Have you ever totalled the real cost of your dog?

[Talkmeoutofthis222]

If you haven't. - don't

Mine are easy mongrels but ye gads we have...

Vets
Insurance
Food
Equipment (crates, bowls, beds etc)
Dog walker
Holiday cover
Training/behaviourist
Chiropractor


But then.. Wait for it...

Dog suitable car
Lost earnings through dog ownership

The last ones are huge for us! Over the course of all our lifetimes we have/will pay thousands that we wouldn't pay if we didn't own dogs.

I met someone who had paid £5k to fly a rescue dog from the USA to the uk. Couldn't bear to be parted.

It's not for the faint hearted is it?

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Costs a fortune doesn't it. My 8 year old lab has arthritis which is proving costly.

And, my close friend is involved in a rescue so that's sapping our finances. In fact I'm a sucker for dog rescue charities full stop.

[Mominatrix]

Insurance (approx £450/year)
Vet fees not covered by insurance (approx £100)
Food (£25/month = £300/year)
toys and accessories (approx £100/year)
Knicker/bra replacement (approx £250/year)
Shoe replacement/repair (about £3000/year - I like nice shoes)

Costs would be dramatically less if she was less attached to me and more attached to the children!!!!!!!

[ScrappyMalloy]

All of the above, plus monthly grooming, and weekly training sessions.

All times two, as they both have exactly the same (like the kids)

I halve the cost every time DH asks, to stop him moaning though

[Mominatrix]

I forgot the grooming! £50 every 6 weeks. More than I spend on myself!

[ScrappyMalloy]

(Psst -grooming costs me £64 a month, but don't tell Dh. He thinks it's half that...)

[toboldlygo]

I started out with one 'pet' dog and have ended up with a serious hobby in sled dog racing. I've never added up the true costs and I don't intend to, I'd probably cry.

[Talkmeoutofthis222]

Oh yes. Grooming fees!

Canicross entry fees too

[3sugarsplease]

My dog ate the kitchen...

She has proved pretty costly.. I was advised her breed wasn't for the faint hearted..

[ScrappyMalloy]

Oh, and jumpers, now the weather is chilly. They have had new red jumpers, new black spotty jumpers, and new Christmas jumpers this month and Santa hats

And new collars. Plus Christmas presents. And new stockings because I lost the one I used last year.

Toys. So many toys. They like little soft cuddly toys that they can kill so I buy quite a lot, mostly from charity shops, but it adds up.

They like Lilys Kitchen food, and that's two quid a tin. And they like little biscuits so I get them the expensive stuff. Plus treats when I go out, and their little toothbrushes and dog toothpaste, and shampoo for their daily footbath and face wash. Also, those dog chews for their teeth.

I even bought a pack of funky muslins from mothercare for face washing and drying because my shih tzu gets a manky face if it's left.

Oh my god so that's where all the money goes

[OddBoots]

"Pet ownership is considerably more costly than people think.
According to the veterinary charity People's Dispensary Sick Animals, the lifetime cost of owning a cat is estimated to be around £17,000, while a dog can cost between £16,000 and £31,000 – depending on the size of the dog and the amount it eats." link

[mercifulTehlu]

Dear god! We have had our (first ever) dog for a year now. I don't like to think about the cost - we are pretty hard-up atm. We haven't had any vet's bills so far (except vaccinations when he was tiny) and no grooming costs (he is short-haired) but he was expensive to buy and he eats a lot!

[marmaladegranny]

I refuse to add it up - but he's worth every penny, however much it is! He gets me out twice a day and people chat to us - and that earns his keep.

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

Monty isn't too bad, he costs approx per month:

£30 insurance
£50 dog food
£15 vets club - covers all jabs, etc
£20 dog training

I borrowed a crate from a friend. I had bowls and towels from my old dog. I did buy a new collar, lead, coat and toys. And he's now on his fourth deer antler because he eats them. I don't think it's too bad so far. Oh and a few hundred quid to buy him in the first place.

[CatThiefKeith]

Still cheaper than 4yo dd though...

[Wolfiefan]

I want a giant breed. (Check out my name!) I have broached the cost with DH. He says if I buy it we will cover the cost of everything else on the joint account.
Please don't let him see this thread!!!!!!

[Wolfiefan]

Oh and at least they don't go to uni!!

[Talkmeoutofthis222]

I love all your answers .

I love the fact that we could choose a clean quiet house and have circa £17k extra in the bank and still justify our beasts.

[CatThiefKeith]

Don't forget the claw marks by the front door from being excited by the post.

[Talkmeoutofthis222]

Oh yes! We had to buy an external post box!

[pigsDOfly]

Try not to think about it too deeply:)

Used to have two cats. Over their life times of 18 and half years and 19 and half years respectively I must have spent an absolute fortune. Insurance alone for them was eye watering.

Ddog is probably fairly inexpensive in comparison. So far.

[Greyhorses]

I have two GSD and they cost a fortune in food, insurance, toys.
Smaller GSD is a disaster and her medical bills aren't covered by insurance and she is fed a special diet so costs even more than normal.

I have also had to purchase a new bigger car and repair lots of damage to the house caused by them being big hairy dirty and clumsy!!

Both were rescued and free...Worth every penny ive spent on them though.

[honeyroar]

We have two horses, two big dogs, one little dog, two cats and a load of hens. If we didn't have them we would probably be mortgage free or be able to holiday in Barbados three times a year!

[JustBeingJuliet]

I've been quite lucky so far with ddog(7) as she doesn't eat much, hasn't been particularly destructive and hasn't really needed the vet much. However, she's now a bit incontinent so it's getting more expensive...

Insurance is £18 a month
Grooming £25 every 3 months
Food £14 a sack from Costco (lasts 2 months) plus sardines at about 40p a tin a few times a week.
Treats - she's on a diet, so gets a piece of dried tripe once a day, plus one of the Schmacko type sticks broken into tiny pieces on walks/for training. So about £10 a month on treats.
She's only on her 3rd ever collar and 2nd lead, but has had several harnesses, spent about £100 in total there.
She's never really been into toys, other than a tennis ball when out, so cheap on that front.
I buy the cheap, throwaway type beds off the market for a fiver a pop as she pees all over them and there's only so many times they can be washed!
She did once destroy a sofa though...

[Dec2015]

What breed is she? Her coat should be amazing being fed sardines?

[JustBeingJuliet]

She's poodle X border collie so has a tendency to look a bit woolly! She loves her sardines though, and tuna but that runs a bit expensive!