Love, Loyalty and loans that make sense<br>

A dog’s tale about borrowing the right way

A fluffy best friend that will always love you, remain faithful and loyal all the days of its life – what a dream. Whether you’re a dog person, a cat person or a fan of any kind faithful pet, you’ll understand that love might be free, but pet ownership is not. When you’ve made the decision to purchase or rescue a pet, you’ll already be aware that there is a cost involved.

Gone are the days when anyone could just wander down to the dog pound and pick out a furry friend with bright eyes and simply leave – no money down. Sure, there are some dogs out there in need of a good home and on occasion the owner(s) will be happy to see them find a family for next to nothing but that would be the exception rather than the rule. Besides that, there are many other expenses that increase the initial purchase price.

So, if you now know that the average spend in Australia on the initial purchase of a canine companion hovers around $650 dollars (with a range of $350 - $4000 or more), you’ll also need to know a bit about the other costs associated with dog ownership.

The purchase price should only be one part of your total loan
Many people make the understandable error of only thinking about the price they saw in the ad for the furry, family addition(s). A wonderful pet for the family may only set you back $1000 initially but what about the mandatory extras like:

Food - and here it’s important to remember that better food means a healthier pet, generally speaking. The other side to that equation is that if that quality of food is lacking, there’s more chance that your vet bills may have an impact on your budget. Obviously, the size and breed of your pet will have a huge bearing on the cost of food, but many owners will spend around $900 annually.
The basics – okay, for starters you’re going to need (deep breath) a collar and leash, bowls, brush, bedding, puppy playpen, doggy bed, toy kong and maybe some puppy rope toys. Most owners will agree that that is the absolute bare minimum – admit it, you’ll want to buy your furry friend a few more gifts than that but already you’re hovering around $300+.
Training days (or weeks more likely) – Dogs are fun, smart and an absolute joy but they do need to be trained. If you have experience training dogs, great. You’ll probably only spend around $150 on treats, maybe more. But if you’re thinking about getting a professional to take on your pooch in a class or privately, start thinking around the $400-$1000 or more mark.
Vaccines, boosters, and chips – These will cost you and should be considered when thinking about your budget. Most are mandatory and are for the good of your new best pal. Maybe set aside a couple of hundred dollars there.

Okay, that adorable pup you picked up for $1000 may actually cost you triple that in the first year of ownership, perhaps more. But you can’t put a price on love although, you should probably add it to the amount you want to borrow. But wait…

Wait, I didn’t see this coming: illness, injuries and unexpected additions

Dogs are a lot like humans in many ways. They can become the love of your life and they can also cause such heartbreak. Let’s not mention the unthinkable here but instead, acknowledge that just like with us, illness and injury can put a dent in the mood as well as the wallet. This is where that old saying comes into play, “hope for the best but prepare for the worst.” If the unexpected does happen, factoring in some extra funding will help ease the burden somewhat.

Lastly, for this article anyway, there is the unexpected arrival or the long-awaited event, depending. Unless preventative steps have been taken, there may be the pitter-patter of tiny paws in the coming months or years. If that occurs, even if you intend to sell some of the litter, there are still additional costs associated with the rearing of that litter.

So, when considering that ad that tells you that cute, furry pet could be the addition to your life that you’ve been looking for, look beyond the $1000 price tag and perhaps consider talking to us [link to contact us page] about applying [link to apply now] for around the $4000 mark. We’ll work quickly to match you with a lender that would love to help you.

Love, Loyalty and loans that make sense

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