asking for a friend, but genuinely how do you afford to do as much dog activities and traveling as you do? Career advice? What do you do for a living? How can I- I mean my friend...achieve this realistically?
ngl right now my account is negative 200 USD and will stay that way until I get paid on Tuesday. I'm broke as shit and I haven't been able to see my honey or do dog stuff since Nationals in May because that was my big expensive dog event of the year and I'm still financially recovering from it. There's a reason I only title my dogs once or twice a year.
I'm lucky in that I now have a job that pays well enough- and gives plenty of steep dog related discounts- that I can afford to do this if I'm willing to accept that I'll have some skinny weeks like right now. I have friends who understand and don't judge being poor, willing to share food or put me up in a guest room or camper or just let me camp in my car in their driveway. I come from parents who grew up very poor, who taught me how to survive when money is tight.
And, honestly, it's a little like my videogame hobby. I have a ps5 and a switch 2 not because I have thousands of dollars to spare, but because I found a way to obtain them without paying more than the gas it would take to pick them up. If I can't find a way to make it affordable, I don't do it.
During Nationals I spent 0 dollars on accommodations for two weeks because I slept in my car at truck stops and Walmart parking lots. I brought my food from home and once I ran out I ate dollar store food. I spent a couple bucks here and there to shower since that was two weeks living outside in 90F and I didn't want to stink, but that's about it. If I had to pay for a hotel or Airbnb I simply would not have gone, because there's no way I could afford even 40/night to share with others.
I didn't do dog sports for so long, despite being absolutely fascinated with them as a child, because I assumed I couldn't afford them. The big secret that no one told me is that if you can afford to show up, you can afford to do the sport. How I eventually got a dog despite working at practically poverty wages was consistently showing up to conformation dog shows, asking questions, and helping. Two out of three of my dogs were given to me at a very affordable price for their breeds because I knew their breeders and had helped them consistently at Kennel Club events and shows.
The one thing most breeders are extremely short for his people who will actually put their time where their mouth is and show up. They have plenty of people who will buy a dog for five grand and then never show it, neuter it at the recommendation of a friend or their vet due to nuisance behaviors that could have been solved by showing up, and then never show up for a dog event again.
Very similar goes for events. If you can afford entry, and you're a nice person who volunteers, a lot of people will be willing to help you or give you pointers in getting further in the sport. My very first competition obedience private was from a lady who charges well over $100 an hour, and she was kind enough to do a free hour for me with a whole bunch of advice packed in because she had seen me at the AKC club every week practicing and thought that me and my dog had potential. She then coached the person she was mentoring on how to help me when we were at the club together.
If you're willing to car camp, get creative, and take initiative, dog sports can be a whole lot less expensive. You'll still have tight weeks. Decoys and judges have to be paid and weekends have to be taken off of work. But it can be something that you can afford with plasma donation, tax returns, whatever fun money is left after bills are paid, or a side gig if you're not out every weekend.
