New Dog Expenses: Budget vs. Actual

 

Play-doh Piggy, therapeutic sculpture by Shira

It’s accounting time!

I happen to love crunching numbers; I realize most people don’t. Still, with a little attention, you can rest easy with your new puppies rather than be stuck worrying about money.

Before we got our second whippet, we were aiming to save $2,000 to cover the expense of a new dog for the first 6 months. We’d only saved $1,500 when Machu Picchu came along, but since she came via Whippet Rescue she was free up front. 

We’ve had Picchu for 2 months and she was spayed this week, so it’s time to compare our estimated budget to the actual expenses:

                                                                        Estimated                  Actual

The Dog                                                              $600                                    $0

Initial vet, vaccinations, Interceptor        $250                                  $307

Spaying                                                               $400                                  $354

Pet health insurance                                        $300                                   $335

Food for 6 months at $1/day                        $200                                  $200 (est.)

Coats                                                                    $100                                   $206

Supplies*                                                             $100                                   $112

Misc.**                                                                 $50                                    $107

Dental work***                                                    $0                                     $185

                                                                           ————–                          ———

Total:                                                                   $2,000                          $1806

"You called for a piggy bank? Now don't say Real House Whippets don't participate in household budgeting."

As any good accountant will tell you, all the interesting stuff is in the footnotes:

*I didn’t include $79 for the second pita bed. Supplies expenses include $30 for Frontline, $44 for a Sighthound Gear leash & collar, and $23 for a Preventic tick collar that we then decided not to use because it’s too toxic.

**Misc. expenses includes $8.50 for the NYC dog license, and $98 for the microchip and registration.

***Dental work included a cleaning, one x-ray, and extraction of a dead tooth. 

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DIY Dog Camp

 

Happy canine campers

I’ve been wanting to go to dog camp in Vermont with C-Biscuit and Machu Picchu (and Bob, of course!). But it costs more than Sesame, so for sure isn’t in the budget this year.

In the meantime, we decided to do-it-yourself dog camp by taking the pups camping in the Catskills. It’s not as social as dog camp – for them or us – but still tons of fun, for a very low cost!

 

 

 

We hiked into the clouds ascending Slide Mountain

 

Retracing the steps of writer John Burroughs

 

And the next day took an excursion up Cornell Mountain

 

The pups often needed a helping hand to get up the rock faces (this was easier when they were wearing their Ruffwear harnesses)

 

But the views atop Cornell Mountain were worth it!

 

Our luxe accommodations included a "pup tent" with doublewide sleeping bag and detached kitchenette

 

Picchu enjoyed a close encounter with wildlife (interestingly, the Bee smelled just like home!)

 

Activities included "Rock climbing"...

 

Morning "doga" by the river...

 

Trail running...

 

Power sniffing...

 

And on the third day, a bit of rest

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Weekend Window Shopping: Bird Collars

To save for Sesame, I need to resist buying whippetwear. Tempting as it is, because there’s so much great stuff out there, much of it made by lovely whippet-owning individuals. It’s nice to support them while supporting my whippet habit. My compromise is to enjoy window shopping. And when Sesame is here, he will not go cold, you can be sure of that. Or be unfashionable, for that matter. I’m just following the Golden Rule: Save first, then spend. 

Here is one item I’m lusting after, telling myself “Look, but don’t buy. Yet.” It’s a stunning bird collar from 2 Hounds Design.

Red bird collar from 2 Hounds Design

At $32, it’s an affordable splurge. But any collar is more fun with the matching leash ($29). And with two dogs, how can we not treat them (meaning us) both?

Turquoise is Machu Picchu's color!

Sesame, you have not been forgotten. 2 Hounds Design makes the birdie collar in 3 colors! We see how having three dogs changes the budget – three new designer collars and leashes would push $200. Yowza!

 

 

No boy of mine will wear pink. (Well, until he asks.) Biski, looks like you'd have to give the red one to Sesame!

 

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