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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:
coffeecupsandfairylights · 27/05/2022 16:53

Corgi887 · 27/05/2022 16:38

For people not paying for dog walkers/ day care:

  • do you WFH?
  • do early morning walk and dog is ok until dinner time?

I'll also say we had family members who very annoyingly advised us that if we weren't home dog would be ok, when they clearly aren't.

I'm self-employed and have a dog with separation anxiety.

My dog comes to work with me most days - if that's not possible for some reason, my in-laws look after him (they are retired and mostly housebound so he's good company for them). On those days, I walk him before dropping him off and he mostly sleeps all day or follows FIL around while he does housework or gardens, etc.

DH is also self-employed and can also take him to work in an emergency (not ideal, but would be okay if we had no other option that day).

One of the main reasons I went self-employed and set up as a dog walker was because of the dogs' anxiety, lol. He is okay alone for an hour or so but beyond that he just howls and cries and it's not fair on him or the neighbours.

I really do sympathise with your situation as it's not easy.

SirChenjins · 27/05/2022 16:57

£30 insurance
£10 tick and flea treatment
£25 grooming
£50 dog walker
£40-£60 food and treats
£20 extras eg dog field

He’s the family dog so the costs are shared between DH and myself and our adult DC. £800 is unsustainable, surely? Sad

XelaM · 27/05/2022 16:57

Wow £900 is several hundred more than we will be paying for our horse at the yard we are moving to

SirChenjins · 27/05/2022 16:58

Between the 5 of us (DH, me, DS1, his GF, DD) we cover care by WFH and shift work.

MargosKaftan · 27/05/2022 17:02

I pay £25 a day 3 days a week term time for a dog sitter. So in full school months, £300 a month, plus insurance, food, grooming.

Have you looked on Rover for local dog sitters?

Realistically, if you can't afford dog care, your dog can't be walked in a group, you have a dog that can't be left all day and noone at home, you'll have to rehome.

Woolandwonder · 27/05/2022 17:03

Have you looked at something informal. I wfh and dog sit a friend of a friend's dog for 1 day a week (I go to their house) as their pup struggles being alone for any longer than an hour. I know other people who have used borrow my doggy, it probably won't be a solution for 5 days a week but could help you cut down on daycare.

crossstitchingnana · 27/05/2022 17:05

£120
For food, pet plan, insurance and groomer

XelaM · 27/05/2022 17:09

How about Borrow My Doggy? That's a free service as far as I know

SirSidneyRuffDiamond · 27/05/2022 17:21

A reactive dog will be very difficult to rehome and most dog walkers won't take on if they are dog aggressive. So you are looking at what solutions might work for you. A long early morning walk and another when you get home. Is there any possibility of coming home at lunch time if you don't work too far away? Is there anyone nearby, that the dog knows well, who can let him into the garden during the day? Would a dog cam that you can talk through help?

I sympathise as my dog became dog reactive after a nasty attack. It really limits my options and very occasionally he has to be left for longer than I would chose. We muddle through as I work part time from home and DH works a 10 minute walk away.

Edderkop · 27/05/2022 17:32

Around 100 all in (food, treats, vet plan, insurance).

I've never looked into daycare but that cost seems really high, do you live in an expensive area? Our dog has been to a licensed home boarder for a weekend (takes one dog/one family of dogs only) and that's 25 for 24 hours

Courtjobby · 27/05/2022 18:00

I'd say about 380 pm at moment because if his health issues.

LaurieFairyCake · 27/05/2022 18:26

£900 daycare
£80 food
£30 flea/worm and injections package
£20 grooming

I'm sure I've forgotten something Hmm

Twinstudy · 27/05/2022 18:40

About £200, £40 insurance,£40 dog walker, £120 food, treats and meds.

I'm lucky, I WFH so we don't really need the dog walker but dog adores her and loves going out with his doggy friends once a week :) also useful to have her in case we do need someone to walk him when we can't.

Your circumstances sound very tricky op :( I hope you can sort something out.

HarryBlackberry1 · 27/05/2022 18:45

£240 dog walking (she's out every weekday)
£40 food
£45 pet insurance
£15 pet care plan with vet

Frenchfancy · 27/05/2022 18:51

About 100€ per month. Mostly in food. Vets fees are about 120€ a year so 10€ a month.

We used to have 2 horses in full livery for significantly less per month than you are paying for one dog.

WeAllHaveWings · 27/05/2022 18:57

£74 insurance
£12 health plan
£110 dog walkers twice a week
£50 food
£20 treats

So just over £260/month. I am expecting an insurance rise shortly as he has had a recent birthday (9 year old lab)

FfeminyddCymraeg · 27/05/2022 19:09

£60 a week on doggy daycare (2 days). We get a discount for sending two so would be £40 a week otherwise.

£50 a month on dry food and about £40 a month on treats. Groomer is £30 every 6 weeks (per dog) and insurance is £25 each. Flea and tick treatments I buy in bulk.

USaYwHatNow · 27/05/2022 19:30

Dog walker x4 days a week £176/month
Insurance £42/month
Bulk buy food £40 every 8 weeks
Claws clipped £10/month

Furrbabymama87 · 27/05/2022 19:40

£14.99 a month for the petplan. £36 roughly every 6 to 8 weeks in dog groomers. No idea about food, he doesn't eat wet food, only chicken and lamb or beef mince with dry food.

AmberLynn1536 · 27/05/2022 19:49

Have you spoken to your vet about CBD oil? It really calms my anxious dog, if that isn’t suitable I would look at anti anxiety medication.

InTheNightWeWillWish · 27/05/2022 20:02

Corgi887 · 27/05/2022 16:38

For people not paying for dog walkers/ day care:

  • do you WFH?
  • do early morning walk and dog is ok until dinner time?

I'll also say we had family members who very annoyingly advised us that if we weren't home dog would be ok, when they clearly aren't.

We are now wfh and one of us will be for most of the week. However, when we got Dog1 we were both in the office full time. Mornings we would sometimes do a walk but sometimes we would do some brain work - training, scatter feed, snuffle mat. Dog would also have a Kong when we left. Dog Walker would come in around the middle of the day and take on a 40 minute walk and then they’d be fine until we got home. When we got home they would either go on a walk if we hadn’t in the morning. But our dogs are fine by themselves.

On a day that we are both in the office, we will struggle to get a morning walk in now as we’ll have nursery drop off but we’ll give them their breakfasts in snuffle mats. Dog Walker will come in during the middle of the day. If that isn’t quite working for them, we’ll ask dog Walker to do a mid-morning walk and mid-afternoon walk - one on-lead and one off-lead.

Mamaof2males · 27/05/2022 20:06

Where I live there are people that offer to look after your dog for free, walk the dog, have for a few days etx lots of situations. There are a lot of people who don’t have pets that would love them esp younger families or those that like getting out and about or want some companionship during the day. Why don’t you look into that as it’s free? Good luck 😊

Buildingthefuture · 27/05/2022 20:19

This is a dog you got in lockdown? No judgement from me, lots of people did the same. But. Your circumstances have changed. If the dog is being aggressive/reactive and you’ve had him from a puppy….something is going on. My dogs cost me a lot (more than yours!) but I have A LOT of dogs and our lives are structured so we don’t need dog walkers or day care etc. Kindly op, I think your circumstances are not sustainable. Contact a good breed rescue and look into finding a suitable home for your dog. I think that would be best for all of you.

mrsrobin · 27/05/2022 20:23

I'm sorry you have found yourself in this situation, OP. That is a lot of money per month. I seem to have a bargain dog - £30 per month on food and that's it unless I buy some treats etc.
Is it definitely not an option to take your dog for a good long walk before work, with mental stimulation too, most dogs will flake out after this for a few hours, and then someone pop in at lunch/afternoon for some company? That is what I would be trying to sort - but I understand it is easier said than done.
I guess you need to sort the anxiety first....

opalescent · 28/05/2022 08:47

40 a month on food, probably another 25 on various treats. 22 for insurance.
900 is unimaginable.