Can I afford a dog?
A dog is a monthly commitment for a decade or more. Enter the amount you could set aside every month without stress, pick a breed and state, and see which set-ups fit.
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Set-ups for — in —
Green dot = fits the budget. Monthly figures are yearly running costs ÷ 12 for an adult dog; the first year adds one-time costs shown in the verdict.
What "fits" means here
Each set-up is the same cost model with different choices: food tier, insurance on or off, grooming at a salon or at home. Nothing else changes. The leanest option is not a recommendation — skipping insurance means carrying the risk of a large vet bill yourself (see is pet insurance worth it?), and budget kibble is a legitimate complete diet, not a compromise on health.
Figures come from the sources on the methodology page. They do not include emergencies, training classes or dog-walkers.