With Christmas here, many may find a cute new puppy under the tree, but might not realize what all is required to take care of them and the financial responsibilities.

ManyPets conducted a study to help dog owners understand the costs of taking care of their new furry friend. Ranking No. 1 as the most expensive state was Washington. Meanwhile, Oklahoma was on the other end of the spectrum, being named the least expensive state to care for a dog.

North Carolina came in as the 15th least expensive state for dog ownership with residents spending an average of more than $6,000 on pet care, as was noted in a release.

A breakdown of that spending in North Carolina revealed that food was the most expensive part of taking care of your pet, spending on a yearly average $500.16.

Additional spending, from the highest to lowest averages, include insurance, $480.84; spay/neuter, $474.35; dental cleaning, $373.95; vaccines, $206.67; and office visit, $63.95.

The final three, grooming, dog walking and pet sitting, were calculated on an hourly basis with grooming topping them at $13.91; walking, $13.16; and sitting $12.17.

For a more detailed look at the study across the United States and the various rankings and costs, go to manypets.com/us/blog/pet-care-spending-by-state/