner (Sibe Husky)

Injections - 40odd quid for the first set, same again each year for boosters

Dog shampoo - Next to nothing really.

Bedding - Again personal choice, Max sleeps on the bathroom mat as he perfers it there, Holly sleeps at the bottom of the bed.

Toys and treats will probably be your biggest expenditure.

Any other questions I'll try and help.

KaHn
 
Burnsy2023 said:
So, before I go any further, I need to make sure I can afford this dog financially. So what does a dog need and can people give a rough estimate of how much they spend on their dog?
  • Food - £?
  • Pet insurance - ~£10 per month
  • Microchipping - £?
  • Leads, collars, beds and other things we need to buy to start off with -£?
  • Dog shampoo - £5
  • Any Vets bills for jabs?
Click to expand...

For our medium sized dog...

food: approx £15 a week. Depends if you want to give them quality food or not. This price is for middle of the road dog meat in tins with a bag of mixer. Add on maybe £3 a week for chews and biccies depending on how spolit your dog is.

Insurance : £8.56 ( shes 5 years old now )

Microchipping: I think it was £15 5 years ago, dont quote me on it though.

leads etc: Good lead and collar £25ish. Bed £20ish. Then you need bowls and brushes and poop bags.

Shampoo: Dont wash your dog unless they smell. Just take them out in the rain now and again :p

vets bills: 6monthly injections are about £40. We get a general check up with this. Initial costs can vary hugely depending on the dog. Neutering can cost £100+.


Overall your dog isnt going to cost you more than the price of a couple of takeouts a month UNLESS it gets ill and needs medical care beyond insurance cover.
 
that's not a bad amount of excercise for most dogs

You should consider your home too - flat or house, garden or not?

personally i get along with terriers and always have but they're not everyone's cup of tea
 
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