Thinking About Gifting a Dog This Holiday? Here’s What Most People Forget to Plan For

What if the hardest part of dog parenting isn’t training or behavior — but the unexpected long-term costs that no one talks about until you’re already in too deep?

If you're budgeting for food and vet visits but feel blindsided by the price of real training, enrichment tools, or nutrition changes — you're not alone. This episode breaks down the real-life expenses that come with meeting your dog’s needs well, and why planning ahead matters more than you think. Whether you’ve just brought home a puppy or are years into your journey, this conversation will shift how you think about supporting your dog responsibly — and sustainably.

In this episode:

• Learn the overlooked financial realities of long-term dog parenting — from training to behavior support to nutrition needs.

• Discover how to create a budget that works for your actual dog, not just the one you hoped for.

• Hear why financial preparation isn't about perfection — it’s about being ready to say “yes” without fear when your dog needs you most.

Hit play to find out how financial clarity can help you show up more confidently — and compassionately — for the dog in front of you.

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This podcast explores real-life dog behavior and training through the lens of a canine nutritionist, dog coach, and retired vet tech—diving into reactivity, dog obedience, dog health, dog food, dog habits, dog lifestyle, canine enrichment, pet enrichment, dog myths, and what it actually takes to support reactive dogs safely and calmly. Whether you’re a dog mom navigating reactivity, building the human–dog bond, choosing dog products, or just trying to create a calmer dog life with your canine, you’ll find grounded strategies to build trust, improve dog behavior, and help your dog feel safe, understood, and supported.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
What if the hardest part of adding a dog to the family isn't
the training or the behavior, but the long term cost that no
one talks about until you're drowning in them?
Welcome to the Dog Who Asked forMore, the podcast for dog
parents navigating real life behavior, struggles, reactivity,
anxiety, and all of the hard parts no one prepares you for.

(00:20):
Each week you'll get training, enrichment, and nutrition
strategies through honest, grounded conversations that help
you understand your dog, supporttheir needs, and build the bond
you always dreamed of. I'm Em.
And in this episode, you'll learn the real long term costs
of responsible dog parenting that no one ever talks about,
why budgeting matters even if you don't know who your dog will

(00:43):
be yet, and how financial preparation can save both you
and your dog stress, guilt, and heartbreak in the future.
Here's the truth. I wasn't prepared for the long
term cost of either of my current dogs.
Not financially, not logistically.
I thought I understood what dogscost because I worked in vet

(01:06):
Med. I saw invoices every single day.
I knew the price of surgeries, diagnostics, medications, and
emergencies. But here's the part no one tells
you. When you're a vet tech, you get
discounts, you get payment plans, and sometimes the clinic
covers your pets care. Completely minded for all three

(01:30):
of my dogs at the time. Sometimes the doctor helps.
There is a safety net built intothe job, so even though I knew
the numbers, I didn't feel them.I never paid full price.
I never sat in a lobby wonderingif I could afford a treatment
plan. I never had to choose between

(01:52):
what my dog needed and what I could pay.
It wasn't until after my surgery, when I wasn't working
in Vetmed anymore, that reality hit me full on.
And when Toby came along, suddenly every medical expense
was very real. Real invoices.
Real bills, real decisions. No discounts, no tech perks, no

(02:18):
behind the scenes help. Just me on disability income,
trying to keep him healthy and with fits.
Behavior support, nutrition changes, supplements, training,
enrichment. None of that is discounted
anywhere. There are no vet tech perks for
reactivity, food sensitivities, or overstimulation.

(02:40):
That is when I learned the truth.
Knowing the cost and living the cost are two very different
things. And most dog parents are living
the cost without any preparationand without anyone warning them
how deep it can go. So let's talk about it.
Not to scare you, not to shame you, but to prepare you for the

(03:05):
dog you have, the dog you may get, or the dog you are thinking
about bringing home. Because the biggest mistake
people make when getting a dog isn't choosing the wrong breed,
or not training early enough, oreven not researching behavior.
The biggest mistake is not preparing for the cost of a

(03:27):
dog's entire life. In the first year alone, you are
looking at 3 to $800 in basic vet care.
Your spay or neuter can run 400 to $1500 or more depending on
where you live. Food can range anywhere from $60

(03:47):
to at least $200 a month. And that's before you factor in
allergies, activities and supplements.
Training Well, if your dog asks for more, or you live in a city,
or you're managing reactivity, you're looking at $400.00 a
month minimum as a realistic starting point.

(04:08):
Then there's the stuff people never even think about until it
hits them. Dental cleaning that cost 800 to
$1500 or more. Supplements that run anywhere
from 40 to $80.00 a month. Flea, tick and heartworm meds
that add up to three to $700.00 a year.

(04:28):
An emergency vet visit that starts at $1000 before anyone
even touches your dog, and senior care, blood work meds,
pain management that slowly becomes a large part of your
monthly budget. This isn't meant to overwhelm
you. This is meant to empower you.

(04:49):
Because dogs deserve parents whomake decisions with clarity, not
panic. Parents who show up fully, not
stretch themselves so thin that resentment, fear, or guilt
creeps in. And that brings me to this
week's Answering the Ask. I didn't realize it at the time,
but both of my dogs asked for the same thing in completely

(05:13):
different ways. Toby asked for long term medical
support and Fitz asked for long term behavioral support.
They were saying I need you to be prepared for the dog that I
am, not the dog that you expected.
And for a long time, I wasn't. I didn't know how to budget for
emergencies. I didn't know how to prepare for

(05:35):
reactivity work. I didn't know chronic medical
issues would become part of our life.
I wasn't irresponsible. I was uninformed.
And the moment I realized that, everything changed.
Not because I suddenly had more money, but because I started
planning for the dogs in front of me instead of hoping that

(05:55):
costs would magically stay low. Financial preparation doesn't
make you a better dog parent. It makes you a supported 1.
All right, it's time for your homework for humans.
I want you to make A2 column list today.
In the first column write non negotiable costs, Wellness
exams, flea and tech, medication, insurance, food

(06:17):
enrichment, training, supplements, and emergency fund.
And then in the second column I want you to write variable
costs. I need to plan for dental care
specialists, medications, behavior support, senior care,
unexpected emergencies, and anything else you can think of.

(06:38):
And then I want you to take a breath.
This isn't meant to overwhelm you, it is meant to ground you.
Because being prepared is the kindest thing you can do for a
dog who comes into your life. Here's your recap.
Today we talked about the real cost of responsible dog
parenting. Long term, short term, planned

(07:00):
and unexpected. We talked about the difference
between creating a budget for the dog you hope you get versus
preparing for the dog you actually get.
And we talked about the truth. No one tells you dogs don't need
perfection, they need stability.And stability takes planning.
Here's the final thought I want to leave you with You can't

(07:21):
predict your dog's personality. You cannot predict their needs,
their health, their behavior, ortheir personal challenges.
But you can prepare for the responsibility financially.
And that preparation isn't just for them.
It's for you too. It gives you peace, confidence,

(07:42):
and the ability to say yes without fear when they place
that treatment plan in front of you.
So be kind, spread joy, and remember, the dog who asked for
more doesn't need you to be perfect, They just need you to
be ready. If you've been feeling like no
one really understands what you're going through with your

(08:03):
dog, like you're carrying the stress, guilt and all the worry
on your own, you aren't alone. That's why I created a free
community, a safe, judgement free space where you can share
the hard stuff, celebrate the small wins, and connect with
people who truly get it. You'll find the link in the show
notes. Thanks for listening to The Dog
Who asked for more. New episodes drop every Monday

(08:25):
and Wednesday. I'll see you next time.