ewwhippy Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) Hi All! No doubt this question has been asked before but I cannot figure out how to return a decent search result through the search function. Im a tad computer illiterate. :p Does anyone else have a separate doggy bank account? Whats a good number money wise to work with for raising a dog? I would like to have enough put away to cover everything from the Vet Fees, Puppy School, Obedience Training, Food, Toys, Beds, Insurance, basically everything a growing dog needs. Note this money does not include the purchase price. The plan is to not even consider looking at puppies until I have enough money to cover my pooch for the first couple of years. Edit: I should mention I'm purely looking for a pet/family dog. EH Edited September 30, 2013 by ewwhippy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuralPug Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 If you are buying a puppy from a reputable breeder, of a breed that is not very high in the health cost stakes, then I would aim for $60 monthly until the dog has reached the age you intend to desex, then $35 per month thereafter until the dog becomes a senior (giant breeds age 6, large breeds age 8, most others age 9) at which time increase by about 20% in case of age related vet costs. Index this figure by the CPI rise each year (there never seems to be a CPI fall...) If you are choosing a puppy of a giant breed, increase ALL costs by about 20%. If you are choosing a breed that requires regular clipping, you will also need to increase costs to cover either the 6 weekly fee or the costs of clippers etc. I have probably forgotten something, hopefully someone else will chime in.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisey Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I have a seperate online account just for the dogs where I put an amount away weekly. It's for everything related to them. I still have pet insurance too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuralPug Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) Tee hee, thought of something else..if you buy an adult dog already completely vetworked (commonly available from rescue/shelters or retired from showring etc.) then you won't have the high start up costs of a puppy ((or the intense training time LOL) so you can start your bank at $35 monthly. Should have mentioned that all brachiocephlic breeds (cavaliers, pugs, boxers, bull mastiffs etc.) are higher in vet costs as the short faces require extra attention via anaesthesia, so you need to factor that as well. Best advice is to research the breed, find what are the commonest ailments, try to get a puppy from parents that have been x-rayed, genetically tested or otherwise scanned as clear etc. or buy an adult past the inception age of the condition. You may also need a line of credit on standby for emergencies. Good luck. Edited for clarity. Edited September 30, 2013 by RuralPug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliwake Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Those numbers seem low to me. Our insurance is $50/month, and food around $90/month (will drop as he gets older, he's still a pup). They're our biggest ongoing expenses, but everything else on your list adds up too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuralPug Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Those numbers seem low to me. Our insurance is $50/month, and food around $90/month (will drop as he gets older, he's still a pup). They're our biggest ongoing expenses, but everything else on your list adds up too. Hmmmm I've added up what I spend per dog per month.I feed mostly raw which is fairly inexpensive rurally and buy wormers etc in bulk, which is a big saving per dog but overkill for a single dog. It's a very valid point that expenses may easily be higher for others, so I think all input will be valued by the OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) We started one last year for our Cavs, since we don't have pet insurance. I can't remember atm how much we put into it (probably not a a huge amount ). My husband does it so im not sure if he has set it up for weekly or fortnightly deposits. We did use it all up on Joey's eye specialist/vet appts and neurosurgeon appt bills recently So we back to building it up again . I personally think its a great idea ! Ps it not used for their food.. just medical stuff.. I think we also paid for Miah's desexing out of it also ;) Edited September 30, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty&biscuit Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 This is a very good idea that I'd never thought of, I'll be keeping an eye on this thread for ideas, and thanks in advance from me as well to all those contributing :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 It's easier to just let them have access to your main bank account :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 It's easier to just let them have access to your main bank account :p Probably not in our case, theirs probably has had more in it than ours ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenluv Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Hi when I got my last dog, on top of the price for baby I had $2000 sitting in an account for him and just keep adding to it weekly And this money is just for the vets, it goes up and down all the time from up to $5000 down to $300. food and everything else is separate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Sure do :) I also have pet insurance. I mainly set up the account when I had Charlie (who now has passed away) and now it's now transferred to Emmy and Skeeter. The money is for emergency and when I was to slurge on spoiling the dogs. Also Skeeter is a show dog and there is always something to get for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisys Mum Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I don't have a set amount I put in it ... But my Cav had a Luxating Patella op recently and I was thankful that I had it there . Now I have to start building it up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirate Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Pirate gets $20.00 a week pocket money which covers his entry fees, insurance and oddments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maeby Fünke Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I'm with the National Australia Bank. You can have as many accounts as you like and they don't charge you for them. My Pug has his own account for medical bills and I put $50 into it every week. I normally only put $25 in there but he is due for a major check up soon. I don't have pet insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) I think the reason we personally decided to set up one and not pay out for pet Insurance was because most of the ones we looked into had so many exclusions (and fine print conditions).. so we figured we might as well just put x amount away instead. Obviously sometimes there huge vet bills that exceed what we have put away, but our vet will let us work out payment plans out with them as a last option (since we have been going to them for a very long time) and I also now have an emergency credit card which i rarely touch but its good to know its there should we need it. Edited September 30, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewwhippy Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Jeez I didn't expect to have so many replies to this thread. I thought people might've thought I was a tad weird for having a doggy bank account. How much money did everyone have put aside before they purchased there pooch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) ewwhippy, we had been saving for Miah for ages as we had been lightly looking for a few years and had our name down on a breeder's list and had to wait a while. So we had the money by the time we were chosen by Miah's breeder to be her new forever home. Plus her breeder keeps her pups until they are at least 10 weeks which gave us some extra time to save some more for last min things . Edited September 30, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bianca.a Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I do for Cooper and his upcoming next total hip replacement. I also have insurance for both dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankdog Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) Just thought I'd mention if you get a Billdog just give your credit card to your vet who will be delighted with his new Porsche. Last hairy mutt made do with about $500 a year until his senior years when arthritis treatment probably took that up to about $1500 a year. In 18 months the Billdog has spent more than that and about to embark on a new relationship building round of vet work......but darn he's gorgeous. Edited September 30, 2013 by hankdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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