How much does it cost to care for a dog?

Tea_spiller

I was quoted £56 pm to insure 9 week Staffordshire pup last year :eek:
Opted to start a credit union for any vet bills.

Smileyt

My two are small dogs, 9kg and 11kg.

The older dog's insurance is £45/month. He needed an emergency heart operation in the past, which was over £2000. He also has spondylosis of his spine and is on daily painkillers.The younger one has luxating patella (dislocating kneecap) and may need an operation in future, and that will probably be the best part of a grand, if not more. She also needs to see a behaviourist, which her insurance won't cover as it is deemed a pre-existing condition (she was a troubled pup when I got her).

I feed a mixture of cold-pressed food in the mornings (Guru Surf and Turf) and raw in the evenings. Have a look at allaboutdogfood dot co dot uk - the costings are sometimes a little bit out, but it will give you an idea of the kinds of foods available and a ballpark figure. My advice, for the sake of a dog's health, is to go for the ones that rate highest.

Even if you have insurance, there are things it won't cover. For instance, one of my dogs (the nervous one, it would be, wouldn't it!) needs her claws clipping frequently and I can't do this alone. It takes a couple of vet nurses to pin her down whilst the vet gets snippy with the clippers. Or say your dog has a lump. On examination, the vet is 99% sure it's a fatty lump and nothing to worry about. That's around £30-£40 for the visit, but you can't claim it on your insurance because it's below the excess.

Dogs can be destructive. My old boy has a thing for rubber and latex. He's destroyed packets of latex gloves and several rubber-handled tools... He also will snorkel through the shopping bags and steal goodies if I'm stupid enough to leave the shopping on the floor.

I spend a fortune on boots because I wear them out so quickly as we walk miles. Proper waterproof gear is a necessity if you have a dog that needs a decent walk. And walking in the rain and snow loses its charm very quickly. Especially if you have to go out at 3am with a dog who's got diarrhoea.

If you get a dog who loves to roll in fox poo and dead things, your life will be dominated by bathing the dog. So there's shampoo to think of. And how will you get the dog through the house to the bathroom without smearing poo or innards everywhere? Is it safe to tie him/her up outside whilst you fill buckets?

I didn't go on holiday for 12 years because I couldn't afford a holiday and a dog. Everything has to be planned around them because they are dependent on you for their wellbeing. It's a lifestyle.

I'm not meaning to put you off getting a dog. I adore mine. The little one is asleep next to me on the sofa as I'm typing this, with her little legs poking straight out as she snores. They melt my heart hundreds of times each day. They make me laugh and are great company. But they are a huge commitment. If you're not ready to own one yet, why not check with the Cinnammon Trust or Age UK to see if there are any housebound people nearby who would welcome some help walking their dog? That way you get the walks and the cuddles without the expense or full-time commitment.

surfsister

keeping a dog can be much much cheaper

I had a Belgian shepherd who lived to 26 a huge age for these dogs.

The vet told me (RSPCA) don't buy any of the expensive foods buy the cheapest or home cook and add raw carrots and green veg chopped up. If you start as a pup they don't know any different. Mine always had Webox or Chappie which I bought in bulk when it was on offer. I bough horse carrots at veg shop (broken and cracked carrots meant for horses).

For teats she loved a small baked potato

I did buy those huge hard bones which I gave her only when we went out to stop her chewing things. She saw it as a treat and it lasted a year each one.

Inoculations vary enormously I travelled to the cheapest place and wormed/flees myself with poundshop/ebay items.

I wore weliis for walking as lived in deep countryside and kept an old thick dog waking coat for years - the dog didn't care what you wore!

I bought the cheapest dog shampoo and it lasts ages

I bought toys at jumble sales/car boots/school sales e.g. cuddly toys for 10p, tennis balls 10p or similar.

When we had guests they used to bring something for the dog instead of food for us.

For working I swapped dog care with friends and cultivated the neighbours who loved the dog and would all walk it or play with it in the huge garden. They also used to bring treats or reduced items they had found for her! In return I house at and watered plants and cats for them. win/win situation.

When she went the vet said we did something right for her to live so long and be very well to the end.

The best tip and it's free; train well when they are pups and it will make a good dog for later.

surfsister

mirko wrote: »

Remember, also if you plan on having a holiday abroad you have to pay to have your dog boarded, or for someone to look after it. For a week that could be 250-300?

As a casual estimate I'd say our dog costs at least £1k per year. (We have very good pet insurance, which is good as it paid out 1,600 on an operation she had to have last year).

You can get a friendly dog sitter for a fraction of that, they will live in and look after the house too. I did it for years paid a local girl £10 a day to live in. Find a a reliable one mine never never caused any concern and the house was occupied. One did it for pocket money for years and used to water plants and even polish furniture etc when she noticed I didn't have time!

surfsister

Hammerhead17 wrote: »

Hi All,

My partner and I really want a dog and have for ages. Up to now we have refrained as we live in a first floor maisonette with no garden and didn't think it was fair on the dog. That being said, we've recently been dogsitting whilst my father in law was on holiday for 2 weeks and got along great with his Lurcher (Max). He enjoyed a morning walk before work, one at lunchtime and one or two in the evening as well. When he wasn't out he was either cuddled up on the sofa with me or sunbathing on the spare bed. I wouldn't be able to work from home everyday but we've looked up the details of a dog walker who lives in the next street and she could give a lunchtime walk for £6. As long as I wfh 3 days a week this seems acheivable.

Before we get too carried away though I wanted to work out the true cost of caring for a dog as this may take the decision away anyway.

I have calculated the following p/m:

Insurance £6
Food (e.g. Burgess Supadog Greyhound and Lurcher 12.5kg) 2 x £21.49
Toys (£10 - we'd obviously get a stash upfront but £10 should cover the extra cost of replacement balls and teddies?)
Dog Walking - £54
Total: about £110?

Have I missed anything and does this seem realistic for a lurcher/greyhound/whippet type dog? (Typically dogs that spend a lot of time resting anyway, we think that's why Max got on well as he was fine to be left alone for a few hours as long as we tired him out with a walk before). I'm a bit on the fence about the food, I don't know how much a dog eats really - Max is not food oriented and is a senior so didn't eat too much but if we rescued a younger dog they might eat more?

TIA

not sure abut lurchers but have looked after a neighbours and greyhounds can be tricky. Some are highly strung and hate noise and can have stomach issues. But a greyhound rescus centre will advise.

"Important: Greyhounds can be susceptible to bloat – a condition in which their stomach swells, twists and is often fatal. To reduce the risk, please avoid walking your greyhound 30 minutes before and after meals. For safety reasons, please do not feed you greyhound with other pet dogs – always keep them separate at meal times.!

We had a lurcher cross once and it was a devil for escaping from the garden and doing a runner everytime we let it off the lead after anything which moved!!

surfsister

a friend walks other peoples dogs for fun! Buy before you try sort of thing

https://www.borrowmydoggy.com

ZoltarSpeaks

I was just about to say the same thing. borrowmydoggy.com is great! I really want a dog but my lifestyle doesn't suit it at the moment. So I signed up and walk other people's. So once or twice a week I get my furry fix AND get out in nature.
It's £10 a year for walkers, I'm not sure for owners. The owners I know have been using it for years and some were walkers themselves before getting their own dog.

Plasticfoot

Hammerhead17 wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the responses, there's definitely a lot to think about that I wasn't aware of.
Thanks All!

In a shared place make sure you get a quiet dog or you may find the neighbours banging on your door or worse, reporting you to the local Council.

And I will also second what others have said about sicky days. You need to be prepared to get outside quickly with a handful of poo bags (if you’re lucky and it’s solid enough to pick up) _pale_

gilly1964

Regardless of the daily costs, you also need to consider the purchase costs


Our dog is a cross breed terrier. and cost £400 from a breeder almost 3 years ago. Same mix is now being advertised for £700+


Castration - £200 + depending on size


Vaccinations - ours are included in a monthly package of £12 p/m


Lead, collar, identity tag, will also need replacing as dog grows or they wear out


Insurance - ours is £9 p/m, no pre-existing conditions




I would suggest rescue but I suspect you will not be allowed to rehome a dog, based on our experience. Dog was not allowed to be left for more than 3 hours, had to have a garden with minimum of 6 foot fence.




I do hope you get to choose a pooch but in my opinion perhaps now is not the right time.

gloriouslyhappy

Smileyt wrote: »

If you're not ready to own one yet, why not check with the Cinnammon Trust or Age UK to see if there are any housebound people nearby who would welcome some help walking their dog? That way you get the walks and the cuddles without the expense or full-time commitment.

I second the Cinnamon Trust, or check your local dog shelter for dog-walking volunteering opportunities, that way you'll get to know the dog and decide if it's right for you before bringing it home. Older dogs can be very rewarding, I'd avoid a puppy, older dogs are much easier for a first dog, albeit with slightly increased medical costs. We got our Dalmatian at 10 years, we were his 4th and final home and had him nearly five after that - he is still much missed.

Tips:
Bed: don't buy a bed, get an old double duvet, pop on a cover and fold into four making a one square meter bed. When one side gets dirty, turn over, also unfold and turn over so you could go several weeks without washing the cover. Also good for draping in the boot when taking him in the car.
Food: boil up large batch of plain white rice, cool and freeze in smallish portions. Thaw one portion, add a little kibble and or canned food, and some chopped raw or steamed carrots, serve and watch it disappear. When eating chicken or lamb yourself, boil up the bones into stock, freeze in small portions and add to dog's rice mix. Do not give the dog the bones - ours crunched a huge leg of lamb bone into shreds to our horror, luckily he didn't injure his insides, but did poo shards of bone for days after. Our senior dog thrived on this, due to his good health, shiny coat and excellent teeth, new vets at the surgery thought he was half his age!
Treats: carrots and apple, they love it, it's good for their teeth and digestion, much better than regular dog treats which are filled with salt, sugar and preservatives.
Summer treats: marmite lollies - dissolve a teaspoon of marmite in a little boiling water, top up with a liter of cold water, fill ice cube tray and freeze. Variation: add diced carrot and apple to ice cube tray before filling with marmite water.
Walking when ill, your or the dog: as well as poo bags, carry a small spray bottle of disinfectant. If dog has upset tum / diarrohoea, will help clean up when not possible to pick up, and if you're ill, spraying your hands will help stop spread of infection.

Lots of work yes, especially if the dog has a shedding coat (Dalmatian hair sticks like mad, years after he popped his clogs we're still finding hair!) but oh so much fun.