After Breaking The Bank On Dog Treats, Dog Owners Confer About Average Monthly Dog Treat Spending Patterns

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kalila courban
Feb 20, 2024 10:00 AM EST

Hey, pals! It's no secret that having a dog is an expensive undertaking. first of all, doggos require food, which can cost significant amounts per month. If your dog has any sensitivities or allergies, go ahead and multiply the average monthly cost of food by two or even three depending on how hypoallergenic and fancy the dog food needs to be. There are of course ways to save and shopping hacks that can help out your bank account and put a bandaid on the damaged areas. 

Today on Reddit dog owners gathered to discuss their monthly spending habits when it comes to treats, and the results varied greatly. Some folks refrain from buying treats altogether and simply give their dogs veggies like carrots or cucumbers as treats. Whereas some other dog owners find themselves spending hundreds of dollars per month on dog treats of various styles. It's really about finding what works for your dog in particular and sticking to it! Unless of course, your dog has a penchant for the fancy, expensive treats, in which case you might want to explore some of the cheaper alternatives. Good luck! 

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  • 01
    Posted by u/Narrow-Echo-5194 16 hours ago How much do you spend monthly on dog treats?
    via u/Narrow-Echo-5194
  • 02
    Hey Reddit! I'm curious how much much you guys spend monthly on dog treats (separate to main meals)? We have a Labrador and she goes through her food (and treats specifically) very speedily! Just want to get an idea of how much it tends to costs others!
    via u/Narrow-Echo-5194
  • 03
    PapayaDoc 11 hr. ago I don't want to talk about it 125 . Reply Share confettis 7 hr. ago I live a few blocks away from a Polka Dog Bakery and I hate who I have become.
    via u/PapayaDoc
  • 04
    Expensive Common310 15 hr. ago Very little- I use cheese for high value, and kibble for most treats. He does get PB or pumpkin sometimes.
    via u/ExpensiveCommon310
  • 05
    Joshottas 15 hr. ago Dog treats? Zero. LOL. He gets baby carrots lol.
    via u/Joshottas
  • 06
    Robert McCheese 15 hr. ago Nothing. . Teddy is so weird. He doesn't really like his kibble much. If I just put it down for him he'll ignore it. But if I use his kibble as a treat (for training or whatever) he loves it and will work his butt off to get the same kibble he won't touch if I just give it to him. i The only way to get him to eat it at all is to put it in a puzzle toy. He loves his Kong Wobbler and will work his ass off to get every last piece out of it.
    via u/RobertMcCheese
  • 07
    Amarella 14 hr. ago I have a dane and most of our "treat" expenses are on chewables and not really treats. For treats i just chop up cheese sticks or other food like ham or chicken. But i like to give my dog bully sticks or yak cheese and she can power through them quickly so they dont last long. I would say I spend around 150 a month on various chewables. I am looking to swap tactics though and try freezing fruits and peanut butter filled kongs instead because it seems safer and less expensive.
    via u/Amarella
  • 08
    Extra-Blueberry-4320 14 hr. ago . Like $50. My dog is a power chewer and goes through antlers and every "long lasting "chew in a week max. It's definitely cheaper than her chewing up other things though!!
    via u/Extra-Blueberry-4320
  • 09
    OWatt Lightbulb - 14 hr. ago Like $50 a month tops. I give my dog chew sticks which is a majority of the cost and little treats. Sometimes a lick mat with a very small dab of kong filler and plain yogurt. My moms lab acts like she's never been fed it's a lab thing.
    via u/OWattLightbulb
  • 10
    NotAcutallyaPanda 15 hr. ago We make our own treats from freezer- burned meat donated by friends/neighbors. Store-bought treats add another -$20/month to supplement
    via u/NotAcutallyaPanda
  • 11
    OutlandishnessOk3189 15 hr. ago Like not even $15 every 2 months...I give my dog knock-off cheerios because he's a food- obsessed beagle mix and doesn't care what he eats lol. He doesn't get actual treats often at all.
    via u/OutlandishnessOk3189
  • 12
    Arrival Departure 15 hr. ago Maybe $30 a month? He gets a greenie or another special treat every day, some peanut butter in his Kong, and some freeze dried liver when we're training. Trader Joe's honestly has decent cheap, single ingredient treats. A bag of dried salmon skin or chicken meat is just a few dollars and lasts my pup a while.
    via u/Arrival_Departure
  • 13
    LeaseRD9400 - 14 hr. ago Training two service dogs from puppies and I'd guess around $50 a month since I try to buy top quality and a large variety.
    via u/LeaseRD9400
  • 14
    Fleshfeast 15 hr. ago Grim: Staffordshire Bull Terrier . $3 a bag, and that lasts a month or two. I mostly use them when teaching something new.
    via u/Fleshfeast
  • 15
    midgethepuff. 15 hr. ago My dog is 11lbs....maybe like $5 a month? I buy a pretty big bag and it lasts a while.
    via u/midgethepuff
  • 16
    chartingequilibrium 15 hr. ago . Sometimes I will use itty bitty cubes of cheddar cheese as a treat; it's relatively cheap, high value, and can be cut small enough to stretch a reasonable portion into a long training session. I hear hot dogs work great too, but I'm vegetarian so I don't have them around the house and a single packet would be WAY too much for my small dogs.
    via u/chartingequilibrium
  • 17
    So, I often don't spend any extra on treats but if I do, I might spend $5 most months. I will sometime splurge on training treats; a $10 bag will last us a long time. I have two 20lb dogs who are borderline chubby so I have to watch the treats carefully.
    via u/chartingequilibrium
  • 18
    teandtrees 15 hr. ago I probably spend $100-150 a month on treats for my almost-2- year-old GSD. I don't even feel like she gets that many treats-she trains with kibble, but good-quality dog treats are just absurdly expensive these days.
    via u/teandtrees
  • 19
    RMski 13 hr. ago I spend at $30-$50 but part of that cost is my BarkBox which always has a variety of treats.
    via u/RMski
  • 20
    Bee_Swarm327 - 15 hr. ago $10-20 maybe? She's a Pom mix and not particularly food- motivated so she doesn't get too many treats.
    via u/Bee_Swarm327
  • 21
    Poppeigh 5 hr. ago I make pyramid pan treats, then freeze them and take out what I need (I have dehydrated them in the past too). A can of chicken or green beans or applesauce (or whatever works for your flavor base) makes so many treats for very little cost. And they're the perfect size too.
    via u/Poppeigh
  • 22
    SundBunz64 · 15 hr. ago Homemade treats are the way to go. Sliced dehydrated sweet potatoes are cheap and easy. And I use a great recipe for pumpkin & peanut butter biscuits from Allrecipes.
    via u/SundBunz64
  • 23
    ON-Q 14 hr. ago The answer: I honestly don't know, but best guess is probably $200. Between rawhides, food treats, and toys. Hunting training supplies also go into treat category because they absolutely go crazy for fresh wings and scent. Not to mention fresh fruit and veggies, fresh meat for when we cook something we eat that they love (meatballs, burgers, enchiladas, stew, pot roast) we always ensure they get to have some themselves. (None of the dogs are overweight, we adjust their food accor
    via u/ON-Q
  • 24
    kv1m1n 15 hr. ago Get a Costco membership if you don't already have one. Huge volume treat bags for reasonable prices.
    via u/kv1m1n
  • 25
    SorryDuplex American Bully 14 hr. ago $0 because my neighbor is in love with my dog and I find a big a bag of treats on my doorstep like once a week
    via u/SorryDuplex

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