Monthly Budget for a Mini Golden Doodle Living in California

Budget Breakdown is a content series where we ask real pet parents to showcase how much they spend on their pets every month. Inspired by Refinery29’s Money Dairies.

About My Pets:

Pet name: Bailey
Age: 4
Weight: 28
Breed: Miniature Golden Doodle
Health concerns: Extremely Sensitive Stomach, Situational Stress

Budget Breakdown:

*Expenses are subscription payments

What financial planning did you consider prior to getting your pet(s)?

Not enough! Knowing Bailey is a Goldendoodle, I had given some thought to the idea that grooming would be an additional expense specific to her breed. That said, she LOVES to hike and play at the beach, which leads to more frequent grooming trips than I had financially planned for.

I would recommend future pet parents do much more research than they think necessary around the cost of owning a pet. Bailey has an extremely sensitive stomach so unfortunately, vet bills are something we are not strangers to. On top of everyday items like food, treats, and toys, there are many additional expenses I did not consider such as additional supplements, emergency vet visits, and more.

Do you believe where you live influences your monthly pet costs?

YES, I live in Santa Barbara, CA so although it is easy for Bailey to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle year-round, the price of living is very high. Vet visits, grooming appointments, and everyday items such as dog food seem to have a higher price tag here versus other locations. We also have fleas & ticks in California, so I have her on a monthly preventative for those.

Although, I feel very lucky that I live close to my parents who have taken over all pet-sitting responsibilities so that does save me a lot of money!

How did you decide what was the right food option for your pet(s)?

Oh man, this has been one of the hardest challenges we have faced. After feeding Bailey various chicken-based, dry dog food for most of her life, she had sudden and horrible GI upset that was not improving. We spent months in and out of the vet, urgent care, and even emergency pet hospitals and could not get to the bottom of it. Given that she had been on a chicken-based diet since she was a puppy, most vets had ruled that out as being the issue. Eventually, we decided to go on a raw beef-based diet, and it seemed her GI issues had improved overnight. Since then, I have tried to keep her diet as close to fully raw as possible. I supplement her raw food with Open Farm kibble as it makes it a bit more affordable.

How much food do you go through in a month?

I feed Bailey half a Small Batch Raw Beef Patty per day, and 2/3 cup of Open Farm Grass Fed Beef & Ancient Grains dry dog food per day. One bag of Small Batch Frozen Beef lasts us about 3 weeks, while an Open Farm Dry Dog Food bag lasts us about 1 month.

Which Pet Releaf products do you use and why?

Since we got Bailey during Covid, we spent the first two years of her life either at home with her or by her side. Because of this, she began to experience significant distress when left home alone. We started her on 300MG Stress Releaf once a day when we knew we would be running errands or couldn’t give her our full attention. While traveling or before leaving her for a couple of hours, we give her an additional amount an hour in advance. Administering CBD and gradually increasing the time she spends alone has helped her maintain a calm disposition when left at home.

In addition, we use Digestive Releaf Edibites as she loves the flavor, and they help to promote a healthy GI tract! I usually give her one right before we leave the house to keep her happy!

Which products are you subscribed to and what savings do you receive by being subscribed?

We subscribe to her flea & tick medication as it is vet-prescribed and on auto renewal from Chewy, we receive 5% off plus free shipping.

We also subscribe to both Pet Releaf products and save 15% off, plus receive free shipping!

Pet Releaf Stress Releaf 300mg CBD Oil

• Discount: 15%
• Frequency: Monthly
• Other Perks: Free Shipping

Pet Releaf Digestive Releaf Edibites For Small Dogs

• Discount: 15%
• Frequency: Monthly
• Other Perks: Free Shipping

NexGard Flea & Tick Prevention for Dogs

• Discount: 5%
• Frequency: Monthly
• Other Perks: Free Shipping

What would be your biggest tip to pet parents when it comes to budgeting?

My biggest tip to pet parents when it comes to budgeting is to set aside a small portion of your income into a dedicated pet savings account, this way you are financially prepared for unexpected vet visits!

Another tip would be to invest in pet insurance! I learned this lesson the hard way with Bailey, I didn’t have pet insurance when she was a puppy and have now realized how important it is. Pet Insurance provides peace of mind for emergencies and can even cover things such as a reward if your pet gets lost. It is also important to consider the health issues that can arise as pets age!