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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Realistic costs for owning a dog...

50 replies

Amley · 23/01/2018 20:28

The whole family (DH, DS 8, DD 12 and me) really want to get a dog this year. It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a very long time (years!) but I’m a very strong believer that you should only get a dog when the time is right and go into it with your eyes fully open (too many dogs sadly get put up for rehoming). We haven’t yet fully decided on a puppy or rehoming a dog yet but having researched many breads we are pretty certain a Springer Spaniel is right for our family (yes we are aware they are very energetic!). I would love to hear from others regarding costs so there are no nasty surprises. I know we’d need insurance, food, grooming etc. Can anyone give me a better breakdown? Thanks.

OP posts:
meandmytinfoilhat · 24/01/2018 16:44

A good lifetime pet insurance policy. Stick with the big companies and avoid animal friends like the plague.

Decent food (usually the best you can afford)

Puppy classes

Vaccinations although I recommend signing up to a pet health club if your vet has one. Woming and yearly vaccinations are included and you pay the bill by DD every month. Insurance is separate.

Vet bills for neutering/spaying and any unexpected illnesses like D and V, ear infection or a blood test that your insurance won't cover.

Kursk · 24/01/2018 16:47

Praisebe

Why? It’s raw feeding?

Thewolfsjustapuppy · 24/01/2018 17:12

Kursk, what you have described isn’t really raw feeding done very well it’s just chucking the dogs some scraps. Maybe you were just being a bit flippant about it but many many vets are anty raw feeding because they see dogs who have been fed as you describe with the owner calling it raw feeding. To ensure that raw feeding is done well requires careful monitoring of the percentage of meat, bone and offal in your dogs diet and maybe adding some fruit and veg (certainly not the cheapest grain based kibble on the market.

Wolfiefan · 24/01/2018 17:19

Well done OP for doing your research and good luck in your search. If you do decide to go for a puppy I would go via breed clubs to try and avoid puppy farmers.
Kursk that isn't raw feeding. Raw involves only raw (no kibble). Human grade meat should be frozen before feeding. And no kibble at all. Shock

Kursk · 24/01/2018 17:20

Oh, ok we are a little more careful, we are normally a little more careful and would include eggs, fish, turkey and/or bone.

gingerbreadmam · 24/01/2018 17:27

Ours costs us a fortune.

We spend around £4 a week on tinned food to mix with his James wellbegood which is about £8 a month. Plus treats say a quid a week as he likes sausages and not much else. So about £28 per month food.

Insurance is £13 a month.

He has puppy pads through the day when we're out so another £4.

Our dog walker is £60 a month and that's mates rates.

He will usually end up with toys and other stuff upto £20a month then there is flea and worm treatment and annual boosters. Only grooming he needs his nails trimmed now and again. £5 a time.

Praisebe · 24/01/2018 17:29

You don't feed dry food on a raw diet ever.period

MissWilmottsGhost · 24/01/2018 17:37

I have a larger terrier breed.

£15 per month food. She has to have a special one.

£5 per month flea and work treatment

Toys. I could spend £££. Terriers chew through the toughest toys in minutes. Some she does not chew and they last years, but no way to tell until she gets hold of it.

Pet insurance was about £30 per month as she has had some operations and has lifetime cover (she is 12, many companies don't insure after 8 Hmm), it is still cheaper than paying out for the treatment would have been.

Grooming is £0 as I do that myself. She does need stripped/clipped but I don't need show standard so I don't care if he's a bit straggly.

No kennel costs as we have family willing to look after her when we go on holiday, or we just take her with us. Cost for taking a dog camping is a few quid a year.

Poo bags are about 30p for 300 or something. They are nappy sacks, if you want proper poo bags that are exactly the same but black so you can't see poo through them then it is a few pounds for the same number of bags.

Dogs don't necessarily cost a lot but they do need time, for walking, for playing, for cuddling. They need attention and love

Wolfiefan · 24/01/2018 17:40

My dog has cost us a fortune.
Initial cost
New car
Two freezers
Insurance and vets fees
Training
New mats and rugs to stop slipping
Bedding.
Dog guard
Leads and collars
Show entries and travel
Grooming supplies
Towels and cool coat
Waterproof coat
Torch and wellies for toilet training.
For a start! Shock

WeAllHaveWings · 24/01/2018 20:49

4 year old Labrador. The biggies are

Insurance £43/month (and will go up as he ages)
Health plan £11/month (worms, fleas etc)
Food £50/7 weeks
Treats £15/month

Then there is training, dog walker, clothes/boots for all seasons.

Trips to vets not worth claiming due to insurance excess. Vacs, boosters, nail clipping.

Collars, tags, leads, toys, towels, beds, etc etc

Stuff for travelling in car - dog guard, boot liners etc.

It really is never ending.

Elphame · 25/01/2018 08:47

Absolute fortune. Insurance is £30 a month. Food £55 a month. Vet plan to cover routine vaccinations health checks etc. £12 a month. Grooming, toys treats equipment is on top. All for one very small Welsh Terrier

FairfaxAikman · 25/01/2018 09:13

Firstly consider that there are two types of Springer - working and show. Both look different and a worker tends to be high drive (give me a worker any day!)

Start with good insurance- lifetime cover of at least £7,000 with third party liability.

If a puppy then puppy vaccines. If/once an adult consider titre testing to check immunity (Vaccicheck cost the same as a booster, which may be unnecessary) and a worm count ever six months - save worming and flea treatment for if they need it as it's not great for them of the environment.

Food - get the best you can afford. A food that costs more per back may Work out cheaper per meal as you need to feed less. Also less will come out the back end.
Allaboutdogfood.co.uk is good for this and I can PM you done guidelines and research on the dos and don'ts (ie avoid Bakers with any dog but you are asking for the Wall of Death round the living room if you feed it to a spangle).

Essential are leads, bowls, beds, poo bags (I like Beco as they are thick but degradable) and toys.

For the car get something that will secure the properly - at least a crash tested harness but preferably a crate in the boot (Trans K9 are crash tested. Pricy new but can be bought second hand and last a lifetime) or a tailgate guard set up (Barjo are great and also easily available second hand)

Also worth considering the cost of a good trainer (force free), even just to get the foundation behaviour right. Get it right early on, less problem later.

If you are anything like me you'll get into dog sports and there's a whole other world of costs with that! Grin (cooling coats, warm coats, leg cooling gel, harnesses, bedding and non-spill water bowls in Car, high protein booster meals on competition days etc)

mustbemad17 · 25/01/2018 09:16

Wolfie i love reading your posts about your dogs & i am reeeally intrigued what happened to your car 😂😂

FairfaxAikman · 25/01/2018 09:17

+1 to a PP who said crate train.
I wish I'd done it from the start - my girl was spayed and I had to be called to pick her up early as she was going mental in the vets recovery cage.
She has since been crate trained and a recent surgery visit was much easier on her as she needs longer panics.
Her own crate is left open all the time and she takes herself off to it quite happily.

mustbemad17 · 25/01/2018 09:19

fairfax we had to have one of my fosters sedated through crate fear, it was awful. Definitely makes life easier if they know a cage isn't scary!

Littlegreysquares · 25/01/2018 09:27

Rescue pup here (just saying!).

Sorting out the garden and fencing has been our biggest expense in the short term. That said, it did need done but once we'd decided about the dog, we really had to prioritise it.

We are able to manage financially with one of us being at home most of the day.

On the other hand, we don't have the sort of days out we used to have so we are saving that way.

Obviously, pet insurance, food etc.

FairfaxAikman · 25/01/2018 09:29

I was raised with some old school ideas Must - including the "crates are cruel" mantra. I've since revolutionised my thinking on food, training methods and crates - result is a healthier, happier dog.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 25/01/2018 09:32

Spaniels are The Best & worth every penny!

...that’s all 😊

mustbemad17 · 25/01/2018 09:36

Fairfax that's always awesome to hear (the happy, healthier dog bit!). I can see how people think crates are cruel...i guess unless you end up in a situation where you have no choice but to use one it doesn't become an issue.

FairfaxAikman · 25/01/2018 09:39

Must if always use one now, particularly as I use a tailgate guard in the car too.
My dad's dog loves my girls crate. It's too small for him but he goes straight to it and crams himself into it and then sits there wagging his tail like a loon. He's never been crate trained.

mustbemad17 · 25/01/2018 09:39

Kids like crates too 😃

Tentomidnight · 25/01/2018 09:41

We got a small non-pedigree dog last year. Costs so far:

Around £120 for bed/travel box/harness/lead/bowls/toys
Vet £50 & £140 for spaying
£8 per month flea/worm treatment
£32 per month petplan insurance
£16 per month Royal Canin food (small dog = small appetite)
£25 every 6 weeks grooming

Hope this helps!

Lordofmyflies · 25/01/2018 13:27

I pay about £100 a month I think for our one mid size dog,
£30 pet insurance
£30 Dog Food (raw food plus treats)
£40 dog walker

Then there are the flea/worming tablets at £15 per quarter, toys, coat, leads, bowls. tags etc so probably more like £110.

BiteyShark · 25/01/2018 13:30

Ouch I just added mine up to be around £400 a month. That includes day care, insurance, food, flea/worming and training. Toys and incidentals on top of that Blush

It's a good job I love the furry thing.

NoCluse · 25/01/2018 17:31

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