The Cost of Raising Kids: Two-Legged and Four-Legged!
By Jamie Downey
There is no question that parents consider their children a priceless commodity, so let's compare the total costs of raising an incorrigible two-legged child and what those parents can expect who opt for a precocious, four-legged bundle of fur!
Food, clothing, shelter, medical attention, and education are all essential to rearing a child and according to the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, typical families (making $56K to 98K) will spend a colossal "$221,190 to raise a child from birth through age 17." That's a whopping quarter of a million dollars before college for one child. Their survey also points but that you can factor in another "$105,000 for a four-year college education at an in-state public university." And, that's assuming there are no expensive medical bills during the 17 years or that Junior doesn't beg you to attend a fancy, private college like Harvard, with a price tag of $50,000+ per year!
There you have it, a real kid, the two-legged variety, will cost you a hefty $325,000 for the next 22 years, and I'm sure will be worth every penny. Now, let's jump over to the dog side and see how many greens you'll be spending on one of these fur babies, which will prove to be a lot less stress on the wallet (over $300,000 less)!
Many of the pet information sites on the World Wide Web will gladly provide you with a breakdown of everything you'll need to know from dog food to vet bills to yearly vaccines and boarding fees, and there is a plethora of advice regarding the total expenses involved in how much a dog will cost you over your pet's lifetime.
According to the Web site, www.petplace.com, contributing writer Alex Lieber chimes in with his article, "Lifetime Costs of Dog Ownership," which talks about the average cost of a dog over his lifetime. Alex states that "small to medium dogs have an estimated life span of 14 years and cost up to $12,700 while large to giant-sized dogs [have an] estimated life span of 8 years [and] can cost up to $7950."
Another Web site, www.dogfriendly.com, for dog owners has a post sourcing information from IBISWorld stating, "that the total cost to raise a dog for the full duration of their life (an estimated 13 years) is $13, 330 and that breakdown includes dog food, vet bills, boarding, vaccines, heartworm and misc fees."
Just to get a third opinion, I checked out Doctors Foster and Smith, catalog dog-supply merchants with their own Web site, www.peteducation.com; the information provided on their site tells us, "the total cost over the life of a 14 year old dog would average $12,468, but this figure could double or triple in places like New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas."
If you average the charges stated from all three reports, then it would cost an approximate $13,000 over 13 years to raise a pooch from puppyhood through his senior years.
Now, of course, I think these dollar amounts need to be a lot higher; add $20,000 at least, because they aren't taking into account the higher-quality, all-natural dog food you should be buying; the nutritious, organic dog treats your canine deserves; and the essential grooming appointments deemed necessary every month. The surveys also didn't factor in doggie daycare, which teaches your dog socialization skills, or the absolute life-saving professional dog trainer you're going to hire to teach your dog manners.
This issue focuses on family and friends, for our dogs, and we invite you to take a stroll through the following pages, where you'll meet some great, responsible, exceptional dog parents whose dogs are their children. We're happy to indulge our readers in all the wonderful conveniences that are available for dogs in today's marketplace!
