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The doghouse

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

Original poster

How much does your dog cost every month?

95 replies

Corgi887 · 27/05/2022 08:15

I'm devastated, but giving our dog decent care is becoming unaffordable with all the other increasing costs we are facing.

It is costing us almost £800 a month for doggy daycare and insurance. We love him dearly and just wonder if we are the only ones in this situation. Our dog is very anxious so needs constant company - a dog walker is a much worse option.

For what it's worth - I feel absolutely worthless, I never thought we would ever every ever be the sort of people who would have to either give up their dog or reduce his quality of life by just having him home alone.

OP posts:
hattie43 · 27/05/2022 08:21

I would never give my dogs up but £800 a month is unsustainable.

In your situation I would try a reset .
Take some annual leave and work intensively with a behaviourist .
Alternatively see if a little confident friend would calm things down .

Fedupbuyer · 27/05/2022 08:24

£15 a month for food,£9 pet insurance,im home a lot anyway but he doesn’t mind being left alone for a while.

hattie43 · 27/05/2022 08:24

Sorry to answer the question my
dogs cost me a around £500 per month to include
Good quality food
Dog walker
Care plan at the vets
Toys / treats / snacks
Groomer for nails
They aren't insured because I have enough money to cover any vets bills.

lassof · 27/05/2022 08:24

Get to know more people in your local area. Here, people will take a dog in for the day eg if they work from home, for about £15 a day. They just chill with them in a family home. It's not an official thing, they don't even walk them unless they have the time, but that's fine for dogs - they can mooch around the house.
My dogs cost £30 in food each a month + treats + £40 insurance.

Original poster
Corgi887 · 27/05/2022 08:24

Thanks Hattie. That's what we are doing at the moment - throwing more money at the situation with a behaviourist. Its the worst situation I've ever been in. We aren't seeing huge amounts of progress and what the behaviourist is saying he needs (more company) we just can't give him.

OP posts:
Original poster
Corgi887 · 27/05/2022 08:26

Just realised I haven't included food, groomer or per plan. So likely closer to £900.

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 27/05/2022 08:28

Is there any possibility of a different cheaper day care?

Cutting down hours e.g. some charge for half days?

Mixing daycare and a walk so maybe 3 daycare 2 with a walker?

Asking if anyone locally wants a dog for company a couple of days a week ( might work if elderly neighbour just wants a dog in the house rather than walking them )?

Original poster
Corgi887 · 27/05/2022 08:31

I've tried different daycares and unfortunately they are all booked up. I'll see if anyone could have the dog on a more informal arrangement.

Unfortunately for dog walkers we have to pay for 1-1, which is still unaffordable, as the dog is so anxious and can get reactive.

OP posts:
FAQs · 27/05/2022 08:32

About £25 food and treats, £15 insurance per month, and groom £27 around every 10 weeks.

Dog walker not very often but when I do £12 per walk. I work for myself though so either work from home or leave my office to take her out.

She is happy for a few hours, snuggles with the cat.

Have you had your dog since a puppy, we did lots of training including being left for increased times.

Harder if you’ve rehomed a older dog.

What breed is it?

womaninatightspot · 27/05/2022 08:32

lassof · 27/05/2022 08:24

Get to know more people in your local area. Here, people will take a dog in for the day eg if they work from home, for about £15 a day. They just chill with them in a family home. It's not an official thing, they don't even walk them unless they have the time, but that's fine for dogs - they can mooch around the house.
My dogs cost £30 in food each a month + treats + £40 insurance.

I love this idea. I'll be going to the office two days a week 10-3 plus commute and it's a wee bit over how long I'd leave darling dog. WFH other three days at same time. I'm now wondering if maybe I can find someone who we could trade dog sitting favours or would be happy to have a happy lab curled up next to them. Doesn't normally get walked at this time as I wfh and get's walked before and after.

Dog costs £50 or so a month. Flea/ worming/ tick stuff on monthly subscription and food.

chipspeasorbeans · 27/05/2022 08:34

Is it possible to wfh in your roles?

hattie43 · 27/05/2022 08:34

Corgi887 · 27/05/2022 08:24

Thanks Hattie. That's what we are doing at the moment - throwing more money at the situation with a behaviourist. Its the worst situation I've ever been in. We aren't seeing huge amounts of progress and what the behaviourist is saying he needs (more company) we just can't give him.

Could you get a second dog to give him the company ? Certainly cheaper than the huge sums at the moment?

Original poster
Corgi887 · 27/05/2022 08:39

I don't think I could trust the current dog with another one due to their reactive aggression.

Do people just not have their dogs walked during the day?

Unfortunately WFH isn't possible for either of us.

We've done training and left dog for increasing periods of time. Their aggression increased when left alone for too long.

OP posts:
ElenaSt · 27/05/2022 08:41

Just be aware that getting a companion doesn't always cure separation anxiety.

The separation anxiety is usually linked to the dog becoming attached to one person being out of sight.

We have three and as I'm the main carer all three are super attached to me.

All three become distressed if I were to leave them but as I'm retired it's not a problem for me.

If I were you I would not be looking to get a second dog but perhaps team up with somebody else who has a dog and gets on well with your dog that you could perhaps take it in turns to leave the dogs in each other's company.

ElenaSt · 27/05/2022 08:41

Sorry ignore the last bit of my post I just read about the reactive aggression.

FAQs · 27/05/2022 08:42

Do you have background noise on when left, we realised the silence was an irritation to our dog, we now ask Alexa to play “music for dogs”

She settles down for a snooze and she seems to associate it with we are going out so is part of her routine.

How old is your dog?

JadedSoJaded · 27/05/2022 08:44

Apologies if I’ve missed this, but is the behaviourist a vet? If not, I would urge you to go down that route as they have the knowledge to prescribe appropriate anti anxiety meds which help with behaviour modification training immensely. It’s expensive, although mine was paid by insurance, but sometimes is the only option in severe cases.

ElenaSt · 27/05/2022 08:44

Have you tried valerian biscuits to ease the anxiety?

My dogs have them for fireworks and other similar occasions but a friends dog is a rescue and he was permanently anxious but now has the biscuits every day and is now perfectly normal!

You could try your dog with them.

Basically it's like you having a spliff, and you just chill out for.a few hours!

ElenaSt · 27/05/2022 08:46

These are the ones my friend uses and I have also bought.

How much does your dog cost every month?
InTheNightWeWillWish · 27/05/2022 08:47

I would look at a different behaviourist, our trainer wouldn’t say spend more time with the dog to get over their separation anxiety. They would be recommending implementing small things that will desensitise the dog and build up to leaving them alone.

Is it possible for either of you to wfh?

£900 isn’t sustainable. That is going to be our childcare bill when I go back to work after maternity leave. That is for a childcare professional to take care of my baby for 10 hours a day, 4 days a week and feed them while they are there. We know this is a temporary hit until the free hours kick in at 3 but it’ll still be hard.

If you can’t wfh, I would suggest rehoming. It’s awful because you clearly love your dog but you aren’t the right home for him. Not every rehome is they can’t be bothered/didn’t know what they were getting into, some rehomes are that the dog’s personality would just be better suited to someone else. It doesn’t make you a bad owner recognising you can’t give your dog everything he needs.

ElenaSt · 27/05/2022 08:47

These are the other ones.

They are fantastic. One of ours is terrified of fireworks and he has these and is able to relax and stay calm.

How much does your dog cost every month?
ImplementingTheDennisSystem · 27/05/2022 08:56

£20 a month insurance, £10 a month on food. DH has always worked from home so we've never needed a dog walker (which is why we have a dog in the first place).

goodwinter · 27/05/2022 08:57

£60 food, £50 insurance, £20 vet subscription (flea/worm/vaccines).. soon to be £120 dog walker. So about £250!

Nw22 · 27/05/2022 09:06

I think about 300 a month including some daycare and insurance with pet plan

PatientlyWaiting21 · 27/05/2022 09:11

Insurance -£40 pm
food/treats £60pm
dog Walker x3 pw £144