One other expense that I failed to mention that is very important is dog training. We spend between $65 and $275 on 4-6 week group training classes with our dogs. For us training is an ongoing process and we will continue to attend classes throughout t he lifetime of our dogs. We’re looking to get Stetson into a scenting class and therapy training. Linus is interested in agility.

A good idea would be to include basic training classes in the adoption fee price. A well-behaved dog is more likely to become a part of the family and avoid ending up back in the shelter.