Costing out a dog

[Theblackdogagain]

Hiya, I've pretty much convinced my husband we need a dog. Just want to do my due diligence to make sure I've thought of everything before we commit.
As well as initial cost this is what I think we need, what have we missed?
Insurance
Annual vet checks
Dog bed/cage/harness/leesh/car transport etc
Feeding area and food
Toys

We have cats so basically what more do dogs need as cats are self sufficient. I'm now wfh most of the week and dh is at home permanently so the dog will have company. No holidays booked and we only go in UK only.
I plan for cats and dog to have own areas in the house so cats aren't stressed.

Vaccinations are an annual expense. Current certificates are required by UK boarding kennels; and if you take the dog out of UK you'll need a pet passport and /or animal health certificate proving additional treatments and vaccinations required by other countries.
(rabies, tapeworm)

Vaccinations are an annual expense - not huge but worth factoring in.

It's worth remembering that dogs can be very accident prone - mine has cut his paw open twice, sprained a paw and eaten stuff he shouldn't have done - meaning he needed an injection to make him vomit. He's also been bitten by another dog.

None of it anything to do with breed/size and everything to do with him being a dog, really

We do have insurance but our excess would have cost more than the vets bills for each of those episodes so we had to pay out of pocket.

He's also just been treated for a lump on on his face - two vet checks plus medication came in at almost £100 🙈

To all the people saying vaccinations are annual, this I had factored in as I have cats who have annual vaccinations. What I had forgotten was the initial puppy ones.

Day care/dog walking and boarding. We spend £400 a month on day care and maybe £2000 a year on home boarding!!! Fine if you won't need it but don't overlook it.

Expect to go through shoes more often, unless you already go out for a walk several times a day.

Fencing the garden, if it’s not already secure.

Poo bags.

Unexpected expense for ours is ongoing hydrotherapy for an injury. We are way past what the insurance policy covered, but I’m a sucker.

Hmm, what else…

Do you need stair gates to separate the pup from the cats?

Extra dreamies for the cats, to make up for their outrage?

My dog has just been diagnosed with arthritis. Things that can assist with that are quite expensive. A ramp is about £50-£100, depending on quality. The joint supplements are about £25 a month ish. He also needs acupuncture (£25 a week for 4 weeks, then £25 a month until it's better). Hydrotherapy is about £35 apparently. Not sure if all insurance covers that.

Re. flea, worming, vaccines etc., My vet has a monthly programme where you pay a certain amount a month (£16 for our large dog) and it covers flea and wormer, vaccines, and a consultation each yeah, plus 10% off treatments. Check if yours does that as it more than covers the flea and wormer and everything else is a bonus!

Our insurance covered 10 sessions of hydro but with a separate excess, PlantDoctor (so effectively 8 sessions of hydro). It really helps, so I’m reluctant to stop. And here we are, six months later and quite a bit poorer!

We go through quite a lot of dog shampoo. And carpet shampoo. And Hoovers.

Oh, and we replaced our bins with very solid, tall ones with spring lids, after the first mistake or two.

If your vet does a plan, invest in that. Ours includes vaccinations, worming and flea treatments, claw clipping, a yearly health check and a discount on general appointments.

Other things are breed dependent. We
spent money on coats and vests- ex-racing greyhound, he has thin skin and minimal fur. Others need groomers.

We seem to spend a lot on things like chicken feet and rabbits’ ears as treats, but they are also good for teeth.

We have a (spoiled) ex-racer too!

Annual health plan (we pay £14 a month) that covers flea and work, kennels cough nasal vaccine and booster shot (you can sign up as a puppy and it includes initial vaccinations).

Get at least £10k insurance, we maxed it out last year on fixing his leg (similar op to you see on the Noel Fitzpatrick programme).

But unless they have allergies, dogs don't need fancy food, ours is on burns alert, don't really buy treats, I cut up a spare chop or edge of roast and freeze in a bag, fillet steak is cheaper pound for pound than dog treats! Ddog has no food issues so literally get nightly human scraps with dry food

We have a 48kg German shepherd, so he's actually classed as a giant breed. Before anyone says anything he's exercised over 1.5 hours a day and eats the recommended amount of food, he's just huge.

He cost a lot each month...
Pet plan £25
Insurance £60
Food £100 (has very specific allergies)
Treats and teeth chews £40-50 (again allergies)
Toys £10 (average, he's always destroying them)
Joint supplements £25 (these are only preventative measures)

I know he's a big dog but they are a lot more expensive than you initially might think.

But honestly the money is such a small part of having a dog, it's so much more than financial cost, it's the time you need to dedicate to them and the responsibility it takes to be a good dog owner. It's so important to train them well, it is your duty as a dog owner, to make their lives and your time together enjoyable. Big dogs and small dogs need the same amount of obedience training, don't let size fool you. Socialising is so important, mix them with all sorts of animals and noises and mostly other dogs! But most of all research your breeds, make sure you pick a breed that matches your lifestyle. It will only lead to an unhappy household, just because you like the thought of a certain breed, doesn't mean you have the capability to give it everything it needs. And if you're dead set on a certain breed that is working line/energetic make sure you can commit to hours of walking and training (because training never ends) for 12-15 years. I'm sorry to sound preachy but as a dog owner I've seen this happen far to much, and it's not fair on the dogs. I've also seen my dog attacked by dogs (mostly small/medium dogs, sorry) who's owners are just clueless about dog behaviour and psychology or etiquette quite frankly.

A first aid kit for the car. I was recently able to tape up a cut dog, and avoid a massive bloodbath all over the boot.

And good advice there from @ElmTree22 about time and training. I have working line gundogs and giving them what they need involves a lot of commitment. They are much happier and better mannered as a result. One of my dogs turns into an snappish ill-mannered dickhead if she doesn't get what she needs. Given an outlet, she is a wonderful dog.

I pay:
Insurance £50
Grooming £60
Dog sitters £200
Food and treats £100
Puppy pads/toys/random Amazon purchases for her £40

So yea, about £450 in a good month but I wouldn't change her for the world.

Thank you all, my husband decided we don't have time for a dog and as we're starting a big hone improvement project to create my son a bedroom now isn't the time. However I will have a dog at some point and this has really helped.

We use biodegradable poo bags!! Good luck!

If you have to go to work and need a daytime walker, all in £5k a year is what you should allow.

Dog beds, blankets, coats, toys, leads harnesses collars and tags all need replacing from time to time

Lab puppy (nine months old)

Monthly:
insurance £40
tick/worm £15
food £40
toys £10
training treats £5
Toys £10-20

New car suitable for a dog - £20000
Replacement jumpers which got bitten and now have holes in them - £60
Dog training classes - £100:plus
Crate -£150 (we’re on our second)
bedding
bowls etc
leads/collars

No grooming costs for us as labs have fur, so moults rather than hair, which needs cutting