My wife and I are part of the 40% of Michigan homes that have at least one dog.

In our house, we have two dogs named Benny and Paddy.

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Credit: Canva
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While we love these guys so much, there have been several times when we've had to spend an ungodly amount of money to keep them healthy and alive.

⬇️ See more below: 20 Pet Friendly Michigan Beaches ⬇️

If you're thinking about getting a dog, there are a lot of things to consider, including how much money it's going to cost you.

You're Gonna Need A Lot of Money To Own A Dog In Michigan

I don't want to scare you away from owning a dog, but you need to know what you're getting into with this important decision.

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Unless you're getting a dog for free, you'll need to have money for a pet adoption fee. Many shelters will also charge you to provide your dog with necessary vaccinations and spaying or neutering

Credit: Big Joe Pesh / TSM Grand Rapids
Credit: Big Joe Pesh / TSM Grand Rapids
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For our dogs Benny and Paddy, we spent $150 each to adopt them.

Cost of Owning A Dog In Michigan

These are some of the basic things you will need to pay for each year when you own a dog. The costs may vary depending on the size of your dog.

Food: I didn't think dog food would be a big expense, but both of our dogs have to have special diets, which can cost a lot more.

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Routine vet visits: During these yearly visits, they will most likely do a physical examination, fecal check, heartworm and tick-borne diseases, and blood tests.

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Grooming: We take our dogs to the groomer about every 2 months, which means approximately 6 times per year, and each grooming session costs us $160.

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Boarding: We moved back home a few years ago, so now we pay our friends and family to watch the dogs when we're out of town. However, back when we lived out of state, the cost of pet care could add up quickly. I believe the last time we went on vacation, it was around $400 for the week. If you go out of town a couple of times a year, you're looking at around $1,000 in pet-sitting expenses.

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Dog Training: You don't need to pay for a private dog trainer, but I would recommend at least taking your puppy to an obedience class to learn the basics.

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Emergency vet visits: Hopefully, you'll never need to take your dog to the emergency vet, but if you do, a visit could run anywhere between a couple hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.

Credit: Big Joe Pesh / TSM Grand Rapids
Credit: Big Joe Pesh / TSM Grand Rapids
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It's hard to add up the total cost of owning a dog in Michigan, but according to Patch, in Michigan, dog owners spend an estimated $26,499 over a dog's lifetime.

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