Ok, not directly. But in response to all of the personal finance blogs that have posted about how expensive dogs are I figured I should stick up for my pooch. When looking at this issue face value, yes, my dog costs me money. I pay $40/month to feed her. I pay money for vet bills. There are toys and treats. And don’t let me forget about the replacement costs for some of the cell phone chargers she has destroyed. However, what savings am I receiving that I don’t think twice about?

Health Care Costs

When you wake up and it is snowing like crazy and there is 8 inches of snow on the ground, what do you do? Most likely you snuggle up with some hot chocolate and read a good book. When you get home from work and it’s raining cats and dogs (har har!), what do you do? Book it to the front door, I imagine. What do I do? I walk my dog.

And according to About.com:

Walkers have less incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. They live longer and get mental health and spiritual benefits.

Research shows adults who are physically active in their 50s and early 60s are about 35 percent less likely to die in the next eight years than those who are sedentary. For those who have a high heart risk because of diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking, the reduction is 45 percent.

Can you put a price on your health? We can make a lot of assumptions about how much less you would pay in health care costs over the years, but what’s the point? The number would be very assumptive and narrow.

Could you do this walking otherwise? Of course! However, how many people would stick to a commitment of walking 2-3 miles per day when the weather is bad. Or when they are busy. Or when they are tired. A dog forces you to put time aside to walk. This serves to improve your health, both mentally and physically.

To sum up all of the health benefits: [Source]

• Pet owners have lower blood pressure.
• Pet owners have lower blood cholesterol levels.
• Pet owners have a higher survival rate after serious illness.
• Pet owners have fewer doctors’ visits.
• Pet ownership reduces loneliness.
• Pet ownership fights depression.
• Pet ownership helps us cope with stress.
• Pet ownership aids childhood development.
• Pet owners enhance family life.

Socializing

Obviously, pets open up another avenue to socialize with other people. It isn’t a mystery that when you are walking a dog people are more likely to pay attention to you. Owning a dog could present itself as a great way to meet people, whether you are new to the city or just a social butterfly.

And when the dog isn’t helping you meet people, the dog itself is a great companion. Whether you are young or old, dogs present themselves as wonderful pack animals who aim to please. As I write this article my dog is actually laying right next to my feet sleeping.

Security

Often times people get dogs for a sense of security. Whether the dog is actually able to provide that security or not, the sheer presence of a dog can frighten otherwise bad do-ers away. A dog brings noise to the situation which could alert the homeowners or the neighbors. On top of that, the burglar does not know the size or the personality of the dog, so they would have to risk a confrontation with a vicious dog.

So how does this save you money? For one, the fact that you have less of a chance to be burglarized makes your family and house safer which to most people is priceless. Secondly, many security consultants advise that dogs are more effective than alarms. If you are trying to make a decision between the two… they each have their pros and cons. At least you don’t have to clean up after an alarm, right?

Summary

In summary, this argument really deserves a two-sided discussion. Every personal finance writer is ready to jump on the bandwagon that dogs are silly and expensive. However, for the $1,000 that it takes to care for a dog for a year, what would you do with that money otherwise? Put it into a retirement account? Do you calculate the costs of NOT having a dog (like health, socializing, security)?

What good will that money do you when you are retiring but in poorer health and lonely?

Some food for thought, what do you think?