How Much Will Your Dog Cost You in a Lifetime?

Our best friends are worth their weight in gold. But—it’s no big deal, just wondering—how much gold, exactly?

September 18, 2024

Most dog parents know one thing: Out of all the pups in the world, they have the best one(s). They also know that their dog is perfect in every way except for maybe one: They cost money. Sometimes, a lot of it.

There’s a ton of variety depending on what type of dog you have and their specific needs, how they’re cared for, and where they live. A recent study by Synchrony, a financial services company, put the estimate somewhere between $20,000 and $55,000 — a huge range.

Zach Novak, a certified financial planner at Facet, the flat-fee, full service financial planning company, is a dog parent himself. Because there’s so much variability when it comes to costs of pet goods and services, Novak recommends that, prior to moving forward with adoption, his clients envision the dog they’ll have and their lifestyle, so they can come up “with a number that everybody is comfortable with.”

“What is her training plan and how much is this going to cost? 1:1 Training, board and train, on our own?” is an example of a question that he’d ask his client ahead of time. Big? Small? Just right? Large dogs tend to have more health problems and shorter lifespans. Also: “Do we want to consider a dog walker or doggie daycare as a result of working full time and if so, how much would that cost?” (A lot, FYI.)

Once his clients have a sense of the lifestyle costs, they can “tally up all of these expenses both upfront and ongoing, put them on paper, assess our overarching comfort level with them and how they fit into our budget, and use these numbers to influence some of our financial decisions.”

We’ve attempted to work through Novak’s exercise using a dog we made up as an example. Her name is Ruby, and she’s a 40-pound rescue Australian Cattle Dog who lives in Denver, a dog-friendly, mid-sized city that has seasons. She lived 14 years, smack in the middle of the 12-to-16 year average lifespan for her size and breed.

Her long life (and all the costs that apply), is just one possible roadmap. Hopefully, her example can be a useful tool for your own preparations prior to adopting or during pet parenthood.

Money Talks: The Dollars of Dog Parenthood

We crunched some numbers and yup, they’re worth every penny.

First two years: $5,585

The startup cost of a dog will likely be your biggest investment in the pup’s lifetime, especially if they remain healthy otherwise. The good news is that with a lot of these items, it’s just one and done.

There are core vaccines that are required for all dogs, and then there are highly recommended vaccines and medications based on living conditions. “Rabies is always going to be core. Most cities and counties require it,” veterinarian Dr. Jessica Apted, medical director at Sploot Vetinary Care, says. “But then if you look at a vaccine like Bordetella, the kennel cough vaccine, that can be something that we talk more about.”

Ruby not only got the kennel cough vaccine, but also vaccines and boosters for Lyme and rattlesnakes.

Another thing Dr. Apted strongly recommends at the puppy stage is going all in on behavioral training. She highly recommends sleep-away training, where a dog lives with a trainer for a month when they are small, though this can cost around $2,000 or more. Other foundation classes will prove useful as well. In our example, Ruby’s parents bought a four-week group training package — a much cheaper, but less comprehensive option.

“Spending the money [on training] when they’re a puppy is one of the biggest things I can push for because then you just have no issues,” Dr. Apted says. “Over a lifetime, it can be much more—thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars — that you’re spending on medications or certified specialized behavior visits and more trainers.”

A Month Spoiling a Rescued Pit Bull on a $75,000 Income

From dry shampoo to floral bandanas, this upstate New York dog dad gives his foster fail the good life.

Now, some numbers:

One-off expenses

Adoption fee: $282
Vaccine, testing, microchip package: $208
Spay: $219
Puppy classes: $209
Crate: $76.02
Bed: $90
Slow feeder: $13.99
Leash: $26.64
Collar: $22.46
Harness: $29.01
Brush: $14.19
Nail clipper: $11.19
Paw protection: $49.64
Car seat: $67.58
Puzzle: $16.41
Pee pads: $44.50
Portable water bottle: $7.39
Pet Cam: $34.99

Total one-off expense: $1,422

Annual

Routine vet: $68.21
Heartworm/Flea/Tick: $362
Boosters: $150.00
Food: $668.52
Dog sitter (five days): $373
Toys and treats*: $300
Bully sticks/other chews: $122.96
Cleaning spray: $7.77
Toothbrush: $10.26
Poop bags: $18.63

Total annual expenses: $2,081.35

Total annuals over two years: $4,162.27

Grand total (one-offs and annuals x2): $5,584.27

* The “toys and treats” category is based on the average of three monthly subscription boxes that include both items.

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This New York City entrepreneur may have also bought a Mercedes SUV so she can drive her dog to the beach.

Two to five years old: $6,086

These years are all about maintenance.

Heartworm/Flea/Tick: $362
Food: $668.52
Dog sitter (five days)$373
Toys and treats*: $300
Bully sticks/bones: $122.96
Cleaning spray: $7.77
Toothbrush: $10.26
Poop bags: $18.63
New bed: $26.64
Vet visit: $58.95
Boosters: $80

Total: $2,028.73

Total over three years: $6,086.19

A Month Pampering a Snowshoe Siamese “Prince” on $160K—TikTok Impulse Buy Included

After $5,000-plus to move to an apartment with a built-in catio, this parent worries they’re not spoiling their kitty enough.

Five to eight years old: $6,346.85

Ruby remained healthy through these years, save one issue. Thanks to her active lifestyle, Ruby did what a lot of dogs do: She split a nail. This can be dangerous for dogs and can require vet care. Often, because the nail bed has more nerves and blood vessels, this trip to the vet involves sedation, which costs extra.

We’ve also had Ruby’s parent’s replace some of their pet supplies, like their leash and harness, due to wear and tear.

One-off expense

Nail repair: $241.67

Annual

Heartworm/Flea/Tick: $362
Food: $668.52
Dog sitter (5 days): $373
Toys and treats*: $300
Cleaning spray: $7.77
Toothbrush: $10.26
Ear cleaner: $18.05
Poop bags: $18.63
New Leash: $22.46
New Harness: $29.01
New Puzzle: $16.41
Boosters: $150.00
Vet visit: $58.95

Total: $2,035.06

Total over three years: $6,105.18

Total over three years + one-off: $6,346.85

Petty Cash: a person with a small Havanese dog

A Month Buying Treats for a Havanese on a $90,000 Dual-Income Salary in Kansas City

From a monthly wellness plan to “just because” snacks, this Midwest couple knows how to spoil their dog on a budget.

Eight to 11 years old: $6,440.10

Ruby began to show signs of joint pain at eight years of age. Her vet recommended a prescription diet and vitamins. Her parents updated her leash and harness again and replaced her bed.

Heartworm/Flea/Tick: $362
Food: $668.52
Dog sitter (five days): $373
Toys and treats: $300
Cleaning spray: $7.77
Toothbrush: $10.26
Poop bags: $18.63
New Bed: $26.64
New Leash: $22.46
New Harness: $29.01
New Puzzle: $16.41
Vitamins: $155
Ear cleaner: $18.05
Vet visit: $58.95
Boosters: $80

Total: $2,146.70

Total over three years: $6,440.10

Woman walking her Labrador retriever dog outdoors.

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11 to 14 years old: $11,221.25

Novak, CFP, recommends having an emergency fund for surprise expenses over the entirety of the dog’s life. (And if you spoke with Dr. Apted, you’d understand why having one for pup’s early life, not just for ailments that have to do with aging. Ask her about the Golden Retriever who swallowed a kitchen knife). The end-of-life care, however, is where he’s seen the cost domino.

“It varies so much depending on geographic location, what kind of dog it is. Is it a younger dog where [an emergency] would be more of an accident or is it an older dog that’s starting to have some health issues?” Novak says. “We'll just try to come up with a number that everybody can agree with, usually between maybe $5,000 and $10,000.”

But, Novak adds, this fund can also be used for something fun. “Like if you were going to go on a vacation, and you’d have to potentially board the dog for a week or something like that,” he says. “It would be nice to have a little extra stashed away for a weeklong dog vacation.”

The biggest surprise costs Dr. Apted sees later in life are dental issues and diabetes, for which some breeds are more genetically predisposed than others and can cost an extra $2,500 a year. Though a number of issues can arise over a dog’s lifetime, our couple’s big one is when they decided to get Ruby a Femoral Head Ostectomy on both legs. This kind of joint issue is common in Australian Cattle Dogs, and according to Lemonade insurance, the surgery can cost “between $1,200 to $2,500 or more per hip, which would include pre-surgical bloodwork, anesthesia, the surgery, and post-surgical care and medications.”

It’s no fun to think about, and of course you can’t predict this part when you adopt, but we’ve also included estimates for Ruby’s end-of-life. Derek and Amanda decided to put their pup down at 14 under the advice of their vet and have her communally cremated (private cremation tends to cost more). Thankfully, Ruby lived a good, long, and largely healthy life, full of outdoor adventures, and never swallowed anything she shouldn’t have.