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Budget for expenses before getting a dog.

Budget for expenses before getting a dog. Be prepared for the longterm cost of caring for a dog. Roxy, here, lived 16 wonderful years!

Budget for the cost of getting a dog

Initial costs

There are upstart costs that you need to plan for. So you need to budget for initial expenses before getting a dog. Some of which includes the following:

The price of the dog or puppy itself

You need to budget for the cost of getting a dog. This is important whether you adopt him from a shelter or buy a puppy from a reputable breeder. That price tag varies widely depending on the demand and supply of dogs in general and popularity of specific breeds. And it also depends on geographically where you live. Because the cost of anything is priced relative to the cost of living regionally everywhere and according to demand.

But you can assume that in any major city in North America, you will need to pay an amount ranging from $300 (CDN) at a local shelter to possibly over $5000 (CDN) to purchase a puppy from a breeder. This includes backyard breeders. So you can understand why it’s so important to include this cost in your budget for expected expenses before getting your dog.

And keep in mind that when it comes to buying a puppy from any breeder, price is not an indicator of the breeding quality. A high price can most certainly be justified by a high quality breeder. But puppy mill brokers and backyard breeders can have a high price tag simply to exploit a high demand market. So be sure to take your time and follow the guidance I provided in my prior blogs on finding high quality dog rescue agencies and dog breeders to help you navigate through this research.

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Understanding dog behaviour before you get a dog!

Understanding dog behaviour. This cute puppy is a Samoyed and has a breed tendency to herd.

Understanding Dog Behaviour before getting a dog!

By now I hope you have read part one of this 5-part series that explains the 5 things you need to know before getting a dog. This post is all about understanding dog behaviour before becoming a dog parent.

This topic is very important to help you choose the right dog to bring home! It will help you decide if you can manage living with a dog and meeting his needs.

Every dog has an individual personality!

Dog behaviour, just like that of humans, is very complicated. So I recommend that you research the different breeds to learn about their physical and behavioural characteristics. Because then you can choose the breed that best matches your lifestyle! But keep in mind that when it comes to dog behaviour, there are general assumptions about each breed. However, research has shown that there is more variation of behaviour within a breed than between breeds. Here’s one article in Psychology Today by Marc Bekoff Ph.D that discusses this phenomenon. So it’s important that you understand that your future dog will have his own unique temperament and personality regardless of his breed. Plus, if you get a mixed breed or rescue dog, the behavioural characteristics are even more unpredictable! This is because you won’t know for sure what percentages of each breed are in the dog’s genetics, and how those will interact with each other.

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