Find out how much a dog could cost you per month and over their lifetime. Also, discover how you can budget for the monthly cost of your new addition to the family.
Getting a dog can be one of the most exciting and rewarding things you can do. However, it is also a big commitment and there are serious considerations you must make before bringing home your first dog.
There is also the financial aspect of getting a dog, which is something you must factor into your existing budget to ensure you can afford to give them the life they deserve.
We have put together a brief guide on how much you can expect your canine companion to cost you, to help you budget effectively for this exciting journey.
The initial expenses
When bringing home your first dog, there are a number of things you will need to buy to help them settle in and life a comfortable and fulfilling life.
Bed – Your dog will need a place to sleep. Beds or dog baskets can range from £20 to £75 depending on the size of your dog.
Crate – Depending on where you plan for your dog to sleep, you may want to get them a crate. This can cost roughly between £35 and £75.
Bowls – Food and water bowls tend to cost around £15 to £20.
Collar and lead – When it’s time to start walking your dog, you will need either a collar or harness and a lead. You will also need an ID tag with key information in case your dog gets lost. A collar or harness can range from £5 to £40, leads from £10 to £20 and tags from £6 to £10.
Toys – You will need to get your new dog some toys to keep them entertained and to aid their development, particularly with puppies. This can set you back £50 to £70 to begin with.
Microchip – It is a legal requirement for your dog to be microchipped in England, Wales and Scotland. This can cost around £15.
Vaccinations – Your new puppy will need vaccinations before being able to head out into public. This will cost around £70.
There will be other things you need to factor in such as insurance, poo bags and food. But, based on the estimates above, the initial cost to bring your dog home and get them settled will be at least £226 to £395.
The monthly expenses
Once your dog is settled in their new home, there are a number of ongoing monthly costs to consider in order for them to live a happy and healthy life.
Many of these expenses will vary greatly based on the size of your dog. Here are just a few to consider.
Food – This varies from around £25 per month for a small dog to £74 for a large dog.
Poo bags – You can expect to pay around £6.50 per month for poo bags.
Insurance – This varies greatly depending on the breed you choose but can range anywhere from around £7 to £57 per month. Some breeds may be significantly more expensive.
Grooming – For small dogs, this can be around £40 per month. For large dogs, expect to pay roughly £52 per month.
Toys – This will vary greatly between dogs and owners. You can expect to pay anywhere from £1 to £50 per month.
Healthcare – On average, expect to pay around £12.50 per month.
A quick calculation suggests you can expect to pay anywhere between £92 and £252 per month (£1,104 and £3,024 per year) to keep your dog healthy and entertained. This means you should take your time to consider which breed of dog is right for you, your family and your budget.
The lifetime cost
You may be starting to realise that getting a dog might not be straightforward decision, or a cheap one. There may be some expenses which you didn’t consider. Or they may just be more expensive than you imagined.
The minimum cost to look after a dog over their entire lifetime will vary depending on the size and breed you choose. We have put together some estimates below to give you an idea.
Small breeds – between £5,200 and £10,000.
Medium breeds – between £7,500 and £11,800.
Large breeds – between £6,900 and £15,700.
Some owners will decide to spend much more on their dogs each month, which can make their lifetime costs significantly higher. If your dog were to experience any health issues, this can also increase the cost drastically.
How to budget for dog costs
You should now have an idea of how much a dog can cost to begin with, the average cost each month, and the cost over their lifetime. Your furry friend may be worth every penny, but it is still important to make sure you can afford to give them the life they need.
Before looking into getting a dog, complete a budget plan to see how much you are currently spending each month. This will help you to see how much room you have to spend, giving you an idea of which breeds may be best for you. Here is how to get started.
Gather your financial information – Firstly, calculate your monthly household income. Then gather your bank statements from the past few months and start to write down where you spent your money. This will take some time at first, but it is an essential first step.
Categorise your spending – Go through your spending and categorise each purchase as either a ‘need’ or a ‘want’. ‘Needs’ are the things you must buy to live a healthy life, such as accommodation, food, utility bills and transportation. ‘Wants’ are the things you could live without, such as entertainment, takeaways, holidays and technology.
Highlight unnecessary costs – Go through your ‘wants’ and decide if there are any purchases you regret, or maybe shouldn’t have made. You could cut these costs out to save some more money. This will help you to maximise your budget for your new puppy.
Calculate your remaining budget – Remove any unnecessary costs and calculate your total monthly spend. Subtract this from your monthly household income and you will be left with your remaining budget. This is the amount you have available to spend on your new dog each month.
Research your ideal dog breed – Decide if your remaining budget is sufficient to give a dog the life it needs. If so, do some research into which breeds fit your budget and your family’s requirements. This is the fun part!
Try our budget planner
We have created a free Budget Planner to make budgeting for your new dog simple and easy. You can find our Budget Planner here or click the button below to get started.
Hopefully, this guide has given you an idea of how much your new dog will cost you. We wish you the best of luck for this exciting new journey!
- The information provided is for guidance and educational purposes only. Serve and Protect CU does not offer regulated financial advice. Please seek independent financial advice.
