Adopting a Dog? Prepare to Spend This Much on Upfront Costs

Adopting a dog can be a wonderful experience. But unfortunately, it can also be an expensive one. 

The cost of bringing a dog into your home can vary based on a number of factors. These might include the type of home you have and the type of dog you're adopting. But data from Rover reveals that the upfront costs associated with adopting a dog can range from $1,135 to $5,155.

Clearly, that's a wide range. But keep in mind that when you adopt a dog, there are generally fees you pay to the rescue or shelter you work with. And those fees tend to be higher for puppies, though that's not always the case. 

Also, you might, depending on your pet, have to cover the cost of spaying or neutering. You should also expect to shell out some money for an initial vet exam and purchase supplies that may include leashes, food bowls, a crate, and a dog bed (unless, of course, you're looking to share your bed with your new buddy). 

Because of these costs, it's important to have plenty of money in your savings account before you adopt a dog. And it's also important to have money in savings post-adoption for emergency pet expenses, the most costly of which are likely to be health-related in nature. 

But as important as it is to have savings when you're taking on the responsibility of having a dog, it's also important to put pet insurance in place as soon as you can. Doing so could spare you a world of financial upheaval should your pet get injured or fall ill.

You need to be prepared 

The last thing you want to do is end up with credit card debt in the course of adopting a pet, so it's important to make a list of your initial costs and make sure your savings can cover them. Just as essential is to have added savings for ongoing expenses, and pet insurance in case a major health issue arises. 

In fact, one of the first moves you should make upon bringing a new dog home is to buy pet insurance. 

You never know when a health issue might emerge with a new dog. And if an issue pops up before you put insurance in place, it'll be considered a pre-existing condition. That means a pet insurance plan generally won't cover it. So you want to get ahead of that to avoid getting stuck with added costs yourself.

Make sure you're up to the task -- logistically and financially

A lot of people adopt dogs with the best of intentions only to realize they can't handle it from a logistical or financial standpoint. So try to spend some time talking to dog owners to get a sense of what you're signing up for. 

Walking a dog, for example, is something you have to do multiple times daily -- either that, or prepare to pay someone. If your schedule doesn't allow for that, you may want to wait to adopt a dog until things change.

Similarly, owning a dog means incurring ongoing expenses. Even if you have pet insurance, there are medications and other preventive care items you'll need to cover the cost of. You'll also have to pay for food and supplies continuously. So before you adopt a dog, make sure your personal finances allow for all of that. If they don't, save up and adopt a dog when your savings are looking more robust.

Having to give up a dog can be heartbreaking. Go in prepared so you're not forced into that sort of situation.