Emmasmom
Forums Sage
Watch the ziplock bags, just like watching dumping food into a plastic container. It can draw the oils out of the food.
Sheltie Yearly Costs
- Thread starter sheltieluvr6
- Start date
LadyMcBeth
Forums Enthusiast
Good to know....think I will invest in some air tight tins then...
sheltieluvr6
Forums Enthusiast
That's great to know about the dog food. I had no idea that you can buy it online. I was just thinking of going to costco or petco.
Same about the vet! Those prices are extremely generous. I've found a few animal clinics where I am that my friends take their pets to. I think I'm in good hands if I do my research.
Same about the vet! Those prices are extremely generous. I've found a few animal clinics where I am that my friends take their pets to. I think I'm in good hands if I do my research.
Not sure what your friend means by " economically beneficial dogs". If she's talking about breeding your pup, then I really caution you about this. Breeding is not for beginners. If you go into this unprepared and without a mentor you can do more harm than good.
But if you truly love the breed, then beyond the initial purchase price of a Sheltie, the annual maintenance costs are the same, regardless of breed.
So the real question is: can you afford a dog. On top of what others have posed, make sure you make allowance of between $500 and $1,000 for emergency situations. You also might want to consider pet insurance (in hindsight I wish I had).
These emergency situations do come up.....I had to rush Indy to hospital when I witnessed him swallowing a sewing needle. He had to have emergency stomach surgery to remove it before it passed through his bowels. And I had to rush Bacca to emergency after ingesting my son's marijuana to have his stomach pumped.
These things happen. If you plan on getting a dog, then you need to funds in reserve to deal with these issues.
As a side bar:
I despair at my pet store. Today I had someone come in looking for RC for Boxers. I only carry it in the big bags. He said he could not afford the big bag that week though he did say that our big bags were cheaper than Petsmart by $9.00
I get so concerned when I hear from customers who are so stretched that even a $9.00 difference that will last them a few months, makes the difference.
What are these people doing with dogs if they are already living hand to mouth!
I agree with Barb any dog will cost you and like many others have said it depends on the dog and what comes up so many unexpected things can happen you'll never know really until you have the dog, how much it will cost you in it's give life span.
sheltieluvr6
Forums Enthusiast
That's true. Dogs are not a cheap pet. They are another member of the family who needs to be provided for. Plus, you never know what will go wrong. That's why I'm figuring it all out rationally before any decisions even if my heart is won over with the pups
Yesterday, I actually went through and calculated how much it would cost for all the initial essentials then food and medicine over time. It's not cheap. But if I am motivated enough, I believe that I can provide. Plus, a few members of my family said that they wouldn't mind taking the pup if I couldn't handle it. But my job over the summer earns about $3500 and then I will have a part time when I go back to school. One, I'm hoping, that I can take my dog with me.I asked my friend about the "economy dog" concept again. She told me that she meant shelties don't eat as much as other dogs do. And since they are easy to train, it helps. She has a point even if it doesn't make that much of a difference. As much as I want this little boy, I can't base it off of that. I don't want to be a selfish owner who buys a dog and then can't support him. That's not fair to the dog at all.
Sheltieluvr6, I think you are asking yourself great questions and I find it admirable that you take the time to evaluate your finances in advance.
One thing I would caution about is the moving part. This is the reason why I waited to get a dog until I was done my Bachelor's degree and got a permanent place of my own. I didn't want to make it difficult for me to move or find an apartment while I was in school and I would have found this to be unfair to a dog. I also ended up doing a semester abroad which would have been almost impossible if I had a dog.
I'm glad I made this decision because when I got Kyara, little did I know she would have some reactivity issues towards strangers. If I would have gotten a dog like her while I was studying in Montreal, she would have gone insane and I probably would have gotten kicked out of any of the apartments I had (old buildings with thin walls and big city with lots of people around). Plus, roommates are great but anyone who has had roommates will tell you it's normal that along the way you get into disagreements. The responsibilities of having a dog may just contribute to add tension. Finally, I was about 2 hours away from my hometown and often felt like going to spend a weekend back home at my parent's place. I did this at least once a month and took the bus to get there. It would have been much more complicated if I had a dog with me.
Anyhow I'm happy with the choice I made as now I have a regular routine and plenty of time to spend with Kyara when I am not at work. I've made a lot of progress with her reactivity, something I doubt I could have done while I was in school in such a busy city. I'm not saying it's the only right way, everything is not black and white
. Just something to add in your reflection on when to get your pup. Good luck!
sheltieluvr6
Forums Enthusiast
Yes you are completely right. Moving is another major element in my decision. I'm trying as best I can to simulate both the worst and best case scenarios. I know that shelties are sensitive dogs so I need to keep that in mind. They like to be on a habitual schedule. Remarkably enough, I'm the same way. It's strange how people end up getting a dog that's just like them. Well, that's the case with shelties and I. Usually I'm a person who likes things to stay the same. I'm a bit shy at first but can be enthusiastic in the right setting. So I need to correctly assess the dog's emotions and mine as well. I wouldn't want my sheltie to become stressed because I was feeling that way.
I'm currently at a State University, but, because of financial aid and other issues, I will transferring to a community college next fall. There's two ways that it could go at this point. I could go to a junior college up here (near Humboldt) and get a pet friendly apartment with the group of friends that I originally was going to. It's been difficult, but we have found a few places that wouldn't mind pets. My roommates all agreed, IF I get this puppy, that they would help make sure he got out to pee, ect. The other thing that could happen is I go live with my brother and his wife near Chico and attend the community college there. He has two other dogs who I was planning on introducing to the puppy this upcoming summer. This would most likely be ideal since the sheltie would be well taken care of, have plenty of yard, and be able to socialize from a young age. I know that there's a possibility that everything wouldn't go perfectly either.
Overall, right now I am just trying to figure out what to do. As you said, it's not black and white, but there are concerns. The difficult part is that I have a few options that I have to weigh heavily. As I've said before, I won't get him if I can't take care of him properly. But that still doesn't take away the fact that I really want him. It would be a great leap towards my dog training career (and yes I'm already volunteering at a humane society nearby
). Thank you everyone for your insights! Any advice at all is the greatest thing I could ask for right now. Even if it's words I don't want to hear. And sorry about the lengthy response.
I'm currently at a State University, but, because of financial aid and other issues, I will transferring to a community college next fall. There's two ways that it could go at this point. I could go to a junior college up here (near Humboldt) and get a pet friendly apartment with the group of friends that I originally was going to. It's been difficult, but we have found a few places that wouldn't mind pets. My roommates all agreed, IF I get this puppy, that they would help make sure he got out to pee, ect. The other thing that could happen is I go live with my brother and his wife near Chico and attend the community college there. He has two other dogs who I was planning on introducing to the puppy this upcoming summer. This would most likely be ideal since the sheltie would be well taken care of, have plenty of yard, and be able to socialize from a young age. I know that there's a possibility that everything wouldn't go perfectly either.
Overall, right now I am just trying to figure out what to do. As you said, it's not black and white, but there are concerns. The difficult part is that I have a few options that I have to weigh heavily. As I've said before, I won't get him if I can't take care of him properly. But that still doesn't take away the fact that I really want him. It would be a great leap towards my dog training career (and yes I'm already volunteering at a humane society nearby
). Thank you everyone for your insights! Any advice at all is the greatest thing I could ask for right now. Even if it's words I don't want to hear. And sorry about the lengthy response.Alright, I'm just gonna lay it right out there... I think you should probably wait to get a dog until after your living situation has stabilized (i.e. after you're finished with school, and are well and truly out on your own and in a stable job, etc.).
I know this is definitely not what you want to hear/read, and I'm pretty sure it's going to fall on deaf ears, because it seems pretty clear to me from your posts/replies in this thread that even though many people are gently cautioning you away from getting a dog at this point in your life, you have already decided in your heart of hearts that you are going to get one of those puppies. That's why I'm being a little less gentle with my words of caution here.
Please, understand... I'm not trying to be mean... I really do know what an emotional struggle you are going through right now. It's really tough to desperately want a dog, and have to talk yourself down from it. Been there, done that. I was constantly talking myself down from getting a dog for FIVE YEARS STRAIGHT when I moved to Nashville. Fortunately for me, my husband (well, boyfriend back then) was totally NOT going to let us have a dog. It took me over a year just to convince him to let me get a cat from the local shelter, and cats are not nearly the commitment (time, money, effort, etc.) that dogs are! It was hard to resist the siren call of "puppy... puppy..." and even though I knew he was right, and it just wasn't the right time for us to have one, there were still honestly times when I would cry over it. But like Meldor, I am now very glad that I DID wait. There were things coming down the pike I could not have predicted, and there is no way we would have weathered them with a dog. At least, no way we would have weathered them while giving a dog the proper care it needed. We just weren't established enough yet in our new home/city/life... our living situation just hadn't stabilized. It was not the right time for us to get a dog... but like you said, that didn't stop me wanting one. Sometimes you just have to endure the heartbreak to do the right thing. It sucks... but there it is.
I think you already know it isn't really a good idea for you right now. The fact that you've already got family members lined up in case you have to bail on the dog worries me, to be honest, because while leaving the dog with family is preferable to dumping it in a shelter, it also means that you're already aware of the distinct possibility that you will have to bail on the dog.
And as others have said, the fact that you know you're going to be moving, but do not even know where yet, is also a concern. You, yourself, said you know that either of the proposed moving situations might not work out "perfectly." Someone already mentioned the fact that even the best of roommates and greatest of friends have disagreements... and I agree that the added stress of being responsible for a high-maintenance pet (a dog) is likely to add stress to any roommate situation. In addition to extra stress, what if the disagreements are actually about the dog itself? What if the dog decides it actually prefers one of your roommates? What if you don't like the way your roommates take care of your dog? What if your roommates decide it was more work than they were expecting, and stop taking care of your dog at all? A puppy is HARD WORK, and although your friends are offering to help you now, after a few weeks of taking care of a super-demanding and needy puppy, all hours of the day and night, you may find them less willing to help out. You will most likely also find yourself wondering why the heck you did this to yourself. I have a 10-month old Sheltie, whom we got when he was 8 weeks old. There is no WAY I could have had a puppy when I was living with roommates... and these girls were my best friends, and loved animals and would have been thrilled (initially) to have a puppy. As far as the other possible living situation goes... these same concerns still apply, and then there is the added possibility that your brother's dogs will not get on with a new puppy (or vice versa), and THEN what?
What if, in the end, NEITHER of these living scenarios play out for you? How possible would it be for you to go to school, work part-time and properly care for a new puppy, if you had nobody else to help you?
Others have mentioned that it can be challenging to find a pet-friendly apartment. In my own personal experience, it isn't so much challenging as EXPENSIVE. When we got our cat, we were still living in an apartment. We had to pay a NON-REFUNDABLE $250 pet deposit to our apartment complex just to bring the cat home. And then we had to pay an extra $20 a month to have her living there with us! Yes... basically, our CAT had to pay RENT. And our apartment's pet policy is the norm around here.
I strongly urge you to do yourself, your studies, your friends, your family, and your future pup a huge favor, and wait until you are in a more stable point to add a puppy to your life. Keep volunteering at the local shelter. Get in touch with a local Sheltie Rescue and see if they have need of any volunteers. Heck, see if your chosen breeder would like any help... and wait until the time is right to add the perfect pup to your life. You will be glad you waited, and the pup you eventually choose will be much better off for it, too.
I know this is definitely not what you want to hear/read, and I'm pretty sure it's going to fall on deaf ears, because it seems pretty clear to me from your posts/replies in this thread that even though many people are gently cautioning you away from getting a dog at this point in your life, you have already decided in your heart of hearts that you are going to get one of those puppies. That's why I'm being a little less gentle with my words of caution here.
Please, understand... I'm not trying to be mean... I really do know what an emotional struggle you are going through right now. It's really tough to desperately want a dog, and have to talk yourself down from it. Been there, done that. I was constantly talking myself down from getting a dog for FIVE YEARS STRAIGHT when I moved to Nashville. Fortunately for me, my husband (well, boyfriend back then) was totally NOT going to let us have a dog. It took me over a year just to convince him to let me get a cat from the local shelter, and cats are not nearly the commitment (time, money, effort, etc.) that dogs are! It was hard to resist the siren call of "puppy... puppy..." and even though I knew he was right, and it just wasn't the right time for us to have one, there were still honestly times when I would cry over it. But like Meldor, I am now very glad that I DID wait. There were things coming down the pike I could not have predicted, and there is no way we would have weathered them with a dog. At least, no way we would have weathered them while giving a dog the proper care it needed. We just weren't established enough yet in our new home/city/life... our living situation just hadn't stabilized. It was not the right time for us to get a dog... but like you said, that didn't stop me wanting one. Sometimes you just have to endure the heartbreak to do the right thing. It sucks... but there it is.
I think you already know it isn't really a good idea for you right now. The fact that you've already got family members lined up in case you have to bail on the dog worries me, to be honest, because while leaving the dog with family is preferable to dumping it in a shelter, it also means that you're already aware of the distinct possibility that you will have to bail on the dog.
And as others have said, the fact that you know you're going to be moving, but do not even know where yet, is also a concern. You, yourself, said you know that either of the proposed moving situations might not work out "perfectly." Someone already mentioned the fact that even the best of roommates and greatest of friends have disagreements... and I agree that the added stress of being responsible for a high-maintenance pet (a dog) is likely to add stress to any roommate situation. In addition to extra stress, what if the disagreements are actually about the dog itself? What if the dog decides it actually prefers one of your roommates? What if you don't like the way your roommates take care of your dog? What if your roommates decide it was more work than they were expecting, and stop taking care of your dog at all? A puppy is HARD WORK, and although your friends are offering to help you now, after a few weeks of taking care of a super-demanding and needy puppy, all hours of the day and night, you may find them less willing to help out. You will most likely also find yourself wondering why the heck you did this to yourself. I have a 10-month old Sheltie, whom we got when he was 8 weeks old. There is no WAY I could have had a puppy when I was living with roommates... and these girls were my best friends, and loved animals and would have been thrilled (initially) to have a puppy. As far as the other possible living situation goes... these same concerns still apply, and then there is the added possibility that your brother's dogs will not get on with a new puppy (or vice versa), and THEN what?
What if, in the end, NEITHER of these living scenarios play out for you? How possible would it be for you to go to school, work part-time and properly care for a new puppy, if you had nobody else to help you?
Others have mentioned that it can be challenging to find a pet-friendly apartment. In my own personal experience, it isn't so much challenging as EXPENSIVE. When we got our cat, we were still living in an apartment. We had to pay a NON-REFUNDABLE $250 pet deposit to our apartment complex just to bring the cat home. And then we had to pay an extra $20 a month to have her living there with us! Yes... basically, our CAT had to pay RENT. And our apartment's pet policy is the norm around here.
I strongly urge you to do yourself, your studies, your friends, your family, and your future pup a huge favor, and wait until you are in a more stable point to add a puppy to your life. Keep volunteering at the local shelter. Get in touch with a local Sheltie Rescue and see if they have need of any volunteers. Heck, see if your chosen breeder would like any help... and wait until the time is right to add the perfect pup to your life. You will be glad you waited, and the pup you eventually choose will be much better off for it, too.
Cindy
Premium Member
My pet deposit was $500 and pet rent is $50. One big reason I haven't moved to a place with more reasonable rent is Gavin. While you can find places that accept dogs, it is harder and more expensive.
That's true. Dogs are not a cheap pet. They are another member of the family who needs to be provided for. Plus, you never know what will go wrong. That's why I'm figuring it all out rationally before any decisions even if my heart is won over with the pups
I asked my friend about the "economy dog" concept again. She told me that she meant shelties don't eat as much as other dogs do. And since they are easy to train, it helps. She has a point even if it doesn't make that much of a difference. As much as I want this little boy, I can't base it off of that. I don't want to be a selfish owner who buys a dog and then can't support him. That's not fair to the dog at all.
I think it's great you are trying to figure it out before you go a head a just get a puppy b/c they are cute. The only reason I said anything can happen is b/c it can. Our one dog (Westie) was healthy and doing fine but over the last two months he has cost us over 2.000 dollars in vet bills b/c of out of the ordinary unexpected illness. You have to consider that as well how would you pay for something in an emergency situation b/c vet bills are not cheap.