I found this interesting calculation of the yearly and one-time costs of owning a pet at Petfinder.com. I appreciate the work that went into this, but I think it's way understated. Assuming I count Danny who is 72 pounds as a big dog, my costs are much higher than the $700 annual reported here (He's a short haired dog, so I am not considering the $400 for long hair grooming). I think it's great to have information available because pets do cost money, and potential owners should consider how they will handle costs before adopting. My concern though is that people will be shocked by how much more it really costs.
Flea treatments cost about $17 per month and are not itemized here. I pay $15 per month to bathe him at a self-service dog wash. Even minor health issues can cost quite a bit. A recent bout of worms required three stool samples at a cost of $38 each ($114 total), as well as medication that cost about $100. Most people go away for at least a few days each year, and there is no costs for boarding or dog sitting. Pickup bags are not included, although you could re-use plastic grocery bags and not pay. I don't recommend this as it is not very environmentally friendly. I've been able to buy biodegradable pickup bags in bulk for about 7 cents each. The cost of food included here is less than $30 a month, and our cost has consistently been $40-$45. We have tried to trim his nails at home, but have been unable to do it so we pay $10 a few times a year for trims. If you need any training help, individual sessions with a trainer cost $100 to $150 here in Southern California. A class will run about the same as one individual session. If you want to go solo, book and DVD's can cost $20 or more each, and you might need a few before you find the right one. We have one dog who is a real puller, and in our effort to train him have gone through 6 collars (none have helped much). Even really good dogs will occasionally cause some damage which might cost too.
So, read this chart with a grain of salt and expect more costs than shown here.
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