Washington State Ranks Among the Highest Places to Own a Dog in America

Washington State Ranks High in Dog Ownership Costs

If you own a dog, you can probably agree with this 100%: The Evergreen State is in the top five most expensive places in America to own a dog.

How in the world is this possible?

I was just thinking maybe we're in the top because of the vet bills, but turns out, it's way more than that.

Dog food costs have grown exponentially for pet owners. It started with COVID pandemic and "supply chain issues" have apparently been cast the blame for the prices not coming down--just like with the rest of our groceries.

It depends on who you believe as to whether Washington is in the top 5 because MarketWatch says one thing and Forbes Magazine says another.

Forbes says the average cost to buy a dog in Washington hovers around $320, compared to the most expensive state, New Hampshire, where the average price for buying a dog is close to $600.

MarketWatch says the average dog owner has to shell out at least $28,000 over a pet's lifetime, and they factored in things like doggie supplies, food, vet checkups, pet insurance, and dog boarding.

The top five most PUP-ULAR dog breeds in Washington are the Chihuahua, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, French Bulldog, and the Goldendoodle.

I would have added Huskies in that mix, but they didn't make the top 5, let alone top 10.

Want to know what are the smartest dog breeds in the country? Check out this gallery list below (and see if your pooch is listed). Then take a look at the list of the most DISOBEDIENT dog breeds (hopefully, your dog is not on that list, HA)!