When you get a dog one of the things that is commonly overlooked is ensuring that you have a good pet emergency fund. Since you are adding a member to your family its a good idea to make sure that if something should happen to your dog that you can cover any expenses without having to rehome your dog or euthanize due to inability to pay. Here are some reasons why you need a pet emergency fund for your dog.
If you aren’t able to have a large emergency fund you can always get health insurance for your pet however just be careful and read the fine print to make sure that it’s good coverage. This ensures that you know what your pets insurance will cover and will not cover.
It’s up to you to decide how much you need in a pet emergency fund. I would consider the following.
Dog Food
Make sure that you have enough dog food saved so that if you should lose your job you would be able to buy dog food for at least 6 months.
Emergency Costs
Don’t skimp on the amount in the emergency costs fund. Emergency visits to the vet are not cheap and are charged at a premium because they are last minute and a lot of times happen when the vet clinic is closed so staff has to come in after hours to attend to the needs of your dog.
Treats
Treats are great for training and although other things can be substituted its always good for your dog to be learning new tricks to keep their mind busy so they don’t decide your couch is their new chew toy.
Grooming Costs
Depending on your dog you may be able to groom your dog yourself or every few months you may need to hire the services of a groomer. Having a well groomed dog can help to ensure that your dog doesn’t get sick or matted which is really uncomfortable for the dog.
Toys
Yes, I’m sure your dog has plenty of toys but what happens when their favorite frisbee gets stuck on the roof and your unable to get it down. Another thing to consider is that many dogs chew and destroy their toys in the process so you want to make sure you have enough new toys so your pet has something safe to play with.