I recently received an email from the Desert Labrador Retriever Rescue that featured a story about the impact that “Marley and Me” will have on the number of Labs that are purchased/adopted over the next few months following the popularity of the movie. Sadly, because people don’t understand the nature of labs and the responsibilities and expenses that come with dog ownership, many of those labs are likely to end up in shelters in another six to twelve months. Heartbreaking.
To increase awareness of this “Marley Effect”, the DLRR put together a pretty raw, but pretty awesome reality check for what you can expect when you choose a lab. They’ve covered everything from housebreaking, to chewing, to exercise requirements, to an eye opening estimate of the lifetime cost of lab ownership.
The raw truth? Your new best friend is going to be a giant pain in the arse for a while, and she’s going to be expensive. There’s just no getting around it.
Here’s a breakdown of the expenses associated with dog ownership as outlined by the DLRR:
The first year….
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$800.00-$1,800.00 |
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$200.00-$450.00 |
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$ 75.00 |
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$175.00-$600.00 |
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$ 25.00 |
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$ 35.00 |
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$600.00 |
For the following years….
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$600.00 |
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$ 35.00 |
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$ 75.00 |
All in all, the DLRR says to expect to spend anywhere from $1,100 to $3,000 in the first year, and another $700+ each additional year, plus any additional vet costs for when they get sick or injured. The grand total estimated for owning a dog is anywhere between $10,000 to $15,000! That’s a huge expense, but worth every penny in my opinion.
Do you know anyone that’s thinking of getting a lab? If so, please do them and their lab-to-be to be a huge favor and pass this post along. If a lab is the right answer for them, they won’t be discouraged – they’ll feel empowered by being educated and prepared. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience.
Do these expenses feel pretty accurate to you? Any significant expenses that they’ve overlooked?
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