# Financial cost of Bear



## kasbn (Nov 4, 2006)

For Bears 12 years, he went to the same vet. On his first visit, he weighed 10 pounds. His last visit he weighed 87 pounds. In his prime he weighed about 98 pounds. Just trivia.

For no other reason than curiosity, I called the vet to ask how much I had spent on vet care in his lifetime. I am not sure if they had ever had that ask for before. Oh well, she said she would call me back.

A bit later, she called back and Bears grand total in vet care for 12 years was $9297.58. He had had two surgeries, which was tumor removals. Neutered. Flea and tick. Heartgard. Nail trimming. office visits, medicines for minor ailments. So I am guessing that was not alot, being he never had anything major as some dogs do.

Funny, his first nail trim in 1996 cost $5.00. His last one, in 2008 cost $12.00. Wow. That one increase always bothered me. Because nothing changed. The tool never improved. Same type tool all these years. No special degree needed. 

My best guess at food was about $4000.00 over 12 years. Nutro about $30.00 a bag. A bag a month, for 12 years. This is guessing. I never really knew how long bag lasted.

Obedience training about $500.00. His main training was with a place, that as long as I owned him, I could take him back for any issue at no cost. I liked that. 

Miscellaneous items...crate, he was initially crated. But sometime, don't remember when, the crate dissapeared. He was housebroken and a wonderful non destructive dog. So he was never crated again. He had a bed, that I would say "go to your room" and he would go.









Shampoo, dog toys, grooming tools, food bowl, beds. Miscellaneous best guess about $350.00. He had one food bowl set his entire life. It was a raised set. I washed it and put it outside the other day, but looked out the window and brought it back in. Couldn't leave it outside. For now, it's in my closet. I will think of something to do with it. 

The food bowls are metal. I was thinking about cleaning them and maybe at Thanksgiving dinner using them for a fruit salad or something. And as we all sit there eating our dinner, telling everyone that wonderful metal bowl sitting there in the middle of the table was Bears water bowl.







Whatcha think? 

Now there may other cost, but I think that it is the bulk of it. So my over all grand financial cost of owning my dog for 12 years was about best guess 14,000.00.

Just thought I would share.

Kathy


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## GSD10 (May 20, 2007)

WOW! I have often wondered what I have spent on Mas and figured it was in the $10,000 range...now you have me thinking that it may be more as he had 2 major surgeries in addition to the regular cost of living.

How lucky for Bear to have had such consistency and love and in 12 fabulous years.

Regarding the bowl as a fruit center piece


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## moei (Sep 28, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: kasbn I was thinking about cleaning them and maybe at Thanksgiving dinner using them for a fruit salad or something. And as we all sit there eating our dinner, telling everyone that wonderful metal bowl sitting there in the middle of the table was Bears water bowl.
> 
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> 
> ...










I just sprayed coffee all over the computer screen laughing.







It will be a riot if you do it.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I love your idea of using Bear's water bowl as a fruit bowl on Thanksgiving!!!







If you go thru with it I hope you share pictures.

Dog's aren't cheap. The most expensive dog I've ever owned was my sweet Ringer Dinger Ding Dong who went to the Bridge this past May 24, a month before his 13th birthday. 

I hate to think what he cost me during his lifetime, it was a lot. He had two major illnesses during his lifetime. The first, diagnosing Lupus Mediated Polyarthritis when he was three, and then his final spinal problems (along with the diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma) and other "old age" problems that took his life, ran well over $25,000 (I started tracking his final expenses from December 2006 thru May 2008). 

I can't even guess how much it cost for his normal vet bills during this time - the regular "upkeep" expenses plus the few other times he was sick or limping or had a belly ache. The food, neutering (he was a cryptorchid), boarding expenses, grooming, equipment, toys, training, etc., etc., etc. Whatever the cost, he was certainly well worth it.


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## denwil2007 (Apr 15, 2007)

I'm showing and I don't even want to think about added cost of $26 per entry, gas to loactions; then hip Xrays, OFA, ... I could send a child to college.


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## kasbn (Nov 4, 2006)

For the ones that show or do extracurricular activities the cost can be alot more. Or the babies that become sick or ill, the price can become take a loan expensive.

A regret I do have is that I never allowed him to reach his full potential. That saddens me. Yes, he was loved and well taken care of it. He could have done so much more. His only job was to be with me. I am not a real active person, so neither was my dog.
We would walk. Or put him on a very long lead and hit the tennis ball and let him run. But for the most part, he was couch potato.

I love looking at the pictures of your babies in the mud. Made me laugh. They seem so happy. I don't think Bear ever got muddy. No reason, but he should have.

I know when someone dies, we always think about what we should have done different. I guess I am doing that with my dog. Hindsight.

Oh yeah, if I do the bowl thing I will post pictures. As I announce the bowl is Bears, people will begin to gag or spit their food in their napkins. My dad would, oh I can't imagine. He is the type to always have hand sanitizer in his pocket.

Now if I only could call someone to tell me how many nickels and dimes I have spent on my children. 

Kathy


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

It's so easy to look back using 20/20 hindsight. I have a feeling Bear had a wonderful life and if given a chance he preferred chasing tennis balls with you to doing anything else. In fact, I'd venture to say that he'd prefer being with you, eating bon-bons and watching reruns of I LOVE LUCY, over running thru a mud hole at full speed with someone else. 

It's strange, talking about using Bear's water bowl as a fruit bowl reminded me that if I find a dog hair in my mashed potatoes, I pull it out and continue to eat without a second thought. BUT if I find a human hair in my food, even if it's my own hair, I lose my appitite and can't eat another bite.


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## Qyn (Jan 28, 2005)

For anyone I love or care about, I spend the money needed - either with cash or on credit and I consider it gone and well spent. I'm lucky enough to either have had a well paying job or the assets to get any money I needed. I do not want to add up the money spent as it was necessary at the time. That money is well and truly gone and, with good fortune, the money spent has brought the results it should have done. I find it of no use to figure the costs regarding money spent on a family member of any species as, even if it made me consider how that money could have been spent differently now, I have still benefitted from when it was spent then.


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## kasbn (Nov 4, 2006)

Funny how something that started as nothing more than me being curious, can make me sound like I did something horrible.

Kathy


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## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

Kathy,
You did nothing horrible at all! I've often thought of the same thing, but never had the nerve to try and figure out what I'd spent over the years. No different than parents figuring out what they've spent on kids or their college education. Interesting figure, and I'll bet you're right - that's probably the low end since Bear didn't have any significant problems. I give my husband a bad time about some of his big ticket items, but he knows that if one of my dog or kitty kids needs something, I would mortgage the house to provide it! 

Gayle, this cracked me up!



> Quote:It's strange, talking about using Bear's water bowl as a fruit bowl reminded me that if I find a dog hair in my mashed potatoes, I pull it out and continue to eat without a second thought. BUT if I find a human hair in my food, even if it's my own hair, I lose my appitite and can't eat another bite.


I'd just betcha that almost everyone on this forum is the same way. I can't clean up other human things either, but if one of the dogs has diarrhea, or a cat throws up a hair ball, it doesn't bother me in the least. We're all kind of weird that way, huh!!!









Kathy, I lost my Max 11 weeks ago at nearly 12, and went through the same thoughts you did. I think he had a lot more potential than I ever tried to develop. He too was a couch potato. We walked a lot, he went everywhere with us, traveled with us, and had a wonderful life. He assumed my lifestyle as I'm not an athletic person. But it worked for us, and there's no doubt in my mind that he was happy and fulfilled just being with us, just as Bear was with you.


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## kasbn (Nov 4, 2006)

Kris,

Thank you. 

Bear and Max probably would have been friends, being they both were couch potatoes. They could have laid around watching the animal planet, while eating treats.









Kathy


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## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

Yep, I hope our boys have met, because they are definitely two of a kind...


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: kasbnFunny how something that started as nothing more than me being curious, can make me sound like I did something horrible.
> 
> Kathy


You didn't do anything horrible. I "think" she was referring to my post (or maybe it was both of ours???). 

Personally I see nothing wrong with discussing medical expenses along with the other out of pocket expenses of dog ownership. People often think the initial purchase price of the puppy will be the biggest expense they'll have, but messages like yours and mine remind folks that there are a lot of expenses that aren't thought of when buying a cute little puppy. Owning a dog is not cheap.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Arycrest
> Personally I see nothing wrong with discussing medical expenses along with the other out of pocket expenses of dog ownership. People often think the initial purchase price of the puppy will be the biggest expense they'll have, but messages like yours and mine remind folks that there are a lot of expenses that aren't thought of when buying a cute little puppy. Owning a dog is not cheap.


When we were "surprised" with Onyx, my second thought, after _how cute_ was _another mouth to feed_. 
1 1/2 years later, it is more expensive feeding the dogs than the kids and the money spent on training, etc. is sooo worth it. Never would have thought I'd be so in love with dogs. I think my DH almost regrets the Christmas surprise he planned so well...


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## denwil2007 (Apr 15, 2007)

I think it just goes to show how much you really care for these animals. At some point, you just become so attached that at the time, money is to big deal







I keep wondering, if there was some sort of incident, if I would pay thousands of dollars for one dog, who could be replaced with that same thousand. 

Then you realize, that everything you spent, time and money, was worth it, for that single life was very special to you. And they are all individuals, no two alike. 

Reflection is good for character building.


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## Qyn (Jan 28, 2005)

I apologise to Kasbn and Arycrest if you thought I was referring to either of you. It was just my personal opinion as for me when money is gone, it is gone and I never consider it again for any purpose. There was no intent to belittle your comments or suggest anyone "did anything wrong". It is an interesting topic which made me think if I had ever tallied expenses and I don't.

Again, I do apologise for creating that impression, it was unintentional.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Thanks for clarifying that Qyn, sometimes it's so hard to communicate with the written word versus the spoken word where you can "hear" what the communicator is saying. Sorry I misunderstood your message!!


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## Qyn (Jan 28, 2005)

Hi Gayle, no apologies needed except from me.









I hope I do get it my true feelings across eventually without too much damage.


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

Kathy, how lucky Bear was to be able to spend time with you. My first GSD's JOB was to tell me when it was time to feed the horses and if the Cat wanted in or out. He would chase a tennis ball until he fell over or he could lay on the couch all day, either way he was happy as long as I got my chorse done with his help.

With the nail trimming cost increase, I would hope that the employee's got a raise during that time, thus the price increase.

Val


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Well, hindsight is wonderful, isn't it? I learn from each dog and maybe, with the next one, I'll get it a little better.

On the cost thing, I think it was MSN that had an article saying that it would cost $200 a year to own a dog.... I couldn't figure out how they came up with that number....


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

One thing to remember with price increases - all the expenses that you have at home that keep going up (fuel, maintenance, taxes) keep going up at the vet's too.


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

I agree, so many people get a dog without realizing that it is a large commitment, both time wise and financially. The original post should remind everyone of that.

For the most part I think that the time and financial commitment toward an animal is why our rescue group is so busy, fostering and eventually placing GSD's.


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## maggs30 (Aug 5, 2008)

*shutters* I don't even want to think of the cost of the four GSD's I have owned! ROFLMAO! I know it doesn't compare to what I have spent on the skin kids though! LOL!


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## IliamnasQuest (Aug 24, 2005)

I just spent $400 on Trick's 12 year old check-up, bloodwork, urine sample, medications, etc. - and that's after I spent $200 on dog food .. *L* .. and with 30+ titles on my dogs so far, I've spent tens of thousands of dollars over the years.

The way I look at it is that having dogs is what makes me happy. Other people have boats or snowmachines or trips to Europe - I have dogs. My brother spent a lot of money to get his pilot's license. My sister chose to have human kids and they travel out of state a couple of times a year (the Dad is from Hawaii so they have relatives to visit). My Mom's heading to Maine this next week and I'm staying here and taking care of her dog. I figure other people have their way of spending money, I have mine. And I don't regret it a bit.

When I had horses it was even worse - I looked at every ton of hay as manure in the making, and then had to figure out how to deal with the manure! *L*

Melanie and the gang in Alaska


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## maggs30 (Aug 5, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: IliamnasQuestI just spent $400 on Trick's 12 year old check-up, bloodwork, urine sample, medications, etc. - and that's after I spent $200 on dog food .. *L* .. and with 30+ titles on my dogs so far, I've spent tens of thousands of dollars over the years.
> 
> The way I look at it is that having dogs is what makes me happy. Other people have boats or snowmachines or trips to Europe - I have dogs. My brother spent a lot of money to get his pilot's license. My sister chose to have human kids and they travel out of state a couple of times a year (the Dad is from Hawaii so they have relatives to visit). My Mom's heading to Maine this next week and I'm staying here and taking care of her dog. I figure other people have their way of spending money, I have mine. And I don't regret it a bit.
> 
> ...



ROFL! Manure in the making! That is priceless. That is how I will tell hubby we need dog food from now on. Honey stop at Petsmart and buy some manure ingredients! ROFL!


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## shilohsmom (Jul 14, 2003)

This thread reminded me of the Visa commerical with a twist,,,
Cost of dog=XXX
Value of dogs love=priceless!


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## maggs30 (Aug 5, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: shilohsmomThis thread reminded me of the Visa commerical with a twist,,,
> Cost of dog=XXX
> Value of dogs love=priceless!


Don't we know it. I have spent over $1000 this week alone in vet bills. 
Blood, urine, and thyroid tests-$250
Arthritis medicine - $100
Emergency vet clinic - $500
X-rays - $200
Seeing them prance around knowing you care and free of most pain - PRICELESS!


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