How Much is That Puppy in The Window?

Thinking about a new puppy? Think you're ready to bring a dog in your home? You're kids bugging you for a puppy?

In any case, dogs are a big responsibility- training, socializing, exercising, loving... In reality, that's the easy part.... Before you get a dog, you need to consider how much this life- long commitment is going to cost you because amount of love is going to pay for the vet bills of feed the ball of fur.

Here's a list of items that you're going to need to purchase for your new dog.

• Leash
• Collar
• Dog ID tag
• Food and water bowls
• Dog crate
• Dog food

And, here are a few items that you may want to purchase for the new dog.

• Squeaky toys
• Tennis balls
• Dog ropes
• Chew toys
• Nylabones
• Dog treats
• Dog bed or pillow
• Dog clothes
• Potty pads

These items are not necessary to purchase, but you may want to spoil your dog a little. Plus, with puppies and young dogs, toys and chew bones help keep your sanity.

When you bring home that cute puppy from the breeder's house, or whether it be the gracious dog from the animal shelter, he's going to need veterinary care.

Dogs cost more than the simple new bag of premium dog food, larger collar, or new squeaky toy. Dogs need annual shots with the occasional check- up. Puppies need shots at 6 weeks old, 9 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks.

Think about the vet bills. Can you afford them?

• At 6 weeks old puppies get Canine Distemper, Hepatitis Parainfluenza, Leptospirosis Vaccine, and Canine Parvovirus Vaccineand a wormer.
• At 9 weeks, puppies get a repeat of the shots from 6 weeks old.
• At 12 weeks old, puppies get the vaccines from 6 and 9 weeks old and the Canine Bordetalla/ Intra Trac Vaccine.
• At 16 weeks old, puppies get the same vaccines as a 12 week old puppy plus a rabies vaccine.
• For a dog's yearly shots, the vaccines that a 16 week old puppy gets, is repeated again after one year, and every year thereafter.

Plus, remember that in a year you can encounter various mishaps that can lead to a trip to the vet.

Vet bills aren't free. Sometimes, vets will accept a payment plan, but I'm not sure if that is for regular vaccinations or for surgeries. More than likely, it depends on your vet.

Note: Not all veterinarians follow this exact schedule of vaccinations, as there are recent discoveries that puppies do not neccessarily need to start vaccinations until 8 weeks old unless they came from a kennel or breeder with loads of dogs. Small breeders and shelters have less chance of disease and illness from the start. Ask your veterinarian for options, although this is the most common schedule of vaccinations for dogs, and even if you prefer the three year schedule versus the one year schedule, most vets are not equiped for those vaccines.

When you bring home a new puppy or dog, you need to consider spending the money to have the dog altered. There are already, thousands upon thousands of dogs unwanted running around streets in your neighborhood; if you dog gets loose, she may come home pregnant, and you have the responsibility of birthing, weaning, and finding homes for an entire litter of puppies.

If your pup is a boy, that doesn't excuse you from having the procedure. Your pup could become the father of unwanted puppies, who may get picked up by the dog catcher, and end up euthanized.

Responsible dog ownership, calls for a responsible alteration of your pet. Plus, when you spay or neuter your dog, you prevent health concerns such as prostate cancer in male dogs and uterine, ovarian, and breast cancer in female dogs.

Prevent pet over- population. Spay or neuter your pet.

Dogs are costly critters that will easily steal your heart. So before you make the final decision to bring one into your home, make sure that you can properly care for your dog, financially.