Costs of Owning a Dog?

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by fishing_flower

If you want to talk to someone in that rescue, let me know and I can get you in touch with someone.

I may do that.

We might be interested in being a foster home for a bit too, just to try a stay of longer than a few days.

I know it sounds selfish, but we want a dog that's healthy from the start. If they get sick, that stuff happens, but we don't want a special needs dog right off the bat. Wouldn't mind if a foster dog has special needs though. As my wife is home mostly during the day, she would be doing the lion's share of care during the day, and then I get to come home in the evenings.

How can a person determine what sort of background / condition an adopted dog has? I'm sure the agencies know something.

The way I see it, with a breeder, there is a bit more of a confidence level in what you find. With a rescue, it seems more chancey. Although, If we found a right match with a rescue puppy, that would be ideal, as we give a home to a dog that might not have a great life.

I'm sensative to that because I was adopted as a baby. I could have been a foster kid, but I grew up with awesome parents and they are the only family I've ever known.

[fishing_flower]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

I may do that.

We might be interested in being a foster home for a bit too, just to try a stay of longer than a few days.

I know it sounds selfish, but we want a dog that's healthy from the start. If they get sick, that stuff happens, but we don't want a special needs dog right off the bat. Wouldn't mind if a foster dog has special needs though. As my wife is home mostly during the day, she would be doing the lion's share of care during the day, and then I get to come home in the evenings.

How can a person determine what sort of background / condition an adopted dog has? I'm sure the agencies know something.

The way I see it, with a breeder, there is a bit more of a confidence level in what you find. With a rescue, it seems more chancey. Although, If we found a right match with a rescue puppy, that would be ideal, as we give a home to a dog that might not have a great life.

I'm sensative to that because I was adopted as a baby. I could have been a foster kid, but I grew up with awesome parents and they are the only family I've ever known.

Not all the dogs are special needs, only a few. Fostering would be wonderful, they are always in need of foster families All of my dogs and my cat are rescues. My cat was found in -30 weather 15 years ago and I wouldn't trade her for the world...even if she steals bread all the time!
My old puppy we lost was a poodle/terrier mix awesome dog. My other 2 were adopted too.

Purebreds are great too. I've seen some of the recent posts of purebred puppies etc and I'm all "awe I want them"!

I think it boils down to personal preference. All of my pets when I met them....I knew I wanted them

You'll know when you see the right one

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by fishing_flower

You'll know when you see the right one

I think that will be the case too.

I'll speak with my wife about fostering as a start.

[fishing_flower]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

I think that will be the case too.

I'll speak with my wife about fostering as a start.

If you want to do it through pawsitive match. You can apply to foster online at their website. We have a new foster coming in this weekend. It is a great experience for our 8 year old to help these dogs find forever homes.

[rhuntley12]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

Not set on a purebred, I like mutts actually. I'm just more wanting to find a dog with traits as I described in earlier posts. If a Mutt from the SPCA is available, then I'm all over that to give it a good home.

I just don't know enough about dogs to size up a puppy from a shelter, to know what I'm getting myself into. With a purebred, at least I know the traits to largely expect.

How would a guy figure out if a mutt is right for them?

Spend some time with the pup and your whole family, and don't only do it once. We almost got a Collie X from the SPCA which when we sat with it it seemed perfect, such a great dog. We brought our 2 in and it totally changed in that it wanted nothing to do with them.(It didn't seem to have problems with other dogs)

The hardest thing to do is to not pick every dog, think with your head and not your heart and the right one will find you.

[Private Ear]

Whaterever the cost, I think it's well worth it.

We have a Golden - Chow cross and a Lab - Golden cross. The chow has been minimal with food license shots etc (she has had bad hips since she was a pup but no cost involved there),

The lab can't pass the vet without costing 180.00. He broke a tooth this spring....1000.00!

I had him (the lab) out in the duck blind this fall...7 years old...never been in a blind before...no formal training other than retrieving pigeons but he was a superstar. He sat patiently for ever just waiting...jumped in the water to retrieve properly, loved every minute of it.

I wouldn't do it any differently if I had the chance.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by fishing_flower

If you want to do it through pawsitive match. You can apply to foster online at their website. We have a new foster coming in this weekend. It is a great experience for our 8 year old to help these dogs find forever homes.

So talked with the wife, and we figure a foster experiance would be a good start. We filled out the application online. Guess I'll see what happens next...

[Tredeb]

Regarding insurance, why don't you just self insure your dog. Most of the quotes on here have been around $40-$50 a month.

So for the sake of easy calcs, lets say $50. That is $600 a year, $6000 in ten years. If you start an account for your dog, when you get him, you will be set by the time he needs age related treatment. You do run the risk of a large vet bill early in his life, but you will have to make that decision if the time comes.

[tbiddy]

Originally Posted by Tredeb

Regarding insurance, why don't you just self insure your dog. Most of the quotes on here have been around $40-$50 a month.

So for the sake of easy calcs, lets say $50. That is $600 a year, $6000 in ten years. If you start an account for your dog, when you get him, you will be set by the time he needs age related treatment. You do run the risk of a large vet bill early in his life, but you will have to make that decision if the time comes.

The idea of self insurance is a good one. My only problem is that if I had a couple grand sitting in the bank it would be tough not to touch it. I would rather give somebody $50 (in my case $70)/month and know that whatever (up to $5000/illnesss)happens to my buddy it is taken care of. If you have self restraint then self insurance is something to look at.

[Tredeb]

Originally Posted by tbiddy

The idea of self insurance is a good one. My only problem is that if I had a couple grand sitting in the bank it would be tough not to touch it. I would rather give somebody $50 (in my case $70)/month and know that whatever (up to $5000/illnesss)happens to my buddy it is taken care of. If you have self restraint then self insurance is something to look at.

I really doubt that I would have the willpower either

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by Tredeb

I really doubt that I would have the willpower either

X2

[onedayaway]

They really cost nothing compared to what you get out of them. Just ask our daughter.

Mind you 8k litters always help.

[ex811]

Albertadiver...I see you're from Calgary.
Just to clarify for you, there is No SPCA in Calgary. There is the City 'pound' on Portland St and the Calgary Humane Society in the deep SE. Having worked at both places I can tell you that most dogs are there for a reason, they have 'issues', runners mostly. Both places have dogs up for adoption, all adopable dogs are tested for temperment, but you gotta know people didn't want them for a reason.
Having said that, it's a great feeling to give a dog a 'second chance' (third, forth or more at times) and if you work at it you could have a friend for life.
There's other good Rescue groups in and around Calgary, same story regarding 'issues' apply.
I've had dogs for as long as I can remember and would never get anything but a purebreed pup from a respectable breeder.
Decide what you want in a dog and how it will fit your lifestyle, research the breeds, find a good breeder, select a good pup from the litter, do Lots of training, respect the needs of your dog..and treat him/her well.
Cost. The money part is easy, they are priceless. The price on Your Heart is heavy when your dog is crossing the 'Rainbow Bridge'.

[Sporty]

ex811, many dogs end up in shelters and rescues because either the owners did an impulse "Oh that puppy is so cute" buy or they didn't research their breeds and ended up with a dog they couldn't handle. In my experience in volunteering for a Northern based animal rescue, rescue/adopted dogs turn out to be the best dogs someone could acquire. There are more dogs that are turned into the rescue because the owner couldn't put the time into the dog or for the reasons I stated above, not because there is actually something wrong with the dog itself. Not saying we don't get those but at a rescue we actually try to work with dogs that have issues before putting them up for adoption and I'm proud to say we've had many successes.

Fostering is a great idea, rescues always need foster families and it is a good way to test the waters before making a commitment.

[theycallmeNoah]

The money part is easy, they are priceless. The price on Your Heart is heavy when your dog is crossing the 'Rainbow Bridge'


x2

[hmk154]

I have two dogs. Both are hunting dogs. I bought the first one a Chesapeak Bay Retreiver fully trained and ready to go, and I actually got him cheap. The second is a GSP I had brought here from Russia, not cheap. Beetween the two of them they go through a $60 bag of food every to to three weeks. Treats and toys are endless. Toys mostly consist of my socks! which are cheap now that I buy them at Walmart and treats are cheap as well. I have a farm so I am lucky because the dogs can burn some energy and let me tell ya GSP's have energy! So relativly speaking they don't cost much. Now the other thing....Vets. The Shorthair had her first set of stiches two days after coming home. Two weeks later she was hit by a car which was a $7000 dollar bill! I keep a close eye on her now. Chesepeak had some tumors, operation time, $1500. Plus yearly chekups and emergency vists are inevitable
So you can see it can be expensive too. Some people think I am crazy to spend money like that on my dogs. I took the responsibility for them and will do whatever needs to be done to keep them healthy, just as you would with your kids. I love my dogs because they provide endlees entertainment for me, sure somtimes they are destructive but that is just the way it goes. There is just something to be said for hunting behind two dogs watching them work at what they love to do and how exited they are to know they did something that made you happy! Just can't put a price on it

[rhuntley12]

Keep us updated on the fostering. Something my and misses would like to do when our latest puppy gets a little older.

[Albertadiver]

We've had a few emails back and forth, and a lady is going to come for a home visit to meet us and see where things go from there.

My wife wants to get a puppy and do the fostering thing. I'm still keen on fostering because it will be a good experiance if we want the time / commitment / and $$ invested over the next 15yrs for our own.

Currently we're in our late 20's, no kids, and can do pretty much whatever we want schedule permitting. Now our lifestyle will have to be adjusted accordingly, so want to make a positive decision.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by rhuntley12

Keep us updated on the fostering. Something my and misses would like to do when our latest puppy gets a little older.

Well, here's your update for now...

We had an interview tonight with a person from the fostering agency, looks like we're 'approved', so it looks like me might get a little black lab cross puppy.

I've been alternating between cold feet and excitment, but I think we're committed now, and I feel good about it. My wife is more excited than I am, so I have lots of support there.

[Albertadiver]

Well, we just got our little foster puppy a few hours ago. He was pretty timid at first, but wanted to play with the tennis ball soon as we brought it out.

Right now he's pretty mad, he doesn't want to have a nap, but we're following our 'Dog's for Dummie's' book and other advice.

Looking forward to seeing what we got ourselves into! This is a poor pic from my blackberry, but he's a cutie.

[Albertadiver]

Here's some more pics. He's sleeping at my feet finally. Don't think I'll get much sleep tonight, he doesn't like his crate much. We're leaving the door open so he can get used to it.

I think we have our hands full, and lots to learn!

We are fostering him for PawsitiveMatch.com and he's from a litter of 9 pups from the reserve.

We get to name him, and right now my wife and I can't agree on one.

[Spellow]

Once you have one that you love and that has learned to trust and love you...costs do not come into it...there can be no calculation for any companion that becomes the best friend to you and your family...

it is almost like trying to calculate what a child has cost you...

almost, but not quite....

just remember...you have to earn his/her trust...as much as he/she has to earn yours....

[Albertadiver]

Thanks Spellow, he's sleeping pretty happily in his crate with the door open next to me. It's been a big day for him, taken away from his 8 siblings, so he's been whining a lot and peeing all over the place.

Cleaning up a #2 wasn't fun either, but now I think I can tell apart the whining from the 'I gotta go now!" whining. And at least he went on the kitchen lino... Just been sitting with him, giving him praise for good things. He had his first bath today and was pretty timid, but he didn't freak out.

This is all new to us, so hope it goes ok! Just want him to trust my wife and I and be willing to learn.

He's taken some interest in fetching a ball, but not much.

[Iron Brew]

keep the playing fun. fuss him when he retrieves...

As to the crate. I cannot see any circumstances where I would NOT crate train. What a great way to housebreak a pup. I remember the pups we had as a kid, and crate was MUCH easier... on the pup and me...

[Albertadiver]

Since it's his first day, we're going a little easy on him. I know they say to never let a puppy do what you'd never let an adult dog do.

He's about 8-9 weeks old, so sounds like we have to get up every 3 hrs to let him out for the next while. So, the next time outside will be about 11:30.

I'm assuming with Crate training that the idea is that they don't want to poop where they sleep, so they'll fuss more than usual when it's time to go.

I've put a toy and a pillow he seems to like in the crate, and coaxed him in with a treat. Left the door open so he 'likes' to be in there and doesn't feel trapped. He's been in there for the last hour or so. Before bed we'll take him outside and try to get him to go wee.

[S.A.S]

Cute Puppy man.

He's about 8-9 weeks old, so sounds like we have to get up every 3 hrs to let him out for the next while. So, the next time outside will be about 11:30.

We got ours at 8 weeks old and he slept right through the night ever since. One trick we taught our pup is we hung a bear bell on the door and when he wants out, he goes and rings it with his nose. It saves a lot of accidents. Yes, crate training is the way to go. Don't look at it like jail but their safe place. It will save a lot of chewed shoes too!

Remember, they always have to pee when they wake up or about 20 minutes after they drink.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

We got ours at 8 weeks old and he slept right through the night ever since. One trick we taught our pup is we hung a bear bell on the door and when he wants out, he goes and rings it with his nose. It saves a lot of accidents. Yes, crate training is the way to go. Don't look at it like jail but their safe place. It will save a lot of chewed shoes too!

Remember, they always have to pee when they wake up or about 20 minutes after they drink.

Wow, what a cutie! What is his breed?

I'll try the bear bell trick, how did you get him to associate the bear bell with the bathroom?

I've left a few treats and toys in the crate, and left the door open so that he feels comfortable.

Since my wife works at home for the most part as a graphic designer, she has the lion's share of training. She's been addicted to The Dog Whisperer for weeks. I just read my Dog's for Dummies book since it's more applicable to me!

He's a border collie.

Everytime we took him outside, we'd bang his nose on the bell. It took him a whole day and a half to figure it out.

Ceasar is great but not much of what you see on TV works on pups........

Keeping everything black and white with puppies is the key.

They grow up fast....here he is 10 weeks later.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

He's a border collie.

Everytime we took him outside, we'd bang his nose on the bell. It took him a whole day and a half to figure it out.

Smart, Smart dogs! We'll give that a shot with the bell.

I'm sure he's in great hands. With ours being a lab cross (not sure what he's crossed with) I'm not sure how smart he'll be. I'm trying to get more information on the pop, just know that the mom is a yellow lab.

He's taken to playing with himself in the mirror. I think it must remind him of his siblings.