average cost of a dog per year.

[andyb30]

Hi all

The wife wants another child,No chance!
Thinking of getting the boy a dog,labradoodle or somthing similer.a child freindly one.
Ive never had one before and the wife only had one when she was little
so we were wondering about costs.
i would be waiting till spring summer time because i dont want a puppy
sat in the house all winter sh*****g all over the place because it cant go out much.
It would have to be a proper breed aswell so what would i be looking for to make sure it is?

 

[joinerjohn]

Can't understand the statement " Sat in the house all winter *** because it can't go out much."
Dogs want out all the time and any responsible dog owner will take them out, no matter what the weather. I think you really need to consider whether you want a dog or not. They take a lot of looking after. House training is quite easy, just as long as you have patience and keep an eye on your dog. You'll get to know the signs that it wants to do something. Later on He'll let you know he wants out.

Child Friendly dog, Hmm let's see. When you get a puppy, you can't tell whether it will be child friendly or not. My dad had a miniature Yorkshire Terrier that hated kids, and yet my ex mother in law had a pit bull terrier that would let kids rag it silly all day long and not bat an eyelid.
Proper breed? hmmm well, things to look for are four legs, two ears and a tail.
If however, you mean pedigree, then you need to look for a breeder who's a member of the Kennel Club.
Just remember, "There are no bad dogs, ,,, Just bad dog owners."

 

[andyb30]

when i say sat in the house i mean it wont be in the garden playing with the youngen all the time or going for super long family walks.
i know they need walking a few times a day but thats no problem as i live next to some parks,nature reserve and a host of fields.
yea i meant pedigree i just couldnt think of it at the time.
labradours tend to be friendly dogs or the ones ive encounted are thats why i was thinking that.

 

[crank39]

I stayed in a hotel once with the mrs and they had a labradoole, read the reviews for the hotel and someone wrote please ask to see samson the labradoodle which we did, funny things they are but don't think i was my cuppa tea.

I've grown up with german shepards, my mum had them when she lived in poland and always had them when she came over after the war, i know its each to their own but i'd never have another breed, the mrs had 3 of her own before we got together and she's the same.

They are one of the most intelligent dogs out there, so easy to house train, like john says when they're still pups just keep an eye on them, if they go off into a corner just sneak up so as not to put them off, you'll probably catch them half way through laying a cable but just pick them up and take em out back on the patio, real soon you'll find they remember that doing a poo or a wee means outside, this system has never failed me.

I know i'm biased here too but german shepards are so so good with kids too, my sister came up from london one weekend with hubby a while ago with the two small kids, we told the kids not to be frightened and just bed themselves in slowly, also don't start poking her in the eyes or pulling her ears, they were fine and the dog loved playing with them, in the end all 3 of them fell asleep on the lounge floor exhausted.

As for walking then i have open fields near me, the dog loves to be let loose, im shot after 10 mins but the dogs just warming up, i try to take her out twice a day but with work sometimes it don't happen i'll be honest but i make up for it at weekends.

As for running costs, well that could mean an awful lot?

Tinned food costs me £6.00 for a tray and lasts a week
Dried food as a mixer say £10 a week
Treats are PAYG so impossible to price

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It would be hard to put a price on it as some dogs are more expensive to maintain a bit like a woman!
A labrador puppy can cost anything between £300-500, they will cost about £5 a week to feed.
Vets cost for the first year, can reach up to £600.
You will need accessories like leads, collar, water bowl, feeding bowl, kennel, bed and bedding etc..
So your first year could well exceed £1000
helpful link
http://www.dogsandpuppies.co.uk/dog-advice-guides/cost-of-owning-a-dog-a-breakdown/

 

[merlin50]

you will need insurance, if it gets ill it can cost tens of thousands.

 

[wreckedit]

I had to look after a Staff. bull terrier for a month and it was the first time I have ever looked after a dog. It could not be left alone, it would follow me every where, even needed to be in the car when I moved it across the road.
I couldn't go around the shops with it because it wasn't allowed in. There is always the danger of it getting stolen if fixed outside. Couldn't go on a bus.
Dangerous to the dog if left in a car in the summer. So, forget those trips to the supermarket for the weekly shop without finding some shade. Day trips out had to be arranged around the god I mean dog. The lawn will get uninviting after its infestation of poo. Like when the visitors come round and you are steering them around the freshly cleaned spots. Then there was the farting. Just passed out the nibbles and drinks and in comes fido and ferrrrrrrrrt, what a pong and he wondering what all the fuss was about. . It wasn't cheers all round, but excuses. It was safe in the back of my car, chewing my brand new trainers and when told off, looking like he knew exactly why ( I guess they understand the human language) decided to **** over everything.
Having said that he did have a fantastic personality. Very friendly and liked to show it when the ladies stroked him. Wagging his tail by way of a distraction as his bright red todger extending out. I had to pretend I hadn't seen anything and walk away. His owner never took it for fun and ball walks. I did 2-3 times a day so was his best mate.
Would I have one. No, not now I know how much care they need and the effect they have on your life. If you could do it, hire one for a month and see what happens. Once you start making excuses for not doing something because of the god I mean dog then it's gotcha.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Get a cat. Much cheaper, self-walking, and they dump in other people's gardens, not their own.

Whatever you choose, consider a puppy/dog/cat from a rescue centre. There are thousands out there, waiting for a good home. Will also be a lot cheaper to buy.

There are also breed-specific rescue organisations who can put you in touch with available puppies or dogs in your area. Eg. -

http://www.loveyourlabrador.co.uk/

Re. the cost of sharing your home with an animal. As the Mastercard ad. says - 'Priceless!'

 

[merlin50]

get a ferret, great fun and sleep most of the time, after they have trashed the house

 

[scatmanjohn]

Filthy things

 

[seco services]

i would be waiting till spring summer time because i dont want a puppy
sat in the house all winter sh*****g all over the place because it cant go out much.

then you train it to let you know when it wants to go out.
patients works miracles when training dogs.

It would have to be a proper breed aswell so what would i be looking for to make sure it is?

check out the breeders who concentrate on this breed only
kennel club members is avantage.
breeders that breed for quality not quantity
check their blood line if kennel club reg they will come with a five generation pedigree cert.

keep away from puppy farms.
also be very careful of rescue centres, as many are/have been ill treated
many won't have any background paperwork.
many are their cause their owners haven't got any time for them so 9/10 have lacked training in their puppy age.

if you pick a rescue dog take someone who knows the breed ie trainer etc.
believe me turning a dog around thats had an aggression problem in the past takes time and patients.




as for food can range from anything from £5 to £50 a week per dog.
you can buy the cheap dog food in the supermarkets that just gravy and jelly total cr*p.

pedigree chum, bakers best all cr*p the proteins to high, colouring and can cause them to be hyper active and bring out their heath problems that all dogs suffer from. ie heart problems, Kidney disease
any descent dry dog food will only be natural colour not different colours.
the way to check is the protein lever in the ingredients on the rear.
pet food labels must list their ingredients in order by weight so meat the higher that is to the top of the list the more real meat it has rather than
10% meat 80% jelly thats no good.
the lower the protein lever.

you don't buy cheap meat for your sunday lunch so why should your animals have it.

i feed my dogs on fresh uncooked chicken plenty of veg other meat ie beef, mince meat etc royal canine dry food.


you got dog insurance, i pay £68 a month

as for being a friendly dog 90% of thats down to you not the dog.
a content dog willbe a friendly dog.

remember that dogs looking for a pack leader you don't take that position you'll have an uncontrollable dog on your hands.

 

[noseall]

Filthy things

I'm not keen on dogs either.

 

[wreckedit]

start your training now to be a pack leader...

http://www.clipartof.com/details/clipart/4164.html

Go fetch the ball...

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:0&biw=1024&bih=576

Chase the bunny...
http://www.oleole.com/wallpapers/wi...sandkneesagaingemmacomeongirlgetup/mw21cm.asp

 

[joinerjohn]

Dogs really are what you make them become. Our dog (Border Collie) is bloody great fun. When he want's out, he'll come to me and put his paw on my knee. If I ignore him, he'll put both paws on my shoulders and give me the pleading look. Can't ignore him for long when he wants out.

Forgot to mention earlier, there's the cost of inoculations (you really want these for your dog) Puppies can pick up all sorts of nasty diseases, (parvovirus can kill a pup in hours). Insurance is a must, not just pet insurance, but personal insurance (you just don't know if he'll bite someone or run out on the road and cause an accident) (hopefully not) Flea sprays or drops, worm tablets, Bob Martins vitamins etc etc. Some toys for him to play with too. You'd be surprised how a bored dog can ruin your favourite slippers, chair, table, kitchen, bedrooms,living room, doors , walls. In fact almost anything he can get his teeth round. (Keep electric cables out of his way)
Be aware, his puppy teeth are needle sharp and even a small nip can draw blood. There are training classes too which will get him used to other dogs and people. There's nothing more rewarding than an obedient dog, who will sit, lie down and stay on command.
Great fun, but you won't know what you've let yourself in for until you get one.

 

[gregers]

Hi all

The wife wants another child,No chance!
Thinking of getting the boy a dog,labradoodle or somthing similer.a child freindly one.
Ive never had one before and the wife only had one when she was little
so we were wondering about costs.
i would be waiting till spring summer time because i dont want a puppy
sat in the house all winter sh*****g all over the place because it cant go out much.
It would have to be a proper breed aswell so what would i be looking for to make sure it is?

got to ask,with an attitude like this i hope you dont get a dog.