Hi, I’m Savanna! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my spunky Chihuahua mix, Penny.

Did you know that the average American household spends around $770 per year on their pets?¹ Of course, the majority of that is likely spent on necessities, such as food and vet care, but I would care to venture that some of that money is spent on simply spoiling our pets, and maybe even on things our pets don’t actually need.

As dog owners, we just can’t help it. Our dogs are so cute and they love us so much, how could we not spoil them? I’m guilty of it myself, and I probably spend way too much on Penny. Besides the basic care supplies, here are the main ways I spend money on my dog.

The 5 Ways I Spend Money on Penny:

1. Birthday Treats

Our birthdays are so special to us, and we love to have birthday parties, so why not give our dogs little birthday treats as well. We don’t know what day Penny was actually born, but the veterinarian estimated that Penny’s birthday is around August 15. So every year, we give her a little birthday surprise. For her first birthday, we made her a dog-friendly pup-cake from apples, peanut butter, and other ingredients. We went out and bought party hats for her and us and had our own little party.

One year, I bought her a special birthday chew toy from PetSmart and a little dog cookie. Of course, she never has any idea that it’s her birthday; she just knows she gets special treats and she’s all for it.

2. BarkBox

Ah yes, the infamous BarkBox. We’ve all seen the commercials or at least had an ad pop-up on our computers or social media when we’re scrolling through. We subscribed to BarkBox for Penny for about a year, and she loved getting the new toys and treats in the mail once a month. Every time we got any kind of package, she always thought it was her BarkBox even if it wasn’t, and she would jump up and down thinking that whatever was inside was for her.

Penny always loved the treats and toys she got from BarkBox as the toys especially were chosen just for her size. Unfortunately, we had to unsubscribe from BarkBox as a way to save money due to the rising cost of everything lately. But we really do love BarkBox, and we hope to subscribe again in the future. We still have two bins full of BarkBox toys for now though, which is enough variety to keep Penny busy and interested.

3. Halloween Costumes

Some dogs love dressing up, and some dogs hate it. Penny doesn’t seem to mind, so every year I have to buy her a new Halloween costume. My favorite is the year she was a taco, but she’s also been a spider.

My husband and I like to coordinate our costumes. When our daughter was a baby, we dressed up like Cosmo, Wanda, and baby Poof from The Fairly OddParents. One year, we dressed up like the people in the painting American Gothic. This year, I’m trying to come up with an idea that allows Penny to dress up with us.

4. Vacation Souvenirs

I’m sure you know by now that we love to travel with Penny, but sometimes we just can’t take her with us. I always feel guilty when we have to leave her behind, so I make sure to bring her back a little dog toy or treat so she knows we didn’t forget her.

Luckily, you can find dog toys and treats in almost any store now, but especially souvenir shops. It’s like they know something about people’s spending habits when it comes to their pets… how we’ll buy things for them even if it isn’t necessary.

5. Christmas Sweaters

Speaking of dressing up, I always have to get Penny a new Christmas sweater. Not only do sweaters make her look nice for the holiday, but they actually are necessary for Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes because they can get cold so easily. So, this purchase is definitely one of the most justified on the list.

Plus, she looks super cute in her Christmas sweaters, so that’s just a bonus for me.

She’s Worth Every Penny

No pun intended. I’ll admit, most of the ways I spend money on my dog probably aren’t necessary. But even if we spend money on things she doesn’t need, she’s worth it, and I think you’ll probably say the same about your dog. Our pets deserve to be spoiled and have nice things too, even if they don’t understand why they’re getting them. By the way they react when you give them something new, you can always tell how excited and grateful they are. We can see that they’re happy and cared for, and it makes us happy too.