Like Tree1Likes

How much do you spend on your dog each month?

Closed Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
  1. #1

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Very Happy in Happy Valley
    Posts
    359

    Lightbulb How much do you spend on your dog each month?

    Just wondering how much do you spend on the Foods, Vet, grooming cost, toys and others associated cost of taking care of a dog each month?

    We're finally got an apartment that is big enough for dog and with outside running space so i want to get as much information as possible on cost of living for dog in HK before we adopt one later this year

    Thanks


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    500

    Great that you are getting ready to get a dog! And good that you are investigating the costs beforehand.

    The costs will really depend on the dog. You can feed a small dog for $200 or less a month, big dogs can cost a lot more but also depends on the quality of food you choose. Vet costs - if your dog is healthy you'll only need to go once a year to get booster vaccinations and checks which will cost a few hundred dollars. Grooming - some dogs need grooming more than others. You can buy the shampoo, brushes, clippers etc and do it yourself or you can go to a groomers, cost from $200 upwards depending on the groomers and the type of dog. Large dogs with lots of hair will cost over $1000 to groom at an upmarket place. Toys, well that depends on your dog as well and how much you want to spoil it.

    Also bear in mind the cost of someone to look after your dog while you go away (if you don't have a full time helper) and if you might leave HK at some time the cost of relocating the dog with you - about $30K depending on size of dog and where you are going.

    Another way to look at it is how much of your disposable income are you willing / able to spend on a dog.


  3. #3

    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    4,713

    like everything else, it can be as cheap as you want and expensive if you want.
    our 2 chinese dogs eats about $100 in dry kibble, $200 in can food, and another $50-$70 in treats per month.
    simple vet visit is about $600 per visit and i guess we see him 5-6 times a year.
    dental cleaning is $1200 up. once every year or so.
    kennel is about $150 per dog per day.
    taxi ride is $5 extra.
    toys and bedding, thats all up to you. i know people who let their dogs chew their shoes. so how much is a pair of jimmy choos?

    it all sounds a lot but they'll be your best friend for life.


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Tri-State
    Posts
    11,644

    My vet (Okay, actually my dog's vet, I see a proper M.D.) back in the 'States is adamant about feeding your dog quality food. The cost of the premium food will come back to you several times in savings as your pooch will have fewer health issues (i.e. visits to the vet).

    Dogs are no different than people: quality food + exercise + regular medical care = higher quality and longer life.

    And as donkey says, your dog will be a best friend for life. If I add up every penny I've spent on my dog, it's still easily less than say two family vacations. And he brings me so much more happiness than a 2 week holiday. In fact, you could easily make a case a dog is one of the least expensive things in life in terms of producing health and happiness. People with dogs are also on average, healthier, live longer. etc. Man's Best Friend: Physical, Emotional, and Social Benefits of Dogs

    Okay, the cost of owning a 55 lbs dog (basics):

    -Food. 30 lbs bag of premium food costs $560. Lasts about six weeks. $100/week.

    -Treats. Huge range of prices and types but I would figure $50/week. This is not frivolous. They need rewards while training and to reinforce good behavior - again, no different than people.

    -Toys. My dog is an adult so don't need as many as for puppies/younger dogs. About one toy/month @ $80/toy

    - Basic grooming. I bathe him myself. He has fur (like Ger Shepherds, Huskies, etc) rather than hair (poodles, golden retrievers, etc.) so he doesn't ever need a trim, just brushing. Bottle of shampoo will last me a year. Cost $100 (guessing for HK). I clip nails myself. Nail clippers @$100 (guessing for HK). Other home grooming expenses will be hair brushes, toothpaste/tooth brush (oh yes, they need dental care too), towels, etc.)

    -Annual vet visit. No idea what this costs in HK.

    -Basic training course(s). No idea what this costs in HK but DO NOT skip this. Some rescues in the San Francisco Bay Area (were I'm from) will not allow you to adopt a dog unless you sign a contract that includes a stipulation you will enroll/complete basic obedience training w/your dog.

    -Meds. Monthly flea/tick prevention meds. Monthly heart worm preventative meds.

    -Boarding/Sitter/Walker. If you work long hours. When you go on holiday.


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Very Happy in Happy Valley
    Posts
    359

    And how often do you clean their teeth ?

    Thank you for all the information its very helpful


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Sai Kung
    Posts
    8,561

    we have two dogs from the spca that are 7 & 9 yrs old.

    we feed pedigree dry food from the supermarket. we buy 15kg once every 3-4 weeks...so thats, about $250 for 2 dogs.

    we have been lucky with our two dogs. the older one has gone to the vet once in 9 years, not counting her yearly check-ups/vaccinations etc. the younger one has been 2 or 3 times (he had to get all of his teeth pulled because he developed distemper the day after we brought him home and it destroyed his teeth). so over 9 years, it's only been about $3000 over and above the yearly costs.

    we don't give our dogs treats. we give them lots of attention, exercise etc and they are EXTREMELY happy dogs.

    we also don't give them toys. as we board dogs in our home, they have lots of other companions to play with and toys are not necessary.

    we don't have any "dog bedding"... they get our old blankets etc on the cold days. i bought some fleece fabric from sham shui po and had someone sew the end so they wouldn't fray and that's what they use... cost about $50.

    as earlier stated, kennels cost about $150/day, home boarding is about $175-200/day.


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    N.T
    Posts
    468

    For a small 8kg adult dog...

    Kibble - $200ish pm
    treats - $30ish
    Misc - $100ish (stuff like toys, wipes, tick & flea treatment, ear drops etc)
    grooming - $0 (wash ourselves and brush regularly, his nails are kept short through his walks. I TRY to clean his teeth every month myself with a baby finger brush and dog tooth paste but lots of people don't do this at all as raw bones are meant to do the same...)
    Boarding - $0 as we dog swap with a friend but yeah $175+ if not pd !
    training - $60 for a clicker as I've trained him myself to do fun stuff as he pretty much came ready with basic obedience etc.

    Startup costs for us included adoption fee of around $1200 I think it was plus rabies shot & vaccinations as routine, he has not been ill since having him but we've only had him less than 6 months.
    No bedding or anything either as he kips on sofa, chairs and our bed and we got given stuff like his harnesses etc.
    Luckily he doesn't destroy his toys or furniture like some dogs do so savings on that.
    Biggest cost for us has been transport as we live in N.T but need to travel with him to central etc sometimes as he is not a 'bag-dog' so only vans or taxis each time, its more the issue of time, caring for a dog takes up a lot of time if you don't outsource it.

    Worth every penny !

    Last edited by London2HK; 31-01-2011 at 12:30 PM.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Sai Kungish
    Posts
    349
    Quote Originally Posted by chocolatekisses:
    And how often do you clean their teeth ?

    Thank you for all the information its very helpful
    You shouldn't really ever have to clean their teeth if you're feeding them the sort of stuff dogs should be eating. Don't ever give your dog chocloate and other human sweets, then you'll never have to put them through something they will not enjoy.

    A diet without sugar almost entirely removes the need to brush (same for us), but giving them suitable bones, hard food to crunch on and other chews creates is a natural way they would clean their teeth.

    Our dog does eat some naturally sweet things, she has a sweet tooth for fruit and once ate a full bunch of bananas from out of our fruit bowl. We still give her bits of apple and banana now and again, but even with this we have always been told she has good teeth and we've never needed to brush.

    As a side note, both grapes and raisins are supposed to be very very bad for dogs.
    Last edited by kogia; 02-02-2011 at 04:47 PM.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Tri-State
    Posts
    11,644
    Quote Originally Posted by kogia:
    Don't ever give your dog chocloate . . . , then you'll never have to put them through something they will not enjoy.
    You mean like death? Is chocolate poisonous to dogs?
    Theobromine poisoning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Teeth cleaning is for removal of tartar. It builds up over time. On average, dogs need tartar removed from their teeth (even under gums) at about every 5 years (give or take). It has nothing to do with human food/sweets. Brushing (or applying) an enzymatic toothpaste helps to slow the tartar build up. Various chew toys/treats also claim to help reduce tartar. The reason you want to avoid going to the vet for a teeth cleaning is because the dog must go under anesthesia and there is always risk of putting your dog under.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Sai Kungish
    Posts
    349

    I didn't want to add extra scare factor as I wasn't sure of the scientific truth behind the chocolate thing, but better to be safe than sorry, no? To many it is fairly obvious that chocolate is not a natural part of a canines diet, but not to some. Plus you jumbled up my sentence to cleverly misquote it, nice, can I sue?

    Still not convinced about the teeth cleaning, having had dogs for 35+ years that our vets have never suggested they needed it. Besides what do wild animals do, they certainly don't pop to the dentists every few months, even factoring in the extra age that domestic dogs live over their wild cousins.

    I would like to say I didn't claim to be an expert, I was just answering the question based on my own experiences.


Closed Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast