Expense is a major topic when it comes to service dogs. Simply put, they are not cheap.
I didn't keep receipts of my spending with Ollie over his first three years of life, which I regret, but I did sit down and do some estimations. Here's what I came up with, to give you a better idea of just how much money it takes to make this happen. All numbers are in USD:
INITIAL PURCHASE: Going through an ethical breeder, you can expect to pay anywhere from $3000 to $4500 for your dog. Average price for breeds commonly used for service work is around $3500.
STARTING SUPPLIES: I dropped $300 during my first visit to the pet store, and another $150 for supplies I forgot and had to go back for later. I avoided making big purchases at this time to make things more affordable for me.
VET: Between wellness exams and vaccinations, I estimate that I spent $425 during Ollie's first year, $350 during the second, and $200 in the third. Additionally, I had to pay to have Ollie neutered, which was another $600. Please note that Ollie has never required an emergency vet visit, which would have easy doubled or tripled the numbers I have given here.
INSURANCE: We have a pet insurance plan through my spouse's employer, which we pay about $200 each year for. This number will go up as Ollie ages.
MEDICATIONS: I spend $450 each year on Ollie's preventatives alone. I also keep him on a joint supplement and a probiotic, which adds another $300 to my annual total.
FOOD: Ollie eats 3 cups of Purina Pro Plan each day. In a year, we will spend about $720 on kibble alone. I estimate that I spend up to another $400 on treats in this time.
OTHER CARE: Between toys and grooming (mostly at home, but sometimes seeing a professional), I probably spend another $500-600 yearly.
TRAINING: I don't work with professional trainers as much as I should, largely due to difficulty in finding R+ trainers in my area, but I do drop in for group classes and the occasional private lesson. I spent roughly $500 on training in our first year together, and $800 in the second year when I was struggling with Ollie's adolescent reactivity. You should expect to pay more if you will require more help than I did, which is likely.
TRIAL FEES: This section is completely optional, but I have chosen to include it for anyone who wants to do sports with their service dog. In his second year of life, Ollie and I participated in four Fetch runs, which cost $30 a piece for a total of $120. The following year, we did a Scent Work weekend with 8 runs, which cost me $200. I plan to do one or two more trials this year, so this number will continue to go up.
TRANSPORTATION: I don't have a great estimate for this, but I would like to mention it as a hidden expense, as taking a dog out to train, going to classes, and attending events did increase my spending on gas and maintenance on the car.
My estimated totals?
In Ollie's first year of life, I spent somewhere around $8000. In his second year, I spent at least another $4600. And in just the first half of his third year, I've already invested another $2500 into him.
When we say that owner training is not necessarily cheaper than getting a program dog, this is what we mean. One way or another, you're going to find yourself at least $15,000 poorer.
