As I write this article, I sit here surrounded by a half-eaten spare rib on the floor, a vet bill larger than the utility bill, and a five-month-old puppy I wouldn't trade for the world. Belle is certainly the light of my life. She has also been responsible for the death of my savings account.

I had lots of pets growing up -- dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, cows (I grew up on a dairy farm). They all followed me home and my parents always let me take them in. Of course, I wasn't the one paying for their care back then.

Since I've been an adult, I haven't had any pets. I always worked the 80-hour-a-week jobs and could never bring myself to leave anyone I loved so much alone most of the time. But then... I started working at home.

A few weeks of watching CNN over and over made me realize that I wasn't going to be able to cut this without a little companionship. Who needs a boyfriend when I could just get a dog!

I called around to the area animal shelters only to discover that no small dogs were available for adoption right then. I was really disappointed. And then I made the fatal mistake of going to the mall.

There she was, in the window, beating up her three male littermates. She was spunky (only peed on me a little when I picked her up) and she was on sale. Well, what passed for a sale at this pet store. Because she was a mixed breed (half Dachshund, half Cocker Spaniel) she came in at the bargain price of $500.

That's more than my monthly rent.

But I was smitten. With puppy chow, collar, leash, squeaky toys, and tax the total topped the $600 mark. I whipped out the credit card all the while remembering what it felt like to eat Oodles of Noodles everyday.

I won't mention the $60 an hour personal trainer I hired because my little pumpkin chewed on everything in the apartment... including me. (She was too young for puppy kindergarten.) Or that she won't eat regular dog food. After one bite of a Big Mac she refused to eat anything but people food. I tried giving her only dog food, but for three days she refused to eat. She even started eating deer droppings as if to say, "See, I'll eat poop before I eat that dog food stuff in my bowl." I now make her special little people food casseroles everyday. I eat Oodles of Noodles myself.

Then there are the vet bills. Because she's a puppy she has to have shots and checkups just like a human baby. I think a real baby would be cheaper. Vet checks are topping $200 a month right now. I've kissed my security deposit on the apartment goodbye too. This carpet will never be the same.

Needless to say, I hadn't thought about the whole money thing enough when I started wanting a dog. But you should! Learn from my woes. And never, ever let your dog taste a Big Mac.

So, I haven't scared you away and you still want a pet? What should you consider before making the big leap?

-- Pets cost in money and time. An active puppy will change your exercise habits. Do you have the time and energy for four walks a day? If that sounds like too much maintenance, how about fish? After the initial cost of the aquarium, you won't have to spend a lot keeping little Flipper and his friends happy. On the other hand, some exotic fish can be quite expensive if you get hooked.

-- How much room do you have? If you live in an apartment, perhaps a cat would be more your speed. Cats are also much more independent than many pets and will tolerate being alone better than dogs. Small mammals like gerbils or hamsters are also a low-maintenance, low-cost option.

-- How attentive can you be to grooming? Most dogs shed their fur. From day one you will be vacuuming up dog leftovers. Give up wearing black. It is a cosmic magnet for pet hair. Never drop pieces of food on the floor. It will immediately be coated with dog fur and Wolfy will want to eat it anyway. If any of this bothers you, have you thought of snakes or lizards?

-- How much can you afford to spend? Make a pet budget and include things like: the initial adoption cost, vaccinations, regular vet checkups, grooming, training classes, food, spaying or neutering, a license, a collar and leash with ID tags, toys, kennels when you travel, a pet carrier, and a crate or bed for sleeping. Also, remember that it is inevitable that your little sweetheart will ruin something of value. Whether it's replacing soiled carpet or the sneakers with teeth marks, you will have to repurchase something you thought you had already paid for.

After all this whining about how expensive Belle is, you would think that I'd be ready to trade her in for nice quiet teddy bear. As if! Despite my noodle consumption, it has been the best $500 I've ever spent.

Now, if she'd only eat dog food...

--Trudy Bowen (TMF [email protected])

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