Ah, man’s best friend. We all love the thought of bringing a furry, four-legged pal into our home; someone we can take on long walks in the country and snuggle up with on a cold winter’s night. And although you’ll see many campaigns around reminding us that a dog is for life and not just for Christmas, it’s also important to understand how much your new addition will cost you.

Like with any significant financial commitment, you’ll need to make sure you consider your finances carefully before you make a decision. It’s not just the initial cost you will need to budget for, there are the monthly and yearly costs to think about too. 

The type of breed and the costs associated

Before you even bring your furry friend home, the cost of the breed you’re looking for is something you’ll need to consider. For example, designer breeds such as Labradoodles, Puggles, Cockerpoos and Cavapoos and can now set you back over £2000

If you’ve finally decided on a breed and have found a reputable breeder, it’s time to add up all of the costs for the bits and pieces you’ll need. Estimated costs for a small dog come in at around £370, a medium dog at £395 and a large dog breed at £425, and this doesn’t include the actual cost of buying your new family member! These costs are made up of:

  • Bed
  • Lead, collar and tag
  • Food and water bowls
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Toys
  • Bits needed for the car
  • Initial course of vaccinations
  • Monthly worming (until your dog is 6 months old)
  • Neutering

Food and other similar costs

The bigger the dog, the more food they’ll eat. And it can be a lot! You can expect to spend between £200 and £400 a year on feeding your dog. However, be careful not to overfeed them! Insurer Petplan found that 83% of owners are not concerned about overfeeding their pet, with almost half of people admitting to giving their canine pals takeaways.

Be mindful that if your pooch does become overweight, the vet bills can be astronomical! Treatment for diabetes, for example, can come out at almost £10,000.

Life expectancy and its cost

It’s safe to say that the longer your pup lives for, the more expensive they’re going to become. Studies have found that your dog could cost you as much as £30,000 over their lifetime, especially if you need to spend more on their ongoing care as they become older. 

To look after your pet dog properly, you’re likely to have the following monthly and yearly costs that you’ll need to budget for:

  • Yearly health checks and vaccinations
  • Regular flea and worm treatments
  • Pet insurance
  • Food
  • Toy allowance
  • Poo bags
  • Toothpaste 
  • A new bed every so often

Don’t forget, bringing a dog into your family is a much bigger commitment than people imagine, so make sure you’ve budgeted for everything before taking the leap.