Considerations

If dogs could choose their owners, would you make the cut? Perhaps you deliver a pretty intense belly scratch, enjoy a rigorous game of catch, or indulge in extended afternoon walks. That’s a good start, but any dog would tell you that loving, responsible human companions need more than a penchant for play.

Whether you’ve picked up an adorable "free-to-good-home" mutt or a purebred with show champions in her pedigree, you probably already know that the price of the puppy is a drop in the bucket compared with the price of living with and caring for a dog. But how much you spend on your pup depends on a lot on the choices you make. You can go all out with the highest of the high end, or you can stick within a small but sensible budget. Either way, you can expect to spend at least $1,000 during the first year of your puppy’s life—many people spend much more—and at least $500 each year after that. 

Your dog gets more than her good looks from her momma. Her parents also pass down their personalities. So you need to take a close look at her folks before you take that cute pup home. If you’d like to live with them, that’s a good sign. If not, you may want to keep looking.