Dogs are great companions.  I’m testament to this, hence “Financial Freedumb & Brownie.”  But dogs aren’t all fun and games, there are serious things to consider before getting a dog–finances, breed, adult or puppy, rescue or from a breeder.  I’d like to touch on all of these topics based on what I’ve learned from Brownie.  This post focus on dogs, but the thought process is the similar for other types of animals for the most part.  I wrote about how I found Brownie in this post, and then mentioned how I’d do things different in the future….This post goes into that.

Here are the questions to ask yourself:

• Do you want a big or small dog?
• Independent, social?
• Family dog?
• Guard dog?  Brownie would not be a good guard dog.  He’ll bark, but that’s only because he wants to make a new friend.  A “watch dog” maybe.
• How much space do you have?  Is shedding okay?
• House dog or outside dog?
• Long haired or shorted haired?  Long hair requires grooming.

Each breed has unique characteristics.  Check out this link.  After you’ve decided on what type of dog you want, you should look at your finances.  Actually, before I get to the financial considerations, let me talk about rescue vs. non-rescue, puppy vs. adult.

You can often find rescues in the states that have tons of dogs, some rescues are specific to a breed.  You can search petfinder.com and find almost any pet imaginable.  Here are some examples of dogs available:

Pictured, from top to bottom:  Jackie, Willy, Kodi, and Lacey.

As much as I love Brownie, I know I will check out my local shelter first in the future.  I had all kinds of misconceptions about rescue dogs, but there can be MANY advantages.  For example:

• Already housetrained
• Has all shots
• Already knows basic commands, some may even be advanced
• You know the characteristics and personality of the dog which are usually not known in puppies until they grow up
• Often free or requires only a small adoption fee

Alright, on to the finances…The reason you should consider your finances after the type of dog you want is because the single most important thing before getting a dog is whether it will be a fit for your family.  If it isn’t, no matter how much money you have, it won’t make sense.  If you don’t have enough money to get and TAKE CARE of the dog you want, then wait.

The financial costs for a dog can swingly wildly depending on each dog.  A dog that has many health issues can easily rack up a huge bill.  Veterinarian check ups are not cheap.  While another dog that has no health issues, will be very inexpensive to take care of.

• Health costs
• Food & Treats
• Toys
• Bedding & Kennel/Crates
• Transportation
• Leashes & Collars
• Bowls
• Flea, Tick, and Heartworm Meds
• Shampoo
• ID Tags
• Microchipping
• Neutering/Spaying
• Damage to the house/furniture
• Nail clippers
• Brush
• Hair/Lint removers
• Towels
• Carpet cleaner
• Toothbrush & Toothpaste
• Cottonballs
• Obedience classes
• Vacuum
• Trash bags
• Grooming
• Boarding

I’m not trying to scare you, I just want to make sure everything is covered.  Sure you could leave out some of them, but it’s easy to forget the breadth of items that may be needed to care for your dog.

I’ll write some money-wise tips on dog accessories in the future.

Remember, dogs need people to take care of them and spend time with them.  They really shouldn’t be left in the yard for 23 hours a day, only to get food and water.  In my opinion, that is NOT taking care of a dog.  That’s almost like just filling up gas in your car.

If you haven’t already, check out the About Brownie page.  He’s bugging me right now to let him use my computer.