Average cost per year...?

[adzi92]

Hi all,,, i am new to the forum and as you can probably tell, i am looking into getting a husky.

Just a quick first question, Ignoring the cost of buying your husky,, how much would you guys say you spend a year of your husky's...?

Thanks people x

adz

[Rosemary]

That's difficult to answer as no month's expenses are the same. I live in South Africa, have two huskies and they are fed raw. On average for food, vet fees, and miscellaneous items I would say we spend about R800/month which will be approximately R9600/year = 830 pounds/year.

[Andy]

Hi, Adam welcome to the forums.

First off have a look at this thread it has lots of important information which will help you decide whether to get a Husky.

As to your main point I think most of us are actually petrified of adding it all up,

because it will come to one of two totals.

1. More than the entire household income.

2. More than the GNP of a small south american country.

Short answer . . . they are not cheap.

[Kroush]

The cost for a pet quality Siberian ranges from $600- $800 (395 - 527 pounds) Show and breed quality generally go for about $1000 (659 pounds) and up.

Vet costs: every vet visit base costs about $40 - $50 (26 - 32 pounds)

Each round of shots will cost $20-$50 (13 - 32 pounds) on top of the base visit.

A regular spay or neuter will cost from $40- $200 (26 - 131 pounds) depending on if you use a low cost clinic or a high quality one. You may also need to pay overnight boarding after this surgery.

A Cryptorchid/Monochid or an abortion spay will generally cost an additional $30 - $50 (20 - 33 pounds)

Food/Water Bowl $4 - $20 ( 2 - 13 pounds)

Collar/Leash/Tags $12 - $30 (8 - 20 pounds)

Harness $16 - $50 (10 - 32 pounds)

Crate $50- $120 (32 - 79 pounds)

Food $20 - $80 a month per dog (depending on quality of food.) (13 - 53 pounds per month)

Treats $6 - $20 per month (4 - 13 pounds a month)

Toys $5 - $25 a month ( 3 - 16 pounds a month)

Dog Bed $15 - $60 Every 6 months to a year depending on quality. (10 - 39 pounds)

Grooming supplies $30 - $100 (This is basic grooming supplies, not high end driers etc.) ( 20 - 66 pounds)

After the first year, the cost will go down because all of their puppy shots and spay/neuter will be taken care of.

[Saffmonster]

OK, now I'm depressed lol

I never wanted to even think about how much it costs!

[gilllawton]

huskies like lotsa cuddles too and there free! :rolleyes:

[Andy]

OK, now I'm depressed lol

I never wanted to even think about how much it costs!

See what did I tell ya ?

[valkyries]

i'm to scared to add up how much mine cost me lol but i bet they cost more to keep than i do xxxxx

[adzi92]

wow thanks a lot for the quick replies.

that's not too bad I suppose. I was thinking it was more, but i live at home with parents and their likely to pay food and help with vet bills etc.

I also own a load of reptiles, one of which is a 4 foot monitor lizard, he eats rodents and high quality meat based dog food, and i buy in large quantities so that wouldn't be too bad as well.

Does anyone know of any reliable breeders of huskies in the London area..?

adz

[Andy]

Have you considered rehoming, there are always a few going at any given time

Check the Rehoming section of the Forums,

[Rob]

I couldn't tell you but i can tell you the first few weeks will nearly bankrupt you. Including the price of the pup i bet i'm over 1k lighter and broke, worth every penny though

[HuskyCouture]

for me

embry at 10 weeks: $250.00

puppy shots: $100

neuter,microchip,rabies: $250

lyme disease and bordetella shot: $70

food every two weeks: $25

water and food bowl: $20

leash every few months: $20

collar every 6 months: $15

harness every 6 months(or when eaten): $30

toys&kongs&treats a month: $30

crate: $100

bed: $50

training class: $110 per 8 weeks

they are quite expensive

[magical Merlin]

merlin isn't your average husky but this is his -

average spenditture per month:

Food - £25

flea treatment - £5.33

Basic medication (prokolin + fortiflora) £23

Total per average month: £53

extras per average year:

vaccinations once a year (at cost price from my work) £10

Food treats bulk buy every 3 months £60

Toys bulk buy every 3 months £80

extra meds per year (pain relif, steroids, ear treatment etc) £250 (i get all his drugs at cost price)

paid vet checks per year £100 (I get a few free)

Total per average year: £1356

Now on an unaverage year it can cost a lot more. I haven't included the setting up price for merlin (beds (went through 4!) Brushes, shampoos, puppy crates, collars and leads etc. I wont go into how much all his operations have cost (its more than i earn a year) but in an unaverage year the normal owner may incounter a broken leg, or a bout of stomach upsets, bording kennel fees/dog walkers etc....

I have now totally freaked myself out as this is very close to my basic yearly wadge! Oh dear lord i need another job!!!

[meeshsalts]

Get a rescue dog and usually they have been nuetered, if your getting benifits you can get free vets care (PDSA).

Food £1.50 a day including treats is a good guess.

One lead every 4 years.

Toys depend on the dog (some look after their toys others destroy them very quickly)

Shots don't bother with them. Buck lived to 18 1/2 and never had one after his puppy ones.

In his life our vet fees over his life was less than a £1000.

Huskies as a whole are no more expensive than other dogs and can be cheaper.

meesh

[Kroush]

Get a rescue dog and usually they have been nuetered, if your getting benifits you can get free vets care (PDSA).

Food £1.50 a day including treats is a good guess.

One lead every 4 years.

Toys depend on the dog (some look after their toys others destroy them very quickly)

Shots don't bother with them. Buck lived to 18 1/2 and never had one after his puppy ones.

In his life our vet fees over his life was less than a £1000.

Huskies as a whole are no more expensive than other dogs and can be cheaper.

meesh

I wouldn't say "Don't bother with shots because _____ was an exception." you have no research to back that up and it's a personal choice. You can't just tell someone what to do or what not to do. You don't need to necessarily give your dogs as many boosters as is recommended by they vet, but it is suggested that you do at least have one shot for each disease. After all, you could be that one person who has to watch their dog die to Parvo or Rabies because they played with some other dog's poop in the dog park.

That being said, I will add information on both sides of this argument when I return.

[magical Merlin]

I've seen and worked with pups and dogs with parvo. Its a terrible, preventable way for a dog to die. I've also seen dogs have sevear reactions to vaccinations but they are in the few. Personnaly i think its a responsible owners duty to get their dog vaccinated and no offence and yes this is my own controversial view, but if you cant afford to pay basic vet fees without needing a charity like the PDSA you cant afford to have a dog. Its money that could be much better spent rehabilitating animals rather than paying for someone elses pet.

[Sarah]

Awwww don't let my hubby read this for god sake - am trying to get another !!!

Food £50

flea treatment £10

Insurance £30

worming tablets £5

treats £35

that's a month - on top of that you've got vaccines once a year, misc items such as new beds when they shred them, bought a new rug - then threw that away - brushes, combs, shampoo all add up

ermmmmmm then all these meet ups we have lol petrol to them scarily costs about £40-£50 a month

ok sheesh am going to stop now

[magical Merlin]

lol Sarah you adding up for both the boys or just one? ( I dont mean Marc)

[Sarah]

lol Sarah you adding up for both the boys or just one? ( I dont mean Marc)

That was for both

Marc - well he is REALLY expensive to keep 24 pack of beer a week and cigs and he's happy

[Lil Miss Bump]

well i kinda agree with meesh........

ozzy is part of our family and because he eats raw it's nothing we wouldn't usually have in the fridge and therefore hardly any added expense.

so chicken wings approx £2 per week

sardines approx £1.50 per week

heart/liver/bones approx £2 per week

kibble-£15(i think....possibly £8) every 2-3months

insurance £15 per month

poo bags.....about £2 a month, probably less

he was free, he was snipped, he had all his shots

bought a paddling pool which he loves for £1.50

we need to get him chipped-£5-£10 depending where......

he used to have a bed but doesn't use it so it's in the car where he sits....he sleeps on the cold kitchen floor usually......he doesn't play with toys or balls no matter how many you buy......treat wise he's not bothered about them at all so a bag we bought in feb is still going now, despite the fact we bring shedloads of them to meets!!!

our main expense is getting to/from meets (petrol!!!)

Diz

xxx

ps you'll notice that we haven't priced up flea or worming stuff bcoz we had some already but will have to get some soon enough

***must admit when we got him we went back and forth to the vets about 3 times getting his kennel cough sorted including 1x emergency app so approx £130, a load of medicine and check ups......prob cost us approx £400***

****he's had 1 lead for £35 and we're buying him his 2nd harness......first one was a cheap one from PAH...this one will be a good one from Ezy so approx £30 but we expect that to last for a while***

[valkyries]

Each month

2 large bags of kibble £45 each

raw £50/60

treats £20

insurance £35

Every 3 month

3 new beds £45

3 new leads £30

3 new collars £30/45

3 new harnesses £60

wormers from vets £30+

new toys £30

fish liver oil £10

Then you have boosters, brush, comb, shampoo, poo bags, vet costs minor stuff, prob loads i can't think off lol

but this is just me

[meeshsalts]

I am against vaccinations after one year, there is a lot of research out there which backs up my feelings and yes there probably is lots of reseach backing vaccination so the choice is yours.

For 10 years I took eye drops for gulcomma because specialists said I needed to take it or I would go blind. now they say I no longer need it and never did.So be open minded

My dogs never want for anything and to say because I use the PDSA I shouldn't have dogs is rediculous.

My dogs only go there if there is something wrong with them. Shaer recently had a large growth removed from her side. I made a donation of £40.00 so you can see we do not expect something for nothing. When you broke down the actual costs our donation covered most of the costs of the op and drugs, The PDSA show you a break down of the costs. Their drugs are 80% cheaper than from most Vets who like to charge you by the pill.

I work 60 hours a week doing voluntary work so can not afford overpriced vet fees.

I insured Buck every year up until he was 15 and not once in that time did I claim. We had to stop because the insurance fees and the exess became to much to make it viable anymore.

We had both dog nuetered with the help of the Dogs Trust which helps owners because they do not want to many dogs breeding.

I give the PDSA in used books and buy books at least £200 a year so in fact they are getting from me far more than I take from them. But I am getting pleasure from reading rather than giving bloated insurance companies money and getting nothing in return.

[emmaarneaud]

after the initial layout of pup, vet checks, jabs,crate and other bits etc Suki is cheaper than my kids.

She eats raw, so a box of frozen dog tripe etc 12x400g packs was 12 quid.

Eggs, always have in, kids apple peelings

Chicken wings really cheap and your local butcher will be more than happy to give free bones.

I do keep kibble in as back up, £9 a bag

As shes a 'pet' theres no showing fees, scooters, rigs, vans etc so i suppose your expenses could be way up there depending on why you have your dogs.

I did buy a bike so when it cools down n my other son is in school i want to get a walky dog and give the bike joring a whirl

Also we have kennel fees this year.£120-£150

Emxx

Then theres replacement leads/collars/harnesses/shampoo/brushes.

Hmmmmmm......Ok, but shes worth every penny lol

[Tamz]

i wouldnt even like to imagine how much shiloh has cost us so far.........ian pays for everything so i tend not to think about it lmao

but i do know it has been a hell of alot due to him being a puppy...we got him at 8wk old so so far we have had to pay :-

£25 second vaccine

£25 kennel cough

he has had 5 beds since we got him as he has destroyed the lot!!! he is on his last one now, once thats been shiloh'd we arent getting him any more!!

£30- crate off ebay

he has had 3 leads...the one we have now is an 8m retractable, fink it cost around £25????

he has tons of toys which again he jst destroys

he doesnt have treats, well not the prepacked dog ones anyway as they go straight through him so he has bits of cheese, carrot etc

£10- kong

he has completed foundation puppy class which was £47 he is now on the puppy improvers which is £56

his insurance cost £89 for the year- E&L Insurance

we now feed him a mix of dry and raw food- raw cost around £4 per week and dry is around £11 every 2-3months

he is one expensive puppy!!!!

we still need to get him in to have his plums off too and to be microchipped...between £60-£195 for the op and £25 for the microchip!

thats all i can think of for now

[Andy]

Each month

2 large bags of kibble £45 each

raw £50/60

treats £20

insurance £35

Every 3 month

3 new beds £45

3 new leads £30

3 new collars £30/45

3 new harnesses £60

wormers from vets £30+

new toys £30

fish liver oil £10

Then you have boosters, brush, comb, shampoo, poo bags, vet costs minor stuff, prob loads i can't think off lol

but this is just me

and don't forget Linda has THREE adult Huskies.

So divide these costs by 3 for a single Sibe